There won't be any nights off in NEPSAC Class AA boys basketball this season.
Cushing — last season's No. 1 seed — is widely considered the favorite, but the path won't be easy for them. With at least one Division 1 player on every roster, all 15 of the teams in this class are capable of winning on any given night. Worcester Academy, last season's champion, has a new look, and there are several programs on the rise — and accomplished coaches returning to the region — ready to make noise this winter.
Class AA has a fresh look. CATS Academy, after multiple years as one of the best teams in the league, left for the Nike EYBL Scholastic. Masters (CT) was moved to Class C, and NEPSAC welcomes Albany Academy into the fold here.
Five teams from this class — Cushing, Kimball Union, Winchendon, MacDuffie and Wilbraham & Monson — made our preseason NEPSAC Top 10. But Class AA is stacked from top to bottom. Let's take a deeper look at every team as the 2025-26 season begins.
Albany Academy
Coach: Jim Driggs
Last season: N/A
Players to watch: Jack Louridas, F; Jamar Macon, C; Cyrus Matia, F; Xavier Lopez, G; Josiah Hyman, G
Outlook: The Cadets make their debut season in NEPSAC boys basketball as a member of Class AA. It’ll be a tough road for them to make the playoffs, but they have a core group of seniors and postgraduates who have played together for years and have experienced success in New York. If Driggs’ group has a good winter, it will be because of Louridas, a Yale commit, and Macon. Louridas has evolved into an all-around threat, while Macon’s strength is in his shot-blocking ability.
Brimmer & May
Coach: Tom Nelson
Last season: 11-13, missed playoffs
Players to watch: Ladanion Payne, G; Windston Legentus, G; Tyson Robinson, F; Logan Lang, F; John Fitzgibbon, G
Outlook: There’s plenty of continuity on this roster. Payne, an athletic floor general, and Legentus, a microwave scoring guard, make up an exciting backcourt, and the skilled Robinson is back after suffering a season-ending injury last season. Fitzgibbon, a transfer from Brewster, will add a big scoring punch and Lang provides length in the frontcourt at 6-foot-9. This group won’t shy away from a challenge – especially being part of the NEBL – and should be in the Class AA playoff mix.
Cheshire
Coach: Jim McCarthy
Last season: 9-15, missed playoffs
Players to watch: James Caldarella, G; John Spinoso, W; Justin Brown, G; Aidan Maguire, G; Christian Zarzycki, G
Outlook: The Cats saw star big Kamsi Awaka depart for Blair Academy, but McCarthy has a roster full of skilled players who are unselfish and can dribble, pass and shoot. Spinoso and Brown are the best returners; the former is a high-level playmaker who has improved his shooting and the latter is a lefty shooter. Caldarella, who committed to Air Force, is a versatile transfer addition who has a high feel for the game. The biggest question mark for Cheshire is probably on the defensive end and if they can handle the size and athleticism of the rest of Class AA.
Cushing
Coach: James Cormier
Last season: 26-6, advanced to Class AA semifinals
Players to watch: Ryan Moesch, G; Theo Edema, C; Nate Blenman, F; Jack Hynes, F; Elliot Erickson, W
Outlook: The Class AA favorites, the Penguins would certainly be good enough to compete in AAA. The reigning NEBL champions have arguably the best point guard and center in the region with Moesch and Edema, and Cormier surrounded them with players that fit several roles. Look out for Blenman, a skilled 2027 transfer forward who has high-major offers and has high upside as an inside-out option. Hynes will be the glue, and Jake Nosek and Anthony Vick will give them elite outside shotmaking.
PREVIEW: What to expect from Cushing in 2025-26
Kimball Union
Coach: Cory McClure
Last season: 21-10, advanced to Class AA semifinals
Players to watch: Brandon Arnold, G; Merrick Smith, F; Hudson Scroggins, F; Lennart Payne, G; Zach Romich, G
Outlook: The Wildcats bring back two key players from last season’s strong finish in Arnold and Smith, who bring a level of steadiness and leadership to the program. This is a mature, experienced group with several college-ready 2026 players. Valparaiso commit Scroggins will be one of NEPSAC’s top transfer additions with his versatility, Romich is a driller from deep and Payne has international experience. Nothing should faze this team, which should be in the hunt for a top-four seed in Class AA.
PREVIEW: What to expect from Kimball Union in 2025-26
Lawrence Academy
Coach: Mike Foustoukos
Last season: 15-14, made Class AA playoffs
Players to watch: Alex Egbuonu, W; Evan Mitchner, G; Caleb Baker, W; Paxton Ivy, G, AJ Reinertson, G
Outlook: After making the Class AA playoffs with a younger roster, the Spartans have high hopes with a group of core returners who are ready to take it to the next level. Egbuonu is arguably the best player in NEPSAC, and Mitchner – after an injury-plagued junior season – is back and motivated for a big winter; the point guard has looked really good in early open gyms. Ivy is an impact transfer and the Spartans have two of the best shooters in the class with him and Reinertson.
GOLDEN EAGLE: Why Alex Egbuonu chose Marquette
MacDuffie
Coach: Kurt Steiner
Last season: 9-17, missed playoffs
Players to watch: Brayden Harris, W; Keyshon Joyner, G; Patrick Sagna, G; Elijah Avery-Turner, G; Andrew Adegbite, F
Outlook: After a rebuilding year in 2024-25, Steiner feels like he has a deep, talented roster that should compete in the upper half of Class AA this season. Harris is the go-to scoring option they’ve needed, and there’s great leadership in the backcourt with Joyner, Sagna and Avery-Turner. This group is versatile, fiery and competitive and plays with a ton of effort on both sides of the ball. They should at the least be a playoff team.
