It doesn't look like Loomis Chaffee's dominance in NEPSAC Class A will slow down anytime soon.
Loomis has captured the last three Class A championships, most recently battling past Kent, 47-39, in last year's final. Much of the core returns this year to keep the dynasty rolling. But coach Adrian Stewart approaches each new year as a fresh start.
"To me, it's like every year is just a new ball of clay that we have to mold and shape," he said.
Here are the key players and storylines to follow as Loomis prepares its title defense.
Alicia Mitchell primed for big senior year
Last year, Mitchell (Springfield, Mass.) made the leap from MIAA Division 5, where she had won a state title with Springfield International, up to NEPSAC. The 6-3 center stamped her impact immediately, making All-NEPSAC after averaging 13.5 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.
With another summer ingrained in Loomis Chaffee's strength and conditioning programs, Mitchell could post a monster final season.
"Her athleticism will improve. She's been in our strength program now for a year. She'll be a veteran, in a sense, and so athletically, I think you will see an improvement," Stewart said. "The one thing that we really benefited from her: She's got to be one of the best locker room kids I've ever coached. She just has a way of drawing people into her circle, and people just love being around her."
Mitchell also checked off another milestone last week when she committed to Columbia. Stewart expects that with her college decision behind her, Mitchell can play out the season with less pressure.
"When you hit the season, and kids already know what they're going to do for school, they play with a different approach," he said. "They're more relaxed. They enjoy the game more. There's so much less stress, and when that occurs, the ball just seems to bounce their way."
Aniyah Neal leads the rest of a strong senior class
Mitchell is surrounding by a strong returning core of senior classmates. Abby Congdon (West Hartford, Conn.) won Class A Tournament MVP for her steady two-way play at point guard during the title run. Liv Westfort (Manchester, Conn.) brings an athletic frontcourt presence at 6-1, but will actually play volleyball in college. Swarthmore commit Catherine Chadwell (Longmeadow, Mass.) and Sam Lehman (East Longmeadow, Mass.) are both knockdown shooters.
But Stewart is particularly excited by the potential leap from Aniyah Neal (Syracuse, N.Y.). The sweet-shooting guard and Quinnipiac commit transferred to Loomis Chaffee last year and had an up-and-down first season in NEPSAC. Like Mitchell, Neal has also put the recruiting process in the rear-view, and that could allow her to play more free.
"We will see a different Aniyah Neal this year," Stewart said. "I am 100 percent certain, because she had flashes of brilliance last year, but again, I think there were times when she was just playing a little hesitant, maybe thinking a little bit too much. I think we will see a very different Aniyah Neal this year."
Versatility a key theme
Loomis has had to move on from back-to-back years with a superstar senior leader. First it was Carys Baker (West Hartford, Conn.), a nationally-ranked forward who is now a sophomore at Virginia Tech. Then Ke'iara Odume (Syracuse, N.Y.) won Class A Player of the Year last season before graduating and heading to Yale.
The team has weathered those losses in part because Stewart emphasizes versatility on his rosters.
"Having kids who can do multiple things, you sort of hedge your bets a little bit because if some kid gets in foul trouble (and) they've got to sit down, if you didn't train up anybody else to do those jobs, then you're in trouble," he said. "I want us to be able to plug and play. We sort of evolved that way, but I remember the years (where), if one of our kids has come out for whatever reason it's a significant difference, and we don't want to be in that situation."
Loomis' three newcomers should help boost the versatility in the veteran rotation. Leah McKenzie (Farmington, Conn.) is a 6-foot sophomore transfer who could earn minutes quickly with her size and willingness to defend.
"I think she's extremely versatile," Stewart said. "From a defensive perspective, I think you look at her and you see she's a wing player, but I think she can defend different places on the floor, and I think she'll be able to defend in the post a little bit. She'll be able to defend on the perimeter, but she runs the floor extremely well."
Two freshmen also join the mix. Madi Wright (East Hartford, Conn.) is a 5-foot-7 combo guard with a crafty handle and a "special talent for shooting the basketball."
"I didn't realize how much range she actually had until she played with us in the NEPSAC Showcase in the summer," Stewart said.
Then there's Neve Rugette, who comes all the way from the United Kingdom as a 2028 guard. Rugette boasts U16 national team experience, but Stewart had only watched film of her until he saw her work out in-person last Monday. He was blown away.
"She can hoop, man. She can freaking hoop," he said. "She is a tremendous athlete, incredibly quick, and she can finish around the rim."
