LYNN — St. Mary’s High School girls basketball players Bella Owumi (’27) and Lily Norton (’27) have transferred to Tilton School in New Hampshire.
“We loved having them at St. Mary’s,” said girls basketball Coach and Athletic Director Jeff Newhall. “Lily for three years (two-year starter, two-time state champion) and Bella for five years (four-year starter, three-time state champion). Seeing them graduate from St. Mary’s would have been awesome, but we also understand the nature of the game right now. The fact that two of our players would only leave to go to a nationally-renowned basketball program that, in turn, was interested in players at St. Mary’s is a win for everyone – even if some are disappointed or puzzled.”
Owumi, a 6-foot guard, was a Gatorade Player of the Year finalist last season. The defending Catholic Central League MVP reached 1,000 career points as a sophomore, averaging 17 points and 12 rebounds per game.
“Thank you to Coach Tara Brisson for this awesome opportunity,” said Owumi in a statement on X. “Just wanted to thank my former high school coach Jeff Newhall for everything he’s done for me.”
Owumi has more than 30 college offers (NC State, Georgia, Arizona, and St. John’s, just this month).
Norton, a do-it-all guard for the defending Division 3 champion Spartans, made impacts on both sides of the ball throughout her career. Last season, she scored a buzzer-beating floater to defeat conference foe and eventual Division 1 state finalist Bishop Feehan.
“I have met individually with both and it was emotional because their experiences at St. Mary’s have been exceptional,” Newhall said. “There is nothing negative or bad about any of this – it’s just a different opportunity for them that they thought couldn’t be passed up. We are grateful for them and they are grateful for us. It’s been tremendous having them in our basketball program and we love them as great people and great students, first and foremost.”
Tilton School, which plays in Class AAA in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC), won national prep school titles in 2024 and 2025.
