There's no time to rest in amateur basketball.
The calendar flips immediately from the rush of high school championships to the fresh start of the grassroots season. New England's top prospects will now travel all around the East Coast and beyond with their AAU teams in various tournaments and circuits. It's also prime recruiting season for college coaches.
This is, importantly, not a list of top prospects. I'm skipping over stars who have already generated plenty of college interest. But who's improved significantly during the school year and could see a bump in their recruitment? Last year, our AAU preview gave a pretty sharp forecast, with two mentioned names adding their first Div. 1 offers and at least four others seeing their options flourish.
Here are 10 players on track for a grassroots breakout.
Naya Annigeri, Bay State Jaguars
Class of 2027, 5-8 guard
Medfield/Medfield, Mass.
Of Annigeri's three stellar high school seasons so far, this was her most impressive. She averaged 18.9 points and 3.2 assists, canned 70 3-pointers at a 43 percent clip and was at her most impactful defensively (5.4 steals) for an undefeated Medfield squad. Annigeri's long arms and sharp defensive instincts stand out right away. She's dangerous shooting off the catch and has started to add some off-dribble scoring moves too. I don't believe Annigeri has a Division 1 offer yet, but that should change this spring and summer.
Lily Davis, Mass Rivals
Class of 2028, 5-6 guard
Tabor/Waterford, Conn.
Davis really impressed me as she elevated to a more important role on a NEPSAC AAA contender. She averaged 13.7 points, 2.7 assists and 2.4 steals. I'm also noting the shooting growth; she connected at a 35.5 percent rate behind the 3-point line. Still, Davis' signature skill is her straight-line driving and finishing at the rim. Even with prep schools knowing her game, they struggled to stop her from slicing to the basket. Davis got an offer from Providence almost two years ago and I think more Division 1 schools will buy in this year.
Kayla Dunlap, Bay State Jaguars
Class of 2028, 6-0 forward
Natick/Natick, Mass.
Dunlap was a massive breakout star at Natick this winter, consistently posting 20-plus-point games while racking up rebounds and steals. She's a Division 1-caliber athlete with her length, hops and quickness as a wing. I'm impressed by the amount of skills Dunlap has in her bag too. She can hit 3s, she can handle the ball and drive, and her best moments feel like real takeover sequences. Dunlap needs to keep getting stronger and more consistent as a finisher, but her development ceiling is quite high.
Gemma Murray, MCW Starz
Class of 2027, 5-7 guard
Londonderry/Londonderry, N.H.
Murray helped lead Londonderry to a statement NHIAA Division 1 championship that included tournament wins against rivals Bedford and Concord Christian. She runs point at a high pace, is quick to get downhill and get on hot streaks behind the arc. Murray averaged 12.8 points per game and she holds Div. 1 offers from Bryant and Le Moyne.
Lana Orietas, MCW Starz
Class of 2028, 6-0 guard/forward
Berkshire/Voorheesville, N.Y.
Orietas surprised me as she emerged as one of Berkshire's go-to scorers in its NEPSAC Class B Large title run, finishing second on the team with 11.5 points and eight rebounds per game . She's a smooth, consistent shooter with deep range. Orietas can also take the ball off the dribble, and she's pretty strong and capable of dealing with contact. She profiles as a reliable off-ball scoring wing who should start drawing increased college interest this year.
Zariah Ottley, Bay State Jaguars
Class of 2027, 5-7 guard
Northfield Mount Hermon/Rockland, Mass.
Ottley already has a handful of offers from schools like Delaware State, Iona, Towson and Sacred Heart, but she is one of the better guard prospects in this class overall. After playing point guard on the Jags' 2026 UAA team last year, Ottley should feel confident entering this grassroots season. She's a unique guard archetype who blends a crafty handle with strong power drives. Ottley makes some impressive difficult shots in the shorter mid-range zones, she hits 3s off the catch and she sees the floor at a high level.
Maliah Pierre, Rhode Island Basketball Club
Class of 2027, 5-9 guard/forward
Whitman-Hanson/Whitman, Mass.
Pierre once again shined in another MIAA Division 2 Final 4 run for Whitman-Hanson. She shows pops of explosiveness on her drives with the ball, and she's an excellent cutter and finisher around the basket. I've long appreciated Pierre's defensive awareness and she's made strides as a shooter as well. Pierre is one of RIBC's top talents and should be a focal point on the AAU circuit.
Sammi Santacroce, iBelieve Elite
Class of 2027, 5-7 guard
Suffield/North Haven, Conn.
We have two Suffield stars on this list — Santacroce carried the scoring load most of the season and especially when top prospect Alannah Baehr was out with injury. She's probably the most confident of the several perimeter scorers I've noted, looking smooth off the catch and on pull-up jumpers. But Santacroce can also beat defenders with some underrated quickness off the dribble. She holds offers from Siena and Le Moyne.
Charlotte Theriault, Connecticut Basketball Club
Class of 2027, 5-10 guard/forward
Suffield/Palmer, Mass.
I'm cheating a bit on this because Theriault recently added Merrimack to join UNH as her two Div. 1 offers. She's got legitimate deep shooting range and vision as a wing and plays with a high motor. Theriault was part of a star trio at Suffield that won its first 16 games. If she's consistent with her decision-making, I think she can build some recruiting momentum.
Hillary Simo, Bay State Jaguars
Class of 2028, 6-4 center
Newman/Hockley, Cameroon
This last selection is a layup. Simo improved significantly in her conditioning, fundamentals and confidence between freshman and sophomore year at Newman. She averaged 10.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, showing a go-to spin move and real power around the basket. I think there's some untapped shooting upside too. Simo has offers from Boston College, Providence and La Salle, but I predict a major blow-up in national interest when coaches see how much she's developed.
