Trying to find a favorite in the NEPSAC girls Class B tournament? Good luck.
The parity in this bracket is unmatched by any other NEPSAC class. All eight teams have traded seeding and standings positions throughout the winter season, and all eight have a legitimate shot at winning the championship March 9 at Loomis Chaffee.
I knew some of these schools would be strong, but others — particularly the top two seeds — have shocked me. Class B is also the largest class in NEPSAC girls basketball. As a result, many of these top teams haven't played each other yet.
That means we have little clue of what to expect over the next week. What I do know is this field is loaded with talent and depth. Here's a breakdown of each squad.
MORE CLASS BREAKDOWNS: Class AAA field | Class AA field | Class A field
Video: Ethan and Steve analyze the brackets
1. Suffield (20-5)
Record against Class B field: 2-1
The Tigers' super young core has exceeded expectations, helping them soar to the No. 1 seed.
I first saw them play in the Girls Hoops Series Winter Classic at Tabor back in December. There, 2027 guard Sammi Santacroce (North Haven, Conn.) impressed me with her ability to rack up smart, efficient buckets. Since then, other underclassmen have also shined. That includes Alannah Baehr (Colchester, Conn.), a 6-foot-1 wing who handles like a guard and can pull up well behind the arc, and high-energy 2028 guard Juju Booth (Hartford, Conn.).
Suffield beat Berkshire and Lawrence Academy, losing by four points to Greens Farms on Dec. 11. If you believe in continued growth from the young talent, plus experience around them, this could be a team peaking just in time for a title run.
PLAYOFF SCHEDULES: Class AAA | Class AA | Class A | Class B, C, D
2. Berkshire (19-5)
Record against Class B field:Â 2-1
After missing the postseason last year, Berkshire has made a significant statement in its run to the No. 2 seed.
This is another squad that wasn't on my radar until the Girls Hoops Series Winter Classic. I got to see some of Berkshire's best players shine in a 56-43 win against Mount St. Charles. That includes Chloe Egan (Cotuit, Mass.), a 5-foot-11 2026 guard who ran a lot of Berkshire's offense is an underrated prospect herself. Berkshire also has one of this field's physical standouts in 6-4 2027 center Pearl Dickson, plus shooting around the two, led by senior Evi Higgins (Marlboro, Mass.).
Like Suffield, Berkshire has been scarcely tested against the other Class B playoff opponents. The Bears beat St. George's to kick off an 11-0 season start, then beat Greens Farms on Feb. 1 following a loss to Suffield.
3. Rivers (16-8)
Record against Class B field:Â 0-3
Rivers moved down from Class AA to B and also changed head coaches, with Kenny Small Jr. now at the helm. They were my preseason pick to win the championship, and though I don't have an obvious choice now, I'd still consider the Red Wings a contender.
The 0-3 record against playoff opponents stands out as a concern. However, those defeats — to St. Luke's, St. George's and Lawrence Academy — occurred in a 12-day span and were each decided by five points or less. With Seton Hall-bound Natalia Hall-Rosa (Randolph, Mass.) and Princeton commit Grace O'Sullivan (Acton, Mass.) running the show, Rivers boasts two elite wings who can adjust their games to any given matchup. They're among the best, most experienced players in this tournament.
4. Lawrence Academy (16-6)
Record against Class B field:Â 2-2
The Lancers ended their season strong by winning seven of their last eight games.
Of their six losses, two came against Class AAA giants Nobles and Tabor as part of their grueling Independent Schools League schedule. Lawrence Academy picked up narrow wins against Rivers and St. George's to build its case, losing to Suffield and seventh-seeded Beaver.
Under second-year coach Emily Pratt, the Lancers have now earned top-four seeds in back-to-back postseasons. They have three NEPSGBCA All-Stars: Jasmine Becotte (Pelham, N.H.), Mya Lambert (Warwick, R.I.) and Sam Pellerin (Hudson, N.H.). Becotte in particular seems to fly under the radar for her production; she's an efficient scoring wing who routinely hovers around a double-double.
5. St. Luke's (13-9)
Record against Class B field:Â 4-1
The record isn't flashy, but St. Luke's played one of the toughest slates in Class B, losing to Nobles and Dexter in Class AAA, Loomis Chaffee and Sacred Heart in Class A, and Putnam Science, a very good prep program that does not compete in a NEPSAC class. They swept two games against Greens Farms, including the FAA Tournament semifinal, and also took down Rivers and St. George's.
Most importantly, St. Luke's boasts the best player in Class B: Cam Nelson (Greenwich, Conn.), a speedy, decisive point guard headed to Syracuse after this season. Nelson alone can flip games in favor of the Storm, and she has backup from powerful wing Olivia White and Mercyhurst commit Emma Sollenne (Greenwich, Conn.). This has been a challenging winter for the Storm, but they hope they're battle-tested for this one-week sprint.
6. Greens Farms (15-7)
Record against Class B field:Â 3-3
The Dragons have hung around the top of Class B for most of the season and a No. 6 seed actually represents somewhat of a fall. It speaks more to how closely these teams are separated. They started the season 8-0 before a close loss to Class AA Wilbraham and Monson. That did kick off a 1-5 stretch extending to Feb. 1, but those losses — to WMA, Hotchkiss, Putnam Science, Sacred Heart and Berkshire — were all close and against strong teams. I've been very impressed by Dannie Powell's work in his first year as head coach, especially given he got the job a week before practices started.
Greens Farms wields one of the deeper rotations in this tournament. There's no alpha scorer, but Powell's daughter London Powell (Milford, Conn.), High Point commit Cheyenne Brand (West Haven, Conn.) and top 2027 prospect LaLa Goode (Derby, Conn.) Â can each make a defense pay.
7. Beaver Country Day (19-5)
Record against Class B field: 2-2
The deep sleeper in this class might be Beaver Country Day, which just went undefeated and won the Eastern Independent League regular season and tournament championships.
The Beavers quietly defeated St. Luke's and Lawrence Academy, falling short against Greens Farms and St. George's. Their schedule was perhaps the lightest of these playoff teams, which makes it difficult to predict how they'll perform under the high stakes. But Beaver similarly earned a No. 2 seed last season and surged all the way to the championship game. They have one of the 2027 year's more underrated prospects in Javonah "Juice" Coston (Boston, Mass.), plus Elms College commit Sanaii Diaz (Worcester, Mass.) leading the way.
8. St. George's (15-9)
Record against Class B field:Â 2-3
The reigning Class B champions enter a new era under first-year coach Angelina Marazzi, and though the Dragons have had their ups and downs, the seem to be on the same page at the right time.
St. George's started the winter 4-4, including two of its three losses to playoff foes (Greens Farms and St. Luke's) before winter break. But the fresh start in 2025 has helped generate momentum, and the Dragons have won eight of their last nine games entering the tournament, only faltering against Class AAA school Dexter Southfield.
Though Marazzi is a new voice, the roster looks much like last year's championship-winning squad. Hofstra commit Olivia VanPatten (Middletown, R.I.), Babson-bound Molly Donovan (Duxbury, Mass.) and steady guard Aleah Bracey (New Bedford, Mass.) represent a reliable senior trio. Transfer 2026 guard Gianna Nichols (Sturbridge, Mass.) has made an immediate impact while securing a commitment to Le Moyne. St. George's has championship experience on its side, and even as the worst seed, a repeat run is definitely attainable.
