A fresh season of girls’ basketball in Rhode Island looms, and there’s no shortage of intrigue ahead.
Ponaganset headlined last season by capturing the state title despite rostering one of the youngest teams in the state. With the majority of the team returning, the title defense is in good hands.
That doesn’t mean a repeat will come easy. Moses Brown’s Gatorade Player of the Year and North Kingstown’s near-perfect season last year set both teams up to pose threats to the throne. Teams like Narragansett and the Lincoln School are fresh off division championships and will carry considerable momentum into the new slate.
Without further ado, here are the preseason rankings for girls’ Rhode Island high school basketball.
1. Ponaganset
Division 1
Last season: 22-8 Overall, 12-3 League
Head Coach: Gary Martinelli
One year removed from an incredible campaign in which Pognaganset won the state championship, they’re on track for another big season. Ponaganset was very young last year and lost just one starter, as the majority of the team is returning. That one departing starter is Anastasia Nerney, but her sister and fellow All-Stater, Marron Nerney, is set to pick up the slack, along with guard Javiana Stec. They play a team-oriented game and run a system built on collective execution rather than individual performances. They have only one senior, so Ponaganset is primed to remain at the state’s pinnacle for years to come.
2. Moses Brown
Division 1
Last season: 21-4 Overall, 13-2 League
Head Coach: Stephanie Tobey
The Quakers have the best player in the state in Lauren Bousquet. The forward averaged 23.2 points and 9.8 rebounds last season en route to Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Moses Brown was one of the few teams to give Ponaganset trouble, to the tune of two decisive regular-season wins in the matchup. When it mattered most, the Quakers were defeated by the Chieftains in the state championship. They did lose star guard Jaelynn Perez to prep school, but there’s plenty of firepower to make up for her departure.
3. North Kingstown
Division 1
Last season: 26-2 Overall, 18-1 League
Head Coach: Bob Simeone
The Skippers round out a fairly unanimous top three teams heading into the upcoming season. They are returning much of their talent after losing just two games last year, both of which came against the teams ranked above them here. As one of the largest public schools in Rhode Island, North Kingstown always has potential waiting in the wings. Leading scorer Jaelyn Holmes graduated, leaving her scoring role to senior guard Brooke Faunce, who averaged 13.4 points per game last year. The Skippers haven’t lost more than six games in a season across the last six years, and there’s no reason to believe that trend will be bucked now.
4. Barrington
Division 1
Last season: 18-7 Overall, 16-2 League
Head Coach: Stephen Lenz
The Eagles’ top two scorers graduated, but sophomore Ella Martin and crucial transfer addition Genesis Castro are set to lead the way. Martin does a little bit of everything and was a first team all-division member in her freshman year. Castro is prepared to be one of the most impactful acquisitions in the state, as she arrives from Bay View after a prolific freshman season leading her former team in scoring. Barrington hopes that its array of talent can keep this team competitive with the state’s elite.
5. Westerly
Division 1
Last season: 18-8 Overall, 8-5 League
Head Coach: Michael Reyes
The Bulldogs more than exceeded expectations last season in Reyes' first year. They posted their first winning record in three years at an impressive 18-8. After starting the season 1-4, they later went on a 12-game winning streak. Their scoring will be led by Reyes’ daughter, Ella Reyes. As a freshman, she amassed 15.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest, and will likely only improve upon those numbers.
6. La Salle
Division 1
Last season: 10-12 Overall, 8-10 League
Head Coach: Frank Kiser
Last season was a rare off-year for the Rams. Their losing record was the first in recent memory and they exited in the quarterfinal of both the state and Division 1 tournaments. They also graduated a high volume of seniors from that team, so it’s truly up in the air as to what La Salle will look like this year. The difference, though, is that the Rams can reload at any time. Being a private school, new recruits can come in and completely change their outlook, so it’s always safe to have them in the mix.
7. Portsmouth
Division 1
Last season: 15-7 Overall, 10-5 League
Head Coach: Frank Brow
The Patriots are returning virtually all of their scoring, so there’s reason to believe they’ll be just as good, if not better this time around. Gyselle Mairs leads the way, as she was first team all-state during her sophomore year thanks to her 16.2 points per game. With just one senior graduated, Portsmouth is full of talented sophomores and juniors that should take this team higher. Brow is entering his first year as head coach after arriving from Rogers.
8. Narragansett
Division 2
Last season: 22-3 Overall, 16-2 League
Head Coach: Kathryn Mahoney
Moving into the Division 2 representatives, the Mariners are coming off a Div. 2 title and a 22-3 campaign. They were dominant in the postseason, winning the championship game at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence by 20 points. In the state tournament, they defeated a Division I school by 33 points before falling in the following round against the No. 1 seed state-wide in North Kingstown. Delaney Bonneau is a fantastic scorer who averaged 16.2 points and will look to lead them to another fruitful season.
9. Lincoln School
Division 2
Last season: 23-2 Overall, 17-1 League
Head Coach: Cindy Blodgett
The Lynx have been on an exponential rise, and are making the jump up to Division 2 from Division 3 after proving their worth as one of the top teams in the state. They cruised to the Div. 3 title last season and were the only team in their division to compete in the state tournament. Sarah Berube, who is already the school’s all-time leading scorer, is returning for her senior season. Reign Whiteing is an impressive post player entering her junior year after averaging 16.4 points last year. Do not underestimate the Lincoln School.
10. Scituate
Division 2
Last season: 16-5 Overall, 13-1 League
Head Coach: Stephanie Coro
The Sentinels graduated a significant portion of their team after losing just one league game last season, but they’re returning a powerful duo of sisters in Brooklyn and Gabby Russillo who should keep them near the top of Division II. Brooklyn is entering her sophomore year, having served as a serious contributor during her freshman season on a team filled with seniors. Gabby is entering her senior year. Head coach Stephanie Coro is heading into her second season after notching the school's first winning record since the 2020-21 season.
