The South Shore is awash with basketball talent this season.
As of the latest MIAA Power Rankings, there are 25 boys and 25 girls teams inside the top 40 of their division, and in a prime playoff position.
Five South Shore/Metro South teams are in the top five on the boys side (Mansfield, Archbishop Williams, Norwell, West Bridgewater, and Randolph), and five teams are in the top 10 on the girls side (Norwell, Rockland, Archbishop Williams, Cohasset, and Mashpee).
The Patriot League has seven of 12 teams in the top 40 in both boys and girls basketball. The South Shore League has done even better, with nine of their 10 boys teams and eight of their 10 girls teams in playoff positions.
Suffice to say, the region is thriving on the hardwood this winter.
Much of this can be attributed to the bevy of young talent on the South Shore. Night in and night out, freshmen and sophomores fill up the score books across the region.
As we head for the homestretch of the 2023 campaign, WATD has compiled a list of the area’s top underclassmen hoops stars.
Boys
1. Ryan Baker, SO, Whitman-Hanson
Baker burst onto the season last year in his rookie campaign, becoming a fixture in the Panthers’ offense as the season progressed.
This year, he’s taken over as the team’s primary scorer, leading Whitman-Hanson with 19.1 PPG; a mark good for 4th in the Patriot League.
Baker’s got excellent length, and a good burst off the dribble. Fitting the profile of Ben Rice, Nate Amado, and Cole LeVangie, he’s yet another matchup problem in red-and-black who can score as easily at the rack as beyond the arc.
2. Trevor Jones, SO, Duxbury
Despite a ranking outside the top 40, Duxbury is in a position to end their eight year tournament drought this winter. This is thanks in large part to the stellar play of Trevor Jones.
Jones is top 10 in the Patriot League in scoring (9th) with 14.8 PPG, pacing a Dragons team which has won three straight to improve to 6-6 on the year.
Against perhaps the best defensive team in the area, the sophomore poured in 15 as Duxbury upset Pembroke 60-57.
In a tight loss to Whitman-Hanson, Jones led the Dragons with a season high 28 points. The sophomore continues to show that he rises to the occasion in the biggest games.
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3. Tyler Staiti, FR, Abington
If you’re going to fill a pronounced role as a freshman, there is perhaps no trait more valuable than confidence. The feeling that you belong can often be the last thing to come for first years.
Staiti, however, has shown no lack of confidence this year as the Green Wave’s second leading scorer.
The freshman is averaging 15.7 PPG on the season, good for 6th in the South Shore League. In Abington’s last game, he drained five three-pointers on 11 attempts and zero hesitation behind the arc.
The Green Wave is still trying searching for better consistency, but regardless of the fate of this season, the emergence of Staiti and his classmate Kingston Maxwell must have the Abington faithful confident in the future of the program.
4. Chidi Nwosu-Chidibiere, FR, Brockton
At 6’8” as a freshman, the sky seems to be both figuratively and literally the limit for Nwosu-Chidibiere.
The rookie is averaging a double-double, putting up 10 points and 12 rebounds per game.
Though at times he looks greener than any player on this list, his growth over the course of the season has been plainly visible. Taking over a regular spot in the starting lineup has brought about a rise in Nwosu-Chidibiere’s play.
He’s a beast on the boards, and blocks shots as well as anybody in the area. He shoots the ball surprisingly well for a big man. As he polishes his finishing touch at the rim, the freshman will rise to one of the biggest matchup problems in the state.
5. Isaiah Bean-Brittian, FR, Whitman-Hanson
A second entrant on the list from Whitman-Hanson, Bean-Brittian is an absolute monster at the five for the Panthers.
After dazzling with a 18 point/12 rebound/10 assist triple double against Quincy last Tuesday, the freshman followed up with 20 against Marshfield and a season high 28 against Hanover.
Bean-Brittian is as hot as any player in the area right now, and has elevated his scoring average to 8th in the Patriot League with 15.5 points per game on the year.
Girls
1. Ava Orlando, SO, Notre Dame Academy
When you enter the 1,000 point club in the eighth game of your sophomore season, “rarified air” doesn’t seem a designation befit of your accomplishment.
Orlando is on an “all-time great” pace at NDA, averaging 23.8 PPG in her second season with the Cougars.
A season high 35 point outing against Ursuline came amidst a stretch of double doubles for Orlando. Her 10 assists against Cape Cod Academy and Fontbonne show that the sophomore can be an equally great distributor while still leading the scoring.
https://959watd.com/blog/2023/01/hanover-boys-basketball-joins-the-sports-exchange/
2. Alyssa Hopps, SO, Quincy
Hopps has the Presidents off to an incredible start to their season, with just one loss thus far.
The sophomore is third in the Patriot League in scoring, averaging 13.8 PPG.
Her size is tough to match up with, and her scoring touch has only improved from a breakout freshman season.
Firmly in control of the Fisher Division, Quincy seems in prime position for a tournament run behind Hopps.
3. Zariah Ottley, FR, Rockland
The Lady Dogs are no strangers to young stars. In their recent run of success, Diana Newcomb’s group has frequently seen underclassmen shine.
The Elie sisters have all been four year contributors. Sydney Blaney has been holding down the point for years. And now, Zariah Ottley appears to be the next four year force for Rockland.
Ottley leads her team in scoring, averaging 13.9 PPG. She sits at 6th in the South Shore League.
Over the Lady Dogs last two games, Ottley has put up 29 points, leading the way in a pair of double digit wins over the top two teams in the SSL Sullivan Division, Norwell and East Bridgewater.
https://959watd.com/blog/2022/12/what-could-have-been-the-2023-boston-red-sox/
4. Julia Grimes, SO, Carver
Grimes, the second leading scorer for the Crusaders and the 8th leading scorer in the South Shore League, has formed quite the trifecta with senior Ashleigh Johnson and fellow sophomore Sarah Stairs.
In addition to her 12.1 PPG, Grimes has come up big on the boards, averaging nearly 15 rebounds per game.
The Crusaders have frosted over after a scorching 4-0 start to the season which featured a big win over Cohasset. Still, they currently sit at 14 in Division 5 with an opportunity to make the postseason behind Grimes & co.’s strong play.
5. Lyla Peters, SO, Duxbury
Another star sophomore for Duxbury has the future of Dragon hoops looking bright.
Peters leads Duxbury in scoring and total points despite missing two games this season. She’s currently averaging 11 PPG, good for 7th in the Patriot League and 2nd in the Keenan Division.
Everything is still in front of Duxbury, who sits at 40 in Division 2. With Peters leading the way, we may not have to wait for HBO to see the Dragons dance.
