By D.M.Livingston|TWT Sports Desk|Published Feb 28, 2026
The Waterbury Times Sports Desk is proud to announce its official 2026 NVL Boys Basketball Individual Honors, recognizing the top performers across the league for excellence, impact, and consistency throughout the season.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
John Napiello — Woodland
The engine behind Woodland’s undefeated regular season run, Napiello controlled tempo, delivered in big moments, and led with poise on both ends of the floor. Simply put the best player on the best team this year.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Casleem Washington — Crosby
A versatile defender and tone-setter, Washington disrupted opposing offenses nightly and anchored Crosby’s defensive identity. Whether chasing guards around the perimeter, defending the paint, or steals leading to dunks, Washington came up big on the Defensive end all year.
POINT GUARD OF THE YEAR
J.Nakhoune — Ansonia
Elite floor generalship, decision-making, and leadership —Nakhoune dictated pace and made everyone around him better. Leading 2 Freshman who play significant minutes, Nakoune took a 3 win team from a year ago to the Quarterfinals of NVL tournaments with huge scoring outburst, unselfish play and a 40 ft buzzer beater for the ages.
WING OF THE YEAR
Julian Jones — Holy Cross
Versatile 3 level scoring and athleticism made Jones one of the league’s toughest matchups. When he gets going “Good Night” the game is all but over for the defense. A signature moment was injuring his ankle against Torrington went into the locker room for a few minutes and then returned and went off securing the Stallworth Counseling Player of the Game.
PAINT PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chris De La Cruz — Torrington
Dominant interior presence — rebounding, rim protection, and efficient scoring in the post all season long. Elite footwork and can finished with both hands.
UNDERCLASSMAN OF THE YEAR
Sy’ree Steward — Wilby
A rising star who made a major varsity impact early — showing maturity, skill, and confidence beyond his years and led Wilby to a 17-3 record securing the 2 seed in the NVL tournament.
SENIOR OF THE YEAR
Alex Turner — WCA
The heart of a championship culture, Turner led WCA through adversity and into another title run with leadership, toughness, and clutch play. Just when this Senior could have said 3 titles is enough when the Spartans sat 7 games under .500 he instead led his team back to a title game appearance.
In Closing
As the final buzzer of the NVL season approaches, these honorees represent more than just statistics and wins—they reflect the heart of a league built on toughness, pride, and community. From undefeated runs to hard-fought playoff pushes, from rising underclassmen to battle-tested seniors, each name on this list helped define the 2026 season in their own way. The Waterbury Times Sports Desk salutes their commitment, their leadership, and the standard they set for the next generation of NVL basketball. These honors are about more than numbers on a stat sheet—they recognize the players who shaped the season through leadership, toughness, impact in big moments, and the respect they earned from teammates, opponents, and their communities.
WHO JUST MISSED OUT? Check the nominees TWT SPORTS DESK 1st Annual NVL Boys Basketball Awards — Official Nominees 2025-26
The Waterbury Times- Waterbury,CT Local News 
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