- Details
- Category: Current Issue
PSA is U.S.
co-champions
NEW LONDON — The final buzzer sounded, and the scoreboard showed a win for Putnam Science Academy in its final game of the season. And yet, Mekhi Gray just wasn’t quite sure how to react.
Minutes before the start of their Prep National Championship semifinal game on March 12, the Mustangs found out that there would be no final. Concerns over the coronavirus led the tournament director to decide that the semis would be it, meaning PSA’s eventual 79-71 win over Northfield Mount Hermon gave the Mustangs a piece of a second national championship in three years.
They were officially crowned co-national champions with Brewster Academy (N.H.) shortly after the game.
“At first, it didn’t really feel like a championship,” said Gray, who finished scoreless but had 10 big points and played great defense in the quarterfinals. “But then, everyone was celebrating and, yeah, co-champions, but we’re still national champs and it really does feel great. This is pretty amazing.”
Among the loudest of celebrators was D’Maurian Williams, who good-naturedly interrupted every postgame interview he could by screaming about being national champions. There was no confusion for him.
“Man, we champs, man, champs, man, champs, man! Yeah!” he shouted to the delight of teammates. “We’re national champs, you know I’ve got my guys with me. It was nothing crazy…just another day in Putnam…you know, another day in Putnam!”
PSA, which won the national championship outright in 2018, scored the first basket of the game, then played catch-up for most of the rest of the half, trailing by as many as 10 points (27-17) roughly midway through. The Mustangs (36-4) fought back behind Hassan Diarra to tie the game 38-all at halftime.
Diarra, who had 11 points in the first half, finished with a game-high 29 to go along with six rebounds and six assists. He also went 10-for-10 from the free throw line and became the only player in school history to be part of two national championship teams. Also this season, Diarra, who will play next year at Texas A&M, became PSA’s all-time scoring leader, finishing with 1,469 points.
“It’s been amazing playing here at Putnam Science Academy,” he said. “I’ve got to thank coach (Espinosa), my teammates. It’s just a blessing. I can’t express to you how happy I am.”
PSA opened the second half on a 7-0 run, getting buckets from Terrell Ard Jr. (10 points, seven rebounds), Vlad Goldin (10 points, five rebounds, two blocks), and Williams (five points, four rebounds). The lead got to 59-49 with about 10:30 to go, and PSA kept Northfield Mount Hermon at bay the rest of the way.
“This feels great,” said Johnnie Williams, who scored eight points including a big 3-pointer with four minutes to go and who also authored one of the most amazing stories of resilience this season at PSA after going from non-factor to key contributor. “We worked our tails off for this. It’s, it’s unbelievable.”
PSA topped Mt. Zion Prep 74-68 in quarterfinal play behind Johnnie Williams’ 12 points and Gray’s 10. Diarra had 15 points, Josh Gray nine points and nine rebounds, Ard Jr. eight points and five rebounds, and D’Maurian Williams chipped in with six points, four rebounds, and four assists in that win.
Thirty-six wins in 40 games might give the impression that things were easy for the Mustangs. That is far from the truth. All season long, coach Tom Espinosa referred to this group as one of the most challenging he’s ever had. There were individual and team ups and downs, highs and lows, both on and off the court.
“Lot of ups and downs,” Ard Jr. said. “But guys got through it, we fought through it. We kept playing every day and kept focusing. And now look at us.”
Guys like Ard Jr., Gray, Johnnie Williams, Josh Gray, Marty Silvera, all saw their minutes and roles fluctuate at times because of those ups and downs.
“At the end of the day, guys fought through it,” Espinosa said. “Guys who were low really stepped up to make this run happen. Mekhi, D’Maurian, Johnnie…they really did. Guys stuck together and we got to this point.
“I’m really happy for the kids. We’re co-national champions, and they will remember this.”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy