Real Run Men’s Summer League Semifinals: Best Coast and Good People Hoops Pull Off Upsets to Reach 2026 Championship
CARSON, Calif. - The 2026 Real Run Men’s Summer League championship matchup is set, and neither finalist followed the expected path.
No. 7 seed Best Coast Basketball continued its tournament run by knocking off No. 2 seed Team Carson, while No. 4 seed Good People Hoops handed previously undefeated No. 1 seed Inland Empire its first loss of the season.
The result sets up a championship matchup between No. 7 Best Coast Basketball and No. 4 Good People Hoops, two teams playing their best basketball at the right time.
No. 7 Best Coast Basketball 57, No. 2 Team Carson 52
Best Coast Basketball survived a late Team Carson push to earn a 57-52 semifinal victory and advance to the Real Run championship.
The game was tight from the start, with Best Coast holding just a 16-15 lead after the first quarter. Best Coast created separation in the second period, building an 11-point advantage at one stage before taking a 34-26 lead into halftime.
Team Carson responded after halftime. Tomi Adesiji (CSUDH) knocked down a pair of early third-quarter threes and helped cut the deficit to five, while Team Carson eventually pulled within 47-43 entering the fourth quarter.
The pressure continued when Jeremy Dent-Smith (Stanford) hit two free throws to make it 48-45 early in the fourth. But Best Coast answered with one of the game's biggest sequences. Seven Bahati converted a second-chance basket, and shortly afterward Dillan Shaw (Arizona State) scored in transition off a Team Carson turnover to push the lead back to eight. Team Carson got within five in the final seconds, but never regained the lead.
Bahati led Best Coast with 13 points and six rebounds, while Snookey Wigington added 11 points. Jael Martin contributed 7 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks, and Shaw finished with 7 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks.
For Team Carson, Adesiji scored 12 points with four assists and four steals, while Dent-Smith added 9 points. Team Carson made multiple runs, but Best Coast repeatedly came up with the extra rebound, stop or transition opportunity it needed late.
Scouting Notes
Bahati played with good energy around the basket and was especially valuable creating second-chance opportunities. Martin affected the game on both ends with his physicality, rebounding and defensive activity, while Shaw's length and defensive presence gave Best Coast another versatile piece around the rim.
For Team Carson, Adesiji's two-way activity stood out. He created offense off the dribble, knocked down shots and consistently pressured the ball defensively.
No. 4 Good People Hoops 66, No. 1 Inland Empire 53
The bigger upset came in the second semifinal.
Good People Hoops ended Inland Empire's undefeated run with a 66-53 victory, controlling the game for most of the afternoon and advancing to the Real Run championship.
Good People Hoops established itself early, taking a 19-13 first-quarter lead behind contributions throughout the rotation. Inland Empire cut the deficit to one early in the second quarter, but Good People responded and carried a 36-29 advantage into halftime.
The separation came in the third quarter. Good People Hoops continued creating extra possessions and getting production from its bench, with Damarion Pouncil providing a major lift. His three-pointer midway through the period pushed the lead to double digits, and Good People entered the fourth ahead 49-37.
Inland Empire made one final push. Cal State San Bernardino teammates, Aidan Fowler and Christian Fernandez, helped cut a 15-point deficit to eight with under three minutes remaining, but Mike Hill answered with a three-pointer to restore an 11-point cushion. Good People never let Inland Empire get closer from there.
Hill led Good People Hoops with 13 points, while Pouncil posted an impressive 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. EJ Andrews finished with 6 points and 7 assists, giving Good People a steady creator throughout the game. Connor Scales and Naby Diaw each added seven points.
Inland Empire was led by Fowler and Fernandez with 13 points apiece, while Devin Curtis added 10. Fowler also contributed 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, but Good People's depth and balance proved too much.
Scouting Notes
Pouncil was one of the most impactful players on the floor. He rebounded his position, provided interior toughness and gave Good People another scoring option without needing the offense built around him.
Hill showed confidence as a scorer and delivered the biggest shot of the fourth quarter when Inland Empire threatened to make it interesting. Andrews' playmaking continues to be an important part of Good People's offense because of his ability to organize possessions and create for others.
For Inland Empire, Fowler showed his all-around guard value, while Fernandez flashed shot-making and scoring instincts despite the loss.
Takeaways
The Real Run championship will feature two teams that have already proven they can win under tournament pressure.
Best Coast Basketball has climbed from the No. 7 seed into the title game by defending, rebounding and making timely plays. Good People Hoops, meanwhile, followed its quarterfinal win over The Mecca by taking down the tournament's undefeated No. 1 seed with a balanced, composed performance.
Now it's No. 7 Best Coast Basketball vs. No. 4 Good People Hoops for the 2026 Real Run Men’s Summer League championship — and after two semifinal upsets, neither team will be overlooking the other.