The MIAA boys basketball landscape went through significant change this offseason.
Not only did several of the state’s top players graduate or move on to prep school, but some of the best coaches moved on, too. Both coaches of last year’s Div. 1 finalists – Franklin’s CJ Neely and Newton North’s Paul Connolly – stepped away, and Bob Slater retired after leading Somerset Berkley to the Div. 2 title. Several of the state’s top programs are going through makeovers.
The result? This season’s preseason Top 10 is a mix of fresh and familiar faces. Six programs that finished inside last season’s final Top 10 are back in the first rankings, and there’s excitement for a handful of programs that enter this winter with high expectations.
Here’s the MIAA boys basketball Top 10 as the 2025-26 season opens this week.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST: 10 names who could win the award in 2025-26
1. Central Catholic
Division 1
Coach: Mark Dunham
Last season: 20-3, advanced to Div. 1 Final Four
Players to watch: Javi Lopez, G; Jeremiah Almanzar, G; Elkin Pena, F; Jordan Marion, G; Drew O’Keefe, G; Janarius Nanje, G
Outlook: The Raiders are the early favorite in Division 1, with seven players who started a game coming back from a team that made last season’s Final Four and lost by single digits to eventual champion Franklin. Lopez, the reigning MVC Player of the Year, is the star, and he and fellow senior Jeremiah Almanzar give this squad great leadership. Elkin Pena emerged as one of the best freshmen in the state last year and had a terrific offseason. The expectation is a state title at Central, and this group is motivated, experienced and battle-tested after deep runs the last few years.
2. Beverly
Division 1
Coach: Matt Karakoudas
Last season: 14-7, advanced to Div. 1 round of 32
Players to watch: Jacob Klass, G; Eli Landman, G; Dom Torres, F; Danny Pierce, G; Andrew Braganca, G; Connie Panda, F; Ben Doughty, G
Outlook: Few teams are getting more preseason buzz than Beverly, which has looked terrific in summer and fall tournaments. The Panthers boast a rotation of at least eight players, headlined by Klass, who might be the most prolific scorer in Division 1. Bishop Fenwick transfer Dom Torres gives them a glue guy they desperately needed, and they have great size with the 6-foot-7 Panda. The trajectory of the program has led to this season, and Beverly is hoping to strike big.
3. Bridgewater-Raynham
Division 1
Coach: Doug Alves
Last season: 18-5, advanced to Div. 1 round of 8
Players to watch: Cason Faulk, G; Cam Santos, F; Aiden Pires, G; Lee Williams, F; Luke Tirrell, G; Jack Lambert, G
Outlook: The Trojans hung tough with eventual state champion Franklin on the road in last season’s Elite Eight, and now they’re motivated to break through. They have five returners, led by the 6-foot-5 Faulk, a physical, athletic and quick downhill scorer who has improved his jump shot over the offseason. Tirrell, a junior, is an underrated well-rounded guard who should take a jump, and B-R has an exciting addition in former Catholic Memorial standout Aiden Pires, a junior guard who should given them more scoring punch. The Trojans have great positional size across the board, making them a tough matchup for most opponents.
4. Masconomet
Division 2
Coach: Jaycob Morales
Last season: 21-2, advanced to Div. 2 Final Four
Players to watch: Jimmy Farrell, G; Jamason Vella, F; Thomas Denton, F; Cal Weidman, G
Outlook: The Chieftains were exceptional in Morales’ first season, winning the Northeastern Conference with a 13-0 record and losing just once before reaching the Div. 2 Final Four. Now they bring back four starters, led by Farrell – who was named a first-team all-conference selection – and surrounded by three All-Stars in Vella, Denton and Weidman. Masco has its sights set firmly on a state championship.
