Coach Kurt Steiner is the head coach at The MacDuffie School, where he is building a legitimate NEPSAC AA program the right way. In this episode, Kurt breaks down how The MacDuffie School develops players day to day, why the 5:30 AM gym slot reveals everything about work habits, and how measurable testing drives accountability. He explains how The MacDuffie School’s open gyms, structure, and culture help college coaches evaluate players honestly, and why placement today is about fit, timing, and trust rather than labels.

 💡Key Topics:
 📌 NEPSAC AA basketball development model and daily gym culture
 📌 5:30 AM skill work, strength training, and measurable progress testing
 📌 Open gyms for college coach evaluation plus film that carries weight
 📌 College placement strategy in the transfer portal era and spring recruiting
 📌 D1 vs D2 vs D3 fit, where you are wanted, and long term outcomes
 📌 What coaches look for: work habits, defense communication, academics, character 

🏀 About Coach Kurt Steiner

Coach Kurt Steiner is the head basketball coach at The MacDuffie School, where he has built a NEPSAC AA program centered on daily habits, measurable development, and honest college placement. His background in grassroots and AAU basketball shapes The MacDuffie School’s player-first approach.

🔗 Connect with Coach Kurt Steiner

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_coachkurt_/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/macduffiehoops/
Twitter | https://x.com/MacduffieHoops
Website | https://macduffie.org/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-steiner-a777b1b2/

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

This episode is Cory Heitz’s 2025 Prep School Basketball State of the Union, recorded after a December New England trip packed with campus visits, coach meetings, and real conversations about what’s changing right now in prep school basketball. Cory also opens with a heartfelt tribute to Whit Lesure, a true prep school legend whose impact on Bridgton Academy and college placement can’t be overstated. From there, Cory gets practical. Why college placement is taking longer, what the transfer portal changed, and why families need to stop expecting old timelines. He talks NIL resources some prep programs are offering, the real truth about playing time, and how to communicate when things aren’t clear. He also shares key updates on girls prep opportunities, visa pressure for international families, rolling admissions advantages, and why NEPSAC rules feel outdated in today’s prep basketball landscape. If you’re a parent trying to choose the right prep fit, a player navigating exposure and development, or a coach advising a family, this is a straight, useful listen.

💡Key Topics:
 📌 Prep school basketball state of the union 2025 and what changed since last year
 📌 College basketball recruiting timeline shifts, transfer portal impact, patience in placement
 📌 NIL at the prep school level: financial advisors, lawyers, and what families should know
 📌 Playing time expectations, communication with coaches, and realistic development pathways
 📌 Prep school fit vs location, girls prep opportunities, and student visa constraints
 📌 Rolling admissions, March decision timelines, and NEPSAC rule limitations

🏀 About Cory Heitz:
 Cory Heitz is the founder of PREP Athletics and has helped basketball families worldwide find the right prep school fit for both development and college placement. He brings a coach’s perspective, a placement-first mindset, and a no-hype approach to navigating the prep-to-college basketball pipeline.

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

Dr. Jeff Quebec has lived this world from the inside. He has worked in prep school admissions and leadership for decades, spent years at Eaglebrook, and now advises families as an educational consultant. In this episode, Jeff breaks down the stuff parents usually learn too late.

💡Key Topics:
 📌 Prep school admissions process, decision timelines, yield strategy
 📌 Interview prep, campus visits, first impressions, student driven narrative
 📌 Junior boarding school pathway, secondary school counseling, reclass timing
 📌 Financial aid strategy, net tuition revenue, committee decision factors
 📌 Academics vs brand names, hidden gem schools, right fit selection
 📌 Athlete recruiting context, coach turnover, program stability, long term fit

🏀 About Dr. Jeff Quebec:
 Dr. Jeff Quebec is a longtime prep school admissions leader and educational consultant with decades in independent schools. He also runs the Pre-Prep Showcase and hosts the Why Boarding School podcast focused on school fit and the boarding school experience.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Jeff Quebec:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/whyboardingschool
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/PrePrepShowcase
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WhyBoardingSchool
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/preprepshowcase/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-boarding-school
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyrquebec/
Twitter | https://x.com/whyboarding
Twitter | https://x.com/PrePrepShowcase
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@whyboardingschool
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@whyboardingschool
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/PrePrepShowcase
Email | [email protected]
Website | https://quebec-consulting.com/
Website | https://preprepshowcase.com/
Website | https://preprepshowcase.com/

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

St. George’s head coach and admissions officer Dwayne Pina joins Cory to walk through one of the most complete prep school basketball journeys you will ever hear. 

