15 Prospects Who Stood Out at the 2026 Blue Arrow Classic

The Blue Arrow Classic brought a genuinely international field to Toronto, with programs and prospects from Canada, the United States, Australia, Italy and Senegal sharing the floor over three days at Humber Polytechnic.

The Jamal Murray connection gives the event some extra meaning. Before Kentucky, an NBA championship and becoming one of the faces of Canadian basketball, Murray came through the Orangeville Prep and Athlete Institute system. Blue Arrow now gives another generation of prospects a chance to compete on a stage connected to that same pathway.

For The Maple Minute, the focus was evaluation rather than simply results. Production matters, but so do physical tools, skill, decision-making, motor, defensive impact and which parts of a player’s game look capable of translating as the competition gets better. These are 15 players who repeatedly found their way into my notebook.

Praise Badejo — Orangeville Prep

6'1 | 2029 | Canada 🇨🇦

There was a point during Orangeville’s matchup with Dynamic Prep when I wrote in my notes that every time Orangeville needed something done, Praise Badejo seemed to be the player doing it. That ended up being one of my strongest impressions from the entire weekend.

Badejo already has a really interesting understanding of pace. He could get downhill, stop comfortably in the mid-range or create enough space to rise into his jumper without looking rushed. That was particularly impressive against Dynamic, because they were one of the most physical defensive teams I watched all weekend. They bumped cutters, pressured ball-handlers and tried to make possessions uncomfortable, but Badejo continued to play at his own speed.

The scoring versatility was obvious, but I liked the decision-making just as much. Badejo wasn’t simply hunting shots. He recognized when the defence collapsed and was willing to find the next player. For somebody in the 2029 class, that combination of shot-making, pace and feel is what really makes the evaluation interesting. His physical development will continue, but the way he already processes the game against older players gives Orangeville another very intriguing young Canadian guard.

Liam Mitakaro — Bella Vista EYBL

6'4 | 2028 | Canada 🇨🇦

Mitakaro’s shooting range was probably the first thing that caught my attention. Against Brampton City Prep, he was comfortable pulling from several feet behind the line and didn’t need much separation to get into his shot. There were possessions where the defender was right in his space and Mitakaro still looked completely comfortable letting it go.

What made the weekend more impressive was everything that came around the shooting. He hustled back to erase a transition opportunity with a block, jumped passing lanes, made good reads once he got into the paint and showed that he could play above the rim in transition. He wasn’t just standing around waiting for kick-outs.

That matters when evaluating where his game can eventually go. A 6'4 guard who can shoot at that level is already valuable, but the passing, defensive activity and ability to attack give him a much wider path. Over multiple games at Blue Arrow, Mitakaro continued showing that the jumper may be the first thing you notice, but it isn’t the only reason to keep watching him.

Lyris Robinson — Canyon OTE

6'6 | 2027 | Canada/USA 🇨🇦🇺🇸

Robinson put together one of the most complete stretches I watched at the event. Against Varese, it started with his work on the glass. He consistently went above traffic for defensive rebounds and pursued the ball instead of simply waiting for it to come into his area.

Then other parts of the game started showing up. Robinson knocked down a one-legged jumper in the mid-range, hit from three, attacked the paint and made several smart little plays that kept possessions alive. One of my favourite sequences wasn’t a highlight at all; it was simply recognizing the situation near the sideline and intelligently using an opponent to save possession.

Against AUS Elite, more of the perimeter scoring and creation came out. The important part is that Robinson does not need to dominate the ball to impact a game. He can rebound, defend, shoot, attack a closeout and make the next pass. That versatility fits with what he has already shown internationally and gives him several ways to influence a game even when he isn’t the primary option.

Paul Osaruyi — Canyon OTE

6'10 | 2027 | Canada 🇨🇦

The size and physical tools are impossible to miss with Osaruyi, but I came away from Blue Arrow more interested in the skill and mobility around them.

He showed touch with a baby hook over his shoulder, comfortably stepped into mid-range jumpers and had several finishes where he simply went through bodies around the basket. He rebounded in traffic and provided the obvious rim protection you want from a player with his length, but there were also possessions where he was pulled onto the perimeter and moved his feet surprisingly well.

That is an important part of his long-term evaluation. There are plenty of young bigs who can dominate when everything happens directly around the basket. Osaruyi showed signs of being able to defend farther away from it while still providing all the vertical value inside. When you combine that mobility with the developing touch and strength, there is a lot to work with.

