With eight minutes left in the NEPSAC Class A championship, the Hotchkiss boys’ basketball team clung to a one-point lead, unable to separate from a tough and resilient Phillips Andover squad.
Then, in a matter of minutes, Hotchkiss flipped the game on its head with a run that defined its season.
The Bearcats scored 17 of the next 21 points. Junior Alonzo Archbold bowled over a defender for a layup and splashed a right corner 3-pointer. Senior Jordan Ghee joined in on the fun, finishing twice in transition with strength at the rim. Then, Archbold capped the sequence with a powerful two-handed slam, rattling the rim and forcing Phillips Andover to call a timeout.
Hotchkiss players streamed from the bench onto the floor and roared, sensing the NEPSAC title was close to official. In just four minutes, the Bearcats stretched the lead to 14 points, exhibiting a burst of skill, athleticism and teamwork that made Hotchkiss flourish all winter.
