Boys Varsity Basketball played the final game of their regular season on Saturday, 2/26, hosting Capital Harbor Prep. Before the tip-off, Coach Lewis took a moment to honor the seniors and post-grads on the team for their dedication and hard work all season and throughout their SKS basketball careers. The game started fast with an early 10-point lead by the Sharks, but the Cougars kept up the heat, gaining momentum as they headed into halftime. In the first few minutes of the second half, the Cougars closed the gap, and they never looked back. Despite a solid effort by the Sharks, SKS claimed a 10-point victory with a final score of 78-68.
Earning the #2 seed, next, the Cougars set their sights on another big goal– the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class C championship. On Wednesday, 3/2, the Cougars got one step closer to the trophy, beating #7 Watkinson School, 77-61, at their quarterfinal game. From the starting buzzer, both teams fought hard and kept the score close during the first half. Although the Cougars were down by 4 points coming out of halftime, strong defense and relentless pressure on the Ram’s basket brought SKS to the final buzzer and a decisive victory, 77-61, with all five starters scoring in double figures.
High Scorers:
Richard “RJ” D. ’22 – 18 points
Luciano “Lou” H. ’22 – 17 pts
The exciting win advanced the Cougars to host the Class C semifinal game on Saturday, March 5, against #3 seed King School. Storm King came out strong at the start to achieve an early 25-point lead over the Vikings. Both teams played consistently well throughout the game, but SKS maintained a comfortable margin with great team defense and 3-point shooting, allowing them to cruise to the final buzzer with a 67-33 win and a spot at the championship final game.
High Scorers:
Jordan S. ’25 – 20 points
Richard “RJ” D.’22 – 18 points
Tyson C. ’24 – 16 points
The NEPSAC championship final game took place on Sunday, 3/6, in the SKS gym versus #5 Hyde School. Following the introduction of both starting teams, the Cougars tipped off against Hyde’s Wolfpack in what was to be an intense game from start to finish. Both teams played fast and furious, with SKS gaining an early lead. The score was tied before the half, and Hyde succeeded in widening the gap through the second half to end with a victory over the Cougars, 67-78, and take home the championship trophy this season.
Coach Lewis was very proud of his team’s performance throughout the tournament and the year despite their loss in the NEPSAC final: “The Cougars finished the season with an overall record of 15-9. Reaching the Class C final as the runner-up is an outstanding accomplishment. We graduate eight team members from the program this year but expect to have back a strong group including Jordan, Joshua C. ’24, Tyson, and Michael S. ’23, as well as strong new players moving up from our JV squad. I’m looking forward to continuing our winning momentum again next season.”