The 3 Most Underrated Teams in the MIAA

There are hundreds of teams to keep track of in the MIAA, so it can be hard to know how they're all developing as the season goes on. You can see scores, but it's hard to track improvement without watching full games.   That being said, the Boston Globe basketball rankings have consistently underrated three MIAA teams all year, and it's time to give them some flowers.   Here are my three most underrated teams in the MIAA based on the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/12/sports/miaa-boys-basketball-rankings-globe-top-20/">Boston Globe basketball rankings</a>.   Newburyport High School (17-1, ranked #16 in BG rankings)   There is simply no universe in which there are 15 better teams in the state than Newburyport. Sure, they don't play the toughest schedule (not up the players), but they rise to the occasion whenever they play a notable team and would probably be even better if they were used to playing against that level of competition all the time. The Clippers are led by three seniors (each with potential for post-grad years)—[player_tooltip player_id='2957215' first='Ben' last='Cormier'], Cal Atherton, and Zayd Leanna—and they have a supporting cast of guys who play tough defense, rebound, and know their roles.   Cormier is a growing 6-foot-9 forward who can play on the perimeter, in the paint, or at the rim. He can shoot it (though a quicker release would do him wonders), but he can also handle it and pass it well for his size, which allows him to dominate smaller bigs in the MIAA. Atherton is an electric lead guard who can score from all three levels but is also a true point guard with facilitation capabilities. He's quick and athletic, but he's also skilled and poised. Leanna is a knock down shooter who's phenomenal in the passing lanes and as a slasher/cutter. He's a two-way player who should be garnering D3 interest.   Newburyport has quality wins over Greater Lawrence Tech, Lawrence, Manchester Essex, and Lynnfield, and they are a major threat to take home a D3 MIAA title.   Salem High School (17-2, ranked #10 in BG rankings)   Salem is finally starting to get some recognition around the state, but I still think there's no way they shouldn't be in the top 5 in the BG rankings. They're a well-balanced team on both ends, and it can be a number of guys on any night who lead their scoring effort. Nate Lane, [player_tooltip player_id='2826663' first='Elian' last='Rodriguez'], [player_tooltip player_id='3479515' first='Cleto' last='Deng'], and Matt Kenney lead the charge for Salem, and they each do it in very different ways.   Lane is the glue. He makes winning plays on both ends, never tries to do too much offensively, and is calm and controlled under pressure. But when you need him to score in transition or in the half court, he's able to use his long arms and strides to get to the paint and finish. Rodriguez is Salem's most electric player; he has great athleticism, and he has the skillset necessary to punish defenses from both the perimeter and the paint. Deng is only a freshman but rebounds and defends better than virtually any underclassman in the state. And although Kenney is undersized, he runs the show at the PG position, knocks down open threes, and is a smart and willing facilitator.   Salem has quality wins over St. Mary's, Beverly, Masco, and more. They're my favorite to win MIAA D3 this season.   Holland (Burke) High School of Technology (16-4, ranked #19 in BG Rankings)   Burke is one of my favorite teams to watch in the entire state. They play a run-and-gun style with a heavy emphasis on transition attacks and defensive intensity. Though they play a relatively soft schedule, they've performed well whenever they've played top teams and certainly never get blown out by the best competition.   They're led by [player_tooltip player_id='2696708' first='Ian' last='Piper'], a lefty guard who can score from all three levels and totally overpower defenders, whether they're meeting him in the paint or on the perimeter. Caleb Florence also wows with his athleticism and ability to finish at the rim. He's built like an ox and does an excellent job taking contact at the hoop. In addition to those two, Burke has one of the deepest rosters in the state and can have a number of guys—like Jalil Lawson and Dale Samuels—provide little things on both ends.   With impressive recent wins against Cambridge and Portsmouth, Burke is figuring things out at the right time. If you catch them on the right night, they can look like the best team in the state.

There are hundreds of teams to keep track of in the MIAA, so it can be hard to know how they're all developing as the season goes on. You can see scores, but it's hard to track improvement without watching full games.