Last year, the NEPSAC boys basketball season finished in memorable fashion.
Newman survived an overtime classic to claim the Class AAA championship, Worcester Academy grabbed its third Class AA championship in four years with a last-second thriller and Brooks won the Class B crown behind Alex Wilkins’ legendary game-winner.
How will the 2025-26 NEPSAC season follow that?
Another new season is upon us. Several contenders have their cores intact, others are reloading and some are entering the title picture. A few championship-proven coaches have returned to the region and there are dozens of impact transfers ready to put their programs over the top.
As teams across New England gear up for their journeys to March, here’s how our first NEPSAC Top 10 ranking of the season looks.
1. Newman
Coach: Jackson Johnson
Last season: 31-9, won Class AAA championship
Players to watch: Lucas Morillo, G; Quinn Costello, F; Louis O’Keefe, G; Chase Geremia, G; Timmy Bollin, G
Outlook: The Cardinals return the core of last season’s championship team, led by nationally-ranked prospects Morillo and Costello. But it doesn’t stop with them. Johnson’s group boasts unmatched depth, with at least a dozen Division 1 prospects. Jaylen Hunter-Coleman, William Meribe and Davon Maloney highlight the transfer additions that will make Newman very hard to stop offensively. They’re the clear-cut leader of the pack entering 2025-26.
PREVIEW: How Newman looks as it defends its Class AAA title
2. 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: A deeper look into the Class AA favorite Penguins
3. St. Thomas More
Coach: Jere Quinn
Last season: 27-12, advanced to Class AA semifinals, National Prep Championship finals
Players to watch: Patrick Otey, G; DJ Hawkins, W; Dillon Callahan, G; Greyson Pierce, F; Bentley Shelton, G
Outlook: The legendary Quinn has adapted to the changing recruiting climate and built his roster around his junior class, and he has a good one. Otey, Hawkins, Callahan and Pierce give the Chancellors a ton of offensive versatility they can develop over the next two years, but make no mistake – they’re talented enough to win now. Look out for transfer guards Johnny Keenan, who was a star in New York, and David Smith, an athletic scorer from Connecticut, to make a big impact in Quinn’s backcourt.
4. Darrow
Coach: Antonio Anderson
Last season: 26-10, advanced to Class AAA semifinals
Players to watch: Hunter Te Ratana, G; Haisi Mayben, G; Nalajah Christopher, G; Thor Grissom, G; Jamison Thrower, G
Outlook: The Ducks surprised many with a breakout debut season in Class AAA as they earned the No. 3 seed in Class AAA and an invite to the national prep championship, and Anderson thinks this group might be even better. Te Ratana, a Mercyhurst commit, is back to lead this team, and Mayben is one of the most underrated guards in the region after a promising year with BABC. The incoming transfers are intriguing; Grissom is an elite 3-point shooter, TJ Allen brings a scoring punch and there’s great promise with 7-foot-1 sophomore Yann Kamagate. This group plays hard on both ends and will make every game a battle.
5. New Hampton
Coach: Andrew Gale
Last season: 29-6, advanced to Class AAA championship
Players to watch: Jayden Harrington, G; Chad Cook, F; Wesley Waddles, W; Stetson Merritt, G; Ben Safran, G
Outlook: The Huskies certainly lost significant talent from last season’s team, but they may be sneaking under the radar. Gale’s squad will be strong again. Harrington and Cook are back as program fixtures, and the former looks like he’s ready for a huge leap with a bigger role. Waddles will be an impact transfer and there will be reliable guard play with the likes of Merritt and James Sanderson handling the ball. This group has depth and pieces that fit each other well; they’re different from the last three years, but they should still be one of the best.
PREVIEW: What to expect from the new-look Huskies
6. Vermont Academy
Coach: John Zall
Last season: 24-12, advanced to National Prep Championship semifinals
Players to watch: Kamari Whyte, G; Rokas Zilys, G; Filip Mozoul, F; Mamadou Camara, G; Musa Kasanga, G
Outlook: Nine 2027 players make up the Wildcats’ roster, which has strength in its guard play, versatility and shotmaking. Whyte, after a tremendous sophomore season, is back to lead this group. Zilys is back after a year away and Camara, a transfer from one of the MIAA’s best teams in Malden Catholic, looks poised to make a two-way impact. Mozoul, a 6-foot-8 forward who brings an inside presence and high-level shotmaking, will be one of the keys. This group has some exciting pieces who share the ball and have winning traits.
7. 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: KUA leans on maturity in its Class AA pursuit
8. 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 HOME: Inside Alex Popp's next chapter at Winchendon
9. 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.
10. 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.
On the radar: Bridgton, Lawrence Academy, Mount St. Charles, Northfield Mount Hermon, Tabor
