The boys’ basketball team (21–4) lost to the Laurel Spartans (24–2) 68–53 in the state finals on Saturday night. 

Whitman started the game strong, with a 7–0 lead in the first few minutes. Sophomore Max Williams excelled in the paint, easily finding gaps to score lay-ups. Drawing several fouls in the lane, the Vikings were looking secure in the first quarter. While it took time for Laurel to find a rhythm on offense, they completely turned things around in the second quarter.

Making almost every shot, the Spartans dominated with their size, speed and strength. The pace of the game was in their hands, as they commanded the court in one-on-one action throughout. The Vikings struggled to finish at the basket, missing the majority of their inside shots and slowly transitioning from offense to defense. This allowed Laurel to hit quick lay-ups and pursue fast-breaks, leading 44–22 at the half.   

Laurel’s momentum continued in the second half, and Whitman had difficulty on the defensive end. While the Vikings have competed against other sizable teams, the Spartans outmatched Whitman in both agility and shot-precision, making it almost impossible for the Vikes to properly defend them. Senior Sean Curran, who is a huge defensive component for Whitman, reflected on the match-up against Laurel.

“This team had size, and number three and number two could hit their shots,” Curran said. “We tried to handle them by playing zone, but they were just hitting all their shots.”

As the third quarter continued, Whitman gained some energy on offense. Senior Hayden Walsh and junior Bobby Zedak scored several three-pointers to slowly close the score gap. 

Despite Whitman’s 10-point run in the third quarter, it wasn’t enough to come back by the end. As the Vikings accepted the loss, Coach Chris Lun allowed all the seniors to get playing time in their final game. 

“Laurel is a good team and they’re in the state championship for a reason,” Lun said. “But we’ve got back-to-back state final appearances and I’m so proud of this team—a loss tonight is certainly not going to change that.”

This was Whitman’s second year making it to the state finals with a successful season filled with hard work and dedication. Each player contributed huge amounts throughout the season, making it a memorable year for Whitman Basketball. Although they fell short this time, the Vikes will look to make it back on the Xfinity Center court next year.