MIAA Preview: 2026 Studs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the past couple of weeks, I've been previewing some standout players across all divisions of the MIAA. Though prep schools get lots of the love when it comes to basketball exposure, there is still absolutely a good amount of talent in the MIAA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/10/miaa-preview-forwards-to-watch/">MIAA Preview: Forwards to Watch</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/10/miaa-preview-scoring-guards/">MIAA Preview: Scoring Guards</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/11/miaa-preview-wings-who-can-score-it/">MIAA Preview: Wings who can score it</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/11/miaa-preview-under-the-radar-guards/">MIAA Preview: Under the Radar Guards</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/11/miaa-preview-sub-6-foot-guards-ready-to-break-out/">MIAA Preview: Sub 6-foot Guards Ready to Break Out</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/11/miaa-preview-major-breakout-candidates/">MIAA Preview: Major Breakout Candidates</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/11/miaa-preview-2028-studs/">MIAA Preview: 2028 Studs</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That being said, let's continue on with some 2026 studs who will turn heads this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2465136"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6916270114329"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Wilinski projects to be a star for a talented Needham High School team this year. The 6-foot-4 forward continues to develop physically and is looking stronger and stronger as time goes on, but he also has some solid perimeter skills and can shoot it from three. I imagine he'll get lots of offensive rebounds and garbage cleanup opportunities, but he'll also score points in transition and will make a variety of moves to the hoop in the half court. Wilinski is physically bigger and stronger than most other MIAA bigs, but he's also faster and quicker than most of them, meaning he's a total matchup nightmare. Big season ahead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Giovanni Jean","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Lynn Vocational Technical Institute","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6916270114483"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jean is a skilled combo guard with tons of feel and craft. The 6-foot senior has some really good change of direction and change of speed dribble moves, and he can score from all three levels of the court, making him a difficult defensive cover. He has a nice jumper from both the mid range and three and can finish with contact at the rim with both hands. He also elevates better at the rim than you'd think given how patient and controlled he is with the ball in his hands. Jean was a star for Lynn Tech last season and will probably have lots of opportunities to facilitate this year with the number of double teams he'll see.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Tyler Staiti","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Abington High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-691627011459d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Staiti is one of the better shooters in the MIAA and is going to have lots of opportunities to shoot both on and off the ball for Abington High School this season as a result of the focus that'll inevitably be on [player_tooltip player_id='2674384' first='Kingston' last='Maxwell']. The 6-foot guard has a beautiful shot—excellent rotation on the ball, a quick release, and smooth footwork—and he can shoot it with tons of range. He's also able to puncture the paint with his handle, especially after opposing teams overplay his shooting. Staiti is a key cog for a really talented Abington team and should continue to light it up this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Cal Atherton","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Newburyport High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69162701146be"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Atherton was solid for Newburyport last year, but he's bigger and stronger physically which will be really important for his college hopes. The 6-foot guard is supremely skilled with the ball in his hands; he can handle it and get to the rim, and he has a variety of finishes at the hoop once he gets there. He's also a knock down three point shooter and a really solid passer. He's going to have tons of opportunities to score and facilitate for a really talented Newburyport High School team that should make waves this season. Excited to see how Atherton continues to develop physically and how those tools will impact his overall game on both ends.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jonny Sullivan","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Tewksbury High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69162701147db"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sullivan is a skilled and fiery 6-foot-1 guard who plays both ends of the floor and does everything on the basketball court. Offensively, the senior is an excellent shooter and gets it off quickly from beyond the perimeter. He also has really good body control and finishing touch at the hoop; he's especially good at finishing with a head of steam while still putting the ball up softly. Defensively, Sullivan has a knack for getting in the passing lanes and has great instincts on that end. He gets lots of steals and can guard a variety of players because of his athleticism.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->