HS Preview: 2026 Rising Stars

This is a great time to talk about the 2026 class with live period action in full swing and summer leagues gearing up. The upcoming juniors are the ones that will have a spotlight on them this time next year, so why not look forward to the high school season and how they can make an impact for their teams. The class is full of talent as well as hidden gems that can make an impression in a stacked pool of New England high school talent. These 7 girls listed below are just a few of the up-and-coming talents from the 2026 class.    [player_tooltip player_id='496149' first='Kyla' last='Buco'] (2026) | 5'7 SG | Cranston West   The 5'7 shooting guard is a sniper with dynamic scoring capabilities that is expanding her game very quickly. Buco has 3-level scoring capabilities and she's an excellent teammate. A well-rounded 2 guard that shows flashes of a dynamic scorer. She has a tight handle and sharp passes that hit her teammates directly. The BCRI guard has shown improvements as a defender this AAU season and she's looking to follow up on that for Cranston West this season. Buco has had major scoring outputs that have put Rhode Island on notice, but where Kyla will really shine is filling up the stat sheet. Expect her to add to her sharpshooting ability with hard drives, fast paced assists and adding a couple steals playing a lead role this upcoming season. Buco has a real opportunity to put the state on notice. She is looking to become one of the best guards in the state at the pace she's at.     [player_tooltip player_id='326843' first='Addison' last='Johnson'] (2026) | 5'3 PG | Mount Saint Charles Academy   Addie Johnson is a crafty and shrewd lefty guard that provides swift scoring along with some ability to create for others on the fly. The Mount Saint Charles Academy star played more of a prominent role than her 2026 peers, so she's already had that extra responsibility early on. Addie provides everything a lefty scoring guard can provide, but she adds some small intangibles that make her a bit different. Although Johnson works well as a scoring threat, she is also an extremely viable option to break presses. Addie gets the ball out in front of her and beats defenders to the spot. Johnson can also provide the same scoring options she has on ball that she has playing off the ball. Johnson catches the ball looking to attack immediately, but when she draws attention from defenders, she can open up easy offense for others. The CP Elite point has been working to enhance her game with the competitive schedule they have played so far this AAU season. Johnson is developing into an under the radar jewel that can turn heads next season. Look for her to have a big year at Mount Saint Charles in the fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='483913' first='Lauren' last='Bousquet'] (2026) | 5'10 Forward | Moses Brown   Lauren has had herself a legendary sophomore year! A year truly for the books that included her receiving Girls Basketball Player of the Year, a state championship and scoring 1000 points. The Mass Huskies/LifeofHoops forward is a midrange master. Although she lives under the 3-point line, she is a formidable shooter from long-range too. Bousquet has the ability to create a 15-foot shot for herself off the dribble, however she also dominates catching the ball with a defender already on her back. She's more of a hybrid forward that offers some point forward like qualities. Lauren plays through contact and draws fouls more than average. The 5'10 forward adds a lot to the defensive side as well. She guards aggressively and athletic enough to guard smaller girls, yet strong enough to bang with the bigs. Improving on a year like last year is hard, but if anyone could do it, it'd be her. The Moses Brown star is looking to solidify herself as a premier college prospect in this next high school season campaign.     [player_tooltip player_id='364120' first='Molly' last='Sisson'] (2026) | 6'3 Power Forward | Saint Andrew's School   Sisson is one of the hottest names in New England currently! The 6'3 Bay State forward is one of the newest additions to the class of 2026. Already highly touted for the class of 2025, this AAU season has been amazing for Molly. She has picked up a ton of offers in the span of 2 months after her impressive play during the live period. Molly is geared to pick up even more schools after her performance at the R4R event this past weekend. Sisson offers everything from a hybrid post player that can spread the floor. What has been most impressive to watch over the year is her ability to put the ball on the floor for 1 to 2 dribbles to get the rim. Molly offers a bunch of post moves that she's able to get to, but sometimes her strong frame allows her to already be in prime position where she doesn't have to use them. Defense is where Sisson really shines. The Saint Andrew's marquee player is a stellar shot-blocker that moves her feet well for someone 6'3. What a difference 6 months can make; Sisson is set to be one of the elite bigs in NEPSAC this year. It wouldn't be surprising if she ends up becoming the best player in her class next season.     [player_tooltip player_id='747029' first='Leah' last='McKenzie'] (2026) | 5'11 Forward | Farmington   Leah is a star in the making. Watching all the film on McKenzie it's clear that she's one of the most versatile prospects in all of New England. The 5'11 forward can play on the perimeter and in the post. Leah can play with the ball in her hands as well as without the ball. On the wing, she is a strong cutter that plays well off others within the offense. Leah can be put in dribble handoff scenarios and even run off staggered screens with her accurate long-range shooting. Inside in the mid-post, McKenzie offers some crafty creation in a pinch. Additionally, Leah is a monster on the defensive boards. She uses her long arms to snatch the ball from the weak side and shows the ability to start the break consistently after grabbing the rebound. Last year for Farmington, Leah was the total package. The rising junior is looking to add to her resume after having a successful AAU season with IDream. Leah has picked up offers from Le Moyne University and Binghamton University so far this summer. McKenzie is looking to add to her momentum this fall with Farmington, she'll be taking a more distinguished role with them in the upcoming season.     [player_tooltip player_id='481360' first='Jaelynn' last='Perez'] is one of the better floor generals from Rhode Island. She really starred in her play over the weekend in the R4R event. Perez played well and showed her ability to really get her teammates involved while elevating her teammates' game, along with herself. She was even keeled with a consistent pace that allows the game to be played at an efficient level. She was able to shoot steady 3s and get to the basket effectively. As a defender, Jaelynn was amazing with her energetic and engaged play. Perez was disrupting opposing teams' offensives through multiple games. She also showcased her precise passes while raising her offensive skillset in front of a ton a coaches. The 2026 shrewd point guard is looking to improve on a championship season with Moses Brown this high school season. She is coming off a sophomore campaign where she was 1st Team All-State and 1st Team All-Division, but she isn't looking to stop just there. Adding to a year like that is a tall feat, but with Perez's growing offensive talents, she is set to come in the high school season hot.     Olvia Fleming (2026) | 5'7 PG | NMH   [player_tooltip player_id='278582' first='Olivia' last='Fleming'] is a point guard with great facilitation skills while offering calculating playmaking off the dribble. Olvia uses her handle to put herself in position when she gets off the ball to shoot with great range. In any given game, Fleming can be the best shooter on the floor. The off-ball shooting from Olivia is top-notch and she gets hot quickly. Fleming does a great job at passing and then relocating to the open space as she waits for the ball to find her again. She has the ability to always keep her team involved in the game whether that's with a quick pass or with the long-range shooting. The Rivals point never seems to get riled up when defenders crowd her and uses her pivots exceptionally well to get herself out of tough situations to an assist. There's not a pass she can't make on the floor either. A transition or a cross-court dime is a regular occurrence for Olivia. The game seems to come easy to her and she plays with a high level of confidence. Fleming is fresh off an offer from Bryant University and many others will follow soon. Expect Fleming to climb the ranks while proving why she is one of the best point guards in NEPSAC.

This is a great time to talk about the 2026 class with live period action in full swing and summer leagues gearing up. The upcoming juniors are the ones that will have a spotlight on them this time next year, so why not look forward to the high school season and how they can make an impact for their teams. The class is full of talent as well as hidden gems that can make an impression in a stacked pool of New England high school talent. These 7 girls listed below are just a few of the up-and-coming talents from the 2026 class.