St. Mark’s School Boys Basketball capped an outstanding season by capturing the 2026 NEPSAC Class B Large Championship, defeating Canterbury School at Worcester Academy on Sunday, March 8.
Led by Head Coach Justin Perron, the Lions entered the postseason as the top-ranked team in NEPSAC Class B Large after a strong 19–6 regular season campaign.
Quarterfinals: St. Mark’s vs. Brooks School
St. Mark’s opened the tournament at home against No. 8 seed Brooks School on Wednesday, March 4. The Lions overcame an early deficit and pulled away in the second half to secure a convincing 70–52 victory.
Luca Palermo ’27 led the Lions with 20 points, while CJ Farrell ’27 added 15 points to help propel St. Mark’s into the semifinals.
Semifinals: St. Mark’s vs. Masters School
The Lions returned to the den on Saturday, March 7, once again hosting for the semifinals. St. Mark’s delivered a dominant performance led by the sharp shooting of Alex Echevarria ’26, defeating No. 4 seed Masters School 65–47 to advance to the NEPSAC championship game.
The victory set up a highly anticipated matchup with No. 2 seed Canterbury School in the final.
Championship: St. Mark’s vs. Canterbury School
Playing just down the road at Worcester Academy, the Lions faced No. 2 seed Canterbury School in a rematch of the Joe Lang Bowl. After a tightly contested first half, St. Mark’s took a 26–24 lead into halftime, fueled by strong shooting from CJ Farrell ’27 and Alex Echevarria ’26.
Canterbury came out strong in the second half and built a seven-point lead with 10 minutes remaining, but the Lions responded in electrifying fashion.
Game MVP Donovan Clement ’27 ignited the comeback with a remarkable stretch that included a four-point play and a thunderous alley-oop dunk, sparking a 12–2 St. Mark’s run that swung momentum decisively in the Lions’ favor.
St. Mark’s never looked back, securing the NEPSAC Class B Championship and finishing the season with an impressive 22–6 record, including a 16–1 mark against Class B opponents.
The title marks the program’s first NEPSAC championship since 2012.
Championship Apparel
Celebrate the Lions’ championship season! Official NEPSAC Championship apparel is now available for purchase. Fans, families, and alumni can show their pride by ordering their gear online.
Congratulations to Coach Perron and the entire team on an incredible season.
Go Lions!
