Panthers Fall to Hazen in Semis, End Championship Bid
March 22, 2026
On March 12, 2026, TA’s varsity boys basketball team headed to the Barre Auditorium to take on a familiar rival – the Hazen Wildcats – in the Division III semifinal. The Panthers were making a run for their third consecutive state championship, having defeated Hazen the last two title games.
The #6 seed Panthers handily prevailed over Woodstock in the quarterfinals, but the number #2 seed Hazen came to the Aud ready to flip the script. After an exciting first quarter of neck in neck scoring from both teams, the Panthers fell behind by nine in the second quarter. Despite cutting the deficit to just seven in the third quarter, the Panthers never fully recovered.
They also kept fighting till the end. “This team fought hard tonight,” said Panthers’ coach Jason Gray in an interview with the Valley News. “I felt like they never gave up, even with the lumps we took during the game.” The final score was 69-52.
Top scorers for the Panthers included senior Braxton Adams (24 points), who the Valley News said “at times single-handedly tried to will the Panthers back into the game,” and junior Connor Sloop (16 points). The team graduates seven seniors: Andrew Spooner, Braxton Adams, Liam Brooks, Sam Parkman, Tommy Amber, William Phelps, and Xander Oshoniyi.
Congratulations on a great season, Panthers!
Photo credit: https://jrphotography40.mypixieset.com/
