One fine day

Watertown, St. John's walk off DCU Center floor with state titles

Watertown's Benyam Kerman (left) tries to keep Keith Henry from the ball. Right, William Stamfard-O'Brien, Marco Coppola, Kyle Stockmal. (Photos by Mark Wilson/Globe Staff)

WORCESTER - "I'll be there in 10 to 13 minutes," reads Ricky Morrissey with a grumble to anyone within earshot, as he displays a friend's text message to a few of his Watertown High teammates nearby.

"Somebody actually wrote '10 to 13 minutes.' Are you kidding me?"

Twenty-five minutes before the biggest basketball game of their high school careers, the Raiders are enjoying the loose atmosphere in their locker room, deep in the bowels of the DCU Center.

Songs by Young Jeezy and Notorious B.I.G. are blaring through Morrissey's headphones. Kyle Stockmal is practicing his crossover dribble in the middle of the floor. Benyam Kerman is working on his shooting form from his chair, bantering playfully with the team's assistant coaches. A number of players are slouched in their chairs.

But with two words from coach Steve Harrington - "I'm ready" - the laid-back mood disappears in a snap. Heads bow and ears perk as the even-keeled Harrington breaks down the scouting report on Sabis, their foe in the Division 3 state final - never once raising his voice.

For decades, Raiders basketball has been a galvanizing charm in Watertown, an attraction that not only energizes the student body but keeps the locals coming back, year after year. Every player has his own motivation as the team heads into its second championship game in three seasons. It's a state final rematch against Sabis, a charter school from Springfield.

For a few, there is legacy.

The twins, Kyle and Cory Stockmal, have a link to the late '80s: Their father, Craig, coached the Raiders from 1985 to 1991.

Sophomore Marco Coppola is the younger brother of former Globe Super Teamer Anthony Coppola, who powered the Raiders to their first state title in 2007 and graduated as the school's all-time leading scorer (Kyle Stockmal broke his record this season).

For Morrissey and Kerman, there is continuity, and solace.

In his native Ethiopia, Kerman was living a "man's life" at the tender age of 5, helping to support his mother and sister by selling oranges, grapes, bananas, even gum - "anything I could find," he says - and sometimes even stealing from food stands. He has never met his father.

His mother and sister died when he was 6, and even now, he doesn't know the cause of death or where they are buried. ("When I grow up, I hope to find that out," he said.) At 6 1/2, he was adopted by Ben Kerman and Nan Decker in Watertown.

The 18-year-old Morrissey has been in foster care since he was a year old, and estimates he has been in "more than 10" different homes over that time.

At an early age, both found basketball in town to be a great release point for all of their stress. First, at the Boys and Girls club, and years later, at Casey Park.

"Basketball has been my one escape for me," says Morrissey, a 6-foot-3 forward. "When I'm down, I just go out and play. It makes me forget about a lot of things. That's been my only escape for everything - just playing ball."

Morrissey estimates he hasn't seen his biological father, who is incarcerated, in a decade. But their one enduring connection lies in his father's parting words: "Never give up. Always battle. Keep on fighting."

Back in the locker room, 16 minutes before the tip, Harrington echoes a similar mantra.

"It's been a hell of a run . . . hey, tougher team wins," he says, pausing briefly. "I'm looking in your eyes right now, and we're the tougher team. That's what wins these games."

In the first minute of the game, Kerman, the Raiders' savvy floor leader, dislocates the ring finger on his left hand, his dominant hand. But the finger is popped back into place, and taped together with his middle finger. He's back on the floor six minutes later, and never leaves again, pouring in 18 points, seemingly all pivotal, continually beating defenders off the dribble to the basket.

Early in the second quarter, Kerman takes a foul driving to the basket. He turns around and swiftly chest-bumps the defender to the floor, drawing a technical foul.

A point made, but a move no less out of character for Watertown folk. In a way, the town's mood is somewhat reflected in the faithful that have shown up today.

No, this is not like the rabid, red-clad St. John's of Shrewsbury student body that will arrive in several hours for the Division 1 final, barking out rehearsed chants and nearly breaking down the hockey boards barricading them from the floor.

Later that evening, the Pioneers complete their mission.

One year after suffering a crushing 68-47 defeat to Central Catholic in the final, St. John's plays with purpose from the opening tap and pulls away for an 80-62 win over Lynn English, receiving contributions across the board, from sophomore Richard Rodgers (28 points) to dogged senior defender Anthony Trapasso, their exuberant fandom nearly raising the roof at the DCU Center.

The Watertown fans are more humble. But they are no less resilient, and intensely passionate about basketball.

"This has always been a big basketball town," says Craig Stockmal, seated in the front row of Section 116 for the state final. "And it's not just big with the student body, but it's the townspeople that really [help carry it] . . . it's a priority."

His two sons recalled being constantly stopped by adults in the street all week of the championship game.

"Honestly, this isn't even a joke, every time I'm on the street I get stopped," says Cory Stockmal. "On the way to practice, parents stop me. . . . I'm at the post office, and some guy who knew my dad says 'Good luck, I've watched you guys play.' "

The Raiders trail by one point (45-44) at the end of the third quarter, but a 10-0 run, with Coppola and Kerman draining threes, provides a comfortable 59-49 cushion. Kyle Stockmal (game-high 27 points) ices the game in the final two minutes with his smooth stroke at the free-throw line, and Watertown prevails, 68-63, for its second state championship.

The Raiders flood the floor in euphoria, hugs all around. And when they are presented with the championship plaque, the majority are donning red T-shirts proclaiming "state champions."

After a few minutes of ecstatic howls back in the locker room, Harrington chokes up as he addresses his team. He takes a moment to single out Kerman and Morrissey, telling them how happy he is for all they've fought through.

"You guys are warriors, truly warriors," he tells them. "And they're not the only ones, but I wanted to single you guys out."

Everyone from the starters down to the scout team and equipment manager is getting Harrington's nod. He reminds them of what a special occasion this is, and how long it will hold up.

"Twenty, 30 years from now, we'll be getting together," Harrington says. "Ten years from now, we'll be getting together . . . I'm just so happy for you guys."

In the media room, sighs of joy are exhaled as reporters surround Harrington and the Stockmals. A television news camera is jammed in front of Morrissey's face, and he just keeps telling everyone the same thing.

"This is the happiest day of my life," he beams.

Minutes later, as the team is led out of the building toward the buses lining Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Morrissey stopped for a moment in the hallway to hoist the trophy.

He then craned his neck upward and delivered a big smooch.

Brendan Hall can be reached at bhall59@hotmail.com.