NextUp Was Well Represented in the All Western Mass Boys Basketball Selections

Posted on by benjaminherrington

With current and former players from NextUp, the 2026 MassLive All Western Mass list included 12 NextUp Players!!! Some players have been with us since day one, some have played on our fall ball teams but all of them put in the hard work it takes to be recognized as being amongst the best hoopers in Western Mass. We are proud of all of them and can’t wait to see what the future holds for these great young athletes.

Click here for the MassLive article.

Class A First Team:

Mitchell Carey and Sam Woodruf

Class A Second Team:

Gael Buford, Brayden Nichols-Staples, Eli Reid

Class B First Team:

Max Millette

Class B Second Team:

Alex Ellis

Class B Honorable Mention:

Rowan Modesto and Theo Wojcik

Class D First Team:

Lobsang Rabten

Class D Second Team:

Derek Gromacki, Matt Richotte

Brayden Nichols Staples with his first Zero Gravity State Championship
Derek Gromacki after delivering the 3 point dagger to win the Battle for the Border League 8th Grade Championship
Eli Reid enthusiastically celebrating a CT North Stars May Madness tournament victory
Mitchell Carey and Gael Buford flexing after completing an undefeated season with a Battle for the Border Championship
Gael Buford flexing the championship trophy

Lobsang Rabtek and Derek Gromacki after playing up in the HS Battle for the Border Championship

Lobsang Rabtek with the tough take to send NextUp 8th grade to the Championship game
Brayden Nichols Staples cherry-picking his way to a second (back to back) Zero Gravity Mass State Championship

Mitch with the in-game dunk to cap off an undefeated season

Sam Woodruf putting his life on the line for the and one.

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