The 2026 boys grassroots season has come to a close, and there’s a lot to unpack.
From a New England perspective, there was a ton of action to monitor as teams and prospects traveled around the country chasing championships, recruitment and final summer memories with their friends and teammates. Six teams based in the region woke up Sunday morning with a chance of winning a title, and one came back with hardware.
On a national level, New England continued to prove it stacks up with the best talent grassroots basketball has to offer, with big-time showings on several major circuits. Star individual performances and drama defined the final live period, too, with multiple buzzer-beaters and overtime classics.
Here’s how New England fared on AAU championship weekend, with seven takeaways from the action.
Middlesex Magic wins another HGSL championship
One of the best teams on the Hoop Group Showcase League (HGSL) circuit all spring, the 17U Middlesex Magic still may have been counted out going into the championship tournament. In early July, star guard Jack Millward (Wakefield, Mass.) announced he’d miss the live periods with a fractured pinky finger. Then, big man Tyson Robinson (Newton, Mass.) suffered a sprained ankle on Friday in a tuneup showcase game.
But you can never count out the Magic or coach Lambros Papalambros on this circuit. They proved it again.
With five wins in three days – including two on Sunday – the Magic captured the HGSL title. They did so with their typical precise ball movement and unselfishness that defines their teams, but this was also a defensive juggernaut. They shut down opposing stars and held an explosive Philly Pride team to 42 points in the quarterfinals. They also won this title with some drama. In Sunday morning’s semifinal, they found themselves in overtime vs. Valente Rocks with an Elam Ending style in which it was the first team to 62 points to win. Tied at 59, CJ Farrell (Milford, Mass.) found himself with some space on the left wing and drilled a game-winning 3-pointer. The Magic later took care of business against ATK for the championship.
Farrell – the 6-foot guard who helped St. Mark’s win the Class B Large title in March – took home MVP honors after an incredible tournament, while Ty Grudzien (Uncasville, Conn.), JJ Martinez (Lynn, Mass), Michael D’Ambra (Warwick, R.I.), Connor Noel (Waltham, Mass.) and Otis Crosby (Barrington, R.I.) were all major contributors throughout the weekend.
That’s five 17U HGSL championships – including a three-peat from 2017-19 – in the last decade for the Magic. Call it a dynasty.
Antonio Pemberton’s legendary week
We’re going to be talking about that performance from Antonio Pemberton (Methuen, Mass.) for a long time.
Forget New England — Pemberton was one of the biggest stories in the country this week after the star point guard stacked up brilliant performances to lead Mass Rivals to the Adidas 3SSB 17U championship game down in Rock Hill, S.C. He averaged 26.2 points and 3.8 assists per game in the tournament, and left it all on the floor with a 33-point (with six 3-pointers) performance in the two-point championship loss after nearly bringing Rivals back from nine down in the final minute. Tears streamed from Pemberton’s eyes at the final buzzer after an incredible run and the end of his AAU journey with Rivals.
Rivals coach Vin Pastore has told me so many times the last few years that there’s no one better than Pemberton at getting to his spots on the floor and rising up over defenders in any situation. There was no better example of that than his ridiculous buzzer-beater to beat Compton Magic on Friday, when he hit a fallaway moving to his left on the baseline, off the wrong foot, over multiple defenders. It was an iconic moment that will live in New England grassroots lore for quite some time.
Antonio Pemberton FOR THE WIN!
Pemberton hits a ridiculous buzzer-beater as Mass Rivals takes down Compton Magic, 71-69, to advance to the Adidas 3SSB quarterfinals.
Unreal finish. What a win for Rivals. pic.twitter.com/lDr7VyCYu9
— Steve Hewitt (@steve_hewitt) July 17, 2026
Pemberton stamped himself as the best 2027 prospect in New England, and with these performances in front of dozens of high-major coaches in Rock Hill, I think he elevated himself into the conversation of best point guards nationally in this class. It feels like a matter of time before he gets that fifth star.
