Totino-Grace Earns First State Title in School History!

When Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN picked up his third foul in the first half, Totino-Grace Head Coach Nick Carroll had a decision to make:  stay big and have Chatman defend a top Islander option, or go smaller (a relative term when it comes to the Eagles) to get another guard defender on the floor?  Carroll made the call that won the game. 

Six-foot-10 Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'9" | C Byron | 2022 State #145 Nation MN and 6-foot-9 Patrick Bath Patrick Bath 6'9" | C Totino Grace | 2023 State MN both had outstanding state tournaments resulting in selection to multiple Class AAA All State Tournament teams. 

Bath’s state tournament has likely made him a bigger target for college coaches.  Lee had a game high dozen rebounds plus he scored on three rolls to the rim late in the game that put away the Islanders for good.  Both bigs played an integral role in the victory.  However, the pair had to take turns down the stretch for the greater good. 

Totino-Grace 6-foot-8 wing Demarion Watson Demarion Watson 6'8" | SF Totino-Grace | 2022 State #150 Nation MN is one of the elite defenders in Minnesota.  Watson started the game on Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN but once Kyle Johnson Kyle Johnson 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2022 State MN hit three early triples for the DeLaSalle Islanders, Watson moved over to Johnson, and didn’t allow Kyle to score a field goal the rest of the contest.

At the half DeLaSalle was up 29-26.

"In the locker room Coach Carroll said we have to stick to the scout," Taison said. "( Kyle Johnson Kyle Johnson 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2022 State MN ) and ( Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN ) are the two main scorers so had to lock in and shut them down.  I think we did a great job with that and it was reflected in the win today."

Chatman was defending Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN but Taison picking up his third foul meant that having Chatman guard Whitlock in the second half - the DeLaSalle leading scorer - was a big risk.  Chatman is the Eagle playmaker and another foul could spell doom for Totino-Grace. This is where six foot guard Zy’lerre Stewart stepped on the floor and played a key second half role chasing Whitlock around the land mine screens DeLaSalle was setting. 

Stewart on the floor meant that Chatman was free to defend a non Islander scorer, and offensively take over the game in the final 6-7 minutes. 

Taison scored with a top of the key three, he pulled up and hit a jumper on the left wing, and Chatman’s three assists in the middle of the floor to Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'9" | C Byron | 2022 State #145 Nation MN won the contest.  Taison grabbed eight rebounds, scored his 15 points on ten shot attempts, and had the majority of his assists in the clutch. 

"I knew my team needed a bucket and usually when my team needs a bucket they go to me," Chatman said. "I stepped into that role today.  And Ahjany, that’s my guy and we work on that pick and roll in practice. So those plays just came natural to us."

The defensive changes made by Carroll allowed the Eagles to play a more spaced out game offensively, and the Watson/Stewart pair limited Johnson/Whitlock to a total of three second half baskets. It was State Championship formula.  A formula that allowed Totino-Grace to win their first State Championship in boys basketball history.