Prep School Basketball Recruiting: What Every Athlete and Family Needs to Know

Every year, talented basketball players and their families face a tough reality: getting recruited from a non-NEPSAC or Midwest prep school isn’t as simple as showing up and playing well. The landscape is competitive, and exposure can feel limited compared to the New England powerhouses. But with the right approach—targeted events, smart travel, and strong relationships—players at schools like Western Reserve Academy can absolutely compete for college opportunities.

We dove into this exact topic during my recent interview with Coach Thomas Adams-Wall, head girls’ basketball coach and admissions officer at Western Reserve Academy in Ohio. Thomas brings a unique perspective, having grown up on a New England prep school campus and now leading a Midwest program that’s produced high-major talent. His insights are invaluable for anyone navigating the recruiting process outside the traditional NEPSAC pipeline.

Maximizing College Basketball Exposure from a Non-NEPSAC Prep School

Year-Round Basketball and Midwest Prep School Advantages

Cory: “What I tell people about Western Reserve, it’s a New England prep school, smack dab, 20 minutes from downtown Cleveland in Hudson. Give me your pitch—why should a kid come to Western Reserve?”

Thomas: “For basketball, we do 10-month boys and girls basketball. The ability to train year-round with a team, it’s not like two kids doing skill work every day. This past year we had 13 girls doing fall basketball. It’s been really beneficial for us, especially having new kids and building camaraderie. But I also think being in Ohio, that’s the hard part. The hardest part at Western Reserve is getting people to come out and visit… We really specialize our visits. Every family that comes through would say they feel like they get red carpet treatment so they can sit in on classes with kids. We’re not part of the state association, so kids can come in and do a workout with our girls. They can play open gym with them. So that’s really beneficial.”

Competing with New England Prep Programs: Events, Travel, and Scheduling

Cory: “If I’m located at Western Reserve and playing there, am I going to get the same college exposure? Am I going to play the same competition? When a family tells you they’re also looking to New England schools, how do you answer that question?”

Thomas: “Obviously NEPSAC is a great league having played it myself. It’s big time basketball, both on the boys and girls side. I think we counter it by going to a lot of exposure events. So yes, NEPSAC schools are all in open gyms throughout the fall, with college coaches trickling in and out throughout the year. I do think a lot of the events that both our boys and girls team go to, they’re packed baseline to baseline, just like a live period event. We go to five or six on the girl side, different events. I would say the boys go to six or seven different events throughout the year where they’re packed with coaches.”

The Power of Relationships: Coaches, Grassroots, and AAU Connections

Thomas: “A lot of recruiting’s relationship based. Whether it’s through grassroots or our relationships—on the boys side, Garvey obviously had coached at Providence, Pete coached at Dartmouth and George Mason and was at New Hampton forever. Sean White has coached in the G League. He’s coached in college. I coached D3, but I’m also involved with an Adidas 3SSB program based out of Kentucky. So having access to those college coaches is huge because it is a relationship based business. If you have players, they’re going to come see the people that they’re close with because those are the people they trust.”

Midwest Competition and Scheduling Flexibility

Thomas: “Ohio basketball is really good both on the boys and girls side. I think not being a part of the state association makes it difficult at times to schedule, more so on the boys side than the girls. The boys probably travel a little bit more than we do, but the top girls team in Ohio, they’ll play us, no matter how good we are. So it is nice that we don’t have to travel so extensively, but we still will play large public schools, other private schools, other boarding schools. We really get the best of both worlds and it’s really fun to go into a large public school in Ohio with a good crowd and get a win on their home court.”

Why the Coach-Player Relationship Matters Most

Cory: “You pick a prep school, especially for a post-grad year, based on the relationship a player has with the coach. The coach is the most important part of this whole process. Whether you’re in Utah or there’s Wasatch Academy or other places, the coach is going to determine your experience there.”

Thomas: “You’re actually right on that… I want to go to boys first because you did start out at Western Reserve coaching boys. And one of your players ended up being a McDonald’s All American and he didn’t finish with you guys, but now he’s in the NBA and that’s Chris Livingston.”

Recruiting Tips for Student-Athletes and Families

Thomas: “My other advice for any kids looking at prep school is like, you are where you get recruited. It’s no one else’s fault, it’s not your fault necessarily either. Some coaches would be like, ‘Oh, you didn’t put the work in,’ but sometimes you have to go where you’re going to be fit. If your goal is to play, go where you’re getting recruited, don’t chase a pipe dream that’s never going to come.”

The Bottom Line: Midwest Prep School Recruiting Works—If You Work the Process

At PREP Athletics, we know the path to college basketball isn’t always straightforward—especially if you’re outside the NEPSAC spotlight. But as Coach Adams-Wall shared, with the right mix of exposure events, relationship building, and a coach who truly advocates for you, Midwest and non-NEPSAC prep schools can absolutely deliver big-time college opportunities. If you have questions about your own recruiting journey or want personalized advice, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help you find your best fit—on the court and in the classroom.

If you’re looking into prep school, reach out to us at PREP Athletics. We’re here to help you explore your potential and make choices that align with your athletic and academic future. We’ve also got a long list of resources to get you started in the right direction, so check out our YouTube or our podcast to dive deeper.