Basketball Wrap-up

Curtain drawn

on basketball 

season

By Ron P. Coderre

The high school and prep school girls’ basketball season took its final curtain call last week as every team that was left standing took a bow and exited stage left.  The lone exception was the Pomfret School women’s team, which reached the NEPSAC Class B finals.

Putnam, Tourtellotte and Plainfield ended their magical journeys in the CIAC Tournament after each posted an opening round victory.   Marianapolis Prep playing in the NEPSAC Class A tournament also said sayonara.

In the boys’ competition Putnam posted a play-in victory but faced No. 1 seed and undefeated 23-0 Sacred Heart on Tuesday (after the paper went to press).  Plainfield seeded #11 played a first round game against #22 seed Enfield on Monday.  In the eventuality of a victory the Panthers were scheduled to play the winner of #22 Windham Tech and #6 Notre Dame – Fairfield.

Putnam Men Headed to the Gallows?

Putnam, seeded #32 in the CIAC Class S Tournament, was rewarded for its exciting 63-61 win over HMTCA in a qualifying round contest, by being pitted against 23-0 and No. 1 ranked Sacred Heart.

Savoring the victory over HMTCA, the Clippers, who were trailing 37-25 at intermission, turned the table on their opponent, outscoring the hosts 38-24 in the second half to post their ninth win of the season.  The victory came on a game-winning shot at the buzzer by junior Jeremee Perez.

Perez, who posted a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, led a quartet of Putnam scorers who were in double figures.  Steven Dakai was the high scorer for the Clippers with 14 points, followed by Nate Tozzi with 11 and Shawn Audet with 10.  The Clippers were 9-12 on the season entering their contest against the No. 1 seed Sacred Heart.

Opening Round Wins – 2nd Round Losses

The Tourtellotte girls, who were the highest seeded local team in the CIAC Tournament, opened with an impressive 80-34 Class S victory over HMTCA.  The Lady Tigers held the visitors scoreless as they opened a 24-0 lead after one period of play.  The rest was history as they coasted to victory.

Tourtellotte was led by Allie Ablondi who had 16 points, including two from beyond the three-point arc.  Deanna Lazzara contributed 14 points, while point guard Abby Poirier added 11 and Emily Vincent had 10.

The 6th-seeded Lady Tigers let the jitters get to them in the Second Round when they hosted 11th seed Windsor Locks.  A contest that was nip-and-tuck throughout saw Tourtellotte on top 36-34 at the end of three periods.  Windsor Locks took charge in the final stanza, outscoring the hosts 14-8 in posting the upset.

Ablondi was the high scorer for Tourtellotte with nine points.  Coach Carla Faucher’s charges finish the season with a sparkling mark of 18-6.

Putnam, seeded #21, took a long trek to New Haven to play Amistad Academy in a First Round contest.  The Lady Clippers enjoyed the ride home following a hard-fought 34-31 victory over the 12th seed Amistad.   

Sophomore Alyssa Espinosa had a career game, posting 19 points in leading the Lady Clippers to victory, while Maria Fredette chipped in 10 markers.  The elation of the victory was short lived as #5 Notre Dame – Fairfield bounced Putnam from the tourney in an easy 55-16 win.  Putnam concludes its season at 11-11.

Number 17 seed Plainfield, playing in Class M, posted a First Round victory over #16 Coginchaug 49-36.  The Lady Panthers were paced by Adrienne Lorange with 13 points and Julie Jordan with a dozen. 

The reward for the win was a contest against #1-seed Morgan.  Plainfield was simply outnumbered as it fell 64-45.  Lorange with 15 and Jordan with 10 were the only players in double figures.  Plainfield ends its season at 15-10.

Marianapolis V1, which just barely slipped into the NEPSA Class A Tournament as an eight seed, lost to #1 seed Tabor Academy 66-38.  Rachel Aho closed out her Marianapolis career with a double-double, 12 points and 12 rebounds.  Caroline Soucy added 10 points in the loss, as the Lady Knights close the books on the 2014-2015-season at 11-15.

Pomfret School, a #5-seed in the NEPSAC Class B Tournament, won its opening round game, beating #4 seed Williston-Northampton 59-56.  The Golden Griffins got a great game from its “big three” Deja Ross (20 points), Juliette Lawless (19) and Alyzae Davis (13).

The Lady Griffs continued their march into the NEPSAC Class B Tournament with an upset victory over the #1-seed Berkshire Academy 58-42.  The “big three” once again led the way.  Davis captured game high honors with 21 points.  Her teammates Ross (18) and Lawless (13) were also in double figures.  Pomfret at 15-9 faced off against Tilton Academy in the title game.

 

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