The MIAA routinely boasts elite guard play, and this winter could have one of the greater collections of stars in recent years.
Among this 10-member watch list, eight are seniors, five won state championships last year and nearly all of them will play in college. Fewer players appeared to choose the NEPSAC route than in seasons past, which means many of the recent stars are back to chase another title.
Even the honorable mentions list was tough to select, and I would expect every player to be in the mix for league MVP awards. This is the first in a four-part series that will highlight each of the three umbrella positional groups (guards, wings/forwards, and post players), plus some potential breakout names.
Here are the guards you need to follow entering this season.
Charlotte Adams-Lopez, Bishop Feehan
Class of 2025, 5-8
Adams-Lopez, a Brown commit, ran the point for the Shamrocks’ 2022-23 finalist run and last winter’s championship season. She’s about as smart and savvy as point guards come. Adams-Lopez averaged 10.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2.2 steals while shooting an impressive 62 percent from the floor. She picks her spots to score extremely well and has some of the best court vision in the state.
Hijjah Allen-Paisley, Cathedral
Class of 2025, 5-5
Like Adams-Lopez, Allen-Paisley has lifted Cathedral to great heights with back-to-back state championships. Despite only being 5-foot-5, she averaged 11.5 points and 3.5 assists last year with a combination of quickness and patience to exploit open space. Allen-Paisley is also a prolific 3-point shooter and an important piece in Cathedral’s high-energy defense.
MIAA PREVIEWS: Medfield | St. Mary’s | Woburn | Bishop Feehan | Foxboro | Cathedral
Naya Annigeri, Medfield
Class of 2027, 5-8
What more could Annigeri do after her breakout freshman season? The point guard is the defending Tri Valley League co-MVP and was one of the state’s most efficient scorers, averaging 13.7 points on 51/43/85 percent shooting splits. She led Medfield with 16 points in the Division 2 championship game, showing poise beyond her years.
Kat Cheesebro, Dartmouth
Class of 2025, 5-9
Despite every opponent locking in on Cheesebro, they couldn’t stop her from racking up 27.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game. The 5-foot-9 point guard wreaks havoc in transition and is tough to stop when she finds a straight line to drive. At 1,434 career points, Cheesebro has a shot at both Dartmouth’s school record and the hallowed 2,000-point milestone.
A BIG DECISION:Â Why Cheesebro is choosing not to play college basketball
Avery Gamble, Oliver Ames
Class of 2026, 5-8
The Tigers have some re-tooling to do this winter, but they retain a cornerstone in Gamble. The combo guard averaged 13 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3 assists, helping lead Oliver Ames to the Div. 2 semifinals last season. She appears to have leveled up further after shining with a game-high 17 points at the Eastern Mass. Showcase. Gamble keeps the tempo up on offense, moves well without the ball, and can stack 3s in a hurry.
EMASS SHOWCASE STANDOUTS:Â 8 stars from the inaugural event
Jai-Lyn Garvin-Martin, Springfield Central
Class of 2025, 5-7
Despite winning the Div. 1 title three years ago, the Golden Eagles seem to fly under the radar as a Div. 1 contender. They should again be in the championship picture with help from Garvin-Martin, who averaged 14.3 points and 3.2 steals last season. Garvin-Martin had some blistering shooting streaks last season, including eight made 3s in a 32-point effort against Holyoke. She scored 14 points in Springfield Central's semifinal loss to Wachusett and should have an even larger role this year.
Mckenna Morrison, Woburn
Class of 2025, 5-7
Morrison is a multiyear starter for a Woburn program that consistently makes noise in Div. 1. Last year, she spearheaded the Tanners' offense, averaging 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists, and was a leading turnover-generator on defense with her 3.2 steals. Morrison is smart with how she picks her shots on the perimeter and in the mid-range with floaters.
Ava Orlando, Notre Dame (Hingham)
Class of 2025, 5-7
Orlando has been lighting up the scoreboard for years. Last year was her third straight season clearing 20 points per game. She’s got impressive range, and when she catches fire behind the arc, she’s near-impossible to stop. Orlando also averaged 7 assists and 7 steals, consistently imposing her high motor on the game. She’s committed to Bentley.
Kailey Sullivan, Foxboro
Class of 2025, 5-8
Sullivan won two state championships as the partner in crime with Camryn Collins. She averaged 19.9 points and drilled 76 3-pointers last season, generating many of her points off the ball. With Collins now at Rider, Sullivan becomes the go-to scorer. It means extra responsibility and pressure, but Sullivan is up to the task, and the career 1,200-point scorer should have some monster bucket-getting nights ahead of her.
Maddy Steel, Bishop Feehan
Class of 2025, 5-8
We’ll bookend this list with the other half of Bishop Feehan’s elite backcourt. Steel was named Catholic Central League Offensive Player of the Year and averaged 14.4 points in the Shamrocks’ title run. The 5-foot-8 shooting guard canned 37 percent of her threes and is known for her big-time clutch makes. But Steel is also an underrated defender and strong for her size, which leads to some surprising blocks.
Five more names to know: Stella Criniti (Lexington), Celia Neilson (Bishop Fenwick), Dylan Hurley (Whitman-Hanson), Paige Meda (Bourne), Allie Regan (Framingham)
