Eli Prince, last year's top high school basketball player in central New York, has decided to attend Cushing Academy for a postgraduate year following his senior season at Westhill. The 6-foot-5 forward aims to lead his undefeated team to a state title before departing. This move reflects the growing trend of high school stars seeking extra preparation amid an aging college game.
Eli Prince, recognized as the Large School All-CNY Boys Basketball Player of the Year, initially dismissed the idea of prep school this summer. By fall, however, he recognized the need for additional development to compete in modern college basketball, where players are often older and more physically mature due to name, image, and likeness deals and the transfer portal.
On January 7, 2026, Prince announced his commitment to Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, a program in the competitive New England Preparatory School Athletic Council league, for the 2026-27 academic year. He plans to complete his senior year at Westhill High School first, prioritizing loyalty to his community and teammates. "Just being loyal to all the people who helped me throughout my life, really," Prince explained. "And everyone who’s always been here for me, my community and all my friends and everyone that I’ve made relationships with along the way. I just want to finish out my time here and then pay my respects to them."
Westhill, known as the Wolf Pack, enters the season 9-0 and holds the No. 1 ranking in Class A according to the latest New York State Sportswriters Association poll. The team seeks a fourth consecutive sectional championship and aims to surpass past playoff losses to Glens Falls, the two-time defending state champion. Prince contributed to a state title as a freshman, though limited to six games that year.
A versatile small forward at 6-foot-5 and 175 pounds, Prince dominated Section III last season with averages of 25.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 blocks over 25 games. His standout performance came in the sectional final against Jamesville-DeWitt, where he scored 37 points—including 24 in the first half—while adding 10 rebounds and five assists. This season, through nine games, he posts 22.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and three assists per contest. Prince describes himself as a three-level scorer, capable of excelling inside and from beyond the arc.
After visiting four NEPSAC schools, Prince selected Cushing, influenced by conversations with coach James Cormier and insights from former Chittenango standout Ryan Moesch, who transferred there two years ago and became a four-star recruit before committing to Siena. "I could tell that with my conversations with coach Cormier," Prince said. "And that’s really what did it for me."
Prince holds scholarship offers from Siena, Colgate, and Le Moyne, where his father, Flagan Prince—a two-time All-America honoree and 2022 Hall of Famer—played and now serves as an assistant coach at Westhill. His mother, Karla Prince, leads the school's girls volleyball team to its second state championship in November 2025.
Prince noted the physical demands of contemporary college play as a key factor: "Just seeing college basketball nowadays, everyone’s older and it’s basically grown men that you’re playing. Everyone’s stronger and it’s just a different level of physicality. So I thought that the extra year would be needed."
