Recent Northampton High School graduates and former Blue Devil boys basketball captains Diego Corrada-Mattei and Henry Doherty wanted to play on the same AAU basketball team, so they made it happen themselves.
“At the beginning of AAU season, Henry and I were looking for a team to play on where we could go to tournaments and have exposure,” Corrada-Mattei said. “We really didn’t find a team that fit very well.
The future Springfield Commonwealth Academy teammates created the Offseasonz 18U AAU basketball team.
“We decided that we rather just have the chance to put it together with kids we know more and have a better connection with,” Doherty said.
The team was made up of eight players: six from Northampton High School and two from Easthampton High School. Corrada-Mattei and Doherty were joined by rising seniors Anthony DeJesus and Jaeden Johndrow, rising junior Treyvon James-Salus and rising sophomore Isaiah Ortiz from Northampton. Easthampton graduates Sopie Pek and Darnel Whitley were from Easthampton.
“It was the initiative of the kids who love playing,” Offseasonz coach Lourdes Mattei said. “It was really very cool.”
On July 7, the Offseasonz traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the AAU National Travel Basketball Association Boys National Championship, played at Myrtle Beach Sports Center. The first two days of the tournament consisted of pool play.
The Offseasonz won its first game against the Charlotte Nets, 72-66, with Doherty leading the way with 25 points. In its second game, the Offseasonz beat Next Level Ballers, 61-56, with Doherty finishing with a team-high 32 points.
“I’ve never gotten to travel somewhere that far for basketball,” Doherty said. “To play well while we were down there made it an excellent experience overall.”
The Offseasonz finished undefeated in pool play with a 76-56 victory over Crossroads Ballers, and advanced to the Gold Championship bracket.
In its first playoff game, Offseasonz beat Ascend Ballers, 72-66, behind a 39-point performance from Corrada-Mattei, who made 11 3-pointers.
“I made my first couple and started feeling it,” Corrada-Mattei said. “I think the great thing about our team is that any game, anyone can be a threat. When someone gets hot, our team does a really good job at feeding that player and getting them going.”
The Offseasonz advanced to the Sweet 16, where it faced the Carolina Sky. DeJesus’ 22 points weren’t enough as the team was eliminated, 69-58.
“They wanted to play with each other because they have played throughout the years, and they just started winning,” Mattei said.
The Offseasonz raised money for the trip and the players took responsibility to get the job done.
“They set up this GoFundMe account to make sure everybody on the team could go,” Mattei said. “They were very committed and they helped each other out.”
The team raised $2,565 and the money was used toward travel expenses.
“We just have a bunch of very generous family, friends, past coaches, different people that care a lot about all of us,” Doherty said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and for the people around me to have made that happen for not just me, but my seven other teammates, it just shows if you want to make something happen you can do it.”