2025-26 BCL Preview: POY, DPOY, Most Improved Player Candidates

The high school season is officially underway and with that, the preseason content will begin to flood the site here at Prep Hoops Maryland. I'll move onto the preseason awards associated with the Baltimore Catholic League. If you missed the full league preview, <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/11/2025-26-baltimore-catholic-league-preview/">click here</a>.   Player of the Year Candidates:   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2252277' first='BJ' last='Ranson']- Mount St. Joseph (St. Joe's commit)   Ranson will be the face of a Gaels team that enters this season in search for a primary scoring threat. Getting buckets in bunches, especially from range, is what Ranson does best. He's one of the more fundamentally sound players you'll find in the Baltimore Metro Area and uses it to create scoring opportunities. He's a lethal shooter coming off pin downs or flares, but has improved in his own shot-creating ability over the last year and will be expected to put up big numbers as a senior.   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782586' first='Aidan' last='Able']- John Carroll (UMBC commit)   Another Division I pledge primed for a big senior campaign is Able, a 6-foot-3 guard who's no stranger to logging his share of 30 or even 40-point outings. The volume in which he can convert from beyond the arc is the reason why the Patriots will always have a chance to win a game. Similar to Ranson, Able has expanded his skillset since his junior year and become a more dynamic threat off the bounce, getting to his spots, and creating angles operating around the rim with his frame.   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782668' first='Tristen' last='Wilson']- Mount Carmel (Holy Cross commit)   The Cougars are coming off a decorated 2024-25 season sweeping the BCL and MIAA conference titles, something that rarely takes place. Wilson steps in as the senior guard who will likely spend some more time on the ball, particularly until Samartine Hill returns from injury, and be expected to generate offense for head coach Tony Martin. Wilson can get going from three off the catch, has good balance getting to his mid-range, and can play above the rim in transition. Efficiency and shot diet will be key for Wilson making a run for POY as well as Mt. Carmel protecting their titles from last season.   2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2975252' first='TJ' last='Jones']- St. Frances   The Panthers took a hit in the transfer portal losing two valuable guards that made their deep, talented backcourt rotation a bit skinnier. Jones steps in at a time in his development where he'll look to prove that he's more than a cold-blooded bucket. The southpaw lead guard had a productive summer on a stout [program_tooltip program_id='2076999' first='Team' last='Melo'] 16s squad as a key focal point both on and off the ball. Don't overthink it, Jones is still going to put up his scoring numbers, but if St. Frances exceeds expectations as they normally do, it'll be because Jones has expanded his impact as being more of a playmaker and lifting up the guys around him.   2028 Braxton Bogard- Archbishop Spalding   Bogard is the only underclassmen on this list of candidates, but it's for good reason as the 6-foot-8 forward is improving and expanding his offensive repertoire at a rapid rate. He's coming off a productive summer and most recently, a dominant showing at Pangos All-East Frosh/Soph Camp that resulted in taking home MOP honors, that hint at what's to come. He's a legitimate threat from beyond the arc and will help space the floor for a Cavaliers team that has as much talent as anyone in the league. Bogard is playing with an uptick of aggression and confidence as a grab-and-go threat as well as a rim protector. Bogard earned his stripes last season as one of the more impressive freshmen I've seen in my time covering the BCL, so a strong sophomore season will be necessary to continue the upward trajectory of who he can become.   Defensive Player of the Year Candidates:   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782769' first='Saxton' last='Simley']-Mount St. Joseph   2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2454529' first='Junior' last='Mancho']-Mount Carmel   2027 Samartine Hill-Mount Carmel   2028 Braxton Bogard-Archbishop Spalding   2026 Anthony Smith-St. Frances   2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2640002' first='Reggie' last='Holmes']-Calvert Hall   Most Improved Player Candidates:   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782603' first='Gage' last='Howard']-Mount Carmel   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2242055' first='Ralfs' last='Rudusans']-Mount Carmel (Lehigh commit)   2027 Samartine Hill-Mount Carmel   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782656' first='TJ' last='Moultrie']-Archbishop Spalding   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782592' first='Kam' last='Carter']-Archbishop Spalding   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2453521' first='Colt' last='Busse']-Archbishop Spalding (ETSU)   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2878470' first='Carter' last='Fisk']-St. Frances   2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2546067' first='Aaron' last='Early Jr.']-Mount St. Joseph   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2453731' first='Parris' last='Lee']-John Carroll   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2547300' first='Andrew' last='Clark']-John Carroll   2027 Cam Wood-Calvert Hall   2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2265685' first='Billy' last='Stanfield III']-Calvert Hall   2027 Jovani Hall-St. Mary's Annapolis   2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2546118' first='Ayo' last='Olofintila']-Loyola Blakefield

The high school season is officially underway and with that, the preseason content will begin to flood the site here at Prep Hoops Maryland. I'll move onto the preseason awards associated with the Baltimore Catholic League. If you missed the full league preview, click here.