Tigers Coach Tee Johnson said, “I reminded them that a game can be won by just one point. Sometimes we win by a lot in this league, so the players feel defeated when the game is close. But it’s simple: we must get one basket at a time and one stop at a time.”

That reminder was the catalyst that ignited a game-changing comeback, leading to an impressive 66-52 triumph.

With a record of 32-2, Jackson Reed came out of its locker room with less than a minute left on the halftime clock. They barely had enough time to take a few warmup shots before the third quarter began. However, the Tigers were ready to attack. They started the third quarter with an impressive 11-0 run, topped off by a thunderous dunk from junior Jayden Fort. The dunk was so remarkable that it forced Cardozo, with a record of 21-4, to take a timeout and sent half of the fans to their feet.

“We just wanted to swing the energy,” Fort said. “We knew the championship was ours if we really wanted it.”

The Tigers have emerged victorious in five out of the last seven DCIAA championships. However, they fell short in both 2020 and 2023. In the previous winter season, the team was shocked in the semifinals by Bard, who eventually went on to win the championship. But, the Tigers came back strong this season, finishing with an unbeaten league campaign. As a result, they have once again established themselves as the champions of the DCIAA and one of the best teams in the entire D.C. area.

“We had a chip on our shoulder in practice every day,” senior guard Joseph McRae said. “It feels like we really deserve this moment right now.”

The Jackson-Reed Tigers will now turn their attention to the D.C. State Athletic Association tournament, which they last won in 2018. However, they lost in the state title game to Sidwell Friends last year.

“We’re going to try to find the balance between keeping our guys as fresh as possible while also keeping them focused,” Johnson said. “We want to be locked in.”