The Pilgrim boys basketball team held its Senior Night celebration at the school prior to tip off on Tuesday and not only recognized its team leaders, but also honored late principal Gerry Habershaw.

Habershaw passed away in 2021 and is remembered as one of the most celebrated principals in school history. He was a former state champion in basketball during his playing days with nearby Bishop Hendricken and would go on to be an avid fan of Pilgrim athletics during his tenure at the school.

During the Senior Night festivities, members of the Habershaw family along with locals who were close to Gerry gathered to honor his impact on the school.

“It’s very special since me and my assistant coach Steve Brewster had a personal connection with Gerry. It was a very difficult loss and was not a surprise how much it affected the kids at the school. He really made a big impact on the kids and the school, he made a great impression on the kids and their families and it was a huge loss,” said Pilgrim coach Sean Henseler, who was a teammate and friend of Habershaw’s at Hendricken. “It has taken us to this point to really feel like we can honor Gerry’s memory in a way that is befitting of everything that he had given to the community.”

The Pilgrim boys completed the season sweep of rival Toll Gate last week when it grabbed the 67-39 win. The Pats took home the 58-44 decision earlier this winter.

The Pats were led by Carter Clifton, who scored a game-high 16 points. Isaiah Price added 15 points while Mason Link added 13. Toll Gate was led by Jack Colvin with 11 points.

The Pats fell to Middletown the following game in a 62-58 loss. Dylan Vale paced the Pats with 21 points while Link scored 19.

West took home the 54-46 win on Tuesday, which was Pilgrim’s season finale. Vale led Pilgrim with 14 points while Ian Laplume added 10.

Pilgrim has been eliminated from playoff contention and has struggled with health this season, losing three starters to injury. However, a handful of underclassmen have seen valuable minutes and figure to improve next winter as the Pats continue to rebuild their lineup.

“It was a great win and we got contributions from all 13 players,” said Henseler of the Toll Gate victory. “I’m very hopeful about the outlook for next year. We have four sophomores and a junior. They have been getting solid playing time and have been playing very, very well. We expect to have a core group of players back to build around that have had some good varsity playing time.”