When MIAA schools come back from winter break, it'll signify the start of the stretch run as teams jockey for position in their divisions and in the wider state power rankings.
There's so much good basketball around the state this time of year — so I'm attempting to give you a roadmap to February vacation. I have 10 games circled on my calendar that I'll either attend in person or track with extra interest from afar. This includes every team in our current MIAA Top 10 (which will be updated with holiday tournament results Monday), plus some additional top teams and notable conference rivalry games.
The boundaries: I cut the list off to not include February break tournaments. Of course, the Comcast Tournament and some others are loaded, and we'll definitely cover those when the time comes. Additionally, I tried to spread the love and only included two teams in multiple games. The Bay State Conference and Catholic Central League, for example, have several combinations of top-tier matchups. I accounted for a few in an effort to give you a broader slate of teams.
Here are 10 games you should follow in MIAA girls basketball during the next two months.
Norwood at No. 2 Medfield
Monday, Jan. 5, 6:30 p.m.
After sweeping its out-of-state matchups at the Londonderry Holiday Classic, Medfield will largely stick to its Tri-Valley League schedule until we get to February vacation. This is the best game in that span for the undefeated Warriors, hosting a 2-0 Norwood squad that has two convincing wins in its bag already. We'll see two of the MIAA's top sophomores battle in Medfield guard Abby Broderick and Norwood center Ellen Baranowski. The Mustangs will definitely be a longshot, but they have the best chance of any TVL team at knocking off Medfield.
No. 8 St. Mary's at No. 6 Bishop Fenwick
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m.
The top of the Catholic Central League has so many quality teams, but this matchup presents intrigue as a younger St. Mary's team clashes with a tough, older Bishop Fenwick roster. There's Division 1 talent on both sides. For Bishop Fenwick, Caitlin Boyle is a Stonehill commit and Celia Neilson is among the top remaining uncommitted seniors. St. Mary's freshman point guard SySy Mcausland Emmanuel already has a handful of Division 1 offers and sophomore Charleigh Green has drawn an offer from Stonehill.
Beyond the prospect talent, the stylistic clash should be fun to watch. St. Mary's boasts several players who can catch fire on a given night but need to grow into consistentcy. Fenwick, meanwhile, is physically imposing and tough on defense. This will be the biggest major test to date for both teams.
Minnechaug at No. 4 Springfield Central
Thursday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m.
We're not letting Western Mass. slip by underrated. This matchup features arguably the top two teams in that region of the state and two of the MIAA's best freshmen. Zi'Yan Wallace has quickly become a go-to scorer since transferring from Renaissance, while Zahara Wilson leads the Falcons after transferring herself from Springfield International Charter. Both are sleeper championship contenders in their respective divisions (Springfield Central in Div. 1, Minnechaug in Div. 2).
As an aside, Springfield Central will play almost all of its remaining schedule against most of the top tier of Western and Central Mass. That includes two games against Pittsfield, two against South Hadley, two against Minnechaug (also Feb. 2 at Minnechaug), a rematch with Northampton and one game against Worcester South. We'll learn a lot about how good this Golden Eagles team really is through these matchups.
No. 5 Whitman-Hanson at No. 7 North Quincy
Monday, Jan. 12, 6:30 p.m.
I have this Patriot League showdown circled. The Panthers haven't lost in-state yet (they lost by a point to Immanuel (Calif.) in the SoCal Holiday Classic). North Quincy is undefeated and just checked an important box by defeating South Shore League power Norwell, 51-40. These are two balanced teams with multiple players capable of leading on the score sheet. The winner doesn't just assert themselves as the best in conference — they'll also prove themselves as a prime challenger to Medfield in the Division 2 title race.
No. 10 Cathedral at Archbishop Williams
Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:30 p.m.
Both Catholic Central League schools sit right on the edge of the Top 10 rankings and play very different styles. Archbishop Williams wants to execute in the half-court, running offense through its talented frontcourt of Merrimack commit Jenna Mishou and sophomore forward Alana McNamara. Cathedral likes to run and has the speedy guards and wings to do so, led by Keyona Raines. With Archbishop Williams a Division 2 contender and Cathedral in the Division 3 mix, this should be an evenly-matched battle.
Natick at No. 9 Needham
Friday, Jan. 23, 6:30 p.m.
The two current unbeatens in the Bay State Conference meet for the first time. Natick is soaring after winning the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic (and will appear in our Top 10 soon) and features one of the state's premier breakout stars in sophomore forward Kayla Dunlap. Needham, led by the two-way impact of Bowdoin commit Eva Andrews, has taken down rival Braintree and bested Walpole in overtime. These are two fast-rising programs in a conference that has returned to prominence over the last two years.
Natick at No. 1 Wachusett
Thursday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m.
We have another important Natick game to list because it's also the best in-state test that powerhouse Wachusett will have until the Board 27/Comcast Tournament during February vacation. The Mountaineers, currently 3-1 with an out-of-state loss to Londonderry (N.H.), are the heavy favorites to repeat as Division 1 champs. Dunlap on Natick and Tulsa commit Jae Scott on Wachusett should be a fun forward matchup. This is an important measuring stick that'll show if Natick's truly ready to contend at the top of Div. 1.
Norwell at East Bridgewater
Friday, Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m.
These two South Shore League foes will first meet on Jan. 6, but I have a feeling the outright league winner could come down to the rematch. East Bridgewater has stormed to a 5-0 record and outscored its opponents by more than 27 points per game. Norwell, Div. 3 runner-up in the last two seasons, is 3-1 with a loss to North Quincy. It's a transition year for the Clippers, but they've found leadership in Alex Cassidy and Heidi Warren. This should be one of a few pivotal conference rivalry matchups in February.
Mansfield at Foxboro
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m.
The Hockomock League looks competitive at the top as per usual, with Mansfield, Foxboro, King Philip and Oliver Ames all in the hunt. The Hornets play great team defense have a balanced roster led by Sophia Foley and Katelyn Troilo. But Foxboro's backcourt duo of Adrianna Porazzo and Alaysia Drummonds has started the season with several big-time performances. With Foxboro 5-0 and Mansfield 4-2, they're separating themselves early and should both be in the Division 2 playoff seeding race as well.
No. 6 Bishop Fenwick at No. 3 Bishop Feehan
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m.
This will be the season rematch after the Catholic Central League rivals first square off on Jan. 16. Again, the star talent is strong — Boyle and Neilson for Fenwick and Stonehill commit Mollie Mullen for Feehan — but at this point, we should have a better sense of the supporting cast members that can help the programs chase championships. Addie Frenette has already logged breakout games for Bishop Feehan. These opponents know each other well and games seem to always come down to the final minutes. Feehan in general created a super tough winter schedule that'll include several other quality games to watch.
