The stars of prep school basketball are coming out in full force.
Most of NEPSAC tipped off its season this past week, and 18 of them traveled to Tabor to participate in the Girls Hoops Series Winter Classic. Already, some players have put their names in the spotlight with big-time performances.
We're selecting five stars of the week. It's a subjective award, so I'll try to unpack some of my rationale. Obviously, stats are meaningful, but I typically want to see players shine in winning efforts for their teams. Stringing together multiple standout games in a given week also sets a player apart.
Here are my five selections for the week of Dec. 2-9:
MORE:Â Check out the latest girls NEPSAC power rankings
Angel Efosa, Austin Prep
Class of 2027, 5-11 guard
Hometown: Lawrence, Mass.
Austin Prep cruised to a pair of blowout wins to open the schedule. Efosa posted 13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists against Dana Hall last Wednesday, then came back with 27 points and 11 rebounds against Portsmouth Abbey on Friday. I got to see a bit of Efosa during one of Austin Prep's open gyms this fall, and if she's ready to be a productive player already, that's important for Austin Prep's chances in Class AA.
Christina Pham, Nobles
Class of 2025, 5-7 guard
Hometown: South Boston, Mass.
In a 24-hour span this weekend, Pham exploded for 21-point and 27-point games with a combined 11 made 3-pointers. She helped Nobles take down Tilton at home and Worcester Academy in the Girls Hoops Series Winter Classic. Her latter performance against the Hilltoppers was a pure heater, with Pham canning three 3s in the last quarter.
THE REMATCH:Â 7 standouts from Nobles' Saturday win against Tilton
Elyse Ngenda, New Hampton
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
The Huskies opened their season with a statement, 55-54 road win against Class AAA rival Dexter Southfield on Saturday. Ngenda, one of the top prospects in the Class of 2026, was at the center of the victory with 20 points and 9 rebounds.
Athena Thompson, Putnam Science
Class of 2026, 5-9 guard/forward
Hometown: Northampton, England
The spotlight this weekend was on the Girls Hoops Series Winter Classic. As I wrote in our standouts story, Thompson gave my favorite two-way performance on Sunday and was the main reason the Mustangs hung on to beat Newman by a point. She scored 17 points, but her defense really altered the game, highlighted by her steal on the last possession that sealed a 56-55 victory.
WINTER CLASSIC STANDOUTS:Â 19 players who popped during Sunday's action at Tabor
Eva Wilkerson, Sacred Heart
Class of 2026, 5-9 guard
Hometown: Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.
Wilkerson is back in a big way after being derailed by injuries last season. She kicked off Sacred Heart's winter with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals in just 13 minutes of a blowout win against Millbrook. Then Wilkerson added 14 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals in a big road win against Class A rival Hotchkiss.
Other notable performances:Â Rivers senior Grace O'Sullivan (Acton, Mass.) totaled 20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks in the Red Wings' season-opening win against Mount St. Charles. ... Suffield junior Sammi Santacroce (North Haven, Conn.) collected 23 points in Sunday's Girls Hoops Series Winter Classic victory against Greenwich Country Day. ... Ashley Dinges (Haverhill, Mass.) also strung together two great outings for Nobles with 22 points against Tilton and 18 vs. Worcester Academy.
