LOWELL – When push came to shove, New Mission boys basketball head coach Eleazar Clayton fully believed in the grit, determination and leadership of his team to finish the job.

What that meant was a defensive clinic down the stretch to power the second-seeded Titans (19-6) past No. 1 Hoosac Valley, 57-49, in the Div. 5 state final at the Tsongas Center on Saturday.

An intense back-and-forth game throughout the fourth quarter was halted by an 8-2 run over the final couple minutes, separating a mere two-point lead to deliver the program its first state title since 2016.

Jamari Toney-Simmons led all scorers with 17 points while Solis Blue and Musa Fofana each added 12 for New Mission, but it was late steals from Blue and Joseph Jackson (four steals), and strong rebounding, that punctuated the championship.

“What we did isn’t rocket science … they just played tough, hard-nosed basketball,” Clayton said. “I’m just proud of them, man. They locked up defensively that whole entire game. We didn’t get every call, but we played through it. We played through it. … This is them. Four years of these guys being at the school.”

“Words can’t even speak what I feel,” Toney-Simmons added. “I’ve been doing this for four years. … Last year, we got out first round. We made a commitment to coach that we would bring him one, and so we did.”

Shots weren’t falling for the Titans on their first looks in the first half, and the Hurricanes (22-3) took advantage.

Frank Field scored seven of his team-high 15 points in the first quarter for Hoosac Valley, powering a 15-10 lead entering the second. His put-back tip gave it a 19-12 lead early in the frame, and four points from Qwanell Bradley (13 points) powered an 8-0 run for a 27-22 lead entering the break.

New Mission never seemed like it was losing its reach, though, using seven offensive rebounds and five forced turnovers to fuel a run as long as 10-0 to even lead at one point in the second. Chaotic defensive intensity high beyond the arc gave Hurricanes ball-handlers trouble, producing offensive chances in transition that the Titans crashed the glass on to stay close.

“We just emphasized rebound, rebound, rebound,” Clayton said. “Rebound and run. Let’s rebound and run.”

Defensive prowess really showed up in the second half.

Continued pressure on the ball led to Hoosac Valley settling for 3-pointers when it finally got space on the outside, but it shot 0-for-13 from deep. New Mission wasn’t finding much offensive success itself in the third quarter, but allowing only seven points helped it head into the fourth with a 35-34 lead.

Offense erupted in a wild start to the fourth, with eight points each from Blue and Toney-Simmons pacing a game-best 22-point frame. Tough finishes around the hoop highlighted a six-point quarter from Adan Wicks (eight points) to keep Hoosac Valley in it, though, and Field awoke from slow second and third quarters with four more points with the title on the line.

The teams traded buckets all the way until the final few minutes when Blue’s dunk gave New Mission a 49-45 lead. His layup on the next possession put the Titans up 53-49, and the defense from the whole group kept Hoosac Valley off the board from there.

“I thought the team showed great leadership out there today with their defense,” said Toney-Simmons. “Everyone, one-through-five, even from the bench, we’re all playing defense.”

Lawrence JaJa Davis was critical in the win with eight points and nine rebounds. Toney-Simmons and Fofana combined for 15 rebounds.

Hoosac Valley’s Trevor Moynihan dribbles in front of New Mission’s Musa Fofana during the Div. 5 boys basketball state title in Lowell. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)