The boys basketball team from Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford earned a spot in the NEPSAC Class B tournament for the first time since 2011.
The Kingswood Oxford boys basketball team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday, and then learned it had earned a spot in the NEPSAC Class B Tournament. Submitted photo
Submitted by John Nestor, Kingswood Oxford School
The Kingswood Oxford boys basketball team wrapped up its regular season with a Senior Day celebration on Saturday afternoon and then learned on Sunday that it has a lot more to play for.
The Wyverns made the NEPSAC Class B Tournament and are the no. 2 seed. Kingswood Oxford will open its quest for the Class B crown on Wednesday when it hosts Beaver Country Day School at 4 p.m.
On Saturday KO honored its 2017 senior class as captain Mark Billingsley, Matt Lord, Kishan Makati, Robert Siuta, Kareem Burton and Nick Ravalese played their final regular season home games in Hewett Gym.
The Kingswood Oxford boys basketball team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday, and then learned it had earned a spot in the NEPSAC Class B Tournament. Submitted photo
“The seniors on the 2016-17 team are a special group that have helped us re-establish the boys varsity basketball as one of the elite teams in our classification. These seniors have set the standard by which this program will judge itself going forward,” Kingswood Oxford coach Garth Adams said. “KO will always remember their contributions and the legacy they will leave us. I am so very proud of each member of this year’s senior class and I am honored to be their coach.”
The Wyverns were 15-8 overall this season and an impressive 12-1 in Class B. A win on Wednesday would move the Wyverns into the Class B semifinals on Saturday, March 4 at KO’s Hewett gym against the winner of the no. 3 Canterbury/no. 6 Marianapolis Prep matchup.
“The players on this team deserve all the credit for where we are now. They have dedicated themselves to a team concept and have competed at a high level all season,” Adams said. “They understand and have embraced the process of working to improve and get better each day.”
The Class B Championship game is scheduled for Sunday, March 5 at Clark University at 6 p.m.
“This is just a refection of the work that we put in all season. We did everything that we needed to do, and that resulted in the no. 2 seed of the New England tournament. We are all excited and ready to play this Wednesday,” Billingsley said.
The Wyverns are back in the NEPSAC Tournament for the first time since 2011, when they won the Class B crown. It has been process over the past few years getting back to that level and this year’s senior class has been a part of a big turnaround.