Bryce Dennis — Brampton City Prep

5'9 | 2028 | Canada 🇨🇦

Bryce Dennis was one of those players whose competitiveness was impossible to miss. Against Bella Vista, he pressured the ball relentlessly, blitzed opposing guards, created steals and repeatedly attacked the heart of a defence that had significantly more size waiting for him at the rim.

At 5'9, Dennis will always have to find ways to overcome length, but Blue Arrow showed a guard who understands that he cannot let size dictate how aggressively he plays. His quickness, motor and willingness to initiate contact allowed him to make bigger players uncomfortable at both ends.

There were difficult finishes and possessions where the length won, but that is part of the evaluation too. What I liked was that he continued forcing the defence to react. The competitiveness and point-of-attack pressure give him a clear identity to build from.

Shivam Sharma — Brampton City Prep

6'4 | 2027 | Canada 🇨🇦

Sharma was a good example of a player who did not need the ball constantly to find ways to contribute. One of his best sequences came defensively when he jumped a passing lane, got out in transition and finished with a dunk. Later, when penetration drew the defence into the paint, Sharma was ready on the perimeter and knocked down the catch-and-shoot three.

Those plays stood out because they fit naturally within the game. Sharma wasn’t forcing possessions or trying to become something he wasn’t. He defended, ran the floor, stayed active and was prepared when opportunities came to him.

That kind of versatility often becomes more valuable as players climb levels and no longer have every offensive possession designed for them. Sharma showed signs that he understands how to impact a game without needing to be the primary creator.

Settimo Yugu — Bella Vista EYBL

6'9 | 2027 | Canada 🇨🇦

Yugu’s size and movement give him some particularly interesting defensive possibilities. At times Bella Vista used him near the top of its pressure, where he had enough mobility to deal with guards while using his length to disrupt passing lanes.

Around the basket, he rebounded above the rim and gave Bella Vista another long defensive presence, but I was more interested in seeing a 6'9 player trusted in areas that are normally occupied by wings. That tells you something about the physical tools and versatility coaches already see in him.

The next step will be continuing to expand the offensive skill so the versatility on that end begins to match what he can potentially do defensively. There is already plenty of experience in his background, and Blue Arrow was another good look at the type of role his length and athleticism can fill.

Momo Sanogo — CODE Academy

6'10 | 2029 | Canada-based

Momo Sanogo was one of the youngest bigs in the event and also one of the easiest players to identify when CODE Academy got into transition.

He runs hard, gives guards a clear target and plays above the rim. CODE consistently rewarded him for sprinting the floor, finding him on lobs and dump-offs before the defence could get set. His activity also translated defensively, where he showed real shot-blocking instincts and had several possessions where he erased an attempt and immediately cleaned up the defensive rebound.

There is naturally a lot of development ahead for a 2029 big, but there is already a clear foundation. Legitimate size, vertical athleticism, rim protection and the willingness to run hard can create an immediate role while the rest of the offensive game develops. I’m leaving his nationality open here rather than assigning one without firm confirmation, but his performance for CODE made him one of the young bigs worth tracking closely.

Kyree Taylor — Orangeville Prep

6'3 | 2027 | Canada 🇨🇦

Taylor had several possessions against Dynamic that caught my attention because each one showed a different answer offensively.

He hit a difficult fading jumper in the mid-range, attacked the basket directly and had one particularly impressive possession where he split a double-team and still managed to get all the way to the rim. Later he stepped out and knocked down a three.

The interesting part was that the scoring did not feel predetermined. Taylor wasn’t simply deciding he was going to attack before seeing what the defence presented. He reacted to the coverage and found different solutions. With Badejo having such a strong weekend, Taylor did not have to control every possession for Orangeville, but he showed a scoring package that can fit alongside other creators.

Payton Jones — Dynamic Prep

6'2 | 2027 | USA 🇺🇸 | Maryland commit

Jones entered Blue Arrow as a Maryland commit, and over the course of the weekend he showed many of the traits that make him appealing as a lead guard.

He consistently created paint touches. Sometimes that became a finish, sometimes an elbow jumper and sometimes a kick-out once the defence collapsed. He could knock down threes when defenders gave him space, but he never seemed dependent on his jumper to control a possession.

There was creativity too. Against AUS Elite, one of the more memorable plays of the weekend came when Jones threw the ball off the backboard for a teammate to finish. It was a flashy play, but it also reflected how comfortable he was seeing things develop in transition.

What I liked most was the control. Dynamic plays a very physical, disruptive style, yet Jones rarely looked hurried within it. He could speed the game up when an opportunity appeared and slow it back down when it didn’t. That ability to manipulate tempo is an important quality for a guard heading toward the high-major level.