Coach Pina shares exactly what he looks for in recruits, how he developed Tyler Kolek into an NBA guard, what changed when St. George’s moved from Class B to NEPSAC AA, and why physical tools now separate many Division I guards from the pack. If you are weighing AA vs single-A vs public school and care about both college placement and life after hoops, this conversation is a must-listen. 

💡Key Topics:

📌 Boston College walk-on to scholarship guard and how that shapes his advice to under-recruited players 
 📌 Coaching under Max Good, learning accountability, and five-second decision making
 📌 Ivy League basketball reality vs perception and aligning recruiting expectations with the market
 📌 St. George’s School identity: small ISL boarding school, ocean-side campus, elite signature programs, and wellness resources
 📌 Player development system: strength and conditioning, pool work, skill trainers, captain’s runs, and mandated shooting volume
 📌 Recruiting profile at St. George’s: high-character underclassmen, impact juniors like Tyler Kolek, and no post-grads
 📌 NEPSAC AA transition, schedule difficulty, and what it takes to be a Division I guard in today’s game
 📌 Admissions process, inquiry importance, and how families should approach prep applications

🏀 About Dwayne Pina:

Dwayne Pina is the Head Boys’ Basketball Coach and an Admissions Officer at St. George’s School in Rhode Island. A New Bedford native, he played at Boston College, starting as a walk-on before earning a scholarship, then coached at Rhode Island College, Bryant under Max Good, and Brown University. He now leads St. George’s in the NEPSAC AA ranks, developing high-academic, college-bound players and guiding families through the prep school and recruiting process. 

🔗 Connect with Dwayne Pina:

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwayne-pina-38a13147/
Website | https://www.stgeorges.edu/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dpina5/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sgboyshoops/
Twitter | https://x.com/dpina5
Twitter | https://x.com/sgboyshoops

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

Nemo (Nemanja) Maric, head coach at Hoosac School / ISA (AAA), joins Cory to unpack a true Euro–U.S. hybrid approach to prep school basketball development. Maric shares his journey from Serbia and a 13-year pro career to building a multinational roster under one roof—where 20+ countries train, lift, and study within a system that blends European team concepts (spacing, reads, ball movement) with American individual creativity (one-on-one scoring, athletic standards). He explains why multi-sport participation helps athletes’ decision-making and body awareness, how ISA–Hoosac runs open gyms that draw 100+ college programs, and why honest, low-turnover guards who kick out on paint touches translate fastest to college.

You’ll also hear candid guidance on playing time (earn it), parent communication (player-led first), college placement across D1/D2/D3/JUCO, and the real benefits of NEPSAC AAA competition for exposure and growth. Maric closes with a forward look at NIL-era pipelines, where schools may formalize multi-level systems from prep to college.

Families mapping the prep-to-college pathway: this episode delivers clear, practical next steps—no hype, just what actually works. 

💡 Key Topics

• 📌 Euro–U.S. blend for player development (spacing, reads + individual creativity)
• 📌 Global roster model at ISA–Hoosac and daily training environment
• 📌 College placement: open gyms, showcases, relationships, agencies
• 📌 NEPSAC AAA benefits: elite coaching, exposure, consistency
• 📌 D1 guard standards: low turnovers, decision-making, defense, kick-outs
• 📌 Multi-sport advantage: movement literacy, mental health, long-term upside

🏀 About Nemo (Nemanja) Maric

Head Coach, Hoosac School / ISA (AAA). Serbian-born, 13-year European pro, and architect of a Euro-style development system inside a U.S. prep framework. Maric’s teams emphasize spacing, reads, discipline, and skill—while preparing international and domestic athletes for college basketball.

🔗 Connect with Nemo Maric

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hoosac.bb/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/nemanja_maric_coach/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/isa.hoosac/
Twitter | https://x.com/ISAHoosac
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/isa.hoosac/

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

Kenya Jones, Head Coach and Associate Director of Admissions at Brooks School (MA), joins Cory for a straight, practical talk about prep school basketball, player development, and college placement in today’s NIL/transfer-portal era. Jones explains why Brooks is “a school that happens to be good at basketball,” and how a culture of multi-sport participation, arts, and academics creates tougher, smarter, more coachable athletes. He details what he really recruits—character, independence, and fit—and how self-driven development (open runs, morning gym, weight room cadence) prepares players for NEPSAC competition and college standards.

You’ll hear an honest breakdown of Class B vs AA/AAA schedules, why relationships + summer showcases move the needle more than hype, and exactly what it takes to be a Division I guard (athleticism, vocal leadership, 94-feet defense, rebounding from your position, and credible shooting). If you’re a parent, player, or coach seeking the right pathway—not promises—this episode gives you a clear lens on admissions, placement timing, and building a life-ready student-athlete.

