MEDFIELD, Mass. — Last year, Medfield girls basketball coach Mark Nickerson launched the first Eastern Mass. Showcase as an attempt to put some of the state's top MIAA talent on display for college coaches. A driving motivator for Nickerson: to show MIAA athletes that they can receive college exposure, including to Division 1 schools, without having to leave for NEPSAC.
The first go-round went well by all accounts. But Nickerson leveled up the event — now the Eastern New England Showcase — this year. Twenty-four stars from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island took the court for a 40-minute game open to spectators and streamed live on the Medfield HUDL account.
"I talked to the girls briefly before they went into the classroom pregame, and I just said, 'I don't call this an All-Star game for a reason. All-Star games tend to be fluffy. People are just showboating and firing up shots,'" Nickerson said. "I said, 'I want you to compete hard. This is a showcase. You're supposed to be showing people how good you are. And it's not just about scoring; it's about defending, rebounding and passing, moving the ball quickly, all that stuff."
The game lived up to Nickerson's request. Team Cohen (led by Natick coach Oryx Cohen) defeated Team Cunningham (led by North Quincy coach Liana Cunningham) in an 87-69 battle that was neck-and-neck until early in the fourth quarter. Nickerson said one player's father had told him she'd shared the livestream link with college coaches recruiting her — which included several Division 1 mid-majors. That was part of the reason he sought out elite talent from surrounding states to elevate the field.
"Having players like that's a big deal, because it can expose some of these other players who haven't gotten that opportunity," Nickerson said.
From an evaluator's perspective, I thought the roster and on-court product were a notable step up even from last year's solid start. The players really did bring effort, and both coaches actually ran some advanced offense and defense. Because 24 players needed fair time on the court, which meant more frequent subs, I focused less on consistency and more on top moments in individuals' limited game action. Below are 10 standouts from the showcase.
Team Cohen
Naya Annigeri, Medfield
Class of 2027, 5-8 guard
One of the MIAA's top current stars tallied 13 points with two made 3-pointers. Annigeri's perimeter shot wasn't falling at its normal rate and I thought some attempts were rushed, but this is me nitpicking a colder shooting night and still a great game relative to her peers. She stayed active moving without the ball, which helped create a bunch of open chances. Annigeri also kept up her high-level defense, using her length to recover and block a 3 on one play.
One development I noticed: Annigeri continues to turn up her attacking mentality. I think her handle looks a lot better than I remembered, and she's getting better at changing pace, using hesi moves and crossovers, and finishing through contact (had a nice and-1 bucket). All of this promises an even bigger junior year after two stellar high school seasons so far.
THREE-PEAT WATCH:Â How Medfield is approaching the chase for a third straight MIAA Div. 2 title
Alex Cassidy, Norwell
Class of 2027, 5-11 forward
Cassidy scored all of two points in this game. She stood out far more to me for her defense and the way she took on matching up against Mel McCarthy, one of the top college prospects in the event. Cassidy battled in the post and made several of McCarthy's shots difficult, and she won routinely on rebounding battles. Offensively, she converted on a tough and-1 finish and made a nice drive-and-kick assist to Ella Reyes for an open 3. It's not a flashy performance, but Cassidy stepped up where her team needed her effort. She'll be a focal point on this year's Norwell squad after the Clippers graduated multiple stars.
Lila McCarty, Sharon
Class of 2029, 5-8 guard/forward
There was a third-quarter stretch where McCarty, a late add to the showcase as a freshman, "looked like she was the best player on the floor." That's quoting Nickerson, who also reminded us unprompted that McCarty has yet to play a varsity high school game.
McCarty's confidence grew demonstrably over the course of the night and she looked comfortable pulling up behind the arc even though her shot wasn't falling (one made 3). She kept up with the high pace of the game and threw an advanced skip pass from one wing to the opposite corner that resulted in a missed open 3. I was especially impressed by McCarty's team defense. She made timely rotations to help around the basket, including picking off a high-low pass to a roller that led to a steal, and added a block along with some strong shot contests. Her general court sense is far ahead of where I expect most freshmen.
Gemma Murray, Londonderry
Class of 2027, 5-9 guard
Murray and Annigeri teaming up felt like an unfair backcourt on paper and it panned out on the court. Murray looked like the clear fastest player in the showcase and kept the gas pedal down relentlessly en route to 16 points. That showed up in her open-court speed and vision as a transition playmaker first, but she also broke out a couple of jagged crossovers and attacked open driving lanes hard for layups and drawn fouls. Murray has two Division 1 offers from Le Moyne and Bryant; I'm sure the other coaches who tuned in came away impressed.
