Mount Everett Rallies in Second Half to Earn State Tourney Win
SHEFFIELD, Mass. — Mount Everett earned its first-ever state tournament victory Tuesday night, defeating Argosy Charter, 65-57, in Division 5 action.
The Eagles (19-3) showcased balanced scoring, with four players finishing in double figures. Trevor Leonard led the way with 20 points, Darius Taliaferro added 18, Brady Carpenter chipped in 13 and Guthrie Davis contributed 10.
Mount Everett came out firing. Taliaferro knocked down two early 3-pointers to set the tone, and the Eagles moved the ball effectively against Argosy’s zone defense. Crisp ball movement opened driving lanes, leading to two old-fashioned three-point plays from Leonard, who poured in 11 points in the opening quarter.
Defensively, Mount Everett opened in a box-and-one to limit Argosy sharpshooter Eric Coward. While the strategy worked initially, the visitors found offense elsewhere. Tristan DeOliveira caught fire in the first half, burying five three-pointers, including a pair in quick succession, to help Argosy take a 33-30 lead into halftime.
After the break, Mount Everett adjusted defensively, mixing up looks to disrupt Argosy’s rhythm. Still, the visitors appeared to seize control late in the third quarter, using a 6-0 run to build a 46-40 lead with under two minutes remaining.
Taliaferro responded emphatically.
He ignited a personal 9-0 run, fueled by aggressive defense and transition opportunities. The surge culminated in a corner 3-pointer just before the buzzer to give Mount Everett a 49-46 lead heading into the fourth.
“We’ve had this happen a few times this year,” coach Jowe Warren said. “That’s the thing about this team. We don’t give up no matter the circumstance. We talk about overcoming adversity all the time. We just kept battling, stayed focused on the moment, and we were able to come out on top today.”
The late third-quarter run energized the home crowd and carried into the final period. Mount Everett’s full-court pressure began creating turnovers and disrupting Argosy’s offensive flow.
With the game hanging in the balance, Carpenter delivered a pivotal play, grabbing an offensive rebound and converting an and-one with 4:34 remaining to extend the lead to six. From there, Argosy struggled to break the pressure and generate clean looks.
“What we like to do is press,” Warren said. “If we had eight bodies at all times, we would do it even more. We saved it for the second half, and the boys did a good job creating turnovers and helping us come back.”
The victory marked a historic milestone for the program, Mount Everett’s first state tournament win. Securing it on their home floor made the moment even more special.
The Eagles will now turn their attention to the second round, traveling to face Holbrook in the Division 5 State Tournament.