WINDSOR, Conn. — The NEPSAC girls basketball scholastic showcase returned this summer, bringing a swarm of New England's elite talent to Loomis Chaffee from June 13-15.
This showcase is a departure from the norm during AAU season. Parents were not allowed in the building, instead dropping their children off or having them arrive as a team. But more than 100 college coaches lined the three courts during the "live period" event, which is when college coaches are allowed to watch high school players in person. Several players capitalized on the opportunity.
I attended the showcase from Thursday to Friday afternoon and watched 11 games involving 14 teams. I prefer to watch full games instead of snippets — it gives me a clearer understanding of a player's performance and doesn't let outlier mistakes cloud the picture. Much of the analysis you'll see from this showcase includes multiple games of observation.
To kick off the NEPSAC scholastic showcase standouts, let's start with the Class of 2025.
Hannah Grudzien, Wilbraham & Monson
I saw WMA overwhelm the Greenwich Country Day/Storm King team in my first viewing, and I thought Grudzien (Brooklyn, Conn.) was quietly a solid connecting piece in that game. She hit teammate Caterina Ravosa with a great high-low assist early, added another pocket pass to a rolling forward, and pushed the ball up in transition. Grudzien plays positionally sound defense as a long, 5-foot-11 forward, and though she won't take over games, she does a lot of little things to impact winning.
Hannah Lynch, Tilton
Lynch (Nashua, N.H.) showed off her 3-and-D versatility in the contest I watched against Nobles, which ended up as a convincing Tilton win. The 5-foot-10 wing knocked down a couple of corner threes and looked super comfortable shooting quickly off the catch. She also showed active hands and effort to chase down and pick up a steal in transition, and she contained one drive that resulted in an impressive block. Lynch is physically strong and she puts in work to be in the right spots on the floor — both great qualities in a complimentary starter.
Grace Minihane, Northfield Mount Hermon
Minihane comes to New England for a postgrad year after a dominant high school career at Colorado Springs Christian. If her performance this week was any indication, she'll be a breakout player to watch.
A 6-foot forward, Minihane grew noticeably more confident each game she played. She had an extended talk with one of her coaches after the third quarter against New Hampton, then came out more aggressive, driving hard to finish with her left hand and then knocking down a long two-pointer from a baseline out-of-bounds set. Minihane is a threatening driver who is more powerful than her slender frame suggests, but who also has some different finishes and counters in her bag.
NMH asked Minihane to both anchor the defense and switch out onto guards in different situations, and Minihane moved pretty well. She also rebounded and ran the floor hard on fast breaks. Minihane had an overall eye-opening stretch of play that college coaches and opposing NEPSAC coaches should note. Judging by the verbal offer from Le Moyne following the showcase, they are.
Grace O'Sullivan, Rivers
I asked one talented player on the sidelines who their toughest opponents were at the showcase. O'Sullivan quickly came up, and the player noted both her production and college-level build. O'Sullivan (Acton, Mass.) plays with such awareness and patience at 5-foot-11. She's a stellar shooter, but in this setting, I was more impressed with how she leveraged her strength to establish position in the paint against smaller players, then finished off the bucket with different layups and short jumpers. If she drew multiple defenders or got stuck, she also made the right pass out. O'Sullivan can thrive as both a floor-spacing wing and a physical inside presence in smaller lineups.
Christina Pham, Nobles
Pham (South Boston, Mass.) was the only 2025 player on a shorthanded team that included five Nobles players, Nicole Leung from Woodward and Valentina Resto from Dana Hall. It was often on Pham to create chances and ignite the offense, and man, did she ever.
Some of the threes Pham hit following a between-the-legs crossover into a stepback were unbelievable, and she drilled catch-and-shoot attempts too. It's remarkable how quickly she can fire up a shot while maintaining consistent form.
Pham attacked the basket hard against some really tough opposing guards like Carolina Williams (Hoosac) and Izzy Adams (Dexter Southfield), getting her body low on drives and acrobatically finishing several and-1 layups. Though a smaller point guard at 5-foot-7, she was the biggest bucket-getter I watched.
Colleen Phiri, Tilton
Phiri had the three-ball falling in Tilton's blowout win against Nobles on Thursday. She hit a couple of smooth catch-and-shoot threes on the wing, but I particularly liked one play where she relocated to the corner, caught a quick pass out of the post from teammate Brooke Muller, and knocked the shot down. That level of engagement, plus the score, is valuable.
It wasn't just about three-pointers. Phiri looked comfortable attacking off the dribble. Her first bucket came when she drove to the basket, stopped hard, and spun into an 8-foot jumper. She overpowered Nobles on the glass with her size and tenacity. We're going to see Phiri as more of an on-ball weapon for Tilton next season; this performance bodes well for her future role.
