Mohegan — When it was over, the all-Old Lyme coaching staff — town natives Brady Sheffield, Brendan McKeever and Phil Fazzino — executed an extended group bear hug with all the soaring emotions. The kids, as if on a safety blitz, beelined it to the student section, soaking in Wildcat Nation’s delirium.

And now you have a snippet of what history’s shapes and forms looked and sounded like Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Old Lyme 55, Coventry 42.

The first boys’ basketball state title (Division V) in school history, authored by Brady Sheffield, 21, the whiz kid head coach and his band of kids who believed from Day One, even Sunday alluding to the workouts in the seer of last summer when it all began.

“It means even more than we thought it would,” guard Charlie Sahadi said, fighting back tears a few times. “The best feeling ever.”

And to think it was all teetering late in the third quarter with the Wildcats down five, 30-25. Leading scorer Eddie Fiske had four points and the time. Old Lyme was clinking and clanking its way through, eventually heading to the final period of their season down 32-31.

Suddenly, as if fate had something redemptive in mind for the program that lost the 2019 final and was denied a chance in 2020 by Covid, the Wildcats awakened. Charlie Sahadi’s three-pointer with 7:37 left made it 34-32. Eli Sahadi scored a minute later and it was 36-32. And then what followed The Hot Sahadis was defense (held Coventry without a point for 4:20) and 15 free throws that ultimately sealed it.

“It all went back to the (outdoor) track back in June,” Charlie Sahadi said, alluding to what enabled the Wildcats to rally. “We knew we’d be on a big court (Mohegan) and conditioning was important. We kept pushing each other.”

Fiske led the Wildcats with 14 points, six of which came at the line in the last quarter. Leland Hine, named the game’s Most Outstanding Player, had 10 points and nine rebounds, holding the offense together earlier in the game. Coleman Curtiss-Reardon scored four of his 10 points in the final period. Charlie Sahadi had nine points and six rebounds.

Now they all have a banner.

“I’m so happy for the kids, the town. I just love our town,” Sheffield said. “What an unbelievable day. I’ve been watching Old Lyme basketball since I was five.”

Sheffield’s high school coach, Kirk Kaczor, was in the stands behind the Old Lyme bench, as was girls’ coach Don Bugbee, who won a state title at Mohegan Sun in 2009. A very Old Lyme day in Neon Uncasville.

“It wasn’t easy back in 19 when we lost and then in 20. I was in the same locker room as we’re in now devastated because we lost,” Sheffield said. “But this win, a lot of it goes to coach Kaczor.”

Sheffield was doing television interviews more than 20 minutes after the game ended, wearing the permanent smile.

“I’m just so excited for the boys. It’s them,” Sheffield said. “I was saying that to Brendan McKeever earlier this year. We’ve got these seniors. We’ve got to get it for them.”

m.dimauro@theday.com