By Ron P. Coderre

There was a huge rush to complete the regular season boys’ basketball schedule last week as the weather man with his unusual snow fall created earlier postponements.  Teams were actively pushing to squeeze in all their games prior to conference and State tournaments.

The teams that have been eliminated from the postseason grew by one last week, as Woodstock, resembling the Red Sox, went from State champs two years ago to out of the playoff picture this year as it finished the season at 7-13.  The Acads join previously eliminated Ellis Tech and Tourtellotte in those ranks.

Putnam and Killingly desperately needing victories rose to the occasion as both enjoyed 2-0 weeks.  Killingly won over Montville and Griswold and is 7-11 and need one more win in its final two games to qualify.  Putnam at 6-11 picked up victories over Tourtellotte and Grasso Tech but must win two of its final three games to gain entry into the postseason.

Plainfield at 13-6 is securely locked in.

Putnam Science Academy is in a season- ending swoon.  The Mustangs at 22-7 experienced two unusual two-game losing streaks.  They must pick up the tempo if they expect to be invited to the National Prep School Tournament again this year.

The Marianapolis V2 squad reached the SENE Division II Championship game against Providence Country Day.  The Golden Knights V1 team, in a downward spiral is in the midst of a 10-game losing streak.

Pomfret School’s NEPSAC Tournament hopes remain alive, while Hyde-Woodstock at 9-11 is hoping to go out on a winning note.

Bubble hasn’t Burst Yet for Clippers, Redmen

When teams speak about being on the bubble it means that at any minute their hopes for the postseason could burst or with any luck the bubble will float to the tournament.  Killingly and Putnam currently sit on top the bubble.  The weight is much greater for the Clippers, while the Redmen look like they may survive.

Killingly, which seems to have come to the realization that winning is enjoyable, picked up two wins last week to go to 7-11 on the season.  The Redmen started with a 52-46 win over a good Montville team.  Owen Guillot, playing like a shadow of his dad Bill, the former Tourtellotte standout, had a career game leading Killingly to the win with 24 points.  Three of his hoops were from three-point land.  Brenden Turner was the only other player in double figures with 11 points.

The Redmen continued their winning ways with a 60-39 victory over Griswold.  After falling behind 9-0 at the onset, Killingly coach Jim Crabtree inserted Turner into the game and he responded with a 26-point performance to pace the Redmen.  Big Ben Desaulnier had 16 markers and Guillot chipped in a dozen.

Killingly must pick up one win in its final two games to qualify for the Eastern Connecticut Conference and CIAC tournaments.  They play St. Bernard and New London to close out the regular season.  If they hope to qualify they must beat the Saints because beating New London, which is the #2 team in Connecticut, will be like a trip to the moon.  Impossible.

The Putnam Clippers opened last week with a closer than anticipated 65-58 win over winless Tourtellotte.  A late Tiger run in the fourth quarter where they outscored Putnam 20-13 threw a scare into the Clipper faithful.  Putnam was led by Shawn Audet with 22 points and Jacob Guertin with 10.  Kyle Brule had 14 for Tourtellotte.  The Tigers lost their only other game of the week, 57-40 to Norwich Tech to go to 0-19 on the season.

Putnam continued on its winning ways with a 77-61 win over Grasso Tech.  Steve Dakai, with a double-double, 24 points and 12 rebounds, was immense for Putnam in the win.  Audet added 15 points and freshman Dan Porcic continued his fine play with 19 points.

The Clippers must win two of their final three games to enter the postseason.  Two of their upcoming opponents are Wheeler and Lyman, teams that have beaten Putnam earlier in the season.

Plainfield had the misfortune of having to play New London twice in one week.  The outcome was the same both times with the Panthers on the short end of the scores 79-41 and 77-63.  In its only other game Plainfield slipped by Lyman 49-47 thanks to a 16-point performance by Liam Jacobs.  Steve Jankowski (12) and Andre Bergeron (10) were also in double figures for the 13-5 Panthers.  Jacobs also posted 26 in the second loss to New London. 

Woodstock Academy bowed out of the 2014-2015 season with a last-gasp effort that fell just short.  Needing to win its final two games to make the postseason, the Acads upset University Prep 44-37 behind a 16-point performance by Adam Converse.  Unfortunately, the Centaurs were unable to sustain their winning ways as they were overwhelmed by a very good Ledyard team, losing their final game of the season 89-56 to the Colonels.  Converse had 19 and Nick Short 15 for Woodstock which closes at 7-13.

Ellis Tech at 3-16 overall and 1-9 in the Constitution State Conference – East lost both its games last week, 75-38 to Parish Hill and 73-33 to Griswold.

Marianapolis Falls Twice in Local Matchups

Marianapolis V1 had a busy week playing three games, two of which pitted them against local preps, Pomfret School and Hyde-Woodstock.  The Golden Knights, who are currently mired in a 10-game losing streak, lost the battle for local supremacy being beaten both games.

Leading 30-26 at halftime, Marianapolis was unable to stand prosperity as it allowed Pomfret School to walk off with a home court 66-61 victory.  The Golden Griffins were led by Obim Okeke with 20 points.  He was joined in double figures by Pelumi Onabanjo and Maguire “Moose” Crouse with 10 points apiece.  Tim Horvat with 35 points was a one-man show for the Golden Knights.  In its only other game, Pomfret was dropped by Rivers School 61-39, despite a double-double by Gerald Blount.  He had a dozen points and corralled 11 rebounds for the 11-8 Golden Griffins.

In an unusual outcome, Marianapolis also lost to Hyde-Woodstock 66-65.  Eamon Joyce with 20 points led a trio of Wolfpack players in double digits as Damon Gomes had 17 and Dexter Thompson added 16 for Hyde-Woodstock.  Ryan Berstein had 19 and Horvat 17 for MPS.  Later in the week the Knights lost to Kimball Union 70-53 to fall to 8-14 on the season.

Hyde-Woodstock maintained its winning ways, picking two additional victories in a perfect 3-0 week.  The Wolfpack beat Hebron Academy 78-40 on the strength of a 22-point showing by Thompson.  They followed that victory with a 76-64 win over Kents Hill as Thompson and Gomes paved the way with 23 and 24 points respectively.

The Little Golden Knights were felled by St. Andrew’s 69-55 despite 12 points apiece from Colin and Ryan Hourihan.  The V2 team bounced back, beating Rocky Hill 50-34 to clinch a berth in the SENE Div. II title game against Providence Country Day.  

Putnam Science Academy experiencing an unusual losing stretch lost a last second heartbreaker to Brimmer & May 66-65.  Mamadou Diarra with 18 points was the Mustangs leading scorer while Kealen Ives chipped in 16 and Hamidou Diallo added 10.

The Mustangs regained a bit of respect with a thrilling 67-62 win over #2 nationally ranked Notre Dame Prep at the Brewster Academy Showcase.  Point guard Ives was the team’s scorer with 17 points followed by Diallo with 15 and Andrew Robinson with 11.

In the finale of the Showcase, PSA fell at the hands of host Brewster 87-74 in a game that was much closer than the final score might indicate.  The two teams were tied with four minutes to play before Brewster pulled away, handing the Mustangs their sixth loss of the season.  Andrew Robinson had 25 points in the loss.

A trip to Bridgton, Maine, resulted in another loss.  The Mustangs fell at the hands of host Bridgton Academy 72-67.  Leading by nine at intermission and by as many as 18 at one point in the second half, PSA let victory slip through its fingers.  The Mustangs were led by Josh Wallace with 15 points.

 

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