5 Standouts from NEBL Finals Weekend

This weekend, the New England Basketball League held it's playoffs at the New Balance facility in Brighton, MA. Cushing won their semifinal matchup against Putnam Science Academy in a game where Cushing matched Putnam's physicality and was able to penalize their aggressiveness in the passing lanes with backdoor cuts and slip screens for layups. They were strong with the ball, and they made good decisions in the paint and at the rim.   Newman then faced New Hampton in the second semifinal, where they took an early lead and never looked back. Newman's ability to defend with intelligence and toughness, as well as their ability to score from the rim and the three-point line was just too much for New Hampton to handle.   Then, <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/01/andrew-james-lawson-invitational-newman-vs-cushing-standouts/">in a rematch of an incredible TD Garden matchup from a couple weeks back</a>, Newman again proved that they might be the best prep school squad in the country. Their ability to throw off Cushing's defense with back screens, back cuts, and three-point shooting was just too much.   Here are 5 standouts from the championship weekend.    Morillo was Newman's best player this weekend and looks to be fully recovered from an injury that kept him sidelined for the beginning of the season. The 6-foot-7 point-forward does an amazing job using his size and strength to bully the defense, but then he uses patience, head fakes and ball fakes to throw off the help side. Against New Hampton in the semis, he showed an ability to score from all three levels—his shot looks as good as it ever has, by the way—and then he spent the championship game against Cushing using his toughness and physicality to make a difference on the glass and on the defensive end. Morillo is such a versatile player and is going to walk into a nice role at Illinois next season.     Unsurprisingly, Moesch came to play in both the semifinal and final games of Cushing's NEBL season. The 6-foot guard didn't have any trouble with Putnam's aggressive and handsy defense; he consistently blew by quick defenders for athletic finishes at the rim, floaters in the lane, or step back threes beyond the perimeter. He also set up his teammates for a number of cuts, many of which came after he put the defender in jail out of the pick and roll. Even when it seems like the entire defense is meant to make him force shots, Moesch makes the simple play—but he can also take over a game at a moment's notice. He is so special, and the NEBL will miss him.     Tambedou is a fascinating archetype of a player. He doesn't have too many offensive skills, but he still makes a massive difference on the floor because of what he DOES bring. For a guy his size (6-foot-7), he's as strong and well-conditioned as they come; he's the first guy back on defense but is also a ferocious rim-runner, so you better come to play if you're facing him on the front line. He's a lob threat offensively, he's a rim deterrent defensively, and he has one of the better motors I've seen in high school hoops. Tambedou needs to gain some more offensive skills, but he's physically ready to play at Maryland right now and is a special rebounder and defensive player.     Costello's shooting was on full display this weekend in both the semifinal and championship games. At 6-foot-10, it's ridiculously impressive how he's able to come off screens and shoot on the move; most guys his size don't have the footwork or quick release necessary to fly off screens and still get off high-quality shots with defenders on their hip. He's also a smart extra passer and does what he needs to do defensively—he did a nice job handling Cushing and New Hampton's front lines with physicality and strength. Can't wait to see what Costello does next season at Michigan.     Edema recently returned to the court for Cushing after nursing an injury, and he finally looked more like himself this weekend. Against Putnam, the 7-footer was incredibly tough and physical against a ridiculously ferocious front-line. He protected the rim unbelievably well, and he even showed off some impressive post moves and short-roll decision making out of the pick and roll. He manned the paint better than I would've expected against Putnam, and he still has another year to develop his offensive skillset, balance, and shooting ability, each of which would make a massive difference in his effectiveness on the court. Very bright future.

This weekend, the New England Basketball League held it's playoffs at the New Balance facility in Brighton, MA. Cushing won their semifinal matchup against Putnam Science Academy in a game where Cushing matched Putnam's physicality and was able to penalize their aggressiveness in the passing lanes with backdoor cuts and slip screens for layups. They were strong with the ball, and they made good decisions in the paint and at the rim.