Throughout the basketball calendar, we're constantly covering the best prospects around New England. But some are bound to fly under the radar.
This month, we're highlighting some of those deserved names. These are players who I personally feel higher on than the consensus hype. Maybe I believe the regional fan chatter around them should pick up. In some cases, I feel certain players are being under-recruited by colleges. Or, maybe I've consistently barely missed them as a past standout and I can finally write about them here. The bottom line is I feel strongly that they deserve some more attention, and with September being a relative lull for high school hoops, now's the chance to spotlight them.
The only rule: None of these stars appear on our top prospect watch lists. This isn't a ranking of any sort, and players listed will range from future Division 1 commits to strong Div. 2 and Div. 3 talents.
Here are 10 2026 guards I feel get underrated.
TOP PROSPECTS:Â 2026 | 2027 | 2028
Molly Corcoran, Tabor
5-7 guard
Hometown: Medford, Mass.
NCAA: Colgate
Last year, Tabor's senior Big Three led the Seawolves to the NEPSAC Class AAA semifinals. Corcoran started at point guard, but she took a back seat as Kaelyn Carroll, Ava Black and Olivia Rodrigues led possessions. She's a much more creative playmaker than she gets credit for and can put together some game-changing hot streaks as a perimeter shooter. When I watched Corcoran on the AAU circuit with the Bay State Jaguars, she played confidently and freely. New Tabor head coach Lydia Caputi has said she wants to run a more balanced, fast-paced offense, which suits Corcoran's strengths. I think she'll assert herself as one of NEPSAC's best point guards this winter, and at least one other coach agrees.
Amelia Crowe, Pentucket
5-10 guard
Hometown: West Newbury, Mass.
NCAA: Babson
Crowe won Cape Ann League MVP honors last season and averaged 15.8 points per game with 50 made 3-pointers for one of Division 3's top teams. She's a classic Pentucket player: tough, unselfish and smart within a team defense. But Crowe has a bit more in her bag as a scorer than some of Pentucket's past leaders. She's not an overly quick athlete, but her shooting touch is solid and she's unfazed by contact. Crowe just announced her Babson commitment and is a sleeper pick as one of the best in the eastern part of MIAA this winter.
Update: Since this writing, Crowe has announced her commitment to Babson. That is now updated.
Jill Dingler, Darrow
5-7 guard
Hometown: Storrs, Conn.
Dingler landed her first Division 1 offers from Binghamton and American this summer as she kept growing on the grassroots circuit with iDream. I think that's a good level for her, because although she's smaller for her position as a 2-guard, Dingler brings so many winning skills to the table. She's an active cutter and quality 3-point shooter. Darrow also ran a bit of offense through her last winter because she can attack driving lanes and finish consistently around the rim. She competes on defense and typically adds at least one or two noteworthy hustle plays per game. Dingler averaged 16 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists to land on our All-NEPSAC Class AA Second Team last winter. She's very tough for opponents to take out of a game.
Chloe Egan, Berkshire
5-10 guard
Hometown: Cotuit, Mass.
You'll get one "she should be a Division 1 player" flag-plant from me in this article. Egan has Division 1 size for her position and made our All-NEPSAC Class B First Team last winter, putting up 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.3 steals on a breakout Berkshire squad that reached the semifinals. She makes smart decisions quickly as a point guard and is really great at driving off the catch and getting all the way to the basket. Egan is comfortable as a spot-up 3-point shooter too. To my knowledge, she doesn't have a Div. 1 offer yet, and I'd advise a mid-major coach looking late to check her out. Or Egan can go be an awesome Div. 2-3 player.
Dylan Hurley, Whitman-Hanson
5-6 guard
Hometown: Hanson, Mass.
Especially after her buzzer-beater in Whitman-Hanson's wild triple-overtime state tournament win last March, Hurley is on the radars of most Patriot League (HS) coaches. But I fully expect her to be one of the state's best point guards as a senior. When she's playing with confidence, Hurley dices up defenses off the dribble, makes some acrobatic close-range shots and rains in 3-pointers. She's also a pest who sets the tone for the Panthers' consistently strong defense. Hurley was among my summer Wally Seaver Invitational standouts, and Div. and Div. 3 coaches should be following her.
Abby Kim, Choate
5-6 guard
Hometown: Berlin, Conn.
Kim should be among the top guards in NEPSAC Class A next season and a quality Div. 2 or Div. 3 prospect. Her burst off the dribble creates advantages and Kim occasionally will stop on a dime and show off scoring touch on mid-range pull-ups. She also embraces contact around the rim and is quick with her 3-point shot off the catch. I think developing consistency is still key with her right now, but she has a bunch of tools to draw on that make her a tough cover offensively.
Frankie Mazzini, Braintree
5-6 guard
Hometown: Braintree, Mass.
Mazzini's point-of-attack defense was a key reason Braintree had its breakout 21-3 season, beat Woburn in the MIAA Div. 1 quarterfinals and nearly took down eventual state champ Wachusett in the semis. She's physically strong for her size, slides her feet well, and most importantly takes a ton of pride in leading a stout defensive team. Mazzini is more of a facilitating point guard, but she'll flash some quick skill moves on drives to get to the rim. She'll probably be a great Div. 3 talent and one of the state's top point guards as a senior.
Maddie Provost, Lawrence
5-8 guard
Hometown: Fairfield, Maine
Maine knows about Provost and so do Division 1 schools; she's got offers from the likes of Colgate, Holy Cross, NJIT, UNH, Maine, Merrimack, Sacred Heart and Bryant. But the rest of New England should appreciate this electric playmaker. Provost lights up the 3-point arc and injects tempo into offense with her quickness off the dribble. When I watched her on the AAU circuit with Maine Firecrackers, Provost also stuck out as an opportunistic off-ball defender who can ignite a fast break. Provost averaged 20.8 points and 4.6 assists at Lawrence last winter. If I made an all-New England state association school team, she'd be my no-doubt starting point guard.
Emma Smith, Concord Christian
5-10 guard
Hometown: Hudson, N.H.
Smith is going to end her high school career in pursuit of 2,000 career points. Only 16 New Hampshire high-schoolers, both boys and girls, have eclipsed the mark. She is a dynamic perimeter scorer with impressive range who also also slices through defenses in transition, and when I watched her with MCW Starz, she also popped as an active cutter. A lot of the elite talent in NHIAA right now is concentrated at Bedford and Londonderry; do not overlook Smith as another star.
Annie Zink, Bedford
5-6 guard
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
There are great defenders, and then there are players who legitimately make it fun for even the casual fan to watch them guard the perimeter. Zink is in that last category of special; she is a ridiculous lateral mover who is constantly up bothering the opponent's space, and she's a lot stronger than her size would indicate. Though she seeks out steals, Zink can also pressure the ball with her body and doesn't make many bad gambles with her hands. She's generated Div. 2 and 3 interest and that's probably a good landing zone for her. But just go watch Zink defend — it is incredible.
