We're still more than five months away from the start of the next MIAA girls basketball season.
But as players compete with their grassroots teams and train in the offseason, I'm already looking forward to what winter brings.
Last year, Wachusett and Medfield separated themselves from the rest of the state en route to repeat championships in Division 1 and Division 2, holding the top two spots in our Top 10 for most of the season. This year, neither will be obvious favorites, and there are some schools on the rise that I'm particularly excited about.
This Top 10 is by no means set in stone. I'm sure I'll change some opinions by the time we get close to the season. But for now, here's how I'd draw up the 10 best projected MIAA squads for next winter.
1. Springfield Central
Last season: Lost to Wachusett in Division 1 championship
The Golden Eagles far outshone their youth during last winter's run to the Div. 1 final — and they had zero seniors. Though Maya Ocana-Saunders has transferred to MacDuffie, the rest of the core is back and loaded. Zi'Yan Wallace scored 25 points in the championship. The rising sophomore is the best college prospect currently in the MIAA, in my opinion, and is up to four Div. 1 college offers.
Giavanna Mars landed on our All-MIAA Second Team as a sophomore, and her reliable two-way impact makes a huge difference. Genesis Grimes is critical as a long, versatile senior forward defender. There's more guard depth behind Mars too. This is the best roster in the state on paper and I still think some of the individual stars don't get enough love.
2. Wachusett
Last season: Won Division 1 championship
Wachusett is defending back-to-back state championships and has been a perennial title threat for roughly a decade. But the Mountaineers will have to recover from the graduation of Tulsa-bound Jae Scott, one of the most dominant talents we've seen in recent years. Sophie Gibbons, now at Endicott, was also critical as a steadying point guard. But Wachusett is one of those schools that simply knows how to reload from its youth pipeline.
Senior guard Teegan Lanpher dazzled during the postseason and seems capable of being the face of the team. Junior Kyla Yurkus anchors the paint as a skilled center and Hannah Quinn returns as a solid starting guard. I know coach Jim Oxford has some young playmakers he's excited about, too.
3. St. Mary's
Last season: Lost to Medfield in Division 2 championship
The Spartans impressed me with their finals run despite a roster comprised of more than 50 percent freshmen. They only graduated three seniors, including solid contributors in Jillian Roberts and Sky Watson, but no one who was a focal point on the team.
Those players will again be SySy Mcausland Emmanuel and Charleigh Green. Emmanuel, a rising sophomore guard, is seeing her recruiting pick up steam this offseason with new offers from UCF, Providence and UMass. She continues to improve reading the floor and picking her spots to capitalize on her special shiftiness. Green, who has an offer from Stonehill, is a strong forward who can also stretch the floor. We also can't forget about Gabi Lorenzini, whose hopeful return after missing most of last year with an injury could provide a game-changing spark. St. Mary's is still very young, but don't let that overshadow its playoff experience.
4. Medfield
Last season: Won Division 2 championship
The Warriors laid down the best season I have seen in my six years covering MIAA girls basketball. Then Nobles came calling for Naya Annigeri, our MIAA Player of the Year, and her younger sister Kameli. Add in Tess Baacke's graduation, and the Warriors are down significant talent: six graduated seniors in total, plus the Annigeri sisters transferring.
Fortunately, Medfield still has Abby Broderick, who has rapidly become an elite MIAA prospect with Div. 1 offers from Harvard and Rhode Island. The junior wing could feasibly lead the state in scoring this winter. Expect Paige Henebry and Meghan Olenik to earn key roles. Coach Mark Nickerson has built such a strong development pipeline in the Medfield community that I'm sure we'll see new breakout names on this team.
5. Andover
Last season: Lost to Springfield Central in Division 1 semifinals
This may have been the biggest surprise team for me last winter. I significantly overlooked the Warriors' pedigree under coach Alan Hibino and the talent on the roster as Andover cruised through the Merrimack Valley Conference and ultimately surged to the state semis. That even came while missing standout freshman Lexi Linsey for parts of the year due to injury. Linsey should have a great runway to success as a sophomore, along with rising junior Kallie Martin. Andover won't catch me off guard this time.
