It’s been a month since the MIAA season concluded with a historic championship weekend. Now it’s time to hand out the awards from a thrilling 2024-25 campaign.
Our inaugural New England Basketball Journal awards for the MIAA boys season include our Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and first, second and third All-MIAA teams.
The selection process was expectedly challenging, with so much talent and many standout seasons scattered across the MIAA’s five divisions. The choices were weighted by individual production, team success and tournament performances.
Let’s unveil the MIAA boys award winners.
Player of the Year: Caden Sullivan, Franklin
Class of 2025, 6-0 guard
There was little doubt that Sullivan would claim our first-ever MIAA Boys Player of the Year award after he scored 31 points – including 11 of his team’s final 13 – to cement Franklin’s first Division 1 state championship. It stamped a legendary season in which he averaged 23.0 and 8.1 rebounds per game in the regular season before elevating his game on the biggest stage to the tune of 27.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in the state tournament.
Read our Player of the Year profile on Sullivan here.
Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Kamau, Lowell
Class of 2025, 5-9 guard
One half of Lowell’s electric backcourt duo, Kamau was a true nightmare for opposing guards to face on a nightly basis. The Merrimack Valley Conference first team selection led the Red Raiders with a whopping 4.0 steals per game, including a program record 13 swipes in a January victory over Chelmsford.
Coach of the Year: CJ Neely, Franklin
Few – including Neely – knew what to expect from Franklin this season after it lost three starters to graduation from a team that made the Div. 1 state final. But he had the pieces ready to step up – including Sullivan, Jake Olmstead and Justice Samuels – and lead the Panthers to a state championship. Neely deserves credit for fostering that culture at Franklin, where winning has become an expectation, and he pressed the right buttons all season, whether it was getting the most out of Sullivan or putting role players in successful situations.
This was a difficult award to choose. There were several other worthy candidates: John Willis led Norwell to an undefeated 25-0 season to win the Division 3 championship, while Jaycob Morales guided Masconomet to a 22-2 record and berth in the Division 2 semifinals in his first season on the job.
All-MIAA First Team
Javi Lopez, Central Catholic
Class of 2026, 6-1 guard
One of the best guards in the state when he was an underclassman, Lopez took another step as a junior. The dynamic scoring guard and Central Catholic captain averaged 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals per night as he led the Raiders to a berth in the Division 1 Final Four. Lopez was named the MVP of the Merrimack Valley Conference and will arguably be the best returning player in the MIAA as a senior next winter.
Brendan McDonald, Somerset Berkley
Class of 2025, 6-0 guard
The do-it-all point guard produced 14.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game to lead Somerset Berkley to its first Division 2 state championship in 71 years. McDonald, a blur in the open court, saved his best for the postseason as he averaged 16.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.6 steals per game en route to the title. He’ll now head to Pomfret in NEPSAC Class B for a postgraduate season.
Tzar Powell-Aparicio, Lowell
Class of 2025, 6-0 guard
One of the most dominant offensive players in the state, Powell-Aparicio was once again the engine for Lowell as he averaged 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals per game to lead the Red Raiders to the Division 1 quarterfinals. Lowell lost just three times this season behind its senior guard, who was named the MVP of the Greater Lowell Christmas Tournament and will play college basketball at Bridgewater State.
Teagan Swint, Newton North
Class of 2025, 6-4 guard
Swint was virtually unstoppable offensively this season as he averaged 24 points and nine rebounds per game while leading Newton North to a berth in the Division 1 state title game. The Bay State Conference Carey MVP finished his career – which included two state title game appearances – with 1,250 points before he heads to play collegiately at Johns Hopkins.
Caden Sullivan, Franklin
Class of 2025, 6-0 guard
Sullivan is our first MIAA Boys Player of the Year. Read about his legendary season here.
All-MIAA Second Team
Ronan Coffey, Norwell
Class of 2025 guard
Coffey averaged 17.5 points per game, then took his game to the next level in the state tournament as he led Norwell to an undefeated season and Division 3 championship. The senior guard averaged 22.5 points per game in the playoffs, including 30 points in the state title game, when his buzzer-beating 3-pointer sent the game to overtime. He scored eight points in the extra period to cap his legendary performance.