Mount St. Charles
Coach: Ladi Odugbela
Last season: 11-14, missed playoffs
Players to watch: Kyle Delves, G; Ethan Ostane, G; Soren Lolonga, G; Isaac Olaniba, F
Outlook: The Mounties looked promising in its first Class AA season last winter; despite missing the playoffs, they had several close losses and even grabbed a win over St. George’s. But this was never a one-year project, and Odugbela’s group looks more improved heading into Year 2. Ostane will join Delves to make up one of the best backcourts in this class, and they have several returners who are ready for big jumps. Expect the Mounties to be firmly in the playoff conversation.
Northfield Mount Hermon
Coach: Michael Shelton
Last season: 19-10, made Class AA playoffs
Players to watch: Darren Moore, G; Will Higgs, C; Merrick Rillstone, G; Nate Djanogly, F; Blake Bastani, G
Outlook: NMH saw a lot of talent leave from last year’s team, but Shelton replenished the cupboard with a deep roster full of interchangeable parts and flexibility. The Hoggers have great size, headlined by Princeton commit Will Higgs, who’s back after recovering from a torn ACL, and Djanogly, who’s also back from injury and is hitting a high clip from 3. Moore is an impact lead guard who has strong leadership and winning intangibles, and Rillstone brings a winning pedigree to the program. This group has the pieces to be a sleeper.
St. Andrew’s
Coach: Mike Hart
Last season: 10-20, missed playoffs
Players to watch: Harrison Aligbe, F; Elijah McNair, G; Lorcan Bailey Morrows, W; Malachi Odugbela, G; Talib Martin, G
Outlook: Hart is excited about this group, which he believes has more talent and size than last year and has been self-motivated. Aligbe, a transfer from Winchendon, gives them a physical inside force and McNair, who had a promising sophomore season, is bringing leadership as a junior captain. Hart wants to see the collective basketball IQ improve, but he believes his team has the potential to be a playoff team.
St. George’s
Coach: Dwayne Pina
Last season: 25-6, won ISL championship
Players to watch: Dywane Chess, G; Ethan Njenga, G; Adriel Cantave, G; Casey Bazzano, G; Kenny Benedict, F; Chance Finlayson, F
Outlook: The Dragons graduated four starters from last season’s ISL championship team, but still have the pieces to contend in both Class AA and ISL. Chess will assume the role as their main option, and he has strong guard play around him that will push the pace and thrive in transition. Bazzano and Benedict are ready to step into bigger roles, and Finlayson will likely start as a freshman; he’s one of the most intriguing players to watch this winter.
PREVIEW: What to expect from St. George's in 2025-26
Tilton
Coach: Marcus O’Neil
Last season: 13-17, missed playoffs
Players to watch: Patrick Otto Mae, F; Samuel Owusu-Aduomi, W; Jakare Innocent, G; Owen Eaton, G; Evan Eaton, G
Outlook: O’Neil returns after a brief hiatus to the program he made nationally prominent, but he’s not expecting banners in Year 1. He’s building for the future – bringing in promising 2028 wing Wiji Dak and 2029 center Oliver Curley – while also adding impact upperclassmen. Otto Mae, a 2026 forward, and Owusu-Aduomi, a 2027 wing bring size and athleticism, and Innocent is an impactful two-way guard. This is a roster full of newcomers, and the future is bright, but don’t be surprised if O’Neil can bring in some early magic.
TILTON IS BUZZING: Read our Fall 2025 magazine
Wilbraham & Monson
Coach: Mike Mannix
Last season: 15-12, made Class AA playoffs
Players to watch: Sam Fleming, F; Chinedu Okpara, F; Christian Martin, G; Owen Earle, G; Julien Price, G
Outlook: The shorthanded Titans scraped their way to last season’s playoffs despite the midseason loss of Fleming, and now they have him back fully healthy. Okpara, whose strong play down the stretch led Wilbraham to the playoffs, and Martin, one of the best shooters in the region, are also back, and that trio gives them a lot of versatility and experience. The sleeper of this team might be Price, a transfer from Loomis Chaffee who’s attracting mid-major interest.
Winchendon
Coach: Alex Popp
Last season: 11-15, missed playoffs
Players to watch: Brady Sehlhorst, F; Tavin Penix, G; Cam Blankenberg, F; Beckham King, F; Treddy Faison, G
Outlook: Popp, who coached Vermont Academy to a NEPSAC championship in 2016, is back in the region and he’s recruited a promising team for his first season at Winchendon. Sehlhorst, an Elon commit, should make an immediate impact, and he’s one of several long, versatile wing shooters on the roster. Penix and Faison make up a fun backcourt; Faison finished in the top five in assists on the Nike EYBL 16U circuit. The Wapiti will be hard to match up with and should be in the Class AA mix.
BACK IN TOWN: Inside Alex Popp's exciting new challenge at Winchendon
Worcester Academy
Coach: Jamie Sullivan
Last season: 24-9, won Class AA championship
Players to watch: Jojo Reyes, G; Anthony DeJohn, G; Jordan McFadden, G; Cole Blackburn, W
Outlook: There will be doubters of the Hilltoppers again after they lost their star backcourt of Amir Jenkins and Cam Hailey this summer, but this group will be motivated to prove them wrong. Reyes will step in as the lead guard, McFadden is one of New England’s best shooters and DeJohn does a little bit of everything. Blackburn should bring an immediate impact with his athleticism and length, too. There’s certainly much to prove for this group – which lost its entire starting five from last season’s title squad – but recent memory recommends you never count out Sullivan’s teams.
