“Truly Special” Championship Run

“I'm watching it on my livestream, and I'm watching the clock, and I'm thinking, ‘Alex, get moving. You’ve got to get moving!’” Head of School John Packard told all gathered in the school assembly this morning about watching Alex Wilkins ’25 and the nailbiter boys 1st basketball NEPSAC championship final vs. Rivers School. “And then all of a sudden, out of the blue, this 100-foot shot goes way up in the air, and I'm like, ‘Oh my god. Nothing but net! New England championship!’”

Today, on Brooks’ first day back from Spring Break following three weeks of vacation, the whole school community joined Packard in cheering for boys 1st basketball's March 9 come-from-behind NEPSAC Class B Championship win — which Head Coach Kenya Jones insists is a testament to the players and their drive to triumph.

“This championship run was truly special,” said Jones, reflecting on the team — seeded lower than all three playoff opponents — that steamrolled through the tournament beating No. 3 seed Pomfret School in the quarterfinals by just four points and upsetting No. 2 seed Canterbury School in the semifinals, making up a 20-point deficit to win 79-77.

“The magic behind our come-from-behind victories was our team’s unwavering resilience,” he said. “All season long, we searched for an identity and when it mattered most, we realized that our identity was our ability to embrace adversity.”

The players “never backed down, no matter the situation,” he added. “Every game in the playoffs, we faced double-digit deficits but our belief in one another never wavered. We stayed together, we fought and we found a way.”

It helped that Brooks students, teachers, adults and friends never doubted the team’s talent. Roughly 150 Brooks students bussed more than an hour down to Connecticut to cheer on the team in the quarterfinals at Pomfret School on March 5.

“The support from our school community was incredible,” said Jones. “Whether it was the energy in the gym at Pomfret or the messages and videos from families, alumni, and even fans tuning in from Italy [on Instagram, see below], our players felt that love.”

In the final round against No. 5 seed Rivers School, tournament MVP Alex Wilkins ’25 scored a three-pointer with just 3.7 seconds on the clock. The final score? Brooks: 64. Rivers School: 61.

“At the end of the day, this group of kids — every single player, coach and manager — deserves all the credit,” said Jones. “They showed heart, toughness and an unbreakable will to win.”

Learn more about boys basketball at Brooks.