Class AAA has way more than 10 legitimate Player of the Year candidates.
These are the eight deepest rosters in NEPSAC and my top eight girls basketball teams. For some more context: six of our top 10 ranked 2027 prospects around New England, and seven of our top 10 in the 2028 class, play in NEPSAC AAA. And that's only including players are schools in the region while skipping over the out-of-region talent at schools like Darrow and Hoosac.
The Class AAA victor will need a true team effort. But stars make a massive difference. The most impactful high schools players and best college prospects, as I frequently note, are also different topics, so I'm not merely selecting off our prospect rankings.
When I thought about a preseason Player of the Year race, these 10 names stuck out the most to me.
Saige DeJesus, New Hampton
Class of 2029, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Brockton, Mass.
It's bold to put a sophomore on this list, but DeJesus is one of the best in her class regionally. She'll be asked to fill big shoes as New Hampton's point guard and lead playmaker. DeJesus came off the bench for the AAA finalists last year and made an impact with her perimeter defense, but she's shined this offseason as a pull-up scorer and passer with a handful of Division 1 offers.
Dior Dobere, Darrow
Class of 2028, 5-5 guard
Hometown: Troy, N.Y.
Darrow fields a lineup with a handful of leaders, also including Oregon State-bound center DD Harcourt, Wagner commit Taelor Arnold (Hartford, Conn.) and 2028 sharpshooter Brooke Lilley. I think Dobere's ferocity as a perimeter defender and relentless attacking mindset hold immense value. She carries four offers from Stony Brook, Sacred Heart, Mercyhurst and Northeastern.
Ayla Keefe, Newman
Class of 2028, 5-11 wing
Hometown: Cave Creek, Ariz.
NCAA: Davidson
Keefe posted 12.2 points and four rebounds in her first NEPSAC season, appearing on our All-AAA Second Team. She's fifth in our 2028 prospect rankings and one of the most versatile players in the region. Keefe sees the floor at a very high level, has length and instincts that make her a standout defender and is strong on drives. She's been working on leveling up as an overall scorer, which would seriously elevate her impact.
Izzy Kittredge, Nobles
Class of 2027, 6-1 forward
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.
NCAA: Brown
If Nobles hopes to return to the NEPSAC mountaintop, it'll need size and skill that can match some of the other AAA frontcourt players. Kittredge is fully capable, a long-armed forward who's a smart positional defender and a sharpshooter behind the 3-point arc. Kittredge has a capable handle and footwork too, so she's an underrated off-dribble scoring threat. She averaged 16.2 points and 9.3 rebounds last winter.
Corinne Lomax, Tabor
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Hometown: Watertown, Conn.
NCAA: Arizona
Lomax is the first we'll mention in an elite 2027 trio as our second-ranked prospect in the class and ESPN's 65th-ranked senior. She broke out on a surging Tabor squad last year, posting 15.5 points and 10.4 rebounds. Lomax is all-but unstoppable driving the basketball 1-on-1 and is typically good for at least one massive rotation block per game. She's also progressing with her 3-point shot.
Alannah Morantus, Nobles
Class of 2028, 6-0 guard
Hometown: North Attleboro, Mass.
I think Morantus experienced a steep learning curve transferring to Nobles last season, and she still managed to average 18.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists as an All-AAA Second Team member. She seems so much more confident entering this winter, now comfortably a high-major prospect and second in our 2028 rankings. Morantus is one of New England's true elite three-level scorers.
Anna Moser, Hoosac
Class of 2027, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Clifton Park, N.Y.
NCAA: Florida
Our reigning Class AAA Player of the Year (also ranked No. 70 nationally by ESPN) is back to continue her show that led Hoosac to its milestone championship. Moser is the greatest off-ball mover in NEPSAC, probably its greatest 3-point shooter and a blur when she gets downhill. Good luck trying to guard her again after she put up 20.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game last year.
Bella Owumi, Tilton
Class of 2027, 6-0 wing
Hometown: Lynn, Mass.
NCAA: Florida
The top-ranked New England player has moved up to No. 26 in ESPN's national rankings. In her final high school season, Owumi will take over as the leader of the Rams on both ends of the floor. There's not much left to say about her combination of lockdown defense, explosiveness and refined skill as a scorer. She made our All-AAA First Team last year, averaging 15.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.4 steals.
Ella Peper, Dexter Southfield
Class of 2028, 6-4 wing
Hometown: Newton, Mass.
Peper racked up 25.4 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three blocks per game, even while missing extended time with injuries. The sixth-ranked prospect by ESPN in the national 2028 class, she enters her upperclassman years motivated and more polished as a scorer. With another potential defensive leap in store, Peper can be an unstoppable force as Dexter chases a title.
Hillary Simo, Newman
Class of 2028, 6-4 center
Hometown: Hockley, Cameroon
It's been a meteoric 2026 for Simo, who just debuted at No. 60 on ESPN's national 2028 rankings. She averaged close to a double-double as a Newman sophomore and flourished with the Bay State Jaguars on the grassroots scene, picking up double-digit offers just since April. Simo is a strong and powerful center who can control the glass and score with a go-to spin move. How much she continues to develop this year could determine Newman's ceiling.
