Tim Kiggins, Holy Trinity ride crowd's energy to CHSAA title

Tim Kiggins has a way of getting under your skin. And he loves it.

In a loud, raucous Mack Sports Complex with the boys basketball CHSAA championship on the line, the Holy Trinity senior guard seemingly embraced every moment of the pandemonium. With a strong student presence on both sides for Holy Trinity and Chaminade, Kiggins had a way of toying with the opposing fans, while embracing and energizing his own.

“It’s entertaining,” Kiggins said. “They’re screaming and yelling my name. I love it. I feed off that”

After the score was knotted at 20 at halftime, Kiggins scored the first basket of the second half, knocking down a three-pointer, as the Titans recorded the first 10 points on the half, en route to their 48-45 victory over top-seeded Chaminade at Hofstra Tuesday evening.

“There were a lot of students,” Kiggins said. “Lot of yelling on each side, but Coach just told us to keep on focusing and the shots weren’t falling in the beginning, so we stayed strong on defense and the shots kept on falling.”

“He leads us,” coach Joe Conefry said of Kiggins. “He embraces these moments. He’s the kind of kid that can’t wait to play in these games and he’s fired up to make those big plays. It’s amazing”

Kiggins helped deliver Holy Trinity its first CHSAA title since 2014 as the Titans advance to the CHSAA state semifinal Saturday in Buffalo. 

“I’ve never beaten Chaminade, so it felt good to get that first one in a championship,” Kiggins said.

After a 9-0 Chaminade run tied the score at 41 with 1:36 remaining in the game, Holy Trinity junior guard Mike Sixsmith drove the basket, made the layup and completed a three-point play with 1:08 remaining in the game, taking a 43-40 lead.

Michael O’Connell made a layup for Chaminade in the ensuing possession, cutting Holy Trinity’s lead to 43-42 with 25 seconds remaining in the game. AJ Knight responded by making two foul shots for the Titans before O’Connell made another layup, cutting Chaminade’s lead to 46-45 with 10.2 seconds remaining.

Sixsmith iced the game with two made free throws with nine second remaining, before Chaminade’s three-pointer at the buzzer fell short, as the Titans held on for the win.

“I didn’t really do anything before, so I had to contribute in a way to win,” Sixsmith said. “Made some big plays at the right time, just tried to do it for the team”

Said Conefry, “They just know how to grind. They are tough, they all have a role, they embrace their role. As a coach, you can’t ask for more in a team.”

Knight finished with 16 points for Holy Trinity (17-5). Kiggins added 14 points and Sixsmith had 11. O’Connell had 20 points to lead Chaminade (18-7).

Kiggins has a way of getting under your skin. And he loves it.

In a loud, raucous Mack Sports Complex with the boys basketball CHSAA championship on the line, the Holy Trinity senior guard seemingly embraced every moment of the pandemonium. With a strong student presence on both sides for Holy Trinity and Chaminade, Kiggins had a way of toying with the opposing fans, while embracing and energizing his own.

“It’s entertaining,” Kiggins said. “They’re screaming and yelling my name. I love it. I feed off that”

After the score was knotted at 20 at halftime, Kiggins scored the first basket of the second half, knocking down a three-pointer, as the Titans recorded the first 10 points on the half, en route to their 48-45 victory over top-seeded Chaminade at Hofstra Tuesday evening.

“There were a lot of students,” Kiggins said. “Lot of yelling on each side, but Coach just told us to keep on focusing and the shots weren’t falling in the beginning, so we stayed strong on defense and the shots kept on falling.”

“He leads us,” coach Joe Conefry said of Kiggins. “He embraces these moments. He’s the kind of kid that can’t wait to play in these games and he’s fired up to make those big plays. It’s amazing”

Kiggins helped deliver Holy Trinity its first CHSAA title since 2014 as the Titans advance to play in the CHSAA state championships. “I’ve never beaten Chaminade, so it felt good to get that first one in a championship,” Kiggins said.

After a 9-0 Chaminade run tied the score at 41 with 1:36 remaining in the game, Holy Trinity junior guard Mike Sixsmith drove the basket, made the layup and completed a three-point play with 1:08 remaining in the game, taking a 43-40 lead.

Michael O’Connell made a layup for Chaminade in the ensuing possession, cutting Holy Trinity’s lead to 43-42 with 25 seconds remaining in the game. AJ Knight responded by making two foul shots for the Titans before O’Connell made another layup, cutting Chaminade’s lead to 46-45 with 10.2 seconds remaining.

Sixsmith iced the game with two made free throws with nine second remaining, before Chaminade’s three-pointer at the buzzer fell short, as the Titans held on for the win.

“I didn’t really do anything before, so I had to contribute in a way to win,” Sixsmith said.

Said Conefry, “They just know how to grind. They are tough, they all have a role, they embrace their role. As a coach, you can’t ask for more in a team.”

Knight finished with 16 points for Holy Trinity (17-5). Kiggins added 14 points and Sixsmith had 11. O’Connell had 20 points to lead Chaminade (18-7).