On Feb. 13, Middlebury men’s basketball faced Hamilton for their senior night game. For the first time ever, the five graduating seniors took the court together as starters for their final game as Panthers. Over the loudspeakers, the lineup was announced as: Evan Flaks ’26, Edward Witherington ’26, Mark Newell ’26, Jackson McKersie ’26, and Oliver Urena ’26.
Newell was a crowd favorite, and his performance did not disappoint. Within the first minutes of the game, Newell registered two dunks, a block, and a steal. Every time he touched the ball the gym roared.
In only his sixth career start, Urena brought a similar spark to the game. He bolted past defenders, forcing them to foul him as he charged toward the rim. That strategy only worked partially, as he consistently knocked down free throws to pull the momentum in Middlebury’s favor.
Early in the second half, Witherington added to the senior highlight reel. Sawyer Ramey ’28 drove down the lane, pulled two defenders and flipped a behind-the-back feed to Witherington, who rose up and slammed it home over a Hamilton defender. The gym erupted.
Despite many dazzling plays, Middlebury could not take a hold of the lead.
With every time out remaining, head coach Goldsmith reminded the team to go back to the basics: play physical and together. Keeping that in mind, the plan in motion was to get three stops in a row. Middlebury tried to execute the plan, but ultimately fell short.
The night before, it was a similar story against Amherst. Middlebury played one of their best offensive halves all season, and on defense, Middlebury applied great pressure, forced turnovers and recorded stops. However, Amherst’s shooting consistency,and one player in particular — Nate Pabis — proved unstoppable for Middlebury.
“He’s stronger than he looks”, Newell said about Pabis during halftime. “He’s moving me in the paint, and even when I stay in front of him, he’s got the footwork to get around me. I’m just going to have to do my work early to force him out of the paint.”
Pabis led the Amherst Mammoths with 19 points, doing most of the damage in the paint. Amherst entered the game with one of the lowest scoring offenses in the country, typically relying on three-point shooting and defense. The Panthers focused on taking away the perimeter and forcing twos, but Pabis found his rhythm, propelling Amherst to the win
After the final buzzer against Hamilton Continentals, the Middlebury Panthers headed to the locker room one last time to debrief with the coaching staff. Coming off back-to-back losses— and with the seniors having just played their final game in a Middlebury jersey— the room was heavy with emotion. The coaches promptly stepped in, easing the tension as they addressed the team.
Goldsmith spoke first, expressing gratitude to the entire program, and especially the seniors, for embracing the coaching transition.
“[The seniors] never gave the staff any problems. When the year is not going out as planned, things can go south in a hurry, and it never did,” Goldsmith said. “I will forever be grateful to you guys for showing up the way that you did.”
The seniors got a chance to give their closing remarks at a post-game dinner. One by one, they all expressed their gratitude to the program and to their families. Mckersie’s speech particularly stood out from the rest.
McKerise diligently battled injuries throughout his basketball career as a Panther, losing a season and a half due to injury. This senior year was the first time he was able to play a full season.
McKersie then addressed the freshman class. With five seniors graduating, the six newcomers now face the opportunity to step into the vacant roles and help shape the future for the men’s basketball team.
“To the younger guys, I know it’s really easy to feel grateful to be a part of this program right now. But find a way to feel that in six months. Find a way to feel that next season, because you never know what’s going to happen,”McKersie said in reference to his history with injury. “The more you appreciate the process–– when it sucks, and especially when it’s nice–– the happier you will be with this game.”
Middlebury officially finished the season 8-16. Yet, McKersie and the rest of the graduating class believe that the program is in good hands.
“I feel so good about the younger guys. They care, they put in so much work, and I think the habits are just going to build. It’s going to be something really special in a couple of years, and I’m excited to sit on my couch and watch it,” McKersie said.
Editor’s Note: Dante Aguilar ’26 is team manager for the men’s basketball team.
