As the Rhode Island girls’ high school basketball season approaches, the spotlight isn’t just on the teams poised to contend, but also its stars who will shape the competitive landscape.
Last year delivered a plethora of breakout freshmen who are aiming to improve upon their soaring first year in high school and meet the attached lofty expectations.
They enter the season alongside a number of established upperclassmen who have already proven themselves as the most dominant and reliable performers.
As the new season nears, these are the players expected to make the biggest waves across the Ocean State.
Delaney Bonneau, Narragansett
Class of 2027, 5-11 guard
Bonneau is a shooting specialist. After averaging 16.2 points per game for Narragansett in 2024-25, she returns with hopes of shooting her way to larger numbers. Given her constant threat from deep, she does a great job at baiting defenders into a closeout and blowing by them on the dribble. She’s also a fabulous floor general and always knows where the next pass should go before she catches the ball. At 5-foot-11, she’s on the taller side for guards within the girls game. Her length makes her a matchup nightmare and will give defenders troubles all year long.
Lauren Bousquet, Moses Brown
Class of 2026, 5-10 forward
NCAA: Marist
There’s not much of a debate when it comes to the best player in Rhode Island — it’s Bousquet. Winning the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year award in her junior year, she could unsurprisingly repeat that accomplishment. She averaged just under a double-double with 23.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last season. In last year’s state championship overtime loss against Ponaganset, she scored 42 of her team’s 54 points and grabbed 23 boards. The Marist commit is simply unstoppable inside the paint and possesses the perfect balance of aggressiveness and touch.
Genesis Castro, Barrington
Class of 2028, guard
A transfer from Bay View, Castro is joining an already-talented Barrington group. She has a nose for the ball and is constantly knocking the ball loose defensively. She’s also very quick and runs the fast break masterfully, especially directly after grabbing a steal. Castro led her former team in scoring last season and is now teaming up with Ella Martin to create a high-potential Eagles team. Her speed will allow Barrington to play fast in transition and push the ball up the floor effectively.
Brooke Faunce, North Kingstown
Class of 2026, 5-4 guard
Faunce is a sniper in every sense of the word. She made history during a win over Moses Brown last year by connecting on a North Kingstown school-record nine 3-pointers in a 37-point effort. In that game, she made two from the top of the key, three from the corner and four from the wing, proving her danger from any spot around the arc. Faunce averaged 13.4 points per game last season and will have an increased share this season considering the graduation of Jaelyn Holmes’ 19.3 points per game.
Gyselle Mairs, Portsmouth
Class of 2027, 5-5 guard
Mairs was a first team all-stater last season on the back of 16.2 points per game during her sophomore year. Her 3-point stroke is among the smoothest you’ll find and she sees the court better than most. Along with her elite shooting ability, she has a deadly spin move, can change directions in an instant and finishes with both hands equally as well. Mairs might be the most well-rounded point guard in the state of Rhode Island. There’s nothing that she can’t do at a high level.
Ella Martin, Barrington
Class of 2028, 5-8 guard
Martin wasn’t a huge volume scorer during her freshman year, but she can do a little bit of everything. She stuffs the stat sheet on a regular basis, earning steals, rebounds and assists along with her 7.3 points per game. She showed this off in a state tournament victory against St. Raphael last year — a game in which Martin scored 17 points on five made 3-pointers, complemented by four rebounds, four assists and five steals. Heading into her sophomore year, she will look to make strides to continue developing the all-around nature of her game.
Marron Nerney, Ponaganset
Class of 2027, 5-11 forward
Given Ponaganset’s team-oriented system, it’s hard for players to stand out individually, but Nerney does just that for what is projected to be one of, if not the best teams in the state. The forward was a Providence Journal first team all-state pick a year ago. She contributed 12 points in the state championship game when the Chieftains claimed the title. Outside of her phenomenal scoring ability, she also loves to set her teammates up and dominates the glass. Nerney will undoubtedly be a crucial piece to Ponaganset’s title defense.
Ella Reyes, Westerly
Class of 2028, 5-11 forward
The daughter of her head coach, Reyes entered high school basketball with high expectations and did not disappoint. She averaged 15.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a freshman forward, leading the team in both categories along with steals. She excels in the catch-and-shoot game, often showcasing her confidence in firing the 3-point shot on the wing and in the corner. Reyes can also drive to the basket and uses her frame to score tough buckets. She’s only going to keep improving with age, and that’s a scary sight for opposing defenses when she’s already earned all-state honors and has received a verbal offer from the University of Rhode Island.
Brooklyn Russillo, Scituate
Class of 2028, 5-4 guard
In Russillo’s freshman year at Scituate, she not only started, but was also a top contributor in points, assists and steals. She’s also a fantastic ball-handler. Russillo shares the spotlight with her sister, Gabby, who is entering her senior year. Brooklyn excels at getting to her spots with her favorite left hand. Her quick, twitchy movements keep defenders guessing and make her challenging to hold down. She’s certainly one of the more advanced scorers in the state and has a deep bag that will lead to many more tough buckets over the course of the upcoming season.
Javiana Stec, Ponaganset
Class of 2028, 5-5 guard
Stec completed an unbelievable feat in last year’s state championship, earning the title game’s MVP award as a freshman. The aforementioned beauty of Ponaganset’s playstyle is the fact that any of its players can step up and play a leading role in any game. They had just one double-digit scorer last year, as Stec averaged 6.4 points per game. In the victory over Moses Brown in the final, it was her 12 points that earned her the award. Coming off such a successful first year of high school basketball, Stec can only hope to build upon her early success.
Reign Whiteing, Lincoln School
Class of 2027, 5-10 forward
Whiteing will guide the Lincoln School into the upcoming Division 2 campaign. In her first two seasons, she averaged exactly 16.4 points in each. Her sophomore year saw a slight uptick in rebounding and a sizable one in the blocks category, which rose to a whopping 3.3 per game. She was also named to the Providence Journal second team all-state. Whiteing’s junior year will be spent proving that her school not only belongs in Div. 2, but also in conversations surrounding the top teams in the state.