6. Natick
Last season: Lost to Wachusett in Division 1 quarterfinals
Natick feels primed for a leap after battling at the top of the Bay State Conference last winter. Kayla Dunlap broke out as one of the state's premier scorers and returns for her junior year after landing on our All-MIAA Second Team. She'll have capable playmaking guards setting the table in seniors Denai Williams and Bridget Pole. Coach Oryx Cohen has also hyped up Dunlap's younger sister, Sam, as a possible breakthrough contributor. Natick should be a fast-paced, fun scoring offense yet again and will be tough to contain.
7. Bishop Feehan
Last season: Lost to Wachusett in Division 1 semifinals
Mollie Mullen's departure for Stonehill will be felt significantly on both ends of the floor. But Bishop Feehan fared better than I expected during the last re-tooling season, in large part because juniors (now seniors) stepped up into big roles. Shannon LaMorticelli, Avery Teixeira and Addie Frenette each logged breakout efforts at different points of the season. Rising sophomore Emma Smith also emerged as a capable rotation guard and even started some games down the stretch. Another year of growth should put the Shamrocks back in the Div. 1 mix.
8. Woburn
Last year: Lost to Needham in Division 1 Round of 16
Under coach Steve Sullivan, Woburn will always be in the hunt and one of the MIAA's elite defensive units. But the Tanners gave us a glimpse of its next program pillars. Haleigh Adamowich found a groove as the season progressed, showing promise as an off-dribble scorer and lead guard. Camry Williams has developed a reputation as a tough post scorer who isn't afraid to battle against taller opponents. Those two rising juniors should lead the Tanners next season.
9. Pittsfield
Last year: Lost to Bishop Fenwick in Division 3 championship
The most underrated star in the MIAA? It might be rising junior Caprese Conyers. The 5-foot-4 guard just picked up her second Division 1 offer from Delaware State to join Siena. Conyers has some of the best active defensive hands you will find, she's a super quick point guard who can beat defenses in transition and in the half-court. Conyers almost willed Pittsfield to the Div. 3 title last March. The Generals graduated much of that core, but with Conyers back, I'd still consider them the favorite in Division 3.
10. Braintree
Last season: Lost to Bishop Feehan in Division 1 quarterfinals
Braintree put together another strong season in Year 2 under coach Kelley Macdonald, going 17-6 as a Bay State Conference Leader. Frankie Mazzini, now at Connecticut College, takes her scoring and high-level perimeter defense with her. But much of the rest of the rotation returns. I like Izzy Rotondo's rebounding and toughness in the paint, and Braintree has a handful of capable shooters led by Kate Sweeney. I expect Eva Downing to take on even more responsibility as a lead playmaker.
More potential Top 10 contenders
Division 1: Needham, Quincy — Needham graduated top seniors Eva Andrews and Hannah Levine, but Aislin Flaherty leads a solid group of returners who excelled quickly in Lindsay Miller's first year as head coach. Quincy has been in the Div. 1 mix in recent years and now boasts a super talented rising sophomore in point guard Gabby Davis.
Division 2: Foxboro, Minnechaug — Alaysia Drummonds enters her senior year at Foxboro, and with growth from her, Gia Porazzo and Rhianna Rice, the Warriors should remain a Div. 2 fixture. Minnechaug shocked many last winter as a rare team to defeat both Springfield Central and Wachusett. Though much of that roster has graduated, the Falcons bring back a star rising sophomore of their own in Zahara Wilson.
Division 3: Cathedral — Clinton Lassiter is the all-time coaching leader in state championships, and he'll find a way to bring the Boston area private school back to contention despite graduating Keyona Raines and other top players.
Division 4: South Hadley — We typically don't see Div. 4 and Div. 5 teams reach a Top 10-caliber level statewide, but after winning its first state title last year, South Hadley brings back all but one member of the roster. That includes star forward Cara Dean, now a senior, as well as classmates Kate Phillips and Taylor Bullough, plus junior Olivia Athas. All four averaged double-digit points per game last winter.
