STOUGHTON, Mass. — The AAU season has essentially concluded for most of New England’s top teams. But there’s still some quality summer basketball out there if you know where to look.
The Wally Seaver High School Invitational was one of those spots. This past weekend, more than 126 New England high school teams (mostly from the MIAA) convened to crown champions in nine divisional brackets. The tournament is held in memory of former Milford, Franklin and Wellesley coach Paul “Wally” Seaver, who died in 2013 after a two-year battle with ALS.
I checked into the Dana Barros Basketball Club Sunday afternoon to watch the semifinals and finals of the two girls brackets. St. Mary’s and Whitman-Hanson won championships, and the field also included programs like Foxboro and Pentucket — schools I expect to contend for league and state titles.
I tempered my expectations — these teams are a long way from the high school season — but the basketball was competitive for the doldrums of summer and fun to watch. Here are four individual standouts from the tournament:
Bella Owumi, St. Mary’s
Class of 2027, 5-10 wing
St. Mary’s made about as big a late July statement as they could by beating reigning Division 3 champion Foxboro twice, including 36-27 in the championship game. Owumi spent her freshman year growing through trial-by-fire as the lead creator on the Spartans, and she looks more comfortable now. She made several smart, connective passes into the paint for layups and out to shooters. Owumi’s ability to sense the correct next play is growing quickly.
She’s one of the best on-ball defenders at this level, capable of sliding her feet and absorbing contact while using her length to block and deter shots. Owumi still experiences peaks and valleys as an efficient scorer, but that’s about the only glaring improvement area left in her game. She scooped up more Division 1 offers this summer from Fairfield, Monmouth and Manhattan, and remains the top college prospect in MIAA.
Kailey Sullivan, Foxboro
Class of 2025, 5-8 guard
I could reduce this analysis down to five words: Kailey Sullivan is a bucket. But to elaborate, Sullivan had all sorts of shots going down in the games I watched against Pentucket and St. Mary’s. She drilled pull-up mid-range jumpers and had a sweet sidestep crossover into a three-pointer against St. Mary’s. I saw her confidently attacking closeouts and getting to runners along the baseline against Pentucket. Sullivan also drove into a turnaround hook shot for one score, then went back to a running floater with her non-dominant left hand later in the same contest.
Sullivan is a perimeter sharpshooter first, but seeing this confidence attacking off the dribble is a great sign. She’ll be stepping up as the lead playmaker for Foxboro this season. I’m preparing for some massive scoring nights.
Sofia Bellacqua, Pentucket
Class of 2026, 5-5 guard
Pentucket routinely develops players who defend with effort and blend into an offense of ball-movers and shooters. Bellacqua, younger sister of graduated star Gabby Bellacqua, fits the mold. Bellacqua is small, but she proved frustrating for Foxboro’s guards because of her energy defending on the ball. She dove for loose balls and picked up extra rebounds, which is commendable given this was a midsummer tournament. The Panthers are going to be a pest for any opponent, and it’s because of tough-nosed competitors like Bellacqua.
Maliah Pierre, Whitman-Hanson
Class of 2027, 5-8 wing
Pierre is only a rising sophomore, but she displayed some advanced understanding on defense in Whitman-Hanson’s tournament championship run. She picked up one steal while at the top of the Panthers’ press against Franklin and another with quick hands guarding on the ball. Pierre did a great job rotating from the weak side to stop layups and added a nice block in the process. She attacked offensive boards relentlessly, tallying multiple putback scores, and knocked down a corner 3-pointer.
Pierre and Dylan Hurley both impressed from Whitman-Hanson. The Panthers made the Division 2 quarterfinals last year with a young group; they could take a leap forward this season with additional experience.
