NEBL Championship Takeaways

Dylan Thayer | Monday, February 9th, 2026

I spent some time this weekend stopping by the New Balance facility in Boston to catch the finale of the New England Basketball League, and it didn’t disappoint. The NEBL continues to embody the “iron sharpens iron” mindset, bringing together some of the very best prep programs in the country. Four of the six teams competing this weekend were ranked inside the top 16 of last week’s National Coaches Poll, which tells you everything you need to know about the level of play.

With the playoffs right around the corner and the National Prep Championship Tournament just a month away, it was a good opportunity to get a refreshed look at the NEBL landscape.

Here are a few takeaways from the weekend.

Top teams in the Country

There’s been a pretty clear consensus in the Coaches' Polls all season. Putnam Science, Newman, and Cushing all belong in the top five nationally. Watching them go head-to-head this weekend only reinforced that. Cushing, in particular, drew both #2 PSA and #3 Newman over the course of the weekend, which is about as good of a test as you can ask for heading into postseason play.

When you add #1 Blair, #4 IMG, and several other national contenders into the mix, next month’s bracket is going to be loaded. Prep basketball is simply a different animal than high school, the age, strength, and physicality show up immediately.

Newman’s a Tough Matchup

Picking back up on the fact that some of the top teams in the country played here this weekend, Newman proved their worth, winning the championship game. Jackson Johnson’s team will be a tough out as the NEPSAC AAA favorite, and a top seed in the national field. The Cardinals depth, ability to share the rock, and space the floor allow them to contend with anyone. 

Illinois signee Lucas Morillo took home championship game MVP honors, and while I leaned slightly toward Louis O’Keefe, it really could have gone to anyone. Chase Geremia shot lights out, Quinn Costello was clutch, Jaylen Hunter-Coleman and Timmy Bollin brought it on the defensive end. That’s the luxury of a team that plays as connected and balanced as Newman does.

Don’t Count Out Putnam Science

Tom Espinosa’s team is a stranger to losing games, but don’t let that fool you, they are playing to win it all next month. Despite dropping their bracket game to Cushing, the Mustangs will be ready to compete when it matters, and that showed on Sunday. 

Down to New Hampton, the Mustangs responded by turning it up in the second half and grinding out a big national win. That loss to Cushing also gives Espo plenty of bulletin-board material as his group enters the final stretch before March, and history says that’s usually a good thing for Putnam. Their core of Jordan Skyers, Kamai Samuels, Favour Egbuna, Jalen Taggart, Adama Tambedou, Parrish Edmond, and more will be ready to go.

Ryan Moesch is Box Office

It almost feels repetitive at this point, but it still needs to be said, Ryan Moesch is must-see basketball. The Siena commit at Cushing Academy changes the game with his elite quickness and pace at the point guard spot. He makes tough passes, but most importantly, he makes shots.. from everywhere. 

When Moesch is on the floor, he’s a threat to knock down movement threes, or blow right past the defense and finish with smooth touch off the glass. While he was held to 19 in the championship game against Newman, he was phenomenal on Saturday with 31 points against Putnam. 

More Notes

I caught the second half of CATS vs. Brimmer & May on Saturday, and it’s clear Josiah Adamson has taken a big leap over the past three years. His growth really stood out.

Preston Bollin has seen his stock rise over the past month or so following a standout game at the HoopHall Classic. He’s got reported looks all over the Ivy League, with more coming in the conversation at the Division I level. 

Will Meribe had an exclamation point dunk on Sunday showing the upside he has as a rim-running forward in the class of 2027.

Despite a lopsided loss to Newman on Saturday, Andrew Gale’s New Hampton group showed real resilience on Sunday and nearly pulled off a big win against PSA. The Huskies have a solid core led by Jayden Harrington, Chad Cook, James Sanderson and Wesley Waddles that competes.

Adama Tambedou put together a really strong weekend averaging 17.5 points, 15 rebounds and 2.5 steals over two games. The Maryland signee’s motor, size, and strength continue to standout.