Old Lyme And 21-Year-Old Coach Win State Boys Hoops Title

UNCASVILLE, CT — In 1968-69, a 26-year-old coach brought his intensity and spirit to a small, Connecticut shoreline high school in Old Lyme.

On Sunday, an emotional 21-year-old coach took Old Lyme High School to a level of achievement not even a future hall-of-famer could accomplish.

Brady Sheffield, who in 2019 walked off the Mohegan Sun Arena court as a runner-up while playing for Old Lyme, jumped up and down on that same floor as a champion coach in 2024.

And in defeating Coventry High School, 55-42, in the CIAC Division V boys basketball championship, Sheffield's team photo will be a mainstay in OLHS' athletics office just like another photo — University of Connecticut coaching legend Jim Calhoun's team.

Though Calhoun only coached one year at Old Lyme, his legacy there is as remembered there as his legacy at UConn.

Sheffield called him "coach" after hoisting the state championship plaque Sunday.

"We got a picture of 'coach' in the athletics office," Sheffield said before reflecting on his emotional debut season with his team. "I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I'm super excited."

A lot of history was on the line Sunday afternoon, but the ultimate milestone was Old Lyme High School winning its first-ever title.

When the Wildcats last played for a title, Sheffield was a senior who lost.

He said after the game the pain he experienced at his last high school game as a player fueled his desire not to repeat that history.

"I love them so much," Sheffield said of his players. "I didn't want them to experience that pain as in '19."

When the game tipped off, the storyline and history-making potential were apparent.

This game featured Coventry coach Lois Hasty, the only woman coaching boys' basketball in Connecticut, against the young coaching wunderkind.

Those unique angles, though, took a back seat to a game paced deliberately, but still intense.

The third-seed Wildcats entered Sunday's championship game with an 18-6 record, including tournament wins, while the eight-seed Patriots of Coventry were 15-8, including three victories in the CIAC tournament.

Old Lyme was looking to win its first state championship, while Coventry was looking to win its second, the last one coming back in 1989.

The game started slowly, with Old Lyme nursing a 4-2 lead halfway through the first quarter as the turnover bug and cold shooting plagued both squads.

When the first-quarter horn sounded, the Wildcats were clinging to a 7-4 lead in a low-scoring defensive contest.

Old Lyme opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run, but Coventry righted the ship and the half ended with the Patriots on a run, with a three-pointer by senior Aidan Hecht cutting the deficit to just one, 18-17.

That was the score at halftime, with the game low-scoring, but highly competitive.

The second half opened with Coventry scoring right away to take the lead 19-18, but each side settled down and the game became a back-and-forth affair during the third quarter.

With championship game jitters seemingly shelved, Coventry and Old Lyme settled down and executed in the third quarter, with the Patriots up 32-31 over the Wildcats.

Old Lyme started the fourth quarter strong and went on a 9-2 run to go up 40-34 with a little more than 5 minutes left, prompting Sheffield to call a timeout to settle the game down.

Old Lyme senior Edward Fiske Jr. hit two free throws with two and a half minutes left, putting Old Lyme up double digits at 44-34, putting the Patriots in desperation mode.

Down the stretch, Old Lyme sank enough free throws to not be challenged again, walking off the court as state champions.

Old Lyme's well-balanced attack was led by senior Leland Hines, who had 10 points and eight rebounds and was named the game's most outstanding player.

Meanwhile, Sheffield couldn't stop smiling after the game — and who could blame him?

"It doesn't even feel real. I'm so happy for the kids, so proud of the kids," he said. "It was a goal of ours when we were coming in."

For the game statistics and a wrap-up, click on this link.