Closing out the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s All-Stars schedule is boys and girls basketball. The Gazette sports staff deliberated selections carefully, using team success as a deciding factor at times, plus input from coaches, when needed.
The South Hadley girls had the most selections with three, however given it captured a state championship, the Gazette staff felt that many selections were warranted. Two dozen athletes in total were awarded All-Star status.
Honorable mentions were named for athletes that didn’t meet the Gazette’s All-Stars criteria, but still deserved recognition.
Basketball All-Stars
Boys
Mitchell Carey | Amherst
Carey was the Hurricanes’ No. 1 option with the ball in his hand and showcased an impressive mix of agility and precision as a senior guard that gave defenders fits all season long. Carey has several offers to continue his basketball career in college.
Sam Woodruff | Amherst
Woodruff constantly got in the dirty areas for the ‘Canes and came out on top more often than not. Amherst’s senior big man was the beneficiary of opposing teams keying in on Carey, but proved to be as much of a factor as his teammate night-in and night-out.
Brice Letendre | Belchertown
Letendre’s raw athleticism was too much for opposing defenses to handle most nights as the junior forward was routinely the Orioles’ top scorer. Belchertown has improved its win total each season since Letendre joined the varsity squad.
Patrick Larson | Easthampton
Larson led the Eagles to its first winning record of the 2020s, plus a berth into the MIAA Division 4 state tournament. The sophomore was reliable on both ends of the court for Easthampton as one its most prolific scorers as well as a relentless defender.
Braylon Jarrett | Hampshire
Jarrett jarred a boatload of 3-pointers for the Raiders this winter. A senior guard, Jarrett guided Hampshire to its third consecutive appearance in the MIAA Division 4 state tournament.
Jordan King-Perilli | Holyoke
While the Purple Knights regressed, in terms of wins and losses, from the season prior, King-Perilli remained a consistent threat this past season. Holyoke’s stud was one of a select few seniors on the team that lost a lot of talent from its 2024-25 group.
Chace Earle | Hopkins
The Golden Hawks went as Earle did this past season as the senior guard was their most important player. Earle helped Hopkins back into the MIAA Division 5 state tournament, where the Hawks advanced to the Round of 32.
Brayden Nichols-Staples | Northampton
Despite the Blue Devils enduring a down year, Nichols-Staples still put together a noteworthy campaign. The junior guard often drew double-team coverage from the competition but still dropped double-digit points on a regular basis.
Lobsang Rabten | PVCICS
The Dragons quietly strung together a strong season and Rabten is a large reason why. The sophomore found his scoring touch from beyond the arc late in the year, which propelled PVCICS into the Division 5 state tournament.
Noah Hambley | South Hadley
Hambley is one of Hampshire County’s most electric athletes and the junior proved it once again on the hardwood this past winter. The Tigers had one of the longest postseason runs of area teams as a Round of 16 participant in the Division 4 state tournament.
Tim Loughrey | South Hadley
What Loughrey lacks in flash, he makes up for in production as the junior took a huge step this past season for the Tigers. Loughrey was neck-and-neck with Hambley for the team lead in points.
Domeniq Sanchez | Smith Voc
The Vikings senior reached the 1,000-point milestone to cap off his high school career in style. Sanchez was a fantastic 3-point shooter and powered Smith Voc to another Division 4 state tournament appearance.
Honorable mentions: Gael Buford (Amherst); Shea Maclean (Belchertown); Jake Pacunas (Belchertown); Raemon Mathurin (Easthampton); Jay Brown (Easthampton); Chase Canon-Smith (Easthampton); Jacob Maynard (Gateway); Zavien Fernandez (Granby); Ray Colon (Granby); Vynce Carr (Hampshire); Isaiah Isa (Hampshire); Julian Fasoli (Holyoke); Derek Gromacki (Hopkins); Eli Reid (Northampton); Grafton Tolopko (PVCICS); Rowan Jeffress (Smith Academy); Isiah James (South Hadley); Josh Cole (Smith Voc).
Girls
Aubrey Klingensmith | Belchertown
Klingensmith carried the offensive load all season long for the Orioles, using her sharpshooting skillset to help lead the team to a MIAA Division 3 state tournament berth. The sophomore’s size helped her to be a plus defender as well, capping off a solid all-around season.
Samone Young | Easthampton
Young was also an offensive juggernaut for her squad this season, dominating the inside for the Eagles on a nightly basis. The senior’s combo of strength and finesse made her a tough guard in the paint, helping lead her team to the MIAA Division 4 state tournament.
Kalli White | Granby
In the Rams’ trip to the MIAA Division 5 state tournament Round of 16, White proved to be an unstoppable force when driving to the rim. The junior defended, rebounded and ran the break well, dominating in transition and leading her team in scoring throughout the season.
Brenna Moreno | Granby
Moreno proved to be White’s partner in crime for the Rams this year, showcasing her versatility throughout the group’s 16-3 season. The junior was a threat from behind the 3-point line, while flying around the defensive end for consistent blocks and steals.
Addie Miklasiewicz | Hampshire
The Raiders’ trip to the MIAA Division 4 state tournament Round of 16 came in large part from Miklasiewicz’s ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor. The junior was an aggressive on-ball defender all year, while using her quickness to get to the rim on the offensive end.
Aubrey Parent | Hampshire
Parent proved to be a reliable scorer for the Raiders and got better as the season progressed. A junior, Parent has regularly seen the floor with Hampshire since her eighth-grade year.
Emme Calkins | Northampton
Calkins improved on an already impressive sophomore campaign last year with a huge jump this go around for her junior season. She proved to be nearly unguardable at times, relentlessly scoring from all three levels throughout the Blue Devils’ run to the MIAA Division 2 state tournament Round of 16.
Anna Oravec | Northampton
Oravec helped form a dynamic duo alongside Calkins, aggressively getting to the basket on a nightly basis. The junior had great touch through traffic at the rim, shutting her matchups down on the defensive end.
Cara Dean | South Hadley
On the way to the Tigers’ MIAA Division 4 state championship, Dean consistently showed off her skills on the offensive end, leading the team in scoring. The junior has been a regular name at the top of box scores for three years now, with her best coming in this most recent season.
Kate Phillips | South Hadley
Phillips was another major piece of the puzzle for the Tigers that gave defenses problems all season long, using her footwork and strength to be a dominant force on the inside. As her team’s undersized center, the junior more than held her own on the defensive end, while dictating games with her success on the glass.
Olivia Athas | South Hadley
Rounding out the big three for the Tigers, Athas was another integral player throughout the championship run. The sophomore’s playmaking skills helped the team’s offense run smoothly, while being a scoring threat from all three levels.
Sofia Zina | Smith Voc
The Vikings’ senior led an otherwise young squad to a MIAA Division 4 state tournament berth. Zina was stellar for Smith Voc during its early-season tear when it won seven of its first eight games.
Honorable mentions: Iman Skouta (Amherst); Morghan Litz (Belchertown); Gabriella Slovack (Belchertown); Nola Roos (Easthampton); Sammi Moreau (Hampshire); Julianna Pirela (Holyoke); Morgan Augustin (Hopkins); Liv Joensen (Northampton); Keira Cole (Northampton); Vivian Higuera (Smith Academy); Taylor Bullough (South Hadley); Mallory Radwich (Smith Voc); Savannah Fredette (Smith Voc).
