LOWELL — Jaylin Williams-Crawford and Jaylen Hunter-Coleman, the main players, smiled happily. Their coach, Hugh Coleman, struggled to hold back tears of joy. Charlestown's goal was accomplished.
Williams-Crawford scored 26 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and got six steals while Hunter-Coleman scored 18 points, and took seven rebounds, and five steals to lead No. 1 Charlestown to its first boys basketball state title since 2005 with a 61-40 win over No. 2 Old Rochester on Saturday afternoon at the Tsongas Center.
This is Charlestown's seventh championship in the history of the program. Jack O'Brien, a six-time champion and Coleman's coach at the school, was present on Saturday.
The victory completes a goal by Coleman to bring his alma mater back to prominence after winning two championships at Brighton in 2013 and 2017. With his son Hunter-Coleman and nephew Williams-Crawford taking the lead, Charlestown was one of the top teams in Eastern Mass. during the 2023-24 season. It only lost two games and defeated all five of its tournament opponents by at least ten points.
“I understand the experiences of the kids, so I just wanted to be an example that life can be as good as you want it to be regardless of how it starts,” Coleman said. “That's everything I believe in. I think about the community. Not just Charlestown but also Boston. I think about everyone, and it means a lot.”
During the first 20 minutes, the Bulldogs (21-5) managed to control the tempo to their advantage. They used a zone press to slow down the Townies' attack while also showing an ability to score inside. After trailing by 10 at halftime, Joe Butler scored two three-pointers to help bring the Bulldogs within 28-23 with 4:15 left in the third quarter.
From that moment on, it was all Charlestown. Williams-Crawford turned two of his steals into scores, and Hunter-Coleman aggressively drove to the basket as part of a 17-7 run that put Charlestown ahead 45-30 in the fourth quarter. The Townies left little doubt in the final period as Williams-Crawford and Hunter-Coleman scored four transition baskets around a layup from Trevari Andrews to go ahead by 23 with just over two minutes remaining.
“It's fantastic to be a part of the (Charlestown) tradition now,” Hunter-Coleman said. “Being with my uncle and my dad and knowing what they did – knowing my name is going to be on a banner like theirs was, it just feels great.”