Ella Reyes, Westerly
Class of 2028, 5-9 guard/forward
The MVP of the showcase, Reyes continues to emerge as a regional standout in her class. She scored a game-high 22 points, made three 3-pointers and exuded poise against older, more experienced opponents. I knew Reyes was an elite shooter for her age, and she displayed an easy ability to rain down shots off the catch. I did not expect her to drive past some of the best defenders in this showcase. She's already strong and fast in a straight line, and she broke out a sweet spin-move into a layup late in the contest. Reyes has a Division 1 offer from Rhode Island and will be one of the stars of the state's high school scene this winter.
Eva Zink, Bedford
Class of 2028, 6-0 forward
In similar fashion to Cassidy, Zink's impact supercedes her six total points on the night. She sent back probably the loudest swat of the night on a block in the paint, forced a bad-pass turnover with her defense in the post, and generally just seemed to find herself around every loose ball and rebound when she was on the floor. She also scored out of a post move herself and threw a beautiful transition bounce pass through a tight window for an eventual score.
Watching Zink duel with Bedford teammate-turned-opponent Mel McCarthy was a treat. This setting generally asked Zink to be more of a post threat than her typically wing-type self, and though I'd still like to see her finish her inside scoring chances more often, she asserted herself with length and strength. And as I've said in previous analysis, Zink's consistent motor turns her physical traits into winning plays. She's got Division 1 offers from UNH and Bryant.
Team Cunningham
Teegan Lanpher, Wachusett
Class of 2027, 5-3 guard
Lanpher unsheathed some nasty crossovers and was explosive in her driving layups. Because she's so small and fast, she can get under and past opposing guards. Lanpher showed great touch around the basket, hit on a couple of high-arcing runners and knocked down a 3-pointer off the dribble. She is an unshakeable competitor, which also shows up in her steals and even some surprising rebounding effort. Lanpher landed on our All-MIAA Third Team last winter and will be a leader on the Wachusett juggernaut.
Kaylee Maier, Dracut
Class of 2027, 5-5 guard
Maier scored 11 points in a balanced team scoring effort as part of the loss, and her certified bucket status shone through. She made three calm-looking 3s along with a pull-up 2 and just gets to her spots so effortlessly. I wondered how Maier would fit in against talented defenders; she's able to get her shot off over them but doesn't force heavily-contested attempts. I also thought she whipped around some high-level passes, and though they didn't always turn into assists, Maier clearly sees the floor well. She'll be one of the most fun players in the Merrimack Valley Conference at Dracut.
Mel McCarthy, Bedford
Class of 2027, 6-1 forward
McCarthy was the closest this showcase had to a dominant post scorer, and as the game progressed she became increasingly more assertive. Even against good defense, McCarthy showed off good footwork and got to spin moves for layups and free throws. I particularly noted how she handled double-teams — I thought McCarthy made some great passing decisions, highlighted by kick-out 3-point assists from the paint to Maliah Pierre and Katie Stierer. Team Cohen pressured McCarthy on the perimeter which kept her from showing off her long-range prowess, but I thought she adjusted well. She has a Division 1 offer from New Hampshire.
Katie Stierer, King Philip
Class of 2027, 5-4 guard
Stierer is my personal breakout selection from the night. She was awesome, to the tune of 14 points and three made 3-pointers, and was on fire off the catch. Stierer opened her scoring on a backdoor cut and layup and added in a tough driving bucket. She's also strong and a stout defender, highlighted by a block on one of Annigeri's drives. King Philip is generating a ton of buzz as a Division 1 contender with Tatum Morgan leading the way. Stierer will be another pivotal piece as the Warriors chase a deep playoff run.
BREAKOUT WATCH:Â What to expect from a rising King Philip program this winter
Quick shouts:Â On Team Cohen, Eva Downing (Braintree) scored five points, but I thought she made great decisions with the ball in her hands. She's a 2027 2-guard who can knock down 3s and attack space, but when she gets stuck, makes smart passes and doesn't force bad decisions. ... Freshman Santanaa Hamelin, another Westerly player, turned heads in the fourth quarter with a made 3-pointer, block in the paint and quick driving layup.
... I came away super intrigued by sophomore Kayla Dunlap (Natick), a 6-foot forward on Team Cunningham. She's long, agile and active with her hands, which helped get deflections on defense and control the glass. Dunlap scored eight points including a 3-pointer, and if she keeps improving her strength and body control at the basket, she could be a breakout star this winter. ... Maliah Pierre (Whitman-Hanson 2027 wing) also stood out with her lateral quickness and leaping athleticism on defense and on the boards.
