The 2025-2026 girls basketball season begins this week with game starting on Thursday.
Once again, the competitive Bay State Conference will not be short on talent. Nine players from last season’s All-Star First Team return, and another six from the honorable mention squad. Eight teams will feature at least one player from the All-Star teams.
Here are five players to watch out for in the Bay State Conference when games tip-off this week.
Bella Bingham, senior forward, Walpole
A Fairfield-commit for soccer, Bingham is no slouch on the court either. She is already a two-time Bay State First-Team All-Star for girls basketball.
“First and foremost, she’s a tremendous leader and competitor,” Walpole coach Sean McInnis said. “When you have those two (things), it really sets the tone for practices and expectations for her teammates and for her coaches.”
In the Timberwolves’ opening playoff game against Minnechaug last season, she led the team with 26 points in the victory. She averaged 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game during her junior year.
Francesca Mazzini, senior guard, Braintree
If Braintree wants to return to the Final Four, it starts with its co-captain. Not only will the Wamps need Mazzini to step up in the scoring category, but also lockdown opponents’ top threats on the perimeter.
“Anytime there’s a really good guard, she can really defend them,” Braintree coach Kelley MacDonald said. “She definitely gives most top players a headache. But she’s also a scorer for us and she’s our floor general.”
Mazzini, named to the Bay State Conference All-Star First Team last season, had one of her best performances against Shrewsbury, scoring 19 points.
Victoria Fish, senior forward, Milton
On a team filled with guards, Fish’s presence in the post will be crucial for Milton’s success. A three-sport athlete committed to play softball at Holy Cross, she has the strength and leadership to be the difference-maker for the team.
“She’s going to be a college athlete,” Milton coach Charlie Drane said. “And I think that forces other players, that kind of mentality, to kind of rise to that level.”
In a game against Cambridge Rindge & Latin last season, she posted a 23 point, 15 rebound double-double.
Hannah Levine, senior guard, Needham
Already one of the top players in the conference, the WPI-commit will be asked to take a larger role this season. With teammate Annie Camozzi out for the season, Levine will have to do a little bit of everything for the Rockets.
“She’s a really tough kid that does a lot for us,” Needham coach Lindsay Miller said. “Yes, she can score, but we’ll really rely on her as well distribute the ball and help us just run our offense very smoothly.”
Levine has proven she is up to the task. She tallied 27 points, three rebounds and two steals in a matchup against Walpole last season.
Allie Danis, senior guard, Newton North
An honorable mention last season, Danis leads a Tigers team tasked with replacing Devon Burke, who led the team in scoring. If she is accepted into MIT, she plans on competing for the school’s basketball team.
“She is the highest IQ basketball player I’ve ever been around,” coach Todd Sudstrom said.. “She remembers where everyone is supposed to be on it and every play and every press break. She’s my floor general.”
While not the leading scorer, Danis regularly scored in double-figures last season, such as hitting four three-pointers in a 15-point outing against Framingham.
