In the four-plus years I've covered MIAA girls basketball, I feel like I've become confident in my general knowledge of the state's top talents.
And yet every year, a handful of players catch me totally by surprise.
For example, Naya Annigeri's prolific freshman year at Medfield? I didn't see that coming. Same with Megan Doyle's dominant senior season at Weymouth or Julia Webster's emergence at Bishop Feehan. Breakout campaigns are one of the most exciting parts of following the winter season.
With this list, I'm trying to get ahead of myself. Here are 10 players not on my preseason positional watch lists who might not be considered MIAA stars yet, but by March, their names could be taking off.
MORE: MIAA guards to watch | MIAA wings and forwards to watch | MIAA post players to watch
Reagan Dowd, Norwell
Class of 2025, 5-8 guard
I had admittedly overlooked Dowd, a Hamilton commit, up until I covered Norwell in the state tournament last year. Then I watched her make a combined nine of 14 3-point attempts in the Clippers' quarterfinal and semifinal victories while also running point. I saw Dowd a bit during AAU showcases over the summer, and she showed even more as a smart decision-maker and tough-nosed defender who can hold her own against larger players. Norwell is in the running for the Div. 3 championship this year, and everyone's about to find out how much Dowd impacts winning.
CHASING A CHAMPIONSHIP:Â How Dowd fits into the Clippers' title picture
Alaysia Drummonds, Foxboro
Class of 2027, 5-5 guard
Foxboro gave Drummonds major minutes as freshman last year, and though the learning curve was steep, she ended up a meaningful contributor on a Div. 3 championship team. Downs expects a signficant leap forward this year, as do I. Drummonds is a capable perimeter shooter and physical driving scorer, and she's shown flashes of high-level court vision. She's projected to share point guard duties with Adrianna Porazzo as the Warriors seek a third consecutive title.
DYNASTY WATCH:Â What to expect as Foxboro hunts another championship
Sophie Gibbons, Wachusett
Class of 2026, 5-6 guard
Gibbons is tasked with following the final act of her older sister Mary (now at Navy), plus the rest of a large graduated 2024 class that helped Wachusett become one of the best programs in the state for multiple years. Gibbons is a tough point guard who likes to get downhill and is not afraid of contact. She's not quite the limitless-range shooter Mary is, but Gibbons can heat up quickly behind the arc. Stepping into a lead guard role on a perennial contender is a tall task, but she's ready for the workload.
Sophia McClendon, Belmont
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard/forward
I think McClendon flies under the radar because she's not a takeover scorer, but her versatility is valuable. She's a great 3-point shooter, she's physically strong and smooth for a wing and she brings a high defensive motor. Belmont has been one of the better teams in the Middlesex League (the deepest league in MIAA for my money) during recent seasons. McClendon could help the Marauders get a step farther.
Mollie Mullen, Bishop Feehan
Class of 2026, 5-9 guard
Mullen was one of the stars at the Eastern Mass. Showcase in November, tallying 13 points and impressing with her pull-up scoring and defensive impact. Bishop Feehan coach Amy Dolores praised Mullen for buying into her lockdown defender role when she joined the Shamrocks' starting lineup as a sophomore. To defend its title, Bishop Feehan needs Mullen's defense, plus an additional scoring punch. She's ready to deliver.
EMASS SHOWCASE STANDOUTS:Â 8 top performers from the inaugural event
Lily Norton, St. Mary's
Class of 2027, 5-7 guard
Bella Owumi rightfully draws a lot of attention as a prospect, but Norton was critical to St. Mary's reaching the Div. 3 semifinals with a young team last season. Coach Jeff Newhall even described the then-freshman as the team's most important player at times during the winter. Norton is just a rock-solid point guard all-around who makes the right play consistently. There's some untapped scoring upside with her, too, that I'm excited to see during sophomore year.
RETURN TO GLORY:Â Why the Spartans believe they can recapture a championship this season
Elle Orlando, Notre Dame (Hingham)
Class of 2026, 5-6 guard
Like Norton, Orlando has thrived as the second-leading scorer next to a star: her older sister Ava, a senior point guard and Bentley commit. Ava will certainly put up big numbers this winter, but Elle Orlando has a chance to make her own name as one of the best knockdown shooters in MIAA. She's already a 1,000-point scorer after averaging 16 points per game as a sophomore and is easily capable of 30-point explosions. The Orlandos could end up being the highest-scoring duo in the state this season.
DYNAMIC DUOS:Â The best star pairs to watch in MIAA girls basketball
Maliah Pierre, Whitman-Hanson
Class of 2027, 5-9 guard/forward
I've written about Pierre plenty since she's shined at both the summer's Wally Seaver Invitational and the more recent Eastern Mass. Showcase. There's still time to get on the bandwagon. Pierre brings a blend of athletic traits and natural defensive instincts that make her a constant thorn, particularly on Whitman-Hanson's defense-first squad. But she's also improved as an offensive player who can find short-range floaters and hit an open 3. I buy that the physical tools, smarts and effort level coalesce into a big leap.
Malani Smith, Cathedral
Class of 2025, 5-9 guard/forward
I had a good three or four Cathedral players deserving of a spot here, but I'll cheat a bit and pick Smith. She opened the Panthers' season with 14 points (including four 3s) in a dominant win against Brockton. Cathedral coach Clinton Lassiter has praised Smith's even-keel demeanor on a team known for its energy and ability to cause chaos. She hits shots off the catch, rebounds hard and defends without commanding much of a spotlight. If Cathedral can run back another Div. 4 championship, Smith will be a centerpiece.
POWER RANKINGS:Â See how the top MIAA teams stack up as the start of the year
Camden Strandberg, Bridgewater-Raynham
Class of 2026, 6-1 forward
Strandberg averaged 13.4 points per game last year to lead the Trojans as a sophomore, and it still felt like she had so much room to grow. She's a cross-country runner and gifted overall athlete who can shoot from distance and rack up rebounds despite being more of a slender forward. A year of growing confidence should work wonders for Strandberg; she opened the schedule with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 5 steals against Rockland. Bridgewater-Raynham is always in the Div. 1 mix, and I expect that to draw more attention to Strandberg.
