The winter calendar flips to February, which means we have less than a month of the MIAA regular season to go. And it's time for the state's best to start shifting into playoff mode.
You'll see three familiar faces among this week's 5 Stars who continue to impress for their respective teams. The two new names include a sophomore taking center stage in an overtime thriller and a senior putting up a 40-point explosion.
Coaches and players can submit nominations by emailing Ethan Fuller at ethan.fuller@basketballjournal.com or by messaging him on Twitter/X (@ethman43).
Here are this week’s five standouts:
Ashley Cohen, Bedford
Class of 2027, 5-6 guard
The sophomore came up huge, scoring 28 points in Bedford's 58-50 overtime win Tuesday against Malden Catholic.
Peyton DiBiasio, Saugus
Class of 2026, 5-7 guard
DiBiasio continues to post big numbers as a junior. She tossed in 27 points to help Saugus beat Winthrop on Monday, then erupted for 35 points Thursday in a 72-59 victory over Danvers.
Allie George, Rockport
Class of 2025, guard
George poured in a whopping 40 of her team's 60 points Thursday, helping the Vikings meet the 10-win threshold to clinch a state tournament bid with a victory against Chelsea.
Alyssa Hopps, Quincy
Class of 2025, 5-11 forward
NCAA: Babson
Hopps has been rock-solid for the Presidents all winter. She averaged 26 points across two wins this week, including a 30-point outing against Hanover in a 59-33 triumph.
Maddy Steel, Bishop Feehan
Class of 2025, 5-8 guard
NCAA: Tufts
Steel lived up to her billing as one of the MIAA's top clutch performers, drilling the winning 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining to help Bishop Feehan survive against Worcester South, 47-44. She then scored 26 points in just the first half on Sunday against Cardinal Spellman, crossing 1,000 career points in the process, and logged 21 points earlier in the week against Bishop Fenwick.
Other notable performances:Â Framingham's Allie Regan is the toughest cut from the list this week. Regan deserves praise for her 29-point, eight-rebound effort in a 58-49 win against Newton North. ... Greater Lowell's Kendra O'Brien posted a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double in Saturday's win against Greater Lawrence. ... Divine Egbuta also had a massive double-double with 17 points and 22 rebounds for Lynn Classical in a win over Neighborhood House Charter. ... Izzy Kittredge posted two double-doubles this week for dominant Medfield. ... Anna Kanders, Swampscott's standout freshman, kept rolling with 26 points, five rebounds and four assists against Revere. ... Elle Orlando tallied 25 points in a 64-59 win for (Notre Dame Hingham) against Arlington Catholic. Older sister Ava averaged 24 points across two Cougar wins. ... Despite losing to Cathedral, Jenna Mishou racked up 30 points, eight rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals on Monday. ... Sophia Foley set Mansfield's single-season steals record (85) with her six-steal performance on Wednesday.
