Jeremy Pargo Delivers the Championship Winner as Boston Ball Hogs Capture First BIG3 Title!
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Boston Ball Hogs are BIG3 champions.
In a championship game that came down to the final possessions, the Ball Hogs defeated the Dallas Power 50-47 on Saturday, August 22, capturing the first BIG3 championship in franchise history. And when Boston needed one final moment of brilliance, league MVP Jeremy Pargo delivered it.
The ending was made for a highlight reel.
With Dallas holding a late advantage and the championship seemingly slipping away, Pargo stepped into one of the BIG3's most dangerous weapons: the four-point shot. He connected to erase the deficit and tie the game at 47-47.
Then, with the title hanging on the next few possessions, Pargo struck again.
The Boston captain scored the championship-clinching basket, pushing the Ball Hogs to the 50-point finish line and setting off the celebration. Boston walked away with a 50-47 victory and the Julius Erving Championship Trophy.
Pargo Saves His Biggest Moments for Last
It was an appropriate ending to a remarkable season for Pargo.
The 40-year-old guard finished the championship game with 21 points, six rebounds, nine assists and a steal, leading all scorers while also connecting on two four-pointers.
But the statistics only tell part of this story.
Pargo entered the postseason as the 2026 BIG3 MVP after leading the league during the regular season in total points, assists, three-pointers made and four-pointers made. His seven four-pointers during the regular season established a single-season BIG3 record.
Then came the playoffs.
In the semifinal against the Chicago Triplets, Pargo buried a game-winning corner three to give Boston another 50-47 victory, sending the Ball Hogs to the championship game for the first time in franchise history.
One week later, with an actual championship on the line, the MVP came through again.
Game winner to reach the Finals.
Game winner to win the Finals.
That is about as clutch as a postseason can get.
Boston Refused to Let Dallas Pull Away
Dallas entered the championship with the league's best regular-season record and looked early like a team ready to finish the job.
But Boston stayed close.
The Ball Hogs finished the first half on a 7-0 run, transforming the game and taking a 26-24 halftime lead. From there, the championship became a back-and-forth battle. Dallas created separation late in the second half, but Boston refused to disappear.
And once the game reached winning time, Pargo took over.
Boston's supporting cast played a major role as well. Garlon Green scored 18 points, giving Pargo a dangerous second scoring option, while DeShawn Stephens recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Green now owns another BIG3 championship after previously winning the title with Bivouac in 2024.
Dallas received 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists from Elijah Stewart, while former NBA big man Greg Monroe added 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal.
It still wasn't enough.
From First Playoff Appearance to Champions
The accomplishment becomes even more impressive when viewed against Boston's recent history.
The Ball Hogs missed the postseason in 2025 after finishing 4-4. For 2026, Hall of Fame coach Gary Payton returned with a substantially rebuilt roster featuring Pargo as captain, Green and Stephens as co-captains, along with Ray Nixon and Quincy Miller.
The makeover worked.
Boston reached the postseason for the first time.
Then the Finals for the first time.
Then won the championship for the first time.
All in the same summer.
Social Media Had Been Waiting for the Moment
The buildup around the championship was already growing across X before tipoff.
NBACentral promoted the matchup hours before the game as a one-game showdown between Dallas and Boston for the Season 9 championship, while BIG3 social content had been emphasizing Boston's first championship appearance and Pargo's MVP season throughout the week.
The ending gave social media exactly the type of moment championship games are remembered for: the league MVP with the ball, the score hanging in the balance and one possession capable of changing franchise history.
Pargo didn't blink.
A Championship Moment Boston Won't Forget
Saturday's victory wasn't simply another close BIG3 game.
It completed one of the league's best stories of the 2026 season.
Jeremy Pargo arrived in Boston and became the league MVP. Gary Payton guided a franchise that had never reached the playoffs into championship contention. The Ball Hogs survived a dramatic semifinal and then defeated the league's top regular-season team with the title on the line.
And when Boston needed its star most, Pargo provided the final answer.
Boston Ball Hogs 50. Dallas Power 47.
For the first time, the Boston Ball Hogs are BIG3 champions. 🏆