FOXBORO, Mass. — Between the big live period weekends on the grassroots calendar are several smaller local showcases that often attract quality New England programs, underrated basketball talent and Div. 2 and Div. 3 college coaches who are free to scout.
This Memorial Day Weekend, the New England Spring Showcase at Mass Premier was the next stop. The Bay State Jaguars were the most prominent circuit team in attendance (and their top squads played just Saturday), but this was more an opportunity to see programs who weren't at the Atlantic City Showcase (like the Mass Huskies), or other, more under-the-radar teams.
Though I missed some notable squads play Saturday, I was able to attend a large portion of Sunday's slate and caught most of six different games. Five of them were decided by double-digits. But I still added to my knowledge base with a bunch of future college-bound prospects and picked up on some new names to watch.
Here are 10 standouts from my viewing of the New England Spring Showcase.
Games watched
Mass Huskies EYCL 16U 57, Metro West Swarm Select 16U 53
Lone Wolf Athletics 17U 54, Bay State Jaguars Beauchemin 17U 30
MTE Ducks Emerald 17U 63, CMF West 17U 50
Bay State Jaguars UA Rise Gold 17U 50, BCRI Nikiforow 17U 28
BCRI Silvia 17U 57, New England Panthers 17U 28
Team NSSA HGSL 49, Lone Wolf Athletics 38
Haleigh Adamowich, Mass Huskies EYCL 16U
Class of 2028, 5-8 guard
Woburn/Woburn, Mass.
Adamowich is the leader and primary floor general of this Huskies team. In Sunday's win against Metro West Swarm, she separated with quickness off the dribble, made a difficult off-balance layup, stepped back for a 3-pointer and showed great court vision on an assist to a weak-side cutter. Adamowich plays with a high motor and injects pace into the offense when she's on the floor.
Zaida Aponte, BCRI Silvia 17U
Class of 2028, 5-2 guard
Rogers/Newport, R.I.
We're back on the Aponte train! I only watched the first half as BCRI went up 24-6 on the New England Panthers, but Aponte made three 3-pointers during that stretch. I hadn't taken note of her shooting before, but she's capable of hitting shots off the catch. Add that to the explosive drives I have written about previously, and Aponte has become a very fun breakout name for me personally this spring.
Aislin Flaherty, MTE Ducks Emerald 17U
Class of 2027, 5-9 wing
Needham/Needham, Mass.
Flaherty kept the Ducks afloat during some slower stretches as they fought off CMF West in a competitive matchup. I liked her confidence attacking open driving lanes, where she got to a layup and a runner. She also cut well and hit on a corner 3-pointer. Needham graduated some significant talent from its 2026 class, meaning Flaherty has opportunity for a large role as a senior.
Isabella Houghton, Metro West Swarm Select 16U
Class of 2028, 5-10 forward
North Attleboro/North Attleboro, Mass.
Houghton surprised me as a key factor in the Swarm's near-comeback upset of the Huskies on Sunday. She played super tough and grabbed multiple high-effort offensive rebounds. Houghton is strong for her position, and she can handle and string together some powerful driving scores too.
Eileen Lowther, MT Elite Ducks Emerald 2027
Class of 2027, 6-0 center
Hingham/Hingham, Mass.
Lowther continues to impress me as an underrated frontcourt talent and top returning MIAA player. She had a nice assist on Aislin Flaherty's corner 3, she tallied multiple blocks and showed off an easy post score. Lowther is a bit more mobile at center than I expected, capable of sliding her feet against other forwards on drives. She also feasts on rebounds.
Mya Lumsden, Lone Wolf Athletics 17U
Class of 2027, 5-8 guard (estimate)
Hazen/Hardwick, Vt.
Lumsden is one of two Hazen hoopers on this list, making a standout impact in the second Lone Wolf game I caught against NSSA. She and Harper Gutheim did a great job leading the defense. Lumsden also showed confidence pulling up in the mid-range and launching catch-and-shoot 3s.
Mollie Puffer, Bay State Jaguars UA Rise Gold 17U
Class of 2029, 5-9 wing
Phillips Exeter/Sanford, Maine
Puffer picked up her first Division 1 offer, from Mercyhurst, following the Atlantic City Showcase. I wanted to see what her game was like, and she displayed an easy comfortability sidestepping into 3-pointers and firing away off the catch. Puffer moves well defensively too, even more notable considering she just reclassified. Puffer should help Phillips Exeter compete in NEPSAC Class A after shining with Sanford High in Maine.
Steph Regan, Bay State Jaguars UA Rise Gold 17U
Class of 2028, 5-9 wing
Dexter Southfield/Framingham, Mass.
Regan is a fun off-ball player to watch because of her timing on baseline cuts and her decisive rim attacks. She's got great strength for her position, often drawing guard matchups and overpowering them, and she can finish difficult shots around the basket. I also think Regan is one of the best defenders on her Jags team with her strength-motor combo.
Kelsie Rivard, Lone Wolf Athletics 17U
Class of 2027, 5-10 (estimate) forward
Hazen/Hardwick, Vt.
Rivard was the most impactful player across the six games I watched. I've become a fan of her game and her versatility as a smaller forward. She's strong and tough in the paint as both a finisher through contact and a rebounder. She moves smartly without the basketball and rotates to make quality contests on defense. I was most impressed with Rivard's consistency squaring up for quick mid-range shots and some 3-pointers, like her halftime buzzer-beater against the Bay State Jaguars. Rivard is one of Vermont's top high school returners and I'm really buying in on her as an underrated Div. 2/Div. 3 prospect.
Jules Stevenson, Team NSSA HGSL 17U
Class of 2028, 5-5 guard
Phillips Andover/Beverly, Mass.
We know Stevenson is a lights-out 3-point threat. I wanted to note some other skills she showed as NSSA took down Lone Wolf Sunday afternoon. Stevenson mixed in a difficult turnaround mid-range shot and drilled another coming off a handoff. I especially appreciated her vision and chemistry with NSSA center (and Phillips Andover teammate) Emma Moore. Stevenson found Moore twice on great inside passes. The court processing is something I want to keep seeing from Stevenson as she continues to take on lead guard responsibilities.
Quick shouts: Mass Huskies forward Kendall Sullivan (Tyngsboro, Mass.) looked at ease shooting 3s on the move and brings intriguing floor-spacing skills at 6-foot-1. ... NSSA wing Kendall Lee (Burlington, Mass.) was a notable 3-and-D presence in their win against Lone Wolf. ... Three more players who I saw consistently create space off the dribble with quickness: Baileigh Kimball (Bay State Jaguars/Charlton, Mass.), Alana MacLean (MTE Ducks/Norwood, Mass.) and Brooklyn Russillo (BCRI/Scituate, R.I.)
