Unlike in prep basketball, the MIAA season doesn't pause for winter "vacation."
By Saturday, several holiday tournaments around the state will tip off. That even includes one marquee showcase outside the state which will feature two of our Top 10 teams plus several of the best state association schools around New England.
The latest Top 10 swaps out two schools, including one Bay State Conference program making its season debut after knocking off a conference rival.
Here's how the MIAA stacks up entering school breaks.
1. Wachusett (3-1)
Previous rank: 1
Next game: vs. Westford, Jan. 4, 4:30 p.m.
The Mountaineers did not pass their big test last Saturday against Londonderry, falling 62-53 agains the dynamic New Hampshire duo of Sammie Sullivan and Gemma Murray. I knew Londonderry was an elite program regionally, so it doesn't affect Wachusett's standing — yet. But it's the toughest game the Mountaineers will play for a while. They also defeated another New Hampshire power in Bishop Guertin, 65-50, with Jae Scott's 24 points leading the way.
2. Medfield (3-0)
Previous rank: 2
Next game: vs. Bedford (N.H.) at Londonderry (N.H.), Dec. 27, 2 p.m.
The Wachusett result presents an opportunity for Medfield to leapfrog to No. 1. They'll compete in the Londonderry Holiday Tournament – for my money, the best holiday tournament you'll find — from Dec. 27-29, which includes a matchup with host Londonderry. But first they'll have to beat titan Bedford, riding a 51-game winning streak. We'll see how Medfield stacks up in the showcase.
3. Bishop Feehan (3-0)
Previous rank: 4
Next game: at Londonderry (N.H.), Dec. 28, 2 p.m.
Speaking of which! Bishop Feehan is also part of the Londonderry Holiday Tournament with matchups against Londonderry and Bishop Guertin. It'll also be an important test for the reigning Division 1 finalists, who gave Bedford a good run in a 12-point loss last winter. On the MIAA side, the Shamrocks defended home court against Cathedral on Tuesday, winning 57-48.
4. Springfield Central (2-1)
Previous rank: 5
Next game: at Northampton, Dec. 29, 7 p.m.
The Golden Eagles' lone new result was a 73-40 rout against Longmeadow. Sophomore Giavanna Mars led all scorers with 21 points, freshman transfer Zi'Yan Wallace added 14 points and Mya Ocana Saunders, another freshman, chipped in 13 points. That tells you the strength of this underclassmen core. Northampton presents a solid challenge as one of the top other teams out in Western Mass.
5. Whitman-Hanson (2-0)
Previous rank: 6
Next game: vs. Immanuel, Dec. 27, TBA
The Panthers had last Friday's matchup against Silver Lake postponed — a lot of teams had postponements due to the purely insane winds around the state that day. On Monday, they earned a 50-40 win against Quincy behind Maliah Pierre's 17 points.
6. Bishop Fenwick (2-0)
Previous rank: 7
Next game: at Silver Lake, Dec. 28, 2 p.m.
Bishop Fenwick also only played once, rolling past Arlington Catholic on Sunday. Once again, the star duo of Celia Neilson (20 points, eight steals) and Caitlin Boyle (14 points, 12 rebounds) led the way. The Crusaders should be able to keep momentum up before a showdown with St. Mary's on Jan. 7.
7. North Quincy (3-0)
Previous rank: 8
Next game: at Norwell, Dec. 30, 4 p.m.
Last Friday's 43-33 gusty win against Pembroke was the best test to date for the Raiders, with Nora Geary's 13 points spearheading the victory. Then A'laya Colbert (16 points) took command in Tuesday's 43-23 win against Silver Lake. North Quincy has three different leading scorers in three games, underscoring the balance across this roster.
8. St. Mary’s (3-0)
Previous rank: 9
Next game: at Dracut, Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m.
I wish we could've gotten the scheduled Friday matchup against Bishop Feehan, which was postponed due to a power outage. We'll have to wait for a later meeting between the Catholic Central League rivals. St. Mary's slid past Acton-Boxboro, 56-50, on Tuesday behind 16 points apiece from Gabi Lorenzini and McKenna O'Connell.
9. Needham (4-0)
Previous rank: NR
Next game: at Westwood, Dec. 30, 6 p.m.
The Rockets secured one of the first real statement wins across the state this season, taking down Braintree on the road, 51-37. They'll replace their Bay State Conference rival in the Top 10 as a result. Then Needham survived an overtime battle with Walpole (59-56) on Tuesday, with Eva Andrews posting another big stat line of 18 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks. Hannah Levine has also been a notable recent contributor as the Rockets assert themselves as (maybe?) the best in their conference.
10. Cathedral (2-2)
Previous rank: NR
Next game: vs. Brookline at Cambridge, Dec. 29, 1 p.m.
Cathedral went up seven points at Bishop Feehan on Tuesday before Feehan turned things around in the ultimate 57-48 win. Keyona Raines has looked like a two-way star early for this team, also helping the Panthers roll past Leominster, 56-35 in the past week. Brookline is a bit of an underrated foe that has given some teams problems, so I want to see Cathedral take care of business as part of its two games at the Cambridge Legends Classic.
The next five: Natick, Archbishop Williams, Minnechaug, Norwell, Norwood
All of these teams are in the hunt for the Top 10 spot. Natick is also undefeated in the Bay State Conference and is simply missing the chance at a statement win like Needham just got. Archbishop Williams similarly played Bishop Feehan close in a loss and is now 2-1. Norwell and Norwood are both undefeated. And I'm really intrigued by Minnechaug and star freshman Zahara Wilson, who is averaging close to 20 points per game. The Falcons have rolled to a 3-0 start with tough tests coming up against South Hadley, Pittsfield and Springfield Central.
Worcester South, following a loss to Northampton, tumbles from its spot at No. 3, and Braintree drops out after losing to Needham. I wouldn't write off the two programs though. It just shows how competitive these spots are in the early part of the season.
