Monmouth Holds Off Telstar in Class D South Quarterfinal

Second-seeded Mustangs make key free throws late to advance to semifinals

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The No. 2 Monmouth boys basketball team held off a late surge from No. 7 Telstar, winning 54-40 in a Class D South quarterfinal game. Monmouth made 21 free throws in the game compared to just 6 for Telstar, with Levi Laverdiere and Jacob Harmon hitting key foul shots down the stretch to seal the victory.

Why it matters

This win keeps Monmouth's season alive as they advance to the Class D South semifinals, while Telstar's season comes to an end. The game highlighted the importance of free throw shooting in close tournament matchups.

The details

Telstar pulled within 42-39 midway through the fourth quarter, but Harmon hit two free throws to extend Monmouth's lead to 44-39 with 3:20 remaining. Laverdiere then hit four more free throws late to help the Mustangs pull away. Laverdiere led Monmouth with 19 points, while Harmon had 12 points and 15 rebounds. Alex Dougherty scored 9 of his 13 points for Telstar in the third quarter.

  • The game was played on Saturday morning.

The players

Levi Laverdiere

Led Monmouth with 19 points.

Jacob Harmon

Had 12 points and 15 rebounds for Monmouth.

Alex Dougherty

Scored 9 of his 13 points for Telstar in the third quarter.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

This game showcased the importance of free throw shooting in close tournament matchups, as Monmouth's ability to hit their foul shots down the stretch proved to be the difference in advancing to the semifinals.