Twelve 2026 State Association Standouts This Winter

Dylan Thayer | Wednesday, February 12th, 2025

The junior class has built up some well earned buzz in the New England ranks. While there are a number of national prospects, and guys with multiple scholarship offers playing at the prep level, I wanted to take some time to highlight some players who have stood out for their local high school this season. Settling on just twelve names is definitely a hard task, and there's a ton more names to know throughout New England in the junior class.

Here's twelve players who have had strong seasons in different areas of the region.

Kingston Maxwell has been on a tear this season, making his name heard across the state of Massachusetts as he takes on his third year as a starter. The 6'3" wing has fluidity to his game and athleticism to impact the game on both ends of the court.  His defense is impressive as he can get in the grill of opposing players to force steals, or serve as more of a ballhawk – using his length and speed to meet shots on their way up. 

Maxwell has really lit up the scoring column averaging north of 22 points per game (As of 2/4/25) including a memorable 37 point outing. Last night, he broke the 1,000 point barrier with a memorable slam amongst a number of defenders. The improvement of his offensive arsenal has been well-noted throughout the year. 

Isaiah Reis has been a pivotal piece for Portsmouth High School this winter as they've established themselves as one of the best NHIAA programs in the top level of the state. Along with the likes of the Swartz brothers and Anthony Ferola, Reis has led the charge at the guard position. 

On the season he's averaging more than 20 points per game, with three 30+ point games coming against Nashua South, Bishop Guertin, and Keene. Reis does a good job of shaking defenders off the dribble to get down the lane, or stop and pop shots. Outside of scoring, he creates for others as a playmaker, and crashes the boards hard.

Allen Miranda recently reached the 1,000 point mark out in Springfield Massachusetts at Duggan Academy. The 5'11" point guard can score it, but his defensive skills are very impressive. Miranda's very quick on his feet, keeping the ball in front of him, and jumping passing lanes to force turnovers. 

His athleticism shines in the paint as he can finish in a variety of ways amongst taller players, as well as get to his spots with his crafty handle on the ball. As the leader of his Duggan Academy squad, Miranda is currently the program's all-time scoring leader and has the team off to a strong record on the year.

Javier Lopez has taken another step forward this year at Central Catholic and has his squad positioned for a postseason run in the MIAA at 12-3. Just the other day the two-time captain surpassed the 1,000 point plateau in a win over Chelmsford High School. 

Lopez has a strong build to him which allows him to absorb contact and get to the free throw line. He creates shots well for himself off the dribble and has a higher release to his shot, making it harder for the defense to contest. On the year, Lopez has poured in numerous 20 point games, establishing himself as the go-to option for the program. 

AJ Moody has been a bright spot for the Eagles of Windham High School this season. The guard is a consistent threat from outside with some big outings including 19 against Lewiston on four of six from deep, 17 against Edward Little and 16 against Falmouth High School. He's able to get to his spots and get his feet set quickly and put up shots off dishes from teammates. 

While he can shoot the ball well, Moody also prides himself on the defensive side of the ball, averaging 2.4 steals throughout the year. Another standout aspect of his game is his ability to attack holes and the defense and finish with authority. 

Elliot Hellman's season for Bethel High School in Western Connecticut has been noteworthy for the junior guard. Hellman is averaging 17.4 points per game, making a living from outside the arc as he's converted at a 44% clip on the year. 

The guard is most effective as a secondary scoring option that runs off screens and gets himself open for catch-and-shoot three's. Outside of shooting the ball though, Hellman's ability to make plays stands out as well as he's posted 6.4 assists per game. The effort he brings to the court is undeniable as he goes the extra mile to chase down loose balls, and gets his body set to take charges.

Nicholas Tarro was one a top New England standout in the 2026 class that I saw over the course of the 2024 ZGXL season. Tarro's relentless motor and contagious energy is felt by those watching as he uses his quickness to get to his spots. 

Scoring inside comes pretty easily for the La Salle wing as he has a lethal spin move to get around defenders, as well as being able to will his way to the cup and brush off contact. On defense, he's pretty versatile with the ability to guard guys at mulitple positions on the court. Tarro's Rams sit at 19-2 on the season and look poised for a run in the postseason tournament.

Eliezer Delbrey is one of the top scorers in the state of Rhode Island's RIIL at the moment, and at the start of 2025, he reached the 1,000 point mark. In the contest, Delbrey had 34 on his memorable night utilizing his tough shotmaking ability to score the ball from all over the floor. 

His ability to create space allows him to get defenders out of his way and get clean looks. When he gets downhill, he is adept at making off-balance shots and scoring through contesting defenders on the interior. Delbrey has proven himself time and time again to be a winneras he led Classical to an undefeated record last season, and both an RIIL D1 state championship, as well as the RIIL open division title. 

Julius Washington transferred into Grasso Tech this year and has simply just played at much higher level than the competition he's faced. The 6'3" junior has posted a handful of 40 point performances during the winter with a 41 point performance last night in a six point win over Goodwin Tech. 

Washington is able to get around the defense with his handle and balance on spin moves before converting floaters in the lane or taking the ball to the rim. Shotmaking is another asset of his game as he can make tough contested pull-ups, or create his own shots with the ball. Washington's Grasso Tech squad should be in the mix at the end in the respective CIAC division. 

Kehari Walker was arguably the top new name to know out of the New England Open Gym event back in October, and he carried that momentum into this season with East Hartford. His on-ball defense was on display in that setting as he consistently gave his assignment a hard time and was able to rack up steals. At 6'2" he has pretty good size at the guard spot and upside to watch as he continues to work on his game. 

Matthew Jernigan put himself on the map this winter with his play in the NHIAA for Oyster River High School. Jernigan has floated around the 20 points per game mark throughout the season with his most notable outing coming in a 26 point outburst against Lebanon High School. 

The guard brings size to the position standing around 6'4" and uses his length to his advantage. He creates for himself well and is able to rise up into his shot and convert on pull-ups. As a playmaker, he does a great job of reading the floor and getting others involved with his passing chops. It will be interesting to see where the program ends up when all is said and done in the New Hampshire public school season.

Sam Mayfield's Pope Francis squad has been making noise out west in the Springfield area as the Cardinals once again look like a contender this season. At 15-2, Pope Francis is fresh off a loss to perennial CIAC contender Windsor High School, but it was definitely a good test for the team as the end of the season nears. 

Mayfield's size at this level is a distinct trait that is hard to match on the court. The 6'6" forward has some skill on the interior offensively and can rise up for dunks, but his ability to seal off the rim as a shot blocker can change games for the Cardinals. Keep an eye out for how things envelop for the Springfield based prep.