After starting the season with a record of 2-5, the Loomis boys basketball team has turned the corner, winning its last four games over Kent, Wilbraham & Monson, Milton Academy, and most recently, Belmont Hill.  

Although Kent was a bit of a runaway with a 45-point margin of victory, the wins over Wilbraham & Monson and Milton were crucial ones. 

Against a very talented Wilbraham & Monson team the Pelicans never stopped fighting, and their toughness on defense helped them their opponent to 53 points, while putting up 66 themselves to get the win. 

The defeat of Milton Academy, last year’s New England prep school Class A champion, was the biggest win of the season so far for the Pelicans. The game went to two overtimes, and Loomis Chaffee won by just one point. The game was nail-biter as Milton made multiple improbable shots with the clock winding down to push the game into multiple overtimes. However, Loomis eventually overcame Milton’s heroics and got the 78-77 victory. Picking up a significant win like this was a confidence booster for the Pelicans. 

The coaches attribute the team’s recent rise to three emerging qualities among the players: more focus on the details, more drive to compete, and increased toughness. “We have a super talented team, and the guys buying in has allowed us to get closer to reaching our full potential,” assistant coach C.J. Redd stated.

In another boost, one of the Pelicans’ leading scorers from last season, senior Caleb Crawford, returns to the line-up for their next game.

The Pelicans’ record sits at 6-5. Their next game is against Belmont Hill on Wednesday, January 17, at home in Olcott Gym.