To win a world championship at any age is already impressive enough. But to do so as only a sixth grader or seventh grader? Almost unheard of. But that was the case for 11 middle schoolers last month down in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The GRC Firebirds AAU basketball team captured the 7th Grade Division 3 title at the 2026 AAU World Championships. From loading everybody up in a van at 6 a.m. and traveling 15 hours to winning four games in four days and getting to watch the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 induction ceremony in the audience, the whole experience was truly unforgettable.
“It was absolutely amazing,” said coach Jamie Luszczek. “All the work that they put into it beforehand was just something that they should be very proud of. I’m very, very proud of them.”
The Firebirds’ title run began with a 35-28 victory over Missouri Phenom STL Betts before a much more comfortable 65-40 rout of Ohio’s Leaders Select 2031 NXTPRO. In the semifinals against Pennsylvania’s T2N Finest, the Firebirds came out on fire by starting the game on a 20-0 run en route to a 45-14 smattering.
The championship game against the Maryland Movement would prove to be a much tougher battle. The Firebirds rallied back from a seven-point halftime deficit to tie the game with a minute to go. After the Movement failed to connect on a three-pointer, Maggie Josey gave the Firebirds the lead after grabbing the rebound off a missed lay-up attempt and scoring the put-back. On the final possession, the Movement weren’t able to get off a shot due to the Firebirds’ suffocating defense, and the final buzzer sounded with the Firebirds on top 31-29. The Firebirds needed to excel at the key fundamentals of the game when it mattered most, and that’s exactly what they delivered.
“You can ask any of my girls, what we focus on is defense,” Luszczek said. “Defense wins basketball games. In that matter, right there, rebounding and defense was what won that basketball game.”
Another key factor in the Firebirds’ triumph was their endurance. In the month before they left for Knoxville, they were assigned to run a mile a day outside of practice. By the time they departed, they were running up to 1.5 miles a day. Not only did their fitness improve, but they also grew more comfortable on the big stage as the tournament progressed.
“At the beginning of the tournament they all definitely had nerves,” Luszczek said. “We had to work through the nerves. We’re playing states away from home, teams we’ve never seen before. As the tournament days went on, those nerves were going away, and they started to play how we usually play: as a team, trusting each other.”
This marks the second straight year that an Ithaca-based AAU team has won a world championship after the Immortal Wolfpack took home the Boys U15/9th Grade Division II title in Orlando, Florida. That no doubt acted as motivation for the Firebirds, as they felt like it was their time to shine.
“At the beginning of the AAU travel season, Rahmel [Mack] pitched this to us about going to worlds, and we didn’t hesitate,” Luszczek said. “We’re like, ‘Absolutely. We’re going to make it happen.’ We played our regular travel season, traveled to many states, but we knew what we were prepping for. I think that really was a moment realizing that the boys got it done last year and now it was our turn, and we did it.”
Mack led the Wolfpack to last year’s world title and helped Luszczek coach the Firebirds to this year’s triumph. Mack founded both travel programs, both of which have now reached the mountaintop when it comes to AAU hoops.
“I tell him every day none of this would be possible without him,” Luszczek said. “Without the GRC Rec Center, it wouldn’t be possible… The girls enjoy working out with him whenever they can. They do go extra days some days a week just to have training with Rahmel, so his commitment to the girls and the boys, it’s huge and it doesn’t go unnoticed by anyone.”
Joharra Lucena and Lucy Sauve earned MVP honors for the Firebirds, while Josey and point guard Janaiyah Lucena (Joharra’s twin sister) also played instrumental roles in their world championship run.
The aforementioned quartet of players alongside many other of their Firebirds teammates will rejoin forces in the winter for the Little Red modified season. Their success at the AAU level is a strong sign that the future of Ithaca girls basketball is bright.
“They’ve built their foundation with basketball and their confidence,” Luszczek said. “It’s a great vision for the season ahead for these girls. They’re all good teammates. They’re all good community members. They’re going to be a great asset to the modified program, for sure.”
