In a snap, we’ve flipped the page from the high school basketball season to the AAU circuit.
Grassroots teams around New England are announcing their schedules and meeting for their first games this season. This is the time where players hope to carry over their school success to their travel teams, shine in different roles and impress college coaches at showcases around the region.
This is not a list of New England’s top prospects — many of the elite have already racked up scholarship offers, and I’ll be skipping over them here. Instead, consider this a list of players who shined at multiple levels of prep and high school ball, and could continue that success into a recruiting boost.
Here’s a look at 10 such talents on AAU teams around New England.
Izzy Adams, MCW Starz
Class of 2026, 5-8 guard
Dexter Southfield/Walpole, Mass.
Adams transferred to Dexter Southfield, and though it took her time to adjust to NEPSAC Class AAA, she made great progress leading a young team with her growing confidence as a scorer. I watched her tally 24 points in a loss to Hoosac in late February, taking over against a very good defense. She remains one of the best passers in New England and should show it again with Starz, adding to her offers from Harvard, Holy Cross, Le Moyne and Bryant.
Alannah Baehr, Connecticut Basketball Club
Class of 2027, 6-1 guard/forward
Suffield/Colchester, Conn.
Baehr has to be one of the more intriguing player archetypes around. She helped lead Suffield to the top seed in NEPSAC Class B as a legitimate scoring wing who is fast, long and prolific shooting behind the arc (48 percent this season). Baehr can handle the ball and make solid passing reads, and her positional size gives her a natural rebounding advantage. She has a small handful of Div. 1 offers right now, but if things continue to click in spring, Baehr could break out in a big way.
Lauren Bousquet, Mass Huskies
Class of 2026, 5-10 forward
Moses Brown/Providence, R.I.
Bousquet dominated again in the RIIL en route to Gatorade Player of the Year honors. She averaged 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.5 steals — and that was before a mind-boggling 42-point, 23-rebound game in a state finals loss. The Huskies’ 2026 roster looks super strong, and Bousquet, who holds an offer from Marist, is a centerpiece.
Tiffany Burns, Mass Rivals
Class of 2027, 5-9 guard
Austin Prep/Methuen, Mass.
I’m a believer in Burns’ natural explosiveness and her rapidly-growing court vision and outside shot. With top 2026 prospect Fope Ayo as a partner in crime, Burns helped Austin Prep earn a Class AA playoff berth with some statement wins along the way, routinely threatening for double-doubles. She’s received offers from a few schools highlighted by Providence and Boston College.
Bela Cucuta, iBelieve Elite
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard
Tilton/Newington, Conn.
Cucuta finished her first year in NEPSAC on fire, leading Tilton on the score sheet during its Class AAA championship win and then capturing tournament MVP honors at the National Prep Championships. Cucuta holds a bunch of mid-major Div. 1 offers; I would not be surprised if one or multiple high-majors extended a scholarship offer this summer. She is an elite perimeter scorer and a much-improved playmaking guard.
TILTON'S TIME:Â How the Rams emerged from underdog status with a Class AAA title
Jill Dingler, iDream
Class of 2026, 5-7 guard
Darrow/Storrs, Conn.
Dingler deserves a ton of credit for transferring to Darrow and immediately helping the Ducks make the Class AA championship game. She’s a great shooter and off-ball mover whom Darrow used in creative ways, but she can also drive and pass out of drives, and she plays at a high effort level. Her consistent motor and array of winning skills should pique some coaches’ interest.
Morgan Jenkins, Bay State Jaguars
Class of 2026, 6-2 forward
Hotchkiss/Higganum, Conn.
Jenkins started catching fire on the recruiting front last summer and stepped it up further with a dominant year in Class A. She was a regular for our NEPSAC 5 Stars of the Week and practically an automatic double-double. Jenkins will face more imposing size more often on the AAU circuit, but her defensive chops and mid-range scoring should stay productive.
Jae Scott, Bay State Jaguars
Class of 2026, 6-0 forward
Wachusett/Holden, Mass.
Scott got an offer from Providence two years ago and added two from UNH and Manhattan last summer. I’m quite confident she’ll blow up this spring as a 6-foot forward who can drive and shoot from the perimeter or work out of the post. Scott’s length and defensive awareness might be her best skill areas. She totaled 31 points and 14 rebounds in the Div. 1 championship.
Sammie Sullivan, MCW Starz
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard
Londonderry/Londonderry, N.H.
Behind Bedford senior Kate Allard, Sullivan was the best player in NHIAA girls basketball, leading Londonderry to a 20-2 record and averaging 20.2 points. She’s already cleared 1,000 career points behind her versatility and easy 3-point shot. Sullivan has five Division 1 offers entering the spring from Providence, Northeastern, Stonehill, Bryant and UNH.
Eva Wilkerson, Mass Rivals
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard
Sacred Heart/Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.
After her previous school year and AAU season got derailed by injuries, Wilkerson returned to Sacred Heart this winter and promptly won NEPSGBCA Class A Defensive Player of the Year. She averaged 7.9 rebounds and 3.5 steals while helping Sacred Heart reach the Class A championship. Wilkerson is long and active with great off-ball instincts.