Benjamin Berrouet — Dynamic Prep

6'8 | 2028 | Latvia/USA 🇱🇻🇺🇸

Berrouet may have been the Dynamic player whose versatility showed up most consistently across the weekend.

Against AUS Elite, he defended inside, rebounded through traffic, handled the ball comfortably from the perimeter and attacked with either hand. Against Orangeville, many of the same traits appeared again. He could grab a defensive rebound and immediately become the ball-handler, attack a closeout or use his strength once he got into the paint.

His motor connected everything. Berrouet repeatedly found himself involved in second efforts, defensive possessions and loose-ball situations instead of waiting for the offence to find him. For a player with his size and ability to handle, that activity makes him difficult to put into a traditional positional box.

His international background is also worth getting right. Berrouet has Latvian and American nationality and represents Latvia internationally. That context fits what we saw at Blue Arrow: this is not simply a big forward overpowering younger competition. There is skill, defensive impact and real international experience already in the profile.

Lucas Byrne — AUS Elite

6'4 | 2009-born | Australia 🇦🇺

By the final day of Blue Arrow, Lucas Byrne had made sure he was going to be part of this article.

His 40-point performance against Bella Vista will understandably get most of the attention, but the evaluation was more interesting than the number itself. Byrne scored in a lot of different ways. He used his body around the basket, finished underneath the rim, got into the paint for a high floater, scored off post spins and knocked down perimeter shots.

There was also a beautiful full-court outlet pass that stood out because it showed another part of his game. Byrne recognized the advantage immediately and advanced the ball before the defence had time to recover. Passing possessions can easily get lost when someone scores 40, but that one belonged in the notebook.

What made the performance impressive was the variety. He wasn’t simply having one of those games where everything from three was falling. Byrne found answers from different spots on the floor and showed enough strength to make his game work against bigger North American athletes.

Max Pavey — AUS Elite

6'2 | 2009-born | Australia 🇦🇺

Pavey caught my attention with the shot-making first.

Against Canyon, he repeatedly created enough space off the dribble to get into difficult threes and looked completely comfortable shooting over defenders even when the separation wasn’t perfect. His release was quick and there was a confidence to the way he took the next shot regardless of what had happened on the previous possession.

The later game against Bella Vista made the evaluation more complete. Pavey got downhill, showed he could finish with either hand and created opportunities for teammates rather than simply searching for his own jumper.

That second part matters. There are plenty of young guards who can make difficult shots. The ceiling gets considerably more interesting when the same player can organize possessions and create good shots for other people. Over the weekend, Pavey showed enough of both to become one of the Australian players I would want to continue tracking.

Robert Kangur — Varese

6'4 | 2009-born | Estonia 🇪🇪

Kangur was one of my favourite guards to watch because there was real craft to his game.

He changed speeds well, got defenders leaning and could attack gaps without always needing to win with pure explosiveness. He pulled up from three, got into the paint and made good reads when defenders collapsed. On several possessions, he showed the balance to pull a shot back when it wasn’t there and find a teammate instead.

There were also a few moments when the creativity got ahead of the possession, including an ambitious behind-the-back pass that became a turnover. I don’t necessarily see that as a major negative at this age. Kangur is seeing openings and trying to create advantages; the next step is learning which windows are actually available.

Varese played a noticeably different style from many of the North American programs, and Kangur looked comfortable within it. The handle, pace and feel made him one of the more enjoyable guards to evaluate over the weekend.

Ivan Prato — Varese

6'10 | 2007-born | Argentina/Italy 🇦🇷🇮🇹

Prato was one of the more unusual offensive evaluations at Blue Arrow because he did not play like a traditional 6'10 big.

His release from three was extremely quick. He came off curls ready to shoot and did not need much time to get his feet organized. Once defenders started closing harder, he showed he could put the ball on the floor and attack, including one drive from the corner where he took the ball hard to the rim and finished with a dunk over size.

There was also some real touch in the middle of the floor. He flashed a one-legged fadeaway that looked more like something you would expect from a guard and made several quick touch passes that kept Varese’s offence flowing.

Size will always get attention, but size combined with perimeter skill is what made Prato interesting. His offensive profile creates possibilities that are very different from what you expect when you initially see a 6'10 player walk onto the floor.

Final Thoughts

Blue Arrow delivered what I want from an early-season showcase: unfamiliar matchups, different styles and a chance to see how prospects respond when the size, athleticism and physicality change.

Some players reinforced what we already knew, while others left Toronto firmly on the radar for future evaluations. The biggest takeaway was simple: there are a lot of players from this weekend I want to see again.