Cole Craffey, Oliver Ames
Class of 2025, 6-2 guard
Craffey returned to Oliver Ames following one season at Brimmer & May and led the Tigers on a memorable run to the Division 2 semifinals. He averaged 18.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game to be named the Hockomock League Davenport MVP, and then he erupted in the playoffs. He scored 23.3 points and added 9.5 rebounds per game, including a career-high 33 points in OA’s Round of 16 win over Holyoke. Craffey is committed to play basketball at Connecticut College.
Matt Gaffney, Malden Catholic
Class of 2025, 6-0 guard
Gaffney was once again the leader of one of the best teams in Division 2 as he led Malden Catholic to a fourth consecutive berth in the state championship game. The Navy commit finished his illustrious career with 1,495 points. He was named the Catholic Conference MVP after leading the Lancers to their first league crown since 2021.
Ladainian Rodrigues, Attleboro
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Rodrigues fueled a strong winter for the Blue Bombardiers, averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per game to lead Attleboro to the No. 2 seed in the Division 1 state tournament and a run to the quarterfinals. A three-level scorer, Rodrigues made huge strides defensively as he used his length, physicality and energy to disrupt opponents and create transition opportunities. The 6-foot-3 co-captain will return as one of the best players in MIAA next winter.
Nathan Reynolds, Bourne
Class of 2025, 6-4 forward
Reynolds distinguished himself as one of the best interior players in state over the last handful of years and unsurprisingly, finished his career on a high note. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 20.9 points, 14.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game – which included some eye-popping stat lines throughout the winter – as he led Bourne to the No. 2 seed in Division 4 and a place in the semifinals. He was selected as MVP of the South Coast Conference for a second time.
All-MIAA Third Team
Jack Charchaflian, Winchester
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
Charchaflian blossomed into one of the best guards in the state as he averaged 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game as he led Winchester to the Middlesex League Liberty title and the No. 9 seed in Division 1. A strong playmaker and floor general, Charchaflian will now take his talents to the NEPSAC after announcing he’s transferring to Noble & Greenough.
JJ Martinez, St. Mary’s
Class of 2026 guard
Martinez was named the Catholic Central League MVP after leading St. Mary’s to the No. 1 seed in Division 3 and a 24-2 overall record. He hit the 1,000th career point milestone and submitted several memorable performances, including a buzzer-beater to beat Newburyport in February.
Jacob Klass, Beverly
Class of 2026, 6-1 guard
Klass was one of the most prolific scorers in the state every time he touched the court as he scored 24 points per game to go along with three rebounds and three assists. He posted six 30-point games and nine 25-point performances as he was named the MVP of the Northeastern Conference.
Kingston Maxwell, Abington
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Maxwell torched opponents as one of the best scorers in the state, averaging 22.5 points and seven rebounds per game to lead Abington to the No. 8 seed in Division 3 and a run to the quarterfinals. Maxwell’s outstanding winter included a career-high 37 points in the season opener against Sandwich and surpassing 1,000 career points in mid-February.
Will Carty, Watertown
Class of 2026, 6-10 center
The Watertown junior emerged as one of the best big men in the state after averaging 21 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Raiders to the No. 9 seed in Division 3 and a spot in the Round of 16. He was named the MVP of the Middlesex League Freedom Division.
Honorable mentions: Josh Roux, Andover; Jabari Sifrin, Springfield Central; Mike Dankert, Bourne; Cason Faulk, Bridgewater-Raynham; Matt Breen, Shawsheen Tech; Aidan McGrath, North Quincy; Alan Shi, Brookline; Will White, Boston Latin; James Dingman, Arlington; Jake Olmstead, Franklin; Brayden Thayer, Pioneer Valley; Irvin Zapata, Georgetown; Owen Boudria, Westport; Dylan Perrault, Whitman-Hanson; Jimmy Farrell, Masconomet; Carson Gretz, Newburyport; Ethan Elie, Braintree; Jasaad Fenton, Holland; Dom Taylor, Somerset Berkley; Jonny Sullivan, Tewksbury
