Foul Shots Don’t Fall, Girls Do In NHS Tourney Championship Game

By Andy Hutchison

The Brookfield High School girls’ basketball team hadn’t beaten Newtown in recent memory before knocking off the Nighthawks 57-48 in the championship game of host Newtown’s holiday tourney on Monday night.

In some ways, the Nighthawks beat themselves. Newtown was just 16-for-29 at the free throw line and missed several other scoring chances en route to its second loss of the campaign after a three-game winning streak. NHS dropped to 3-2 and the Bobcats improved to 3-2.

“We didn’t play our game tonight,” NHS Coach Shawn O’Brien said. “Tonight we took a big step back. I don’t think we played to our capability.”

The good news for Newtown is that the this game, being a tournament clash, doesn’t play a role in the South-West Conference standings and the team will have a more important rematch with Brookfield and a chance to return the favor later in the season (the teams meet on February 13). More good news is that the Nighthawks have plenty of time to get back on track and play to their capability before then. The Nighthawks are scheduled to host Pomperaug on January 2 in their next game.

O’Brien wants to see his team do what it did against Bunnell on December 22. In that 53-41 win, Newtown shot an impressive 17-of-21 from the foul line. Against Brookfield, NHS missed a handful of front-end one-and-one opportunities, which O’Brien pointed out cost it even more scoring chances.

The Nighthawks’ grit and determination keep them in the game. Down 10-4 late in the first quarter, the Nighthawks went on a 13-0 run to seize a 17-10 lead by the midpoint of the second period. The Bobcats then reeled off a 13 unanswered points of their own for a 23-17 lead by the early stages of the second half. Brookfield was ahead 33-29 after three quarters and never gave up the lead, although the Hawks kept it close for most of the fourth.

With her Nighthawks trailing 37-32, Sara Kelley came up with a steal and was fouled during a lay-up attempt. She sank both free throws to pull Newtown to within three with 5:44 left, but the Hawks would get no closer. Newtown implemented a full court press and managed to force some late-game turnovers but it was too little too late and ultimately the team’s shooting woes were the difference.

“We played hard. A couple of things didn’t go our way,” said NHS captain Jordyn Good, adding that if the Hawks capitalized on a few more chances to score they would have been in better shape.

Good had 10 points and Kelley led the Hawks with 18. Nora Lynn Shimko added seven and Jen Brewer dropped in five. Riley Wurtz and Kate Bowen controlled the ball well for Newtown and led the effort as Newtown players hit the floor to dive for loose balls and try to keep possessions alive.

“They work really hard. They hustle for every ball,” Brookfield Coach Maura Keenan noted.

Newtown will try to combine that aggressiveness with a better shooting performance as the season unfolds.

Following the Pomperaug game, the Hawks visit New Fairfield (January 6) and return to The Hawks Nest January 9 against Joel Barlow.

The Hawks, after starting the season with a 51-32 loss to Lauralton Hall, beat Bethel 38-30, topped Bunnell 53-41, and crushed Abbott Tech 34-8 (in last Friday’s tourney opener).

NHS is in the midst of playing eight of ten games at home.