MIAA D3 Final Four Standouts and Finals Prediction

Over the weekend, I got a chance to take in all of the final four matchups from MIAA divisions one, two, and three. For those three brackets, I'll write about some final four standouts and give my finals prediction.   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/03/miaa-d2-final-four-standouts-and-finals-prediction/" id="https://prephoops.com/2026/03/miaa-d2-final-four-standouts-and-finals-prediction/">MIAA D2 Final Four Standouts and Finals Prediction</a>   To continue, let's look at division 3.    Mutschler is Hanover's do-it-all point-forward. He's their best rebounder, passer and scorer, and he does an excellent job picking his spots in terms of choosing when to be aggressive and when to look for his teammates. Against Greater Lawrence, he handled ball pressure like a pro and consistently blew past overplaying defenses for easy buckets at the rim, many of which came with contact. Mutschler seems like a D3 player to me, but a good championship performance should solidify that in some coaches eyes.     Though they had a hard time creating much offense, Greater Lawrence Tech relied pretty heavily on offensive contributions from Lopes. He was one of the best guys at making decisions in the paint against a tough Hanover defense, and he really showcased some high-level passing reads in small spaces. For a sophomore, Lopes is pretty advanced in terms of his IQ and feel, so it'll be cool to see how he develops in the future, especially with a high school team that's going to be returning an extremely strong core.     Lane excels in the open floor as a finisher. Against Greater Lawrence, it seemed like he got 10 leak outs for easy layups in transition—he has good size and length at 6-foot-3, and he's more athletic than people think, so he does a really good job converting at the rim. He can also shoot from the outside and makes simple, sound decisions for his teammates when the defense collapses on him in the paint. Lane can fit into any system and will find ways to be additive on both ends, and that should translate well to the D3 level.     Rodriguez has some plays that really stick out in my mind because of his exceptional burst and athleticism. For the MIAA level, he completely throws off defenders with his first-step quickness and ability to explosively elevate at the rim. He does a great job finishing off the wrong foot and with weird layup angles and both hands, and his three point shot is what sets up those drives more than anything else. Rodriguez could have a big game against a Hanover defense that might not have an awesome cover for him.     Reynolds was one of Lynn Classical's only players who could get anything going offensively against Salem's stout defense. The 6-foot-1 guard excelled from all three levels and really impressed me with his pace and patience when it came to getting into the lane and finishing against bigger players. His outside shot is also smooth, and he kept hitting shots and making plays to keep Lynn Classical in the game, until it was too late. I'm not sure if Reynolds will have college options, but he's probably on the cusp.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prediction: Salem High School Champions</h2>   I chose Salem to win this bracket in my initial preview, so I have to stick with it. In reality, though, I think this game is very much a toss up. I'll give Salem the edge because I think they have a stronger and deeper core with Rodriguez, Lane, Deng, and others, but I think Hanover High School has the best player and a better offensive system. If Hanover can handle the boards and not turn the ball over, I think they'll probably win. But Salem should be able to excel with their athletic advantage in a number of ways, the boards being a big one.

Over the weekend, I got a chance to take in all of the final four matchups from MIAA divisions one, two, and three. For those three brackets, I'll write about some final four standouts and give my finals prediction.