NEBL Championship Weekend: 2nd Team

The New England Basketball League held its championship weekend at New Balance Headquarters in Brighton, MA on Saturday and Sunday (2/15 and 2/16). I'll be doing three top teams as well as some honorable mentions.   To be clear, being included in previous NEBL articles does not mean you can't be included in these ones. There are many players who will be written about multiple times.   Here was my <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/02/nebl-championship-weekend-1st-team/">1st Team</a>, and below is my 2nd Team from this weekend.    Grodin is a pleasure to watch play the game of basketball. He would never dare take an unwarranted shot, and he's always looking to make the right play for himself or his teammates – it's abundantly clear he doesn't care about stats. As a second side creator, Grodin does an amazing job attacking closeouts and making extra passes, which are two more reasons his teammates likely love playing with him. He'll step into college hoops at Fordham next year with a high-level understanding of how to play the game; he knows how to move without the ball, and he can space and run the floor well, which I would guess earns him some minutes early on.     Curtis had a rough game Saturday (as did all of CATS), but he really impressed me on Sunday with his rim protection and offensive skill set. Defensively, he has so much discipline to never reach and always keep his hands completely vertical, which works well as a result of his 7-foot-1 frame and long arms. He pairs that with good timing and positioning. to impact tons of paint looks. Offensively, he won't wow you with athleticism but is a really good passer for his size and can finish above the rim when he needs to. As is the case for many 7-footers, some added weight would be huge for him at Arizona State next year.     Keel, like his PSA backcourt mates, is a complete headache to play against on the defensive end. He slides his feet incredibly well and has super active hands. I was also super impressed with his off ball instincts; he understands when to rotate and is always a step ahead of the offense in terms of where the ball's going. Offensively, Keel is as solid as it gets at the PG position – he never tries to do too much, and he's excellent at handling full-court pressure. He gets into the lane and creates for teammates but also knocks down open threes consistently. He's an all-around great point guard who makes up for his lack of size with athleticism and fight.     Meyer is a freak athlete who had some really ridiculous finishes at the rim this weekend. He elevates and takes contact so well in the air, and he has enough body control to still finish amongst the big men waiting for him. And, although he has an unconventional sideways rotation on his shot, he's able to make it semi-consistently from both the three-point line and inside the perimeter. He's also a great cutter in terms of understanding timing and spacing. The Wyoming commit is going to make his college coach very happy with his ability to defend multiple positions and be used both on and off the ball – he has some swerve to his game on the ball that should only improve with more reps and time.     I love the way Chiacchia reads the game. You won't be astounded by his physical tools or athleticism – he's a 6-foot-7 forward who doesn't get too high off the ground – but he thinks the game at a very high level and works his tail off on both ends. He's an excellent post player who has elite-level passing ability for his position, but he also knows how to maneuver and position his body to be effective on the offensive glass. And, he pulls it all together with some great footwork and craft around the rim to finish around larger bigs. Chiacchia should get some scholarship looks or could have a wonderful career at the highest level D3 schools.

The New England Basketball League held its championship weekend at New Balance Headquarters in Brighton, MA on Saturday and Sunday (2/15 and 2/16). I'll be doing three top teams as well as some honorable mentions.