Martlets Win on Buzzer Beater

 

Black and Gold welcomed the Lions of Trinity-Pawling into the confines of Pettee Gymnasium, and from the jump it had the feel of a classic prep-school slugfest. Westminster opened with a 7–0 burst in what quickly became a low-scoring, possession-by-possession first half. The defense, noticeably sharper after the short turnaround, sat in a disciplined zone that gave the Lions little clean air. But as the Martlet offense cooled, TP found just enough rhythm to flip the scoreboard, taking a 19–11 lead into the break. If the first half was about survival, the second was about resolve. Westminster came out intent on protecting its home floor. Buckets from Sonny Darnowski ‘28, Liam Hibbard ‘27, and Liam Murray ‘26, plus the sparkplug energy of Finn Cathey ‘26, fueled a needed push. On the other end, Aidan O’Callaghan ‘26 and Cole Hadden ‘26 steadied the defense, closing gaps and forcing tougher looks. Then came a moment straight out of a Saturday column: Calvin Bixby ‘28, the pride of Essex, stepped into a pivotal three, giving Westminster its first lead since midway through the opening half. Still, the day belonged to Connor Gray ‘26. He took over on the floor, pouring in 19 points and dictating the second half with old-fashioned, hard-nosed drives to the rim. He lived at the line, dragged the Martlets into the double bonus, and refused to let the game tilt away. But of course, every good story needs drama. After a late turnover against pressure, Trinity-Pawling nudged ahead 49–47 with 3.7 seconds left. And then came the kind of moment players remember for years: Gray took the inbound, knifed up the court through two defenders, and buried a buzzer-beater that sent Pettee Gym into full eruption. Students rushed the floor, and for good reason, this was a win built on effort, poise, and resolve. A terrific team victory, one Westminster will try to harness as Black and Gold head back up to Deerfield on Saturday.