I have a love-hate relationship with predictions.
Before last season, our first covering NEPSAC basketball following our July 2024 launch, I picked Brooks to win Class B. Towards the end of the season, I changed my mind to Rivers – then Brooks went on a legendary run to win the championship. It was a lesson in trusting your gut.
I posted an old-fashioned donut hole in my NEPSAC Championship Sunday predictions last March. Now, I’m a year wiser – or at least that’s what I’m trying to convince myself. As the NEPSAC season gets into full swing this weekend, I’m back for redemption.
Coaches, get your bulletin boards ready. Here are my championship predictions of the top four classes for the 2025-26 NEPSAC boys basketball season.
Class AAA
Championship pick: Newman
Runner-up:Â St. Thomas More
Dark horse:Â New Hampton
It’s certainly not a bold pick. Newman, our preseason No. 1 in NEPSAC, is loaded. The Cardinals returned several key players from last season’s championship squad, led by nationally-ranked seniors Lucas Morillo and Quinn Costello (Medford, Mass.), and this roster runs at least 12 deep of Division 1-caliber recruits. Their depth is strong enough to withstand any injuries, and that should be a differentiator when March comes around. If there’s one area I can nitpick, it would be that they don’t have a true big. But it shouldn’t ultimately matter enough. I expect 6-foot-8 William Meribe to be a workhorse in the trenches, and the Cardinals still have size on this roster. Head coach Jackson Johnson has fostered a great culture at Newman, and there’s so much talent and experience here. It would be a relative surprise if the Cardinals don’t repeat.
PREVIEW: What to expect from Newman in 2025-26
Class AA
Championship pick: Cushing
Runner-up:Â Winchendon
Dark horse:Â MacDuffie
Again, I’m not lighting the world on fire with this take. The general consensus is that the Penguins are the clear-cut favorite, and I expect them to be motivated after a heartbreaking home loss in last season’s semifinals. They have arguably the best point guard and center in the region with Ryan Moesch and Theo Edema, and head coach James Cormier constructed a complementary, deep roster around them that includes shooting, scoring and players that impact the game on the margins. During my preseason visit to Cushing, Cormier mentioned that last season, his team lost a little bit of its edge and started looking ahead, and it cost them in March. That lesson has been learned the hard way, and while it won’t be easy for Cushing in a very competitive Class AA, I think they know what it takes to get over the hump now.
PREVIEW: What to expect from Cushing in 2025-26
Class A
Championship pick: Milton Academy
Runner-up:Â Tabor
Dark horse:Â Hotchkiss
After graduating a loaded 2024 class that led them to a 2023 championship, I think many expected the Mustangs to take a step back last season. But they still managed to win 15 games and claim the No. 7 seed in the Class A playoffs. They lost star guard Reece Ayala to Brewster Academy, but head coach Lamar Reddicks still returns the core of that team. Devan Williams (Uncasville, Conn.) and Ryan McLaughlin (Hanover, N.H.) make up one of the best backcourts in the class, LJ Reddicks (Milton, Mass.) looks much improved and big man Spencer Booth (Scarborough, Maine) is a breakout candidate. With the 6-foot-10 Booth and promising 6-foot-11 forward Sonny Dellasanta (Ashburnham, Mass.), Milton has some of the best size in the class. I love this team’s competitiveness and roster balance, and Reddicks seems to always get the most out of his teams. Class A is certainly hard to pick; I really like Tabor, and I’ll leave room for a surprise team to break into the mix – I didn’t expect Williston Northampton to roll last winter – but I feel comfortable with Milton.
Class B Large
Championship pick: St. Mark’s
Runner-up:Â Rivers
Dark horse:Â Canterbury
The Lions qualified for the playoffs for the first time in a decade last season, and I think that breakthrough is a prelude to an even bigger year. Justin Perron has all the pieces for a title run in his third season as the head coach. Senior Alex Echeverria is a natural point guard who sets the tone and is ready for another leap, junior CJ Farrell (Milford, Mass.) averaged 16.5 points per game last season as a do-it-all guard and junior forward Luca Palermo (Andover, Mass.) – who returned late last season after recovering from a torn Achilles – is fully healthy and should be one of the best players in the league. That returning trio should carry St. Mark’s to a lot of wins. Newcomer Donovan Clement (Providence, R.I.), a 2027 6-foot-8 wing, will be an impact player and 2028 guard Mekhai Bovell-Holmes (Newton, Mass.) returns as one of the team’s best defenders. The Lions have a little bit of everything. I love their chances.
Class B Small
Championship pick: Holderness
Runner-up:Â St. Luke's
Dark horse:Â Millbrook
The Blue Bulls will look different without 6-foot-9 Ian Plankey, who graduated and is now at Wesleyan. But head coach Woody Kampmann brings back a talented roster he’s excited about. Two-time All-NEPSAC guard Jayvian Cruz (Methuen, Mass.), high-feel 6-foot-2 guard Vilius Ramanauskas and 6-foot-4 scoring guard Andre Langley (Marblehead, Mass.) should help them play fast. Finn Brennan (Newburyport, Mass.), a 6-foot-4 senior, is a physical forward who’s made huge strides in his shooting ability, and Kampmann added 6-foot-3 wing Mason Paquette (Londonberry, N.H.), who was a first team all-state selection in the NHIAA last season. There’s depth behind those five, which has fostered a competitive culture this fall, and this squad should be difficult to defend with his versatility and pace. Count me in on the Blue Bulls in the new Class B Small.
