Newman Wins First National Prep Championship

The Newman School boys’ national basketball team won its first national prep championship with a 92–72 victory over Blair Academy (N.J.) at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut, on March 12. 

 

The win came days after Newman secured the NEPSAC Class AAA championship, marking its second consecutive New England title. The team closed the season on a 19-game winning streak.

 

In the championship game, Chase Geremia ’26, a University of Pennsylvania commit, scored 21 points and was named Most Valuable Player. He made seven three-pointers, including five in the second half.

 

Quinn Costello ’26 led all scorers with 24 points and added eight rebounds and four assists. He made six three-pointers in the first half as Newman built a 53–38 lead at halftime. Lucas Morillo ’26 contributed 17 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists.

 

Blair Academy was led by Deron Rippey Jr., who finished with 12 points and six assists.

 

Newman won four games in three days to capture the national title. The team defeated Darrow School (N.Y.), 81–65, in the opening round. In the quarterfinals, Newman overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat the Academy of Central Florida, 81–74. In the semifinals, the Cardinals beat Putnam Science Academy, 81–75, avenging an earlier loss.

 

Morillo, an Illinois commit, averaged 21.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists over the four tournament games, including a 28-point, 15-rebound, nine-assist performance against Central Florida.

 

The championship marks a significant milestone for the program. Since 2022, Newman has advanced from a NEPSAC Class D program to a national champion.

 

Newman finished the 2025–2026 season with a 38–3 record and won three titles: the NEBL championship, the NEPSAC Class AAA championship, and the national prep championship.

 

Congratulations to Coach Jackson Johnson and the Cardinals on a tremendous season!