LOWELL – New Mission boys basketball head coach Eleazar Clayton strongly believed in his team's toughness, determination, and leadership to finish the job when it mattered.
This meant that the second-seeded Titans (19-6) put on a strong defensive performance to defeat No. 1 Hoosac Valley, 57-49, in the Div. 5 state final at the Tsongas Center on Saturday.
A close game in the fourth quarter was decided by an 8-2 run in the final couple of minutes, turning a small two-point lead into the program's first state title since 2016.
Jamari Toney-Simmons scored the most points with 17, while Solis Blue and Musa Fofana each contributed 12 for New Mission, but late steals from Blue and Joseph Jackson, along with strong rebounding, were crucial in securing the championship.
“What we did isn’t rocket science … they just played tough, hard-nosed basketball,” Clayton said. “I’m just proud of them, man. They locked up defensively that whole entire game. We didn’t get every call, but we played through it. We played through it. … This is them. Four years of these guys being at the school.”
“Words can’t even speak what I feel,” Toney-Simmons added. “I’ve been doing this for four years. … Last year, we got out first round. We made a commitment to coach that we would bring him one, and so we did.”
The Titans struggled with their shots in the first half, and the Hurricanes (22-3) capitalized on this.
Frank Field scored seven of his team-high 15 points in the first quarter for Hoosac Valley, leading to a 15-10 advantage going into the second quarter. His put-back tip extended the lead to 19-12 early in the frame, and four points from Qwanell Bradley (13 points) contributed to an 8-0 run for a 27-22 lead going into halftime.
New Mission maintained its competitive edge, using seven offensive rebounds and forcing five turnovers to fuel a run as long as 10-0 and even leading at one point in the second quarter. Aggressive defensive play beyond the arc caused trouble for Hurricane ball-handlers, creating offensive opportunities that the Titans capitalized on to stay in the game.
“We just emphasized rebound, rebound, rebound,” Clayton said. “Rebound and run. Let’s rebound and run.”
The team's strong defensive skills were especially evident in the second half.
Continued pressure on the ball led Hoosac Valley to rely on 3-pointers when they had space, but they missed all 13 attempts. New Mission didn't find much offensive success in the third quarter, but its strong defense limited Hoosac Valley to only seven points, resulting in a 35-34 lead heading into the fourth.
The fourth quarter saw an explosive start, with Blue and Toney-Simmons scoring eight points each, leading to a game-best 22-point quarter. Adan Wicks contributed six points in the quarter to keep Hoosac Valley in the game, and Frank Field, who had a slow second and third quarter, scored four crucial points.
Both teams exchanged scores until the final few minutes when Blue’s dunk gave New Mission a 49-45 lead. His subsequent layup put the Titans up 53-49, and the entire team's defense prevented Hoosac Valley from scoring for the remainder of the game.
“I believed the team displayed excellent leadership during the game today with their defense,” stated Toney-Simmons. “Everybody, from the first to the fifth player, including the bench, we are all focused on defense.”
Lawrence JaJa Davis played a crucial role in the victory, scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds. Toney-Simmons and Fofana together secured 15 rebounds.
