The foundation was incorporated in the spring of 2026. By April, its first 17U team was on the floor at the MADE Hoops NYC Clash, and on day one it beat a team from the UAA, one of the sport's established national circuits. Anthony Mauro announced himself the same weekend with a 40-point game.
In May the team went to DMV Live in Baltimore, where college coaches watch in person. Emmanuel Malok, a 6'11" big man in the class of 2027, picked up three Division I offers in the span of a month, including LaSalle. Austin Workman's film from that weekend speaks for itself.
July was the proving ground. The team won its Summer Live debut 77-70 over Midwest Basketball on July 8, worked through the live period in Philadelphia, and arrived at the Summer Live Finale in Baltimore with a shot at the MADE Hoops Circuit championship. They beat Jersey Force to reach the Sweet 16. Carter Abrahams, class of 2030, stepped in when the roster ran thin and became the youngest 17U player in the circuit's history.
The run ended in the championship game on July 19 at the Baltimore Convention Center, against West Michigan Premier, who took the title. A team that did not exist a year earlier got to the national final, in its first summer, and every player answered for his grades while he did it.
What made it possible
Seasons cost real money: travel, uniforms, tournament entry. The 2026 season was funded by founding sponsor Sirmium Capital, whose professionals also teach the foundation's financial literacy and NIL curriculum to every athlete at no cost. Off the court, every player learns how money actually works before he leaves for college.
The Claribel Hernandez Memorial Grant
Beginning September 11, 2026, the foundation will award a $5,000 grant each year in memory of Claribel Hernandez. The grant carries a full team's season: travel, uniforms, and tournament entry.
Established by her son, foundation treasurer Eslyn Hernandez Jr., and funded by Sirmium Capital.
Next season starts now
The fall brings a new roster, a new circuit calendar, and the same standard: classroom first, then the court. What it needs is what every season needs, and one sponsorship covers a team for a full year.