Boys’ Wrap-up

Putnam – 

Killingly renew 

old rivalry in 

Clipper Classic

By Ron P. Coderre

The festive holiday atmosphere was brightened when Killingly and Putnam engaged in an old fashioned donnybrook in the championship contest of The Citizens National Bank Clipper Holiday Classic.  It took two overtime periods to determine the winner, as the Clippers seized defeat from the jaws of victory, handing the title to Killingly on a silver platter.

Plainfield enjoyed a perfect week, picking up a pair of victories.  Ellis Tech captured the consolation contest of the Clipper Classic but was dumped later in the week by Tolland and Plainfield.  Tourtellotte, which conceivably could go winless this year, lost its only contest of the week.

Marianapolis traveled to Belmont, Mass., where they picked up two victories and came within a whisker of winning all its games in the Belmont Hill Tournament.

Killingly Completes Trifecta

Killingly High School basketball coach Jim “Jimbo” Crabtree has been on the winning side of many basketball games in the storied Putnam High School gymnasium, as both a player and a coach, but his team’s win over Putnam in the title game of the Clipper Classic will probably go down as one of his most memorable.  His Redmen pulled out a double overtime 65-63 win over the host Clippers.

After watching his troops propel to a 16-2 first-period lead, Crabtree could only sit and wonder and pull out his hair as Killingly allowed the fired up Putnam team to get back in the game.  By intermission the Clippers had scrapped back to within nine, 29-21.  The third period was key for both team as Putnam put together a huge 17-point quarter to take a 38-35 lead into what was supposed to be the final eight minutes.

The final stanza started like Putnam was on its way to a blowout a point guard Shawn Audet ran off a string of 10 straight points by himself putting his team on top at 48-38 with time beginning to run down.  However, over anxiousness overcame the Clippers as they mismanaged the clock with some ill-timed shots and excessive individual play, allowing Killingly to tie the game 52-52 at the end of regulation.

In the first overtime both teams scored six points forcing an additional five minutes of play.  The lead seesawed until tournament Most Outstanding Player Derek Grzysiewicz scored what proved to be the winning hoop.

Grzysiewicz led a quartet of Redmen in scoring with 18 points.  He was joined in double figures by Alex Torcoletti with 14 points, Ben Desaulnier with 11 and freshman Chace Wood with 10.  Owen Guillot chipped in eight points for 2-2 Killingly.

Putnam’s Audet captured game high honors with 21 points.  Jeremee Perez, who came off the bench to spur the Clipper offense had 16 markers, while Steve Dakai and freshman Dan Porcic each had 10 points for the 2-3 Clippers.

Plainfield raised its overall record to 4-1 with a pair of lopsided victories.  The Panthers opened with a satisfying 63-42 victory over Westbrook.  Steve Jankowski with 24 points was the big gun for Plainfield.  Liam Jacobs was also in double figures with 13 as was David Carpenter with 16, in a game that the Panthers controlled throughout.

Plainfield closed out the week with an easy 71-23 win over Ellis Tech.  Isaiah Fort with 15 points and 12 rebounds was the leading scorer for the Panthers.

The Techsters has some solace in a 1-2 week as they won the consolation contest of the Clipper Classic over hapless Tourtellotte 48-44.  Pat Garrett with 15 points and Luis Rosario with 10 led the way for the 2-4 Eagles.  The Eagles entertained Tolland in their final game of the week and lost 83-50.

Marianapolis Enjoys Road Trip to Bay State

Marianapolis will look back on its opening game of the Belmont Hill Tournament and wonder “what if?”  The Golden Knights came within a deep breath of sweeping all three games of the tourney, with the exception of a 51-50 loss to the host, Belmont Hill.  The winning bucket came in the final seconds of the game, just after Marianapolis had taken the lead.  The Golden Knights had an opportunity to win the contest at the free throw line but were unable to capitalize.  The sweep just wasn’t meant to be.

Tim Horvat had an outstanding performance in the opener with 25 points, while his teammate Adrian LaFleur chipped in 13.

The same day, Marianapolis came back determined and beat St. Sebastian’s 65-45 behind another 25-point effort by Horvat.  In the finale of the trip, the Golden Knights squared off against Roxbury Latin and came away 59-37 winners.  Horvat with 18 points led a trio of players in double digits.  Ryan Bernstein had 13, Dominique Senat 10 and the ever-present LaFleur added nine.  The Knights are 3-4 as they resume the regular schedule.

 

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