By Ryan Lanigan HockomockSports.com Editor

Franklin boys basketball head coach CJ Neely is stepping down after 11 years at the helm of the Panthers, he confirmed to HockomockSports.com. He guided the Panthers to the program’s first state championship this past March.

Neely met with his players and school administrators on Friday afternoon to announce his decision.

“My kids are getting older, and I want to be a part of this time in their lives,” Neely said. “Basketball was conflicting with being there for them, being a coach for them, and just being a dad. I want to be around more while they’re still young. I think about how fast they’re growing up, and I want to maximize the time I have with them. I didn’t want to shortchange Franklin by being pulled in different directions.”

In his time at Franklin, the Panthers won four Kelley-Rex titles, reached four Division 1 state finals, and capped a 25-1 season this past year with a 55-52 win over Newton North in the championship game. He is a three-time HockomockSports Coach of the Year, earning the honors in 2022, 2024, and 2025.

“I’m going to miss the people the most,” Neely said. “High school sports is really about the relationships you build — the kids you meet, the coaches, the community. Being a part of something bigger than myself, where the players, the coaches, the trainers, you know, 25 or 30 people are all putting their energy into the same goal, that’s one of the most special things in life. Everyone does their part, and together it becomes something meaningful. Just to have a small part in the betterment of a group.”

Caden Sullivan, who is now a freshman at Endicott, earned Hockomock League MVP and HockomockSports Player of the Year honors this past winter. He played for Neely for four years, and grew up watching his brother Brayden — the HockomockSports.com Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 — play for Neely as well.

“Coach Neely has done everything he could to get me where I am today as a college basketball player, a state champion and MIAA Player of the Year, and most importantly the man I am today,” Sullivan said. “Over the four years with Coach I’ve learned so many valuable lessons from him. He’s truly one of the best coaches and people I know. We’d always have meetings, us two, and just talk about everything whether it was about the team or just life. He was always one of my biggest believers and pushed me every single day to be a leader and be the best player I can be.

“What he’s done for the program is unbelievable, not with just basketball but growing and believing in every person through the program. He was one of my biggest supporters through my injury my sophomore year. I’ll forever know Coach Neely as an unbelievable coach and an incredible person. I would do anything to be able to have one more game with him as my coach.”

“I’m filled with gratitude for everyone at Franklin — the parents, the administration, the community,” Neely said. “It’s such a special place to be a part of, and I’m so grateful to have coached so many great kids.”

Prior to being hired at Franklin in 2014, Neely was in charge at Foxboro for seven seasons and the Warriors qualified for the state tournament every single year. He has 274 career wins across 18 seasons between Franklin and Foxboro.

“There’s just so many memories,” Neely said when asked what his favorite memory was during his time. “The state championship has to be number one, but there are so many other cool games and memories. It’s not just about the titles — it’s about the comebacks, the big wins, the moments where role players stepped up and made an impact. Watching kids grow from being unsure if they’d even make the team into becoming captains, seeing their hard work pay off, that’s the fun part.”

“I’ve been spoiled with my time here. There are just so many amazing memories.”