In a dramatic DCSAA semifinal against Sidwell Friends, the boys’ basketball season came to a heartbreaking end with a 49-46 loss on a buzzer-beater. It was the third time since 2019 that the Tigers lost to their private-school rivals on a last-second shot.
The energy in the student section and dedication of the players wasn’t enough to take the Tigers to victory.
Senior forward Dawit Abraham said that even though “it’s a bad way to go out,” he is “proud of the team and all we’ve accomplished this season.”
The Quakers had previously beaten the Tigers on buzzer-beaters in the DCSAA championship finals in 2019 and 2022. Sidwell also beat JR in the state finals in 2023.
Going into the game at Georgetown’s McDonough Arena, the student section was packed to the brim, to the point where security was forcing kids to back up for the majority of the game. “To be honest, hype is the only word I can use to describe the game and the atmosphere,” senior Miles Narva said.
The first quarter ended with the Tigers holding a 13-11 lead. But Sidwell was awakened in the second quarter. By halftime, Sidwell led 27-17 and it looked likely that they would tighten their grip after the break.
But the Tigers completely flipped the script in the third quarter, shutting down Sidwell on defense and scoring proficiently on offense, outscoring the Quakers by 17-5. Going into a highly tense final quarter, JR led by two points, 34-32.
By this point, the student sections were raucous, exchanging chants, including a popular “Daddy’s Money” from the JR students.
In the fourth quarter, Sidwell never let JR build a lead of more than a few points. With a minute and a half remaining, Quakers center Ian Condon tied the game at 46-46. Both teams failed to score on their following possessions, and JR controlled the ball with 26 seconds to play.
After dribbling at midcourt for what felt like an eternity, junior guard Averi Knight drove into the paint, where he lost control of the ball. Just when everyone thought the game was headed into overtime, Sidwell junior Caden Williams took a pass at half court, and threw up a last-ditch shot
Astonishingly, he netted the shot, securing the win.
As Sidwell players rushed the court, the JR players walked off as JR students clapped and showed their support for the players.
The rowdy atmosphere transitioned over after the game as JR and Sidwell students taunted each other.
However the loss was only one of many highs and lows that defined the season.
“Early in the season we faced a lot of adversity in many different ways, whether it was like coaches leaving, players leaving,” junior forward Lane Mahan said. Mahan said a win against Bell “ “was the full team together and was a chance to taste winning, playing together and just being in like a great environment. I thought that bonded us together as a team.”
The Tigers faced Roosevelt in the DCIAA championship game, looking to return the trophy to Tenleytown after a defeat the previous year.
However, this game wound up being achingly similar as Roosevelt won its first city title since 2020, 74-65, and the Tigers came up empty handed for the second year in a row.
After the DCIAAdefeat, the Tigers were the No. 7 seed in the DCSAA tournament, their lowest position in several years.
After a close 79-71 win over Friendship Tech Prep in the first round, the Tigers played Roosevelt in the quarterfinals for the second time in the span of four days, with a chance to avenge their city championship loss.
This time, they would not let the chance slip, beating Roosevelt in their own gym, 71-53, advancing the Tigers to the semifinals yet again.
“Roosevelt’s a pretty good team, and at this point, it’s a rivalry now,” Tigers head coach Bill Bourgouin said. “If it wasn’t a rivalry already, it’s definitely one under my tenure.”
Despite the unfortunate end to the year, the team is very hopeful and excited for next season, with the mentality that it is only up from here for Coach Bill’s Tigers as he goes into his second year.
“He’s done a very good job developing new players in his first year coaching,” said junior DeSean Belton. “I’m sure that he will keep this job and keep progressing as the years go on.” •
