Brockton’s AJ Dybantsa will have a welcome-home Garden party in November.
Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 wing who was the top men’s basketball recruit in the nation from the Class of 2025, will bring his BYU team to TD Garden in Boston on Nov. 15 to face UConn. The game, which was announced on Thursday, is a joint venture of Position Sports and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and is part of the Hall of Fame Series.
Both BYU, with Dybantsa as the nation’s must-see freshman, and UConn are expected to be preseason Top 10 teams for the 2025-26 campaign. This game will mark just the second meeting between the programs, with the fifth-seeded Huskies defeating the No. 12 Cougars 58-53 in the first matchup during the opening round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
“We’re thrilled to establish TD Garden as our newest Hall of Fame Series venue, creating a basketball showcase in the heart of New England, just a short journey from our home in Springfield,” John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, said in a news release. “The matchup between UConn and BYU brings together one of the sport’s premier programs and one of its most exciting up-and-coming teams, led by a local talent in AJ Dybantsa. This event not only highlights elite college basketball but also reinforces our ongoing relationship with the Boston Celtics and our shared commitment to celebrating the game’s rich history in the region.”
This will be UConn’s second appearance in the Hall of Fame Series, following a win over Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden last December. The Huskies are led by two-time national champion Alex Karaban, who hails from Southborough, Mass. BYU will participate in the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas event on Opening Night, Nov. 3.
“Bringing the Hall of Fame Series to Boston for the first time is an exciting milestone, especially just down the road from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield,” Melissa Meacham-Grossman, President of Position Sports, said in the news release. “UConn’s championship legacy and BYU’s emerging star power — highlighted by Massachusetts’ own A.J. Dybansta — set the stage for a memorable night at TD Garden, in a city where the game’s history runs deep, thanks to the tradition of the Boston Celtics and the legacy of their many Hall of Famers.”
Organizers said further details regarding ticketing, game time, broadcast details and media credentials for the event will be shared at a later date.
AJ Dybantsa’s Massachusetts connections
Dybantsa grew up in Brockton and originally attended St. Sebastian’s School, winning Massachusetts Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year honors after his freshman season, during which he averaged 19 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 blocks per game on 60.8 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent on 3-point attempts. He was named an Independent School League First Team All-Conference selection.
Dybantsa later attended Prolific Prep in Napa, California, before eventually finishing his high school career at Utah Prep Academy.
He committed to BYU in December, announcing his decision on ESPN’s First Take. He chose the Cougars over Alabama, Kansas and North Carolina.
UConn vs. BYU, a marquee matchup
In the news release announcing the game, BYU coach Kevin Young said the matchup at the Garden “is going to be a great test for our team and allow Cougar fans all over the East Coast to see us play in one of the premiere venues in the NBA.”
UConn coach Dan Hurley added: “The Hall of Fame Series has been great to us in the past so it was a no-brainer to jump at an opportunity to play an elite opponent in ‘Storrs North.’ We know it will be a quality event with a great crowd and a stiff test to see where we are as a team.”
BYU finished 26-10 last season. As a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars beat No. 11 VCU and No. 3 Wisconsin to advance to just the sixth Sweet Sixteen appearance in program history (first since 2011) before losing to No. 2 Alabama. UConn was 24-11 last season. The Huskies’ bid for a third straight NCAA crown ended with a second-round loss to Florida.
