DA Hayden’s annual Basketball for Peace tournament welcomed record amount of participants Tuesday
BOSTON, July 29, 2026 – This year's Basketball for Peace event drew a record 150 teens for a day of friendly hoops competition, marking the highest participation in the program's history, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
The event received support from organizations such as New Balance, UMass Boston, the Boston Celtics, Target and Chess for Peace. In addition to playing amongst their peers, participants played against members of the Boston Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, and Target’s Community Impact Team, fostering positive connections through friendly competition.
Halfway through the event, District Attorney Kevin Hayden presented numerous awards to recognize the incredible community surrounding it. Hayden recognized Joe Janezic, chief of the Crime Strategies Bureau in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, Steph Lewis, President and CEO of The B.A.S.E., Lisa Warshafsky, principal at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy at the Lower Mills Campus, Wayne Selden Jr., former NBA player and community leader, and Kayla Burton, broadcaster and host at NBC Sports Boston.
Anthony Richards Sr. received the District Attorney’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding impact through his program No Books No Ball, an organization driven toward helping young people succeed with a combined focus on education and athletics.
Before accepting his award, Richards addressed the youth reminding them that “half of this journey is respect and letting someone occupy space where you may walk into one day.” He went on to say, “you have to put the brakes on sometimes and listen because you’ll learn a lot more.”
Chris and Katani Sumner received the Alfreda Harris Exceptional Community Service Award in recognition of their lifetime of leadership and unwavering commitment to the community. Through their dedication to education and mentorship, Chris and Katani have shaped the lives of countless young people and inspired generations of students.
Chris Sumner passed away earlier this month, making the recognition a poignant tribute to his enduring legacy of service and leadership. Before presenting the award named after her, Alfreda Harris described the day as being "bittersweet" because she had known Chris since he was an eight-year-old boy who attended the Shelburne Center.
Katani Sumner and the couple's daughter, Candance Sumner, President and CEO of METCO, accepted the award on behalf of the family. Katani told the youth that “you don’t have to just be an athlete, you can be a scholar athlete so you can go on and do great things.”
Hayden followed these awards with remarks about making smart choices and giving back to the community before it was time to play more basketball.
The next annual event hosted by the office will be DA Hayden’s Soccer for Peace Tournament on August 12 at the Pope John Paul Park in Dorchester.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications