Icy pg 1 2-10-22
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Icy Spine
The icy weather had some fun with form in this brook in Pomfret. Looks like a spine made of ice. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Kingsley pg 1 2-10-22
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What do you get for the team that has everything?
How about a 7-foot, 217-pound shotblocking machine who can also handle and shoot the ball like a guard?
Because that’s what the Putnam Science Academy Prep team — undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country at the beginning of last week — got in midyear transfer Ugonna Kingsley, whose play in his first four games helped keep the Mustangs unbeaten and No. 1 in the country at the end of the week as well.
“Ugonna is a game-changer for us,” said coach Tom Espinosa. “He’s a 7-footer who’s athletic, skilled. He’s something. With him in the game, guys get into the rim and instead of going up, now they’re looking to pass the ball. He changes the whole game. He’s going to be really good for us.”
He already has been. In four games over four days last week, the 17-year-old native of Nigeria averaged 11 points, eight rebounds, and a shade more than four blocks. He nearly became the third player in school history to register a triple-double, finishing with eight points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks in his debut, a 90-87 win over No. 2 Mt. Zion.
“Blocks … even if I close my eyes, I get blocks. That’s my specialty,” said Kingsley, a member of the Class of 2023. “When I started playing basketball, all of my attention was on defense, protecting the rim, rebounding, because I had the length. I was told to keep doing what I do on defense, and the offense will come. I’m not worried about offense. My main focus is still to do my job protecting the rim and blocking shots.”
Kingsley only started playing basketball in 2016, after the death of his father, who did not want him to play any sports. But he wanted to give it a shot, and played for his local team in Nigeria for two years, then spent three years in Senegal where he earned a spot at the NBA Academy there. That was where he really started growing as a player. And PSA is reaping the immediate benefits, especially with starting center Momo Cissé (also a 7-footer) out with an injury.
Kingsley said he was about 6 feet tall when he first started playing, so he’s got some guard skills in his toolbox, but quickly hit a growth spurt, for which he is quite thankful.
“I love my height because I am capable of doing what the guards can do,” he said. “I just need to work on my craft. I’ve got that guard stuff in me. So I actually prefer being tall like this, and doing my thing.”
He put it on display in a 91-78 win over Woodstock Academy Gold when he went coast-to-coast and finished with a monster dunk.
“Getting a big block on someone, it doesn’t move me because that is my thing,” he said. “But getting dunks like that…yeah. I don’t celebrate when I do something big. I just go back (and play). But plays like that, it gets me hyped.”
PSA held off Mt. Zion in the clash between the top-two ranked teams, as Arturo Dean had 21 points, Desmond Claude added 19, and Darryl Simmons turned in a strong performance with 15 points. PSA then took care of up-the-road rival Woodstock Academy Friday, behind DayDay Gittens’ 15 points and four steals, Claude’s 17 points, and Barry Evans’ 11 points and six boards.
The Mustangs moved to 22-0 after a 76-58 win over Upper Room Christian Academy Saturday (Mouhamed Dioubate had 14 points and seven rebounds) and a 115-81 victory Bridgeport Prep Sunday (Evans led five players in double figures, finishing with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists).
In other PSA boys’ basketball action last week, the Elite team lost twice, both times by one point. Ned Fitzpatrick scored a team-high 17 points, Jorge Trueba had 11, and Jaiden Brown 10 points in a 67-66 loss to St. Thomas More. New York Military Academy rallied late and made two free throws inside the final seven seconds to steal an 85-84 win from the Mustangs Feb. 5. Jalen Claude had 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Fitzpatrick and Lamar Watkins both had 11 points for the Mustangs.
The Varsity team also lost a one-score game, falling 66-64 to Hillside, despite getting 16 points from both Taylan Cengiz and Ethan Senkyire, 13 from Pau Amengual, and 11 from Joseph Magne. The Mustangs trailed by 14 midway through the second half before mounting a comeback that fell just short.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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Bank pg 2 1-10-22
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Bank to match up to $3,000
in donations for the MLK Project
JEWETT CITY — Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation will be matching donations up to $3,000 to help bring the MLK Mural Project in Putnam.
The goal of the mural project, which is organized by RiseUP for Arts, is to bring 39 large-scale murals to communities across Connecticut, each representing one year in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Each mural will celebrate the diversity and culture of the community, while highlighting the messages of Dr. King.
The matching grants from the Foundation will help organizers meet their final goal of $15,000, which will be used to create a mural at the Hale YMCA in Putnam. Expected to be revealed in the spring of 2022, additional events will be planned including community volunteer paint days and a block party celebration. The mural will be the 15th produced with more planned across the state.
President Michael Alberts said: “Public art and the works of Dr. King serve as powerful tools to acknowledge and celebrate our diverse community. We are proud to support this initiative and hope that our pledge of matching grants will help the project reach its ultimate goal.”
Dot Burnworth, chair of the MLK39 mural committee in northeastern Connecticut, said, “I’m thrilled and honored to help bring this mural to Putnam. I am fully in support of this project, both because it exemplifies the ideals and values I want to see in my community and also because public art engages people and brings them together. This mural’s message of equality and diversity is one that will reflect the values of our community: Everyone is welcome and valued.”
For more information about the state-wide campaign, or to make a donation to the northeast Connecticut mural, visit www.gofundme.com/f/putnams-mlk39-diversity-and-equity-mural or www.ctmurals.com/mlk39.
legals pg 2 2-10-22
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Legal Notice
Town of Putnam
Land Use Department
The Town of Putnam Land Use Department invites residents to review and comment on our Stormwater Management Plan and the 2021 MS4 annual report as required by the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection DEEP General Permit for the discharge of stormwater from Separate Storm Sewer Systems. The Stormwater Management Plan may be found on the Town website at
https://www.putnamct.us/departments/planning-and-land-use/stormwater
The 2021 MS4 Annual Report will be placed on the Town Website on February 15, for review and comment.
The Land Use Department encourages residents to join in working together to protect the integrity of stormwater by not dumping anything in the storm drains, properly disposing of pet waste, and by reducing the amount of fertilizer used on lawns.
Visit the Town website for links on how you can make a difference with efforts to protect the environment. Citizens are encouraged to report illicit dumping by contacting the Land Use Agent at 860-963-800 ext 114.
Feb. 10, 2022
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