Bulldogs’ Historic Season Ends in Defeat, Swept Away by Hurricanes 91-76 in State Final
- Joseph McLaughlin
- Mar 16
- 5 min read
Lowell, Mass. — Despite Allen Brown Jr. putting up 40 points on the night, the Holbrook Bulldogs boys varsity basketball team fell to the Hoosac Valley Hurricanes, 91-76, in the MIAA Division 5 Boys’ Basketball State Championship Game held at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell on Sunday.
The Hurricanes won their first state title in program history under first year head coach Matt Larabee in their fifth overall appearance in the state championship and second finals appearance in the last three seasons. For the Bulldogs, it is a heartbreaking end to an outstanding season, reaching the state championship game for the first time since 1965.
Holbrook fought hard from start to finish but could not weather the storm. The blue and white allowed the most points they had all season to a ferocious Hoosac Valley offense that would not quit. The result left the boys’ locker room silent and filled with tears of coming just one win short.
“There’s not much you can say about something like this,” said Bulldogs’ Head Coach Richard Gifford. It was a hard fought game, but coach Gifford knew that there was nothing that could be said to make his team feel better.
The game started with the Bulldogs getting off to a fast start. Odens Massillon was physical in the first quarter, racking up eight points in the opening frame, using his size and power to drive into the paint.
The senior captain repeatedly worked on the post against multiple defenders drawing fouls and finishing layups. He showed his ability as a playmaker and a leader, setting the tone from the tip off. His fellow senior captain Allen Brown also showed up big in the first quarter, playing great defense, forcing steals and finishing contested layups and jump shots.
Then, the second quarter had both teams exchanging baskets in an evenly matched contest. Hoosac Valley’s Adan Wicks shot six three pointers and finished the first half with 21 points after a sluggish opening quarter. Brown and Wicks traded shots while Brown made great passes to his teammates Massillon, Gio Ramirez, Nick Dessalines, and Max McCormack. Brown’s leadership helped carry the team into a 38-38 tie at halftime.
The Hurricanes then came out swinging to start the second half, out scoring the Bulldogs 9-2 in the first 1:45 of the third frame. Hoosac Valley’s Qwanell Bradley began to heat up in the third while Wicks took advantage of Holbrook mistakes to get their largest lead of the game at the time. Blake Mazzeo then drilled a three to put the Canes up by 10.
The Bulldogs did not look like themselves after halftime, missing shots and succumbing to turnovers. After a couple of Holbrook timeouts to cool things down, Hoosac Valley and Holbrook began a shootout, however the Hurricanes were firmly in the driver’s seat, leading 68-56 after three quarters.
Bradley then was on fire for the rest of the game for the Hurricanes, capping off the game with a team leading 33 points. The 1,000 point scorer created multiple three point plays and got a crucial set of second chance points off a save by Terrell Johnson late in the fourth quarter. Brown tried his best to put his Bulldogs on his back, finishing the game with 40 points, but it was not enough as the Hurricanes claimed the state championship banner for themselves after a 15-point victory.
It was not the result the Bulldogs wanted, however, it was a historic moment that brought the small South Shore town together like never before. The Holbrook Crowd showed up in droves ahead of tipoff, featuring a mix of current and former students, parents, faculty, and town residents. They were also the loudest group of fans in the building, cheering on the Bulldogs until the final buzzer.
“Today meant a lot, because we had the city behind us,” said Massillon. “It meant a whole lot seeing the city supporting us and hoping that, you know, we could win. We didn’t get the result we wanted, but we made a historic run.”
“We still gotta take pride in what we did this season,” said Brown. “Making the state championship is very hard. They (Holbrook) haven’t been in a while, so I just feel like my teammates and I, you know, we just have to keep going. I’m gonna miss all of them with it being my last year too.”
Both Brown and Massillon are graduating seniors this spring and aim to play basketball in college. Their success in Holbrook is monumental and will leave the next generation of Bulldogs basketball very large sneakers to fill.
One of those players is freshman Kenier Rotger Cruz who as a freshman will become a part of that next generation.
“They motivate us,” said Cruz about Brown and Massillon. “They tell you to keep your head up, even if you make a mistake. Try and fix it and be like you got the next play, next possession. We’ll be working in the offseason really hard to try and come back and see this amazing gym and play in it again.”
While the ending to the Bulldogs’ season was an agonizing defeat, it does not take away from the fact that it was historic. The team featured a 1,000 point scorer, a 2,000 point scorer, and a championship appearance that had not been seen in 61 years.
Holbrook came together to support their Bulldogs in the highest of highs and even in the lowest moment, proud that these kids worked hard for 17 weeks to give themselves the opportunity to etch their names in history.
The Bulldogs’ season officially ends with a 22-3 record, a state championship appearance, final four appearance, state tournament appearance, and an undefeated Mayflower League championship. The next Bulldogs basketball game will be next season this coming winter.
Comments