Families starting the prep journey: listen in, take notes, and focus on fit over flash.

💡 Key Topics

• 📌 Holistic development at Brooks (multi-sport, arts, academics → coachability & maturity)
• 📌 Recruiting priorities (character, independence, fit over mixtape hype)
• 📌 Placement in the portal era (relationships, summer showcases, demanding schedule)
• 📌 Class B vs AA/AAA (ISL competition, scheduling up for exposure)
• 📌 D1 guard checklist (athleticism, 94-ft defense, vocal leadership, rebounding, shooting)
• 📌 Admissions & school fit (well-rounded students, balanced academic pressure)

🏀 About Kenya Jones

Kenya Jones is the Head Basketball Coach and Associate Director of Admissions at Brooks School (MA). A Bronx native and longtime Brooks faculty member, he led the program to a NEPSAC Class B title and earned Coach of the Year honors. His philosophy centers on character, independence, and a balanced school experience that turns high school athletes into college-ready student-leaders.

🔗 Connect with Kenya Jones

Twitter | https://x.com/BrooksBasketbal
Twitter | https://x.com/CoachKJones52
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/brooksboysbasketball/

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

Hargrave Military Academy head coach Ben Veshi joins Cory to give a straight, inside look at prep school basketball, player development, and college placement in 2025. Veshi explains Hargrave’s structured, military-style environment, why it accelerates maturity and on-court performance, and how the program’s two-a-days, weight room cadence, and ~50-game schedule prepare athletes for college intensity. He breaks down today’s recruiting reality—why the summer evaluation period and a program’s reputation/relationships now drive offers more than fall open gyms, how the transfer portal and NIL changed timelines, and when a D2 full ride can be the smartest path to a future D1. Finally, Veshi details what it actually takes to be a Division I guard right now: tight handle, credible shooting, physical defense, and floor leadership. If you’re a parent, player, or coach weighing NEPSAC vs Elite Prep League, post-grad options, or the best route to college basketball, this conversation cuts through the noise and gives you a clear plan to follow.

💡Key Topics

• 📌 Military-style structure → on-court gains (prep school basketball, player maturity, accountability)
• 📌 Summer recruiting > fall open gyms (transfer portal era, NIL, coach relationships)
• 📌 Hargrave development model (two-a-days, weight room, ~50 games, elite skill work)
• 📌 Placement strategy (right-fit D1/D2, scholarship math, reputation & events)
• 📌 D1 guard requirements (tight handle, shooting credibility, defensive physicality, leadership)

🏀 About Ben Veshi

Head Coach, Hargrave Military Academy (Post-Grad). A Marianapolis Prep alum and former Catawba player/coach, Veshi has a decade at Hargrave and leads one of the country’s most demanding prep environments, producing college-ready athletes through structure, skill development, and high-level competition.

🔗 Connect with Ben Veshi

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hargravebasketball/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ben.veshi/
Twitter | https://x.com/HMAVBB
Twitter | https://x.com/HargraveHoops
Emai | [email protected]
Website | https://hargrave.edu/

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

Mercersburg Academy head coach Sean Crocker brings two decades across college hoops, Hoop Group, and the MAPL to this no-fluff episode. Sean breaks down exactly what college coaches need from a Division I guard—defend multiple positions, handle pressure, and make open threes—then shows how he develops those habits: 1,000–1,500 made shots per week, “500 threes on Saturdays,” fall strength and conditioning three to four days a week, and film-driven footwork (“the eye in the sky doesn’t lie”). He’s candid on MAPL vs NEPSAC exposure—why relationships still get phones picked up—and how Mercersburg’s location opens doors beyond New England. Families get real recruiting strategy: honest evaluations, stubborn advocacy, and proof points (a Ghanaian PG to a D2 full ride; Eric Oliver-Bush from NE10 Rookie of the Year to Manhattan). We also unpack the two-postgrad rule, when a two-year reclass beats a PG year, and why transfer-era decisions can cost kids the college experience. If you want straight talk on development, exposure, and fit, this is it.

 💡 Key Topics

 📌 D1 guard traits: defense, shot-making, pressure handling
 📌 MAPL vs NEPSAC exposure: relationships, geography, visibility
 📌 Player development plan: high-volume makes, S&C, film-based footwork
 📌 PG year vs two-year reclass strategy and the MAPL two-PG rule
 📌 Honest recruiting/placement: evaluation, advocacy, real outcomes
 📌 Transfer-era realities: risk to “middle” players and college experience

 🏀 About Sean Crocker

 Sean Crocker is the Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Mercersburg Academy (MAPL). With prior stops at Hoop Group and multiple college programs, he blends college-style development with prep-level placement, emphasizing honest evaluations, high-volume skill work, and strong college relationships.

 🔗 Connect with Sean Crocker

 Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/coachcrocker/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/mburg_boysbasketball/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/mburgathletics/
Website | https://www.mercersburg.edu/athletics/winter-sports/boys-basketball
Twitter | https://x.com/CoachCrocker
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandukecrocker/

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

Stanford Final Four guard, pro vet, and USA Basketball 3x3 U23 coach Christina Batastini joins Cory to deliver clear, no-nonsense guidance for families navigating prep school basketball. Now the head coach at St. Andrew’s School (NEPSAC AAA), Christina breaks down what truly translates to college—defending your position, decision-making, and making teammates better—and why the Ivy League is real Division I basketball. She explains the prep vs AAU recruiting dynamic, the difference between offers and interest, and how the transfer portal has shifted commitment timelines (and why late spring/summer decisions are increasingly normal). You’ll also hear how reclassing or a post-grad year can be used strategically—without forcing a path that doesn’t fit the student-athlete. If you want practical answers on exposure, academic fit, and the right level (AAA/AA vs A), this conversation keeps the hype out and the player development in.

💡 Key Topics

 📌 Ivy League basketball level & academic balance (Ivy League recruiting, high-academic D1)
 📌 Reclass vs Post-Grad strategy (reclassing timing, post-grad year structure)
 📌 Offers vs Interest & portal era timing (scholarship strategy, commitment windows)
 📌 NEPSAC AAA exposure and scheduling (college visibility, national showcases)
 📌 D1 guard essentials (defense, decision-making, basketball IQ, shooting)
 📌 Prep vs AAU roles in recruiting (placement strategy, coach communication)

🏀 About Christina Batastini:

 A Parade/Nike All-American and Stanford guard who reached the Final Four, Christina played professionally across Europe before coaching at Brown and leading USA Basketball 3x3 U23 Women. She is the Head Girls’ Coach at St. Andrew’s School (NEPSAC AAA), where her teams compete nationally and place student-athletes at collegiate programs.

🔗 Connect with Christina Batastini:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sasrigirlsprephoops/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sasriathletics
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/christinabatastini
Twitter | https://x.com/SASRIAthletics
Twitter | https://x.com/SASRIGirlsHoops
Email | [email protected]
Website | https://www.standrews-ri.org/

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...

Steve Turner—now Head of Basketball Operations and National Team Head Coach at Montverde Academy—breaks down the modern prep-to-college pathway with zero fluff. After 26 years at Gonzaga College High School, Turner explains why he chose Montverde, how he builds a “we over me” roster for EYBL Scholastic, and why academics still matter for top-50 talents. He gives families straight talk on NIL (what to learn before signing anything), whether high school stars really need agents, and how the transfer portal reshaped recruiting. Turner also shares his parent perspective from his son’s transfer (Northeastern → Old Dominion) and the mindset/mental health guardrails families should prioritize. Plus, a blueprint case study: Blake Harper’s rise from Gonzaga to Howard to Creighton. If you want practical, current guidance on prep school selection, player development, and realistic college placement in 2025–26, this one’s for you. Ready to find the right fit—not the loudest offer? Let’s dig in. 

💡Key Topics:

 📌 EYBL Scholastic & Montverde’s development pathway (prep school basketball, player development)
 📌 NIL, agents, and family education (NIL rules, state differences, risk management)
 📌 Transfer portal realities and protecting the college degree (college placement, recruiting strategy)
 📌 Mental health as a decision driver (parent perspective, athlete well-being)
 📌 Building a “we over me” roster for elite competition (team culture, coachability)

🏀 About Steve Turner:

 Steve Turner is Head of Basketball Operations and Head Coach of the National Team at Montverde Academy. A former National Coach of the Year, he spent 26 years at Gonzaga College High School (DC), sending dozens of players to all levels of Division I and professional basketball. At Montverde, Turner leads in EYBL Scholastic while emphasizing academics, culture, and long-term development. 

🔗 Connect with Steve Turner:

 Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/mvabasketball/
Website | https://www.coachsteveturner.com/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/coachsteveturner
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-turner-86629748/
Twitter | https://x.com/MVABasketball
Email | [email protected]

🏆 About PREP Athletics:

At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families navigating prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

Learn more at PREP Athletics, contact us if your family needs help navigating the prep-school process, and subscribe for more practical prep basketball and recruiting guidance.

🔗 Connect with PREP Athletics:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Email | [email protected]
X | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@prep_athletics
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/prep-athletics

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbX...