Windham captures second straight state boys’ basketball title

By Matt Pascarella

Windham boys’ basketball faced off against South Portland for the second time this season during the AA state Championship on Saturday, March 1 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland and this time the Eagles prevailed to win a second straight state basketball championship.

Windham High School won a second consecutive Gold Ball
by defeating South Portland, 55-52, and winning the 
2024-2025 Class AA State Boy's Basketball Championship
on Saturday, March 1 at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

South Portland had led most of the game but late in the fourth quarter Windham turned things around and showed a packed house who was hungrier. The Eagles took the lead and at the buzzer had captured another Class AA state title, 55-52.

“It would have meant a lot (to my dad),” said junior AJ Moody. “I know he’s proud and he was on the court helping me taking charge. I would never take charge, and he would practice and get close, and I felt that here today. Energy, adversity, staying composed, and leaning on each other led to the win. We could tell we had the chemistry flowing through us and we knew we were going to win this game.”

Windham senior Conor Janvrin opened the game with a three-pointer. Windham offense rebounded and junior Tyrie James forced a turnover he then took to the hoop.

“I think it honestly says something about the program,” said assistant coach Geoff Grigsby, about winning two consecutive state championships. “We lose seven seniors from last year’s team and three starters. Key guys come off the bench and we’re just as talented, if not maybe a little more talented at least from an offensive standpoint and showed we could be mentally tough as well. Tyrie getting hurt and us losing three games in a row, and having to figure things out, really helped this team ... get motivated. The one team we lose to at full strength we end up playing in the championship game. It was such a mirror image to last year’s run, but it was such a different team and such different dynamics at play. It makes it so much sweeter at the end.”

Creighty Dickson of Windham said he was humbled to win another state championship.

“It feels amazing, obviously, to come out on top as a senior and for all the senior guys – we just work for it all year,” said Dickson, who scored 16 points and surpassed 500 career rebounds. “We were willing to fight throughout the whole game. Adversity hits sometimes and we just kept playing through. We communicated really well, we worked hard on defense, and we did what we needed to do which was stop Manny (Hidalgo). Last year we were the underdogs and this year we were the team getting hunted every game. We’re the best team. I’ll remember all the practices, all the work we put in in the offseason, always coming together and going out to eat together. Our community is just the best community in the state – it gives us energy and something to play for.”

South Portland led 34-31 at the half. But in the second half, Windham wasn’t far off from the heels of South Portland and a foul shot from Dickson tied the game at 47-47.

As the clock ticked away Windham tied the game at 52-52. James then made two crucial free throws to give Windham an edge.

“At the Edward Little game I missed four free throws,” James said. “In practice I started taking them more seriously, working on my breath; I had the coaches help me with that. Last year we started off strong and then Gorham came back, this year I felt like we were behind and kept moving the ball ... we just kept going. The only difference (between last year’s team and this year’s) is people are stepping into different roles. The week leading up we each had to focus, and I feel like we did that. I feel like in the second half, we boxed out more and got more rebounds ... we started to understand where they were getting their points, and we started to stop that from happening.”

For senior Braycen Freese, this season was extra special because last year he primarily played on the WHS junior varsity. This year, he earned a spot with the varsity guys. He stepped up as a leader to help the team win more. He said he’ll remember winning this last game with his best friends.

“I’m just super happy for our kids,” said Windham coach Chad Pulkkinen. There’s so much pressure on these guys and they so badly wanted to win it all for Pat. As a longtime resident of Windham, I’m just really proud of the young men ... we get to coach every day. South Portland ... didn’t want to go away ... we knew they weren’t just going to lay down for us – we wanted it the hard way, the guys enjoy those challenges and was just a testament to what this group is capable of. These guys had to answer the bell every night ... and that’s really hard to do as a teenager and really hard to do when the target is on your back. It was a collective effort, and we take a lot of pride in that.” <

Windham varsity boys’ basketball team wins first AA state championship in program history

By Matt Pascarella

From the very start of the season, the Windham varsity boys’ basketball team showed they had what it took to go all the way. On Saturday, March 2 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland during the AA state championship against Gorham, Windham fought hard for 32 minutes – forced overtime – and came away with the first gold ball in the program’s history after a 62-58 win.

Windham High's varsity basketball team celebrates after
winning the Class AA State Championship on March 2
at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. From left are 
assistant coach Noah Estey, Braycen Freese, Noah Mains,
Beni Ninziza, manager Paolo Ventura, Joseph Blige, Tyrie
James, Conor Janvrin, Ryan Smyth, Colin Janvrin, Erik
Bowen, Creighty Dickson, Matt Searway, assistant coach
Geoff Grigsby, head coach Chad Pulkkinen, Blake
McPherson, assistant coach George McCrillis (far right),
and bottom row from left are Quinton Lindsay, AJ Moody,
and Grant Coppi. PHOTO BY SGIRARDPHOTOGRAPHY 
  

“I dreamed about this when we were in middle school,” said senior Quinton Lindsay. “Always wanted a gold ball; just a perfect way to end the story. We were all together – we did not get down on each other, if we got down, we knew we would have fallen apart, we stayed composed and won the game. We just knew one stop at a time, one stop and we’d be champions – and we are.”

According to sophomore AJ Moody, being surrounded by the community is amazing; it brought them closer together as a team. Winning this state championship is the best feeling with his brothers and such great coaches.

“My mindset was that we were going to win,” said sophomore Tyrie James. “Every time we scored [toward the end of the game] the excitement was just there. Even if it was an open layup, everyone on the bench, the fans they would all get loud. It’s good to know people come to your games to watch your whole team play. Our defense was amazing, and our composure was good too; at the end of the game hitting free throws. There was just so much excitement [toward the end of overtime], we had to get psyched and celebrate.”

HARD WORK

Windham hit the court with tenacity; they knew what Gorham could do. Lindsay hit a three-pointer and soon Windham led 9-0.

“We knew that [Gorham] would go on runs, they’re a high-powered offensive team,” said senior Erik Bowen. “We just stayed together like we have all year. It's taken a lot of hard work, these seniors have battled together, been a tight-knight group for many years, friends on and off the court, there was no separation from grade to grade; it’s just one big family. Coach Pulkkinen always talks about be where your feet are and ... that’s how we got through this season - now we’re state champions, one day, one moment at a time.”

Moody hit a three-pointer and Lindsay scored again from the top of the key. After one quarter, Windham led 23-7.

“These guys are such a good group of young men,” said Windham assistant varsity coach George McCrillis. “Our loss to Gorham [in the regular season] we came out of that and said that might be a good thing ... it took us down a little bit ... those guys are going to be in our sights ... [Gorham] was the team we wanted to play in this game. I’ve been around this game for 55 years, I’ve been associated with some really good teams, but this is the greatest group of young men and coaches – Chad is so dedicated and puts in so much time; he coached these guys up for this game. And the support from the community has been unbelievable; it has a very big impact. We’re about a team.”

Gorham scored several three-pointers in the second quarter and made up the difference. Windham led 27-26 at the half.

As Windham took the court in the second half, they remained composed. They hustled, but not all shots were falling. This game was very close. Every time Windham scored the Cross Insurance Arena thundered with praise from supporters. The game was tied at 34, then Windham took the lead, then Gorham had the lead. Then the game was tied at 39.

Tensions were high as the clock wound down. Moody hit another three-pointer. With 53 seconds left, the game was tied at 49. Windham defense ran out the clock as they headed into overtime.

Senior Blake McPherson helped Windham pull away when he sunk a three-pointer. Lindsay sunk a foul shot. With two minutes left, Windham led by two.

Just 31 seconds remained and Windham led by three, then 27.5 seconds remained and Windham expanded that lead to five points and Gorham was unable to recover.

James finished with 17 points, 1 rebound, and was 11-13 at the foul line. Moody had 12 points, 2 rebounds, and was 4-4 at the foul line. Junior Creighty Dickson had 12 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and went 4-5 at the foul line. Lindsay had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and was 2-6 at the foul line. McPherson had 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and went 3-3 in the field during the fourth quarter and overtime.

RESILIENT

“They’re always coming back,” said assistant Windham varsity coach Geoff Grigsby. “I wasn’t worried when we were down 12 to Portland in the semifinal, I wasn’t worried when we were down five at the end of the game just because I know how resilient we are. I knew we were going to be good. I thought we could do this this year because our senior group was super special, and we had super talented young guys. They’re the best leaders we’ve ever had.”

Grigsby had nothing but amazing things to say about each senior on the team – their skill, work ethic and character.

To Windham varsity assistant coach Noah Estey, this game meant everything; being a teacher and coach is all about giving kids opportunities to be successful. To create memories and develop confidence in themselves. This is a special group of guys and Estey was honored to be a small piece of the historic puzzle. Coaches Pulkkinen, McCrillis, Grisgsby, students at Windham High and the community were a perfect and emotional way to end one of the best experiences of Estey’s whole life.

“It means everything to me because these guys got to experience it,” said Windham head varsity coach Chad Pulkkinen. “That’s all I wanted; I just wanted these guys to feel what they’re feeling right now and all the hard work they put in. We had so many alumni that I’ve coached that were reaching out wishing us luck and ... this group is very special and have set a standard for groups to come of how to play unselfishly and stick together and be good kids and most important that’s what they are, a great group of kids, who happen to be really good at basketball.”

Windham was led by great seniors who showed the younger guys the way. Pulkkinen has never been more confident in a team throughout a season than this one. <