SACO — A group of young basketball players from Saco brought home a championship recently as the TGK Athletics fourth-grade team won the title at the Maine State AAU Tournament.

De’Shaun Alston, Simon Gellis, Eli Harbour, Kylie Lamson, Sam Rondeau, Blake Bolduc, Collin Thompson, Will Edborg, Alden Peel and Beck Edgerly play under the direction of TGK founder De’Angelo Alston and coaches Glenn Peel and Sue Picard Rondeau.

“The coaches all knew from the beginning that this team had something special. They witnessed their intensity day in and day out. They watched as this local group of kids formed an undeniable bond not only on the court but off the court as well,” said De’Angelo Alston in a press release.

Over the past six months, the TGK team played in the Saco Parks and Recreation league as well as traveled to Massachusetts and New Hampshire to get some tough competition.

“They wanted to win and experienced a lot of success, but more than that they wanted to improve their game both individually and as a team,” Alston continued.

The group would win the Saco Parks and Rec league which consisted of eight teams from surrounding areas.

“That is when they decided to keep their all Saco team together and compete at the next level. The AAU season for basketball is rigorous. The competition is tougher and the schedule is more intense,” said Alston.

The TGK squad took down Maine Attack by a 49-44 score in the Maine State AAU final to capture the championship.

“This team knew that to compete in the AAU season where the best of the best is often recruited to make up a team that they would have to step up their game. Again, this team rose to that challenge,” Alston said.