How palpable is the buzz surrounding North Quincy girls basketball? Head coach Liana Cunningham says she gets noticed all the time in her Quincy hometown, with folks wondering how she and the Raiders will build off of last year's historic success.
"I run the beach a lot, and I get 'Hey Coach!' while I'm running, so I feel like sometimes a celebrity," she said. "Usually they'll ask me about (the team), they'll compliment me and they'll praise us. And I just say, 'Thank you for your support. We appreciate it, and we can't wait to put on another show this year.'"
The attention is warranted. North Quincy reached its first state semifinal ever last winter, advancing in a loaded Division 2 bracket before falling short against Medfield. The Raiders return most of the main cast and should be real threat to match or exceed the result.
Here's what to expect as they enter 2025-26.
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A'laya Colbert is ready for a leap
We talk often about transfers, be it at the NCAA level, prep school level or public-to-prep. It's much more rare for an MIAA school to suddenly come upon an impact transfer — but that's what Colbert became when her family moved to Quincy from Atlanta last summer.
The 6-foot center became a pivotal piece to North Quincy's run, with highlights including a 24-rebound effort against Plymouth South, 13 points and eight rebounds in a rivalry win against Quincy, and five points, 10 rebounds and three assists in the Raiders' signature quarterfinal victory against Notre Dame (Hingham).
"I think I found out, like, a week before school started (that) she was coming, so I really had no idea," Cunningham said. "But honestly, she's such a great person. She just is so genuine that when she came, it felt like she truly was the missing piece for us."
Colbert's post footwork and touch is already sound, and she makes a clear impact on the boards. Cunningham lauded Colbert's vocal leadership even as she was learning how to fit in on the team last season. She expects the junior center to be heavily involved in this winter's offense.
"Her touching the ball every possession is going to be huge for us, even if it's a touch and a tip (pass)," Cunningham said. "Her court vision is really good and she wants to facilitate. She's not selfish. But I told her last year, and I'll be telling her this, like, 500 times more, that you've got to go get what's yours. She got her feet wet last year, but now she's fully in."
Tabby McDonough can be a prime playmaker
North Quincy's most significant losses included Maeve Powers and Jen Xue — both to NEPSAC, with Powers now at Dexter Southfield and Xue at Milton Academy. Powers was the Raiders' leading scorer last season while Xue was a microwave shooter off the bench.
Their departures mean a big opportunity for junior guard Tabby McDonough. She emerged as one of the stars of the state tournament, standing out with a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double in that massive quarterfinal triumph.
"It gives me the chills thinking about it, truly. She's an underrated player," Cunningham said. "All the little things that she did this whole season, really, it helped her be who she was in those big moments. And she really stepped up when we needed it most."
The Raiders will need her even more as a likely lead option. Cunningham says McDonough is a natural defender, but her offensive skills seem to be evolving from flashes into consistency. She's also been impressed by McDonough's work in the gym during the offseason.
"She can kick it into a gear that not a lot of girls can, and so it's definitely going to be helpful for us with the offense that we're going to be be running, and a lot of it will be going through her," Cunningham said. "She could be the point guard, she could be the shooting guard, she could guard the big, — she really is so versatile that it's definitely going to show a lot more this year."
Where does North Quincy fit in Div. 2?
Beyond those two budding stars, North Quincy also has senior Meghan Smith as the squad's two-time captain, long-range sharpshooter and clear leader as a senior. And though the Raiders graduated four seniors plus the two underclassmen transfers, most of the core rotation returns.
"I think that it's kind of like how we were last year, where we didn't have a name for ourselves, but then we made ourselves a name," Cunningham said. "I think it's the same with her. She's a little bit under the radar, but she's gonna make a name this year."
That's the big question with North Quincy and several of the MIAA schools we've highlighted as they seek to follow up on breakout 2024-25 winters. The Raiders were a relative unknown before winning the Patriot League and advancing far into the postseason. Everyone expects them to be even better with Cunningham, one of the state's youngest head coaches, entering her third season. How does she deal with that pressure?
"I love pressure. I love being in it. I think that's where you grow the most is when you're in those situations under pressure," she said. "And it does stem for me, because I tell (my players) that they need to believe in themselves and that I believe in them, but I can only say that if I believe in myself. And I truly do believe in myself. I do believe in what I'm capable of, and it's so much easier, and it's so much more fulfilling, and I'm just so grateful because it's something that I love, that makes it so much easier (to coach). You want to be in those moments."
