Boys’ Wrap-up

High schools 

and preps in 

action-packed 

week

By Ron P. Coderre

The realization that the holiday season is well beyond us hit home this week as the high school and preps were in full swing on the hardwood.

Putnam Science Academy vying once again for a spot in the National Prep School Tournament ran off a string of three wins to raise its record to 18-2 as its schedule intensifies down the stretch.  Marianapolis, which appears to be coming together, won a pair of contest, while Pomfret School was 1-1 and Hyde-Woodstock lost its only contest.

Woodstock Academy and coach Greg Smith finally got into the local part of its schedule.  The Centaurs enjoyed their best week of the season, picking up two wins.  Plainfield likewise had two victories as they are proving to be one of the area’s better quintets.  The Putnam Clippers split a pair and Killingly and Ellis Tech, who are struggling to get into the Win column, were winless.

PSA Mustangs Running Wild

A Josh Wallace 30-foot jumper as the clock ran out against Lee Academy was the highlight of the week for Putnam Science Academy, who are running to the postseason.  Wallace’s thriller provided coach Tom Espinosa’s team with an action packed 80-77 victory over visiting Lee Academy from Maine.

The win, the first in a two game weekend set with Lee, was keyed by the high-scoring trio of Wallace (23 points), Kealen Ives, with 24 points and eight assists, and Hamidou Diallo, 20 points.  The following day the Mustangs came out energized from Wallace’s heroics and won by the comfortable margin of 82-65 over Lee.  The Mustangs had four players in double figures, led by the hot outside shooting of Andrew Robinson who had 19 points, including five from “downtown Putnam” beyond the three-point arc.  Other double digit scorers included Ives (21), Diallo (13) and Aaron Robinson (10). 

The Scientists opened the week on the road with a satisfying 79-60 over a good Cushing Academy team.  Once again the Mustangs had a quartet of players in double figures paced by game-high scorer Ives with 23 markers, followed by Diallo with 14 points and the Robinson twins Andrew (13) and Aaron (10).

Marianapolis enjoyed its best week of the season, raising its record to 7-4 with an 80-65 win over Brimmer & May and an exciting 72-69 victory over Holderness School.  Hot shooting senior guard Ryan Bernstein was on fire in the win over Holderness, pouring in 35 points to lead the way.  The Knights had three other players in double figures in the win, Adrian LaFleur (12), Dominique Senat (11) and Tom Horvat (10).  The same quartet led the way in the win over B&M as Bernstein had 19, LaFleur 22, Senat 15 and Horvat 14.

Pomfret School rebounded from a 64-54 loss to Hoosac School with a 64-50 win over Kingswood-Oxford.  Maguire Krouse with 20 points and Cam Winston with 19 were the Griffins big guns in the win.  Winston was high scorer with 18 in the loss Hoosac.  He was joined in double figures by Obim Okeke with 17 for 5-4 Pomfret.

Hyde-Woodstock was dropped 71-41 by Vermont Academy, one of New England’s top prep hoop outfits.  The 3-8 Wolfpack was led by the trio of Damon Gomes (16), Dexter Thompson (12) and Kris Carroll (11).

Woodstock Displays Spunk in Picking Up 2 Wins

Woodstock Academy, two years away from its Class L State Championship, demonstrated it has the ability to win as they picked up two important wins last week to raise its record to 3-7 overall and 1-3 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Large Division.

The Centaurs opened the week with a Large Division 53-42 victory over East Lyme.  Woodstock erased a first period deficit of 15-13 to move in front 27-24 at intermission.  A strong second half keyed by Adam Converse with a game-high 20 points was the difference.  He was joined in double figures by Oliver Simon with 13 markers and Luke Blodgett with 10.

The Acads moved easily by a poor shooting Windham team 64-42 as they enjoyed a two-game winning streak.  Three players hit double digits, Bryce Jarrett (13 points), Blodgett (12) and Converse (13) in leading the Centaurs to victory.

Plainfield, which is rolling through the season at 5-2, started the week with an easy 77-49 victory over Norwich Tech.  Steve Jankowski, the Panther’s go-to guy all season had 26 points to capture game-high honors.  Three other Fielders were in double figures, Liam Jacobs (16), David Carpenter (14) and Dylan Horn (10).

The Panthers then slipped by Montville 58-48 on the strength of 18 points each from Jacobs and Jankowski.  The J&J boys also controlled the boards for coach Bob Arremony’s squad.

Putnam enjoyed its biggest offensive output of the season as it picked up an 80-75 overtime win against Parish Hill.  Knotted at 66 apiece after regulation the Clippers pulled away from the Pirates by outscoring the hosts 14-9 in the five-minute OT session.  Five players hit double digits for Putnam, paced by Matt Harmon with 18 points.  Harmon was joined in double figures by Jacob Guertin (13), Steve Dakai (11), Jeremee Perez (12) and Nate Tozzi (16).

Putnam traveled to Windham Tech where it lost a high scoring affair 90-70, despite a brilliant shooting display by freshman Dan Porcic, who had 25 points for the 2-6 overall and 2-2 Constitution State Conference - East Clippers.  Perez added 11 and Dakai 13 in the loss.

Killingly lost to St. Bernard 58-51 and Stonington 56-46 to fall to 2-7 on the season and 0-4 in the ECC Medium Division.  Brendan Turner had 12 for the Redmen in the loss to Stonington.  Ellis Tech was dropped by Windham Tech 80-61 to fall to 3-5 overall and 1-2 in the CSC-East.  Chicago Rogers (15) and Ryan Fletcher (12) were the Eagles’ top scorers.