Thanks to his son, the Wally Seaver High School Invitational has become a summer basketball staple
FOXBOROUGH — With dozens of games, hundreds of players, and thousands of dollars to monitor, Paul Seaver doesn’t have much time to pause and truly soak in the scene at the Wally Seaver High School Invitational.
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When he does take a moment to reflect — on a sunny Sunday afternoon in late July, outside the Mass Premier Courts in Foxborough — Seaver is immensely proud of how far the event has come in its 15th year.
Not because of the work he has done personally, but because of the work the basketball community has done together to honor his father Wally, who died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at age 53 in 2013.
Just like his father, the 37-year-old Paul is now molding young lives on and off the court at Wellesley High and beyond.
What began as a 16-team tourney/Father’s Day gift to raise money for his treatment has blossomed into so much more. This year, the north event and main tournament featured 153 high school teams from six states, and raised close to $20,000 for the Peter Frates Foundation, UMass ALS Cellucci Fund, and Project ALS.
“ALS is a brutal disease,” Seaver said. “He was a big guy, and it just breaks you down. He’s always been inspiring to me, and I couldn’t have asked for a better father. My biggest goal, when he passed away, was just to keep his name alive and keep his legacy alive.”
Seaver, who grew up on sidelines around the state, said he believes his father was in attendance in spirit Sunday, ensuring everyone competed hard and played the right way.
Paul’s mother, Debbie, called it “remarkable” to see how many lives the event has touched. It requires a lot of hard work to keep it rolling each year, and she said the fact that he does so is a testament to how much he loved his dad.
“He misses his dad, as we do, every single day,” Debbie said. “Seeing this tournament, the way it has grown over the years and the positivity and reaction from parents and players, it just makes it so worthwhile.”
On the court, Beverly (blue), Braintree (red), Stonington (C.T.) (orange), Shepherd Hill (green), Norton (black), Arlington Catholic (maroon), Wellesley (gold), and Foxborough (gray) won boys’ championships in Foxborough.
Rising senior Eli Landman fueled Beverly with 36 points in a 77-69 title-game triumph over Catholic Memorial. Landman came out in attack mode and never relented, overwhelming the Knights with a series of spin moves and stepbacks.
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“It was just insane,” said classmate Andrew Braganca, who scored 18 points. “It was like everything he threw up went in. He couldn’t miss.”
The Panthers, who also won the north tournament in late June, hope to use this as a springboard to maintain momentum following a strong winter.
“It’s great competition and a great tournament,” Landman said. “We just love to be here and love to win.”
On the girls’ side, which took place at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, North Attleborough (pink) and Bedford (N.H.) (purple) prevailed.
North Attleborough found a way past Oakmont, 42-38, for the Pink Division crown, behind sharpshooting from senior Ula Malynka and defensive intensity from junior Isabella Houghton.
Amelia Leighton, a 2026 North Attleborough grad, enjoyed coaching her former teammates and celebrating together with championship T-shirts.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” Leighton said. “I love them so much. They all worked together and hustled when I needed them to.”
Malynka, who hails from Ukraine, is proud to help lead an on-the-rise group that made a statement Sunday without two of its key players.
“We played as a team,” Malynka said. “That’s the most important thing. We have such a young team, so I feel like we have a bright future.”
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