Shakespeare warned to “beware the Ides of March,” but for those playing and coaching in the girls’ high school basketball world, March is a time to beware of the Cathedral Panthers, who, anchored by a heavy roster of Dorchester and Mattapan girls, buzzed through the month and made history by winning their third consecutive state championship.

The Panthers (19-5) took this year’s Division 4 Tournament title decisively, winning most games by double digits, and finishing off their third in a row at the Tsongas Arena on March 16 by beating South Hadley.

The victory also cemented history for Coach Clinton Lassiter, of Dorchester, who now, with those 7 state titles, has won the most championships in the history of Massachusetts high school sports.

“I honestly never thought we would three-peat,” said senior Hijjah Allen-Paisley of Dorchester. “I thought we would win a lot of games, but I never considered a state championship back to back to back. It’s unheard of to see that kind of success in high school, especially in Boston.”

In an interview, Lassiter said that despite the heady accomplishment, the fanfare has been muted, mostly because of the team’s perennial success.

“I think people overlook us because we’ve had such high success so long,” he said. “They think it’s expected. These kids tend to get overlooked by past success. But the work they’re doing? I tell them all the time: I can’t do it. They have worked very hard for this, and they shouldn’t be overlooked.”

Cathedral High President Dan Carmody credits Lassiter with being a great coach and a great mentor.

“It’s amazing to see the impact Coach Lassiter has had on the girls he’s coached, and really on all of Cathedral’s students as a teacher and vice principal,” he said. “He always puts the person before the player, and the care, love, and respect his team has for him reflect the sentiments of the entire Cathedral community. We’re lucky to have him as part of the Cathedral family.”

Though the team is based in the South End, it is decisively anchored by a roster of Dorchester and Mattapan talent, with 10 girls from this year’s championship team – and their coach – hailing from the two neighborhoods.

The all-Dot trio of seniors – Allen-Paisley (Savin Hill), Malani Smith (Four Corners), and Dynasia Evans-Goode (Grove Hall) – have been together since their freshman year and would have had four titles if not for a second half meltdown and loss to Cohasset in the 2022 finals – a game they were winning by 18 at one point.

However, in interviews with The Reporter last week, all three players said that in the moments after that loss, while sitting in the locker room wiping away tears, they began to lay the foundation for their history-making run.

Standing with their third consecutive Division 4 State Championship trophy are Coach Clinton Lassiter, and seniors Hijjah Allen-Paisley, Dynasia Evans-Goode, and Malani Smith – all Dorchester residents. Seth Daniel photo

“It was hard because we were young and we were crying in the locker room,” recalled Allen-Paisley. “Then we stopped crying, looked around and started laughing. That was the switch that turned on and we knew how losing felt and didn’t want to feel that again. So, we came out and won three years in a row.”

Added Smith, “We always had really good chemistry as a team. Even though we lost the championship our freshman year, we learned and that led to winning our sophomore year. Our drive to win really made us successful.”

Lassiter recalls having eight or nine freshmen on the 2022 team, and even jokingly placed a sign in the Cathedral gym denoting it the ‘Day Care Center.’ But he agreed that that defeat propelled his team to where it is now.

“They cried at first, then they started laughing and that’s typical adolescent behavior,” he said. “It motivated them to realize the game is never over until it’s over and hard work is required day in and day out and any moment could be your last game. They wanted to keep playing.”

The sting of losing highly competitive early season contests, especially when playing annually at an elite tournament in Washington, D.C., also grounded them.

“Going to D.C. and playing teams from different states was an eye-opener and taught us not to be cocky or get too comfortable in any game we play,” said Smith.

Evans-Goode added that all their experiences together have brought them closer.

“I had thought we could win multiple championships because we’ve been playing together so long and we have chemistry,” she said. “At so many schools players leave and leave and leave again, but we continued with each other. Even in the summer we always find time to come together and practice or just chill.”

Smith maintained that it’s been a journey of personal growth alongside championships for team members.

“I feel like we all grew as basketball players, but basketball helped us to grow as people as well,” she said. “You learn a lot of life lessons through sports. I feel I’ll look back and see the championships, but mostly all the growth that took place.”

The three seniors landed at Cathedral via different pathways, with Allen-Paisley arriving in 7th grade from Grove Hall’s Mother Caroline Academy, Evans-Goode in 9th grade from the Metco Brookline program, and Smith from Roxbury Prep in Mission Hill. They aren’t sure what the future looks like for them in basketball and are surveying all their options, but in retrospect, they believe they’ve left Cathedral, Coach Lassiter, and the younger players with a roadmap for success as the team moves up from Division 4 to Division 3 competition next year.

“They have really taught the younger kids well and so they know what the expectations are here,” said Lassiter.

Smith wrapped things up this way: “Our younger players have a lot of heart. As a team we came together well and that helps keep us all together and motivates us to get better and push each other in practice. They have a good work ethic, and the future looks good for them.”

Other underclassmen players from Dorchester and Mattapan include freshmen Anixia Bizcaino and Destanee Pontes, Sophomores Sanii Wright and Jahmya Simeon, and Juniors Luisne McCusker, Tamia Darling, and Keyona Raines.