Everything was slipping away from the New Hanover boys basketball team.

The Wildcats had blitzed out to a 31-18 first-quarter lead in the 2025 NCHSAA 4A state championship against North Mecklenburg on March 15. Minutes later, that cushion was gone. The walls closed fast.

North Meck dominated the third quarter and pushed its lead to seven with less than a minute left in the fourth. New Hanover looked finished.

But the Wildcats refused to fold, scraping away quick scores until the margin was down to three in the final seconds.

One last chance. One last shot to force overtime.

Junior Kellum Brown got it. The 6-foot-5 forward drifted to the left corner as teammate Rodmik Allen was trapped and fired a pass through traffic, hitting Brown in rhythm. Brown rose. Released. The ball arced c

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