The Toronto basketball team celebrates after winning the OVAC Class 2A championship on Saturday - Andrew Grimm

After more than three decades and several heartbreaks, the Toronto boys basketball team ended the drought and brought an OVAC title back to the Gem City with a 54-48 victory over Caldwell in the Class 2A championship game inside the ECO Center Saturday afternoon.

“Words can’t desscribe what this means,” veteran Toronto head coach Sean Tucker said. “I’m so excited for our guys, they deserve every bit of this.”

Toronto’s last title came in the 1991-92 season before the era of a conference tournament. The Red Knights had played in the final multiple times – including last season – and been upset as the top seed before, making Saturday’s victory that much sweeter.

“This is very special fot our school, our town and our community,” Tucker said. “It’s great day to be a Red Knight.”

Toronto' senior Austin Buchanan embraces coach Sean Tucker after the clock hit zeroes. - Andrew Grimm

As the clock hit zeroes, a large Toronto crowd that made the trip went into a long-awaited frenzy and Tucker had emotional embraces with multiple players, senior standout Austin Buchanan – the game MVP – being the first to hug his head coach.

“We’ve been though a lot of adversity since last season,” an emotional Tucker said. “I lost my mom, a couple players lost family members. They aren’t here with us tonight, but we knew they were here with us tonight. I thank God for the opportunity to work with this group of young men every day. We talk about being a family, and this team is the true meaning of that.

“Our school, our town has a lot to be proud of. We’re OVAC champions, but like we told the boys before the game, win or lose today they already have carried themselves like champions in everything they’ve done.

“Our town rallied around us, our student section was awesome and our town showed up for us. Our kids deserve that. It’s a great day for Toronto.”

The Red Knights (18-3) never trailed and had the lead for more than 29 of the 32 minutes, but also never led by more than 10. Every time the Redskins (15-4) would make a push, though, the Knights came up with an answer the other way. More times than not, that answer came in the form of a Buchanan 3-pointer as he drained five of them on his way to a game-high 21 points with four rebounds and two assists.

Toronto's Brady Fair goes up for a layup attempt against Caldwell. - Andrew Grimm

“He’s a player, he’s got a high basketball IQ,” Tucker said of Buchanan. “But, he’ll be the first to tell you he doesn’t go unless the other four players on the floor are going and helping him. There isn’t one player on this team that would say ‘I’ it’s all about ‘us’ as a team. Those kids have bought into that.”

Toronto opened a 16-6 lead in the first with a 6-0 run, which ended up being their biggest run and lead of the game, but Caldwell battled back within 18-15 after one.

Toronto opened a 10-point lead again late in the second quarter as they drained 3s on back-to-back possessions and led by eight at the break.

Caldwell had another push in the third, knoting the game at 35-all, though Toronto pushed back ahead by five and led by two – 40-38 – going to the fourth quarter.

The Redskins tied the game one more time in the fourth at 40-all, but Buchanan hit one of his momentum-swinging 3s the other way and the Knights pushed back ahead.

Toronto's Brody Winters puts in a layup against Caldwell. - Andrew Grimm

Brady Fair had a big two-and-one play to make it an eight-point lead with under three minutes to play, but Caldwell was not done yet as they pulled back within two with 39 seconds to go.

From there, though, Toronto got a couple of key rebounds, a big steal and went 4 of 6 from the line in the closing seconds to put things away.

“We saw guys step up in big situations when we needed guys to step up,” Tucker said. “You could see the experience of having been here before. The experience showed today what these guys are capable of when the game is on the line.”

Fair backed up Buchanan’s big day with 15 points of his own, including going 7 of 9 from the foul line. He also had four rebounds. Colt Joynson had nine points and a team-high seven rebounds to go with three assists and a steal. Landon Grimes also netted eight points. Michael Henry tallied six rebounds and three assists.

While Caldwell had more points in the paint (30-14), Toronto’s 13 of 20 showing from the line helped make the difference. They had nine makes in the fourth quarter alone.

The Knights shot 42.5 percent overall and 43.8 percent from beyond the arc. Caldwell was 42.6 percent overall and just 23.1 percent from the outside.

Caldwell got 15 points and 11 rebounds Guiler Preston.

UP NEXT

The Red Knights have one more regular season game – hosting Bridgeport on Friday night – before it is district tournament time.

OVAC Boys Basketball Tournament

Class 2A Championship

at the ECO Center

No. 1 Toronto 54, No. 2 Caldwell 48

C 15-10-13-10 – 48

T 18-15-7-14 – 54

CALDWELL (15-4): Schott 6-14 0-0 13; Erb 1-4 0-0 2; Starr 1-4 0-0 2; Egnot 2-4 2-2 6; Preston 7-12 1-1 15; Brown 2-7 0-0 6; Cool 1-2 2-2 4. TOTALS: 20-47, 5-5; 48.

TORONTO (18-3): Grimes 3-11 0-0 8; Joynson 4-9 1-3 9; Winters 0-4 0-0 0; Buchanan 6-10 4-6 21; Fair 4-6 7-9 15; Henry 0-0 1-2 1; Rebich 0-0 0-0 0; Close 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 17-40, 13-20; 54.

3-POINTERS: Caldwell 3 (Cool 2, Schott); Toronto 7 (Buchanan 5, Grimes 2). ASSISTS: Caldwell 4 (Erb 2); Toronto 8 (Joynson 3, Henry 3). REBOUNDS: Caldwell 24 (Preston 11); Toronto 30 (Joynson 7). STEALS: Caldwell 11 (Preston 5); Toronto 3 (Grimes, Joynson, Winters). BLOCKS: Caldwell 1 (Preston); Toronto 1 (Buchanan). TURNOVERS: Caldwell 13; Toronto 15.