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By Ron P. Coderre
At approximately the halfway point of both the boys’ and girls’ basketball season, the teams are jockeying for position as they come down the back stretch and prepare for the turn, to steal from horse racing terminology.
In the boys’ Super Conference standings, Woodstock Academy and Marianapolis Prep are battling for the top spot but the sudden winning streak by Putnam Science Academy has bolted them into contention for the lead. Hyde-Woodstock, Plainfield, Pomfret and surprising Tourtellotte all appear comfortable in the middle of the pack. Killingly, Putnam and Ellis Tech are taking up the rear.
Woodstock with 10 wins has qualified for the State Tournament, while it continues in the top spot in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Large Division. The Centaurs are facing a crucial test on Friday, when the New London Whalers sail into the former New Roxbury. Plainfield under veteran coach Bob Arremony is poised to qualify for the States, while Tourtellotte appears to be making a move, realizing that time is now of the essence.
On the distaff side of the ledger Pomfret continues to pile on the victories as the addition of Morgan Olander is reminiscent of two years ago when Ketia Zenab, currently playing for NCAA Division I Yale, appeared on the scene in bucolic Pomfret. Marianapolis despite moving up a class in the preps is showing that it’s legitimate with a solid 10-4 log.
Putnam girls, the schools only winning program, under Coach Willie Bousquet continue to sail along at 10-3. The Clippers along with Plainfield (9-4) have qualified for the States. Woodstock Academy with a tough stretch of games ahead appears to be a dark horse to qualify for the postseason.
The final month of action should prove very eventful for the teams and those loyal fans that enjoy the competitiveness of schoolboy (and girl) basketball.
Scoring Races
Woodstock Academy’s Ian Converse widened his scoring lead in the boys’ race maintaining an even 22 points per game average. Tourtellotte’s Kaevon Safford dropped down to 20.9 points per game but is being seriously threatened for the second spot by University of Dayton bound Dayshon Smith of Putnam Science Academy who upped his average to 19.3 ppg. Ryan Pambuku of Plainfield remains in the fourth spot at an even 18 points per contest.
Two PSA Scientists are in the lead in the 3-point field goal race. Jonte Rutty is on top with 48 from beyond the arc well ahead of his teammate Dayshon Smith who has 33 treys. Ryan Pambuku is in a tight race with Marianapolis’ Eric D’Aguanno for third place. Pambuku has 30 and D’Aguanno 29.
The female scoring leaders remained stable with Hyde-Woodstock’s Cashmir Sulcher seeing her leading edge reduced to .8 of a point over Plainfield’s Morgan Griffin. Sulcher is scoring at a 17.8 pace while Griffin is checking in at an even 17 points a contest. Pomfret’s Morgan Olander moved into the Top Five, occupying the fifth spot at 14.3 points per games.
Putnam’s Monica Phongsa is maintaining her position as the top three-point shooter, hitting 22 from beyond the arc. Adrienne Lorange and Haley Beausoleil of Plainfield are second and third with 18 and 15 treys respectively.
Boys Scoring Leaders
Ian Converse, Woodstock 22.0
Kaevon Stafford, Tourtellotte 20.9
Dayshon Smith, PSA 19.3
Ryan Pambuku, Plainfield 18.0
Three-Point Leaders
Jonte Rutty, PSA 48
Dayshon Smith, PSA 33
Ryan Pambuku, Plainfield 30
Eric D’Aguanno, Marianapolis 29
Devon Willard, Killingly 28
Stephon Edmonds, Marianapolis 22
Jemal Mosley, PSA 22
Girls Scoring Leaders
Cashmir Sulcher, Hyde-Woodstock 17.8
Morgan Griffin, Plainfield 17.0
Janicha Diaz, Hyde-Woodstock 15.8
Ashley Espinosa, Putnam 15.3
Morgan Olander, Pomfret 14.3
Three Point Leaders
Monica Phongsa, Putnam 22
Adrienne Lorange, Plainfield 18
Haley Beausoleil, Plainfield 15
Notes
Woodstock Academy moved up a notch in the New Haven Register media poll going from ninth to eight place this week. That perch appears to be precarious with the Centaurs recent one-point loss at the hands of the Windham Whippets… Sydney LaTour a four year starter at Marianapolis for Coach Charlie Baron reached the 1000-point career plateau when she led the Lady Knights to victory over Westminster with a 20 point scoring barrage… Plainfield’s Morgan Griffin is currently at 906 career markers …Returning to the hardwood following the holiday hiatus the Putnam Science Academy Mustangs were struggling to reach the .500 mark. That was cured by a four game winning streak that jumped Coach Tom Espinosa’s charges to 9-6 …An interested spectator in the Fieldhouse at Woodstock for the Centaurs contest against Windham was Marianapolis coach Andrew Vitale. The rumor swirling around was that he was there to see the Whippets Kendall Marquez, who may be a candidate for a prep postgraduate stint next year …Despite the fact that Marquez is the poster boy for Windham; his teammate Julian Sanchez is silently impressing. Sanchez led the upset victory over Woodstock and followed that up with a 24 point performance in an easy win over Killingly …Former area players continue to shine in college. Ike Azotam, recently of Marianapolis is now the top performer at 6-11 Quinnipiac University. In a recent overtime win against St. Francis (PA), Azotam posted his 23rd career double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. His teammate Ousmane Drame, also a former Golden Knight, chipped in 10 markers and four boards in the win …At Sacred heart University former Killingly standout Shane Gibson leads SHU (5-11) in scoring. He posted 27 points in a loss to NEC foe Robert Morris …Who is Mike Benkowski? The rugged Tourtellotte Tiger sub posted his career best numbers in a win over Lyman. “Big Ben” had 10 points and a humungous rebounding performance with 15 caroms. That should get him more playing time.
RPC’s Super Conference Standings
Boys:
Woodstock 10-1; Marianapolis 11-3; PSA 9-6; Hyde Woodstock 7-7; Pomfret 6-5; Tourtellotte 5-6; Killingly 2-11; Putnam 2-8; Ellis Tech 2-10.
Girls:
Pomfret School 12-1; Putnam 10-3; Marianapolis 10-4; Plainfield 9-4; Plainfield 7-4; Hyde-Woodstock 7-2; Woodstock Academy 5-9; Tourtellotte 3-9; Killingly 4-8; Ellis Tech 1-11