LOWELL – Norwell need a few extra minutes to make school history.

Ronan Coffey sent the game into overtime by nailing a 3-pointer as time expired, then added nine of his team’s 11 points in the extra session as the Clippers defeated 20th-seeded Old Rochester 64-61 to win the school’s first Div. 3 boys basketball title.

“I’ve been coaching here for 31 years. We’ve had some really good teams and haven’t done it,” said Norwell coach John Willis, whose team finished a perfect 25-0. “Winning a state title, it’s all about the kids, not about me or the coaches, but this is a special feeling.”

Added Coffey: “It’s a great feeling for the school, the coaches, and the community. We got our play, we got a good shot and this is the moment you train for.”

The first half showed that this would be a bloodbath in terms of intensity, and a game of back and forth scoring runs. The opening quarter went to the Clippers as their ferocious paint defense and rebounding stymied many of Old Rochester’s drives. The Bulldogs had sloppy stretches of bad turnovers, but was able to keep it close as they trailed 10-6 in a low scoring first.

The second became a bit of a shooting gallery as both teams combined for six three pointers, but it was Norwell coming out of it with a 25-22 lead at half.

Every punch that Norwell landed, Old Rochester matched. The Clippers started the third quarter on a quick 5-0 run, only to be matched by a 7-0 run. After a third quarter that saw three ties and four lead changes, it was Norwell who went into the fourth up one.

After more back and forth action, the Bulldogs found themselves up 54-51 with six seconds to go behind the play of Gavin Martin (27 points), when Coffey found his dead eye shooter mode to keep his team alive. In the overtime it was mostly a free throw shooting contest. In the end it was Coffey who could not be shaken as he finished with a game-high 30 points.

“It’s only fitting that the ball went to Ronan at that moment,” Willis said. “We could talk about him all night. He’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached.”