An unforgettable run for Mass Rivals
While Rivals wouldn’t have it made to Sunday’s final without Pemberton, his supporting cast was just as vital. Throughout their run, I kept thinking back to Pastore’s philosophy of playing his most promising young players an age group up to get them prepared for those levels. Pemberton, who’s played up throughout his Rivals career, was a beneficiary of that. It was the same for the likes of nationally-ranked 2028 guard Derek Swartz (Portsmouth, N.H.), 2029 forward Finn McCauley (Portsmouth, N.H.) and 2029 guard Luke O’Connell (Bedford, N.H.), who each played up on Rivals’ 16U team last season. Ryan O’Rourke (Bedford, N.H.) and Jordan Torres (Manchester, N.H.) were two more 2028s who were significant contributors on this team. Those prior experiences made them ready for this moment.
In multiple games, Rivals was giving up a size advantage in addition to their relative inexperience. Against Compton Magic, one of the favorites of the tournament, they had to deal with 6-foot-11 center Darius Wabbington, a top-15 prospect, and 7-foot center Yann Kamagate, who’s ranked No. 2 by several outlets in the 2028 class. But I thought McCauley, O’Rourke and even guard Ladanion Payne (Boston, Mass.) held their own. They played with the effort and grit that Pastore demands, and it paid off. The shotmaking from Andover star Josh Roux helped, too. He drained four triples vs. Compton, each one bigger than the next, to help Rivals pull off the upset.
New England flavor in Adidas final
New Heights captured the 17U Adidas championship with a 66-64 win over Mass Rivals, and the New York-based program had several names familiar to New England. Kamari Whyte, last year’s Gatorade Player of the Year in Vermont, was named MVP of the tournament after producing 20 points and six boards in the title game. He’s transferring from Vermont Academy to Blair next season.
Alonzo Archbold, who won the NEPSAC Class A title with Hotchkiss last season, was a key contributor for New Heights, too, alongside Williston Northampton forward Kyle Seltzer. Star big Kamsi Awaka, now at Blair, also played his prep ball at Cheshire two years ago.
BABC's resilient Final Four run
There was more drama in the Adidas 3SSB 16U bracket, where BABC made a terrific run to the semifinals. Leo Papile’s group won two games that went to multiple overtimes in their march to the Final Four. They beat Austin Rivers Southeast Elite, 67-65, in two OTs in which they trailed by 10 with eight minutes to go, then by four with 40 seconds remaining. Adriel Cantave (Carver, Mass.) hit a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game at the end of regulation. They were resilient again on Saturday morning, coming back from down double digits midway through the second half against Southern Assault before prevailing in four overtimes, 84-82.
Cantave, Wiji Dak (Bedford, N.H.), Malachi Odugbela (Providence, R.I.) and Braylon Washington (Easton, Mass.) were all major contributors in the run, which should bode well for next year’s team that should enter the 2027 spring as one of the best on the circuit.
Team New England’s strong first impression
TNE proved itself as one of the best independent programs in the country before making a move to the Pro16 Puma circuit, and in its first season, they proved they belonged again. Their 16U team advanced to Sunday’s championship game after winning four games as the No. 14 seed in the bracket. John Ramos (Providence, R.I.), one of the best players in Rhode Island, impressed as a 2028 guard, while Tysen Teixeira (North Dartmouth, Mass.), Abdulrahman Modu and Enzo Mweli showed major potential.
The 17U group, which was the No. 5 seed in its bracket, made a run to the quarterfinals led by 2027 guard Anthony Vick (Boston, Mass.), 2027 guard Jabari Edmonds (Providence, R.I.) and 2028 guard Kyle Delves (Providence, R.I.). After losing in the quarterfinals, they finished the weekend strong with a 72-60 victory over No. 2 seed Team CPSA.
Best of the rest
Several other New England programs finished strong with good runs in their respective tournaments.
Team Maine’s 16U team made the semifinals of the MADE Hoops circuit, while BCRI’s 17U squad led by star Donovan Clement (Providence, R.I.) advanced to the quarterfinals. Williston Northampton guard Max Kellogg (Amherst, Mass.) was a driving force behind NYC Honor’s run to the MADE Hoops 17U championship game.
Each of coach Michael Crotty’s Middlesex Magic Under Armour teams made at least the quarterfinals, with the 16U and 15U squads advancing to the semifinals. Will White’s (West Roxbury, Mass.) late go-ahead bucket lifted the 16Us into the semifinals. Other Magic teams showed well, too, with the 15U HGSL and 16U HGAL teams each making the semifinals of their respective brackets.