5. Lowell
Division 1
Coach: Bob Michalczyk
Last season: 20-3, advanced to Div. 1 round of 8
Players to watch: Collin Christiansen, F; Julius Richardson, G; Aiden Waters, G
Outlook: Lowell graduated arguably the best backcourt in the state in Tzar Powell-Aparicio and Jason Kamau, but this is one of those programs that always finds a way to reload. The 6-foot-3 Christiansen is a seasoned, experienced junior who’s had his share of dominant nights, and Richardson is another key returner. The Red Raiders added a handful of transfers, including Waters, an athletic guard who’s explosive offensively. Michalczyk’s group will remain one of the best in the MVC.
6. Burlington
Division 2
Coach: Phil Conners
Last season: 15-7, advanced to Div. 2 round of 16
Players to watch: Matty Gray, G; Justin Gray, G; Cole Shannon, G; Leon Sekkandi, G; Ryan Ellis, G; Charlie Poehler, F
Outlook: The Red Devils return five players that averaged at least 25 minutes from last season’s squad that made the final 16, led by star guard Matty Gray, who’s a matchup nightmare at 6-foot-6. Conners adds Poehler, a sharpshooting transfer from Sweden that will add another dimension to his lineup that plays fast and boasts athleticism across the floor.
7. Springfield Central
Division 1
Coach: Bill Watson
Last season: 19-5, advanced to Div. 1 Final Four
Players to watch: Tahir Bey, F; Trevon Cameron, G; Zyere Brown, G
Outlook: Call them a sleeper because they’re nestled out in Western Mass., but the Golden Eagles command respect after last season’s run to the Final Four. They lost top scorers Jabari Sifrin and Unique Kynard, but bring back Bey, a 6-foot-5 matchup nightmare in the post who can physically dominate inside and also create offense on the perimeter. With experienced returners from last year, expect Central to be in the mix again.
8. Attleboro
Division 1
Coach: Mark Houle
Last season: 20-5, advanced to Div. 1 round of 8
Players to watch: Connor Houle, G; Ladainian Rodrigues, G; Isaiah Outland, G
Outlook: The Blue Bombardiers are experiencing some turnover after a strong senior class led by Hayden Crowley and Dante Monestime graduated, but Houle brings back a trio of co-captains in Rodrigues, Outland and his son, Connor, who have several years of valuable experience under their belt. Rodrigues and Houle were starters last season, and Outland is expected to be one of their best defenders and rebounders, a leader who’s a communicator. A group of juniors will step in from the JV team to be critical factors this season, but those three will dictate most of Attleboro’s success.
9. Newton North
Division 1
Coach: John McNamara
Last season: 24-2, advanced to Div. 1 championship game
Players to watch: Mathaios Stamm, G; Jake Lyons, G; Bryson Mercedes, G; Julian Zakak, G
Outlook: It’s something of a new era at Newton North, where longtime head coach Paul Connolly stepped away and the Tigers graduated star senior captains Teagan Swint and Nick Spinelli. While a state championship might not necessarily be an expectation yet, this group should still be very competitive in Division 1. McNamara, who was a state champion at North in 2005 and has since coached in essentially every role with the program, takes over, and he knows the program’s high standard. Stamm, Lyons, Mercedes and Zakak played significant minutes on last season’s team, too.
10. Winchester
Division 1
Coach: John Fleming
Last season: 16-5, advanced to round of 32
Players to watch: Dawson English, G; Carson Sarpong, F; Harrison Burbine, G
Outlook: The Red & Black had a memorable 2025 despite a surprising first-round playoff exit and lost key players like Jack Charchaflian and Alex Casey, but this group should still be in the hunt in the strong Middlesex League with its returning talent. English, a league All-Star and two-way weapon, is one of the best returning players in the state, and Sarpong gives them unique size at 6-foot-8 and is due for a breakout winter. Burbine was essentially a sixth starter for Fleming last season as a trusted ball-handler in crunch time, and he’s ready for a bigger role this winter.
On the radar: St. Mary's, Tewksbury, Greater Lawrence Tech, Abington, Mansfield, Lexington
