Few high school basketball accolades carry the same weight as a Gatorade Player of the Year award.
Given to just one player in each U.S. state and D.C., the award recognizes top basketball players "for their success on the court, in the classroom and in the community," at Gatorade writes in its award press releases.
Each of these state races were remarkably competitive. Three of the winners in New England came from NEPSAC programs, while three others shined at their state association high schools.
Here's a rundown of the six winners from New England states.
Connecticut: Camdyn Nelson, St. Luke's
Class of 2025, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Greenwich, Conn.
NCAA: Syracuse
Nelson joins her older sister, Mackenzie, as a Gatorade Player of the Year winner in Connecticut. The 5-foot-8 point guard averaged 17.2 points, five rebounds, five assists and 2.7 steals per game this season. Nelson helped St. Luke's to a NEPSAC Class B championship appearance, and she landed on our All-Tournament team for leading the Storm to the title game as a No. 5 seed.
PROSPECT WATCH:Â Why Nelson is among New England's elite point guard prospects
Maine: Ella Pelletier, Oxford Hills
Class of 2025, 5-11 guard
Hometown: South Paris, Maine
NCAA: Stonehill
Pelletier wrapped up an illustrious Maine high school career by averaging 23.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.1 steals at Oxford Hills. The Vikings made the Class AA North final before falling to Cheverus. Pelletier was a finalist for the Miss Maine Basketball Award and ended high school as a 1,000-point scorer.
Massachusetts: Christina Pham, Nobles
Class of 2025, 5-6 guard
Hometown: South Boston, Mass.
NCAA: Fairfield
Pham lived up to her reputation as one of New England's elite shooters and scoring guards. She averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals for Nobles while shooting 45 percent behind the arc. Pham helped the Bulldogs reach the NEPSAC Class AAA final.
New Hampshire: Elyse Ngenda, New Hampton
Class of 2026, 5-9 guard
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
Ngenda has developed a reputation as one of the steadiest, smartest players in NEPSAC Class AAA. She powered the Huskies to the semifinals with 16.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Her 26-point, 13-rebound effort was critical in lifting New Hampton past Hoosac in the quarterfinals.
Rhode Island: Lauren Bousquet, Moses Brown
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard/forward
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
Moses Brown is still in the thick of the RIIL state tournament with a chance to repeat as state champs. Bousquet, at the time of her GPOTY selection, was averaging 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.1 assists per game. She just scored 25 in the quarterfinals to help Moses Brown advance.
Vermont: Charlotte Jasmin, Hartford
Class of 2026, 5-foot-10 guard/forward
Hometown: White River Junction, Vt.
Jasmin racked up 24.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.6 steals and 4.3 assists per game at Hartford, leading the Hurricanes to the Division 2 state quarterfinals. She's already a 1,000-point scorer, the first in program history.
