By: Brandon Jones ’25
The St. Paul’s Varsity Basketball Team wrapped up a thrilling and hard-fought season that showcased their resilience, growth, and determination from start to finish. Led by Head Coach Phil Hahn and assistant coaches Miguel, Kevin, Keal, and Zeke, the team battled through early setbacks, emerged stronger through conference play, and pushed all the way to the championship game.
A Season of Highs and Lows
The team opened the season with a dominant 79–25 win at home over Beth Tfiloh, holding their opponents to just 19% shooting from the field. But just four days later, they faced one of Maryland’s top teams, Mount St. Joseph, and fell 76–37. St. Paul’s rebounded quickly with a 42-point road win over Park (71–29), only to drop a tightly contested game to John Carroll, 57–43.
After Thanksgiving, the schedule intensified. A tough 4-games-in-6-days stretch included close losses to Gilman (54–58) and McDonogh (54–66), and a heartbreaker against New Town, where a last-second putback by Cahron Wheeler came just after the buzzer in a 49–51 defeat. But the team also showed grit, pulling out wins over SEED (61–46) and displaying defensive tenacity in critical moments.
By this point, the team’s record sat at 3–5, but with conference play ahead, the most meaningful games were still to come.
Turning the Tide in Conference Play
The Crusaders opened MIAA B Conference play with an 18–4 run against Chapelgate and never looked back, winning 70–55. That was followed by a 14-point victory over Friends and a nail-biting one-point win over Episcopal. Despite a 21-point loss the next day to Boys’ Latin, January proved to be a breakthrough month.
St. Paul’s went 7–2 in January, including a five-game win streak and key conference victories over Concordia, Friends, Severn, St. Mary’s, and Archbishop Curley. Close losses to Gerstell (43–47) and AACS (56–58) only seemed to sharpen their focus.
Strong Finish and Playoff Push
The Crusaders closed the regular season with a perfect 5–0 run in conference play, finishing with an 11–2 conference record and earning a first-round playoff bye. That set up a highly anticipated semifinal rematch with AACS—one of the season’s toughest opponents.
In the playoff game, St. Paul’s trailed most of the way and entered the fourth quarter down 39–51. But the final minutes brought a dramatic shift. Andrew Cooper sparked the comeback with a steal-and-score and clutch free throws. Cahron Wheeler slashed through defenders for a tough layup, and Cooper converted another basket to close the gap. With eight seconds left, a perfectly executed sequence between Cahron, Kaden, and Cooper ended with Cahron knocking down a mid-range jumper to tie the game and force overtime.
St. Paul’s rode that momentum into OT, with big plays from Bryce Matthews and key free throws sealing a 65–58 win—and punching their ticket to the championship game at UMBC.
Championship Battle at UMBC
The final against Severn, who St. Paul’s had edged earlier in the season 53–52, promised another tight battle. After falling behind 7–0, St. Paul’s responded with eight straight points and held a 1-point lead after the first quarter. But from the second quarter on, the game turned into a defensive slugfest. Severn took a 17–16 lead into halftime and outscored St. Paul’s 18–7 in the third quarter to go up by double digits.
St. Paul’s continued to fight, cutting into the lead with an 8–2 run late in the fourth and forcing turnovers, but Severn hit their free throws when it mattered most and held on to win 51–42.
A Season to Remember
Despite the championship loss, the 2024–25 St. Paul’s Varsity Basketball team proved they had championship DNA. They showed heart, hustle, and an unbreakable bond both on and off the court. Through adversity, close games, and emotional wins, the team’s commitment to each other and to improving every day was evident.
They may not have taken home the trophy, but they left no doubt: this team was something special.
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