Newtown High Boys Lose Heartbreaker To Stratford

By Andy Hutchison

In a thrilling game, loaded with wild plays, highlight reel and buzzer-beating shots, four-point plays and big momentum swings, the Newtown High School boys’ basketball team fell short 72-69 to unbeaten Stratford at home on January 19.

The Nighthawks overcame a 39-33 halftime deficit, made possible by a last-second 3-pointer by the visiting Red Devils, to go on a third-quarter scoring barrage in which the Hawks outscored the Devils 27-6 for a 60-45 lead heading into the fourth — made possible by, what else, a buzzer-beating 3-point shot. Everything was going well for the Nighthawks in the third. Stratford, however, came up with several fourth-quarter steals and outscored Newtown 27-9 in the final period to escape with the win.

“When the outcome doesn’t go in your favor it’s disappointing, but you’ve got to keep your head up and move onto the next game and keep fighting,” Newtown senior George Zaruba said.

Newtown, which had already earned a spot in the state tournament with a win at Weston on January 15, fell to 8-2 overall (5-1 in the South-West Conference) and Stratford, the fourth-ranked team in the state, improved to 9-0.

With the Hawks trying to hang onto a 69-68 lead with only seconds remaining, Stratford senior Russell Payton sank a 3-pointer while being fouled and hit the free throw for a decisive four-point play with six seconds remaining. Newtown’s Casey Tenney, who had hit a pair of 3-pointers, missed on an attempt to tie the game just before time expired.

Ironically, the Devils were trying to call a timeout just before Payton’s game-winning shot, but the officials apparently didn’t hear the team’s request, Newtown Coach John Quinn noted.

That four-point play wasn’t the first one of the game. Newtown’s Josh Engler, who was on fire from downtown, converted a four-point play in that explosive third quarter. Engler hit six shots from behind the arc and compiled 27 points in the game. Andy Lapple had a pair of 3-pointers and scored 11, Dan Lynch hit a 3 and scored 17 and Tenney sank two from behind the arc and scored 10. One of Tenney’s 3-pointers was a bank shot from straight on as time expired to end the third quarter. The shot was set up by a nice defensive effort by both Tenney and Lynch to force a turnover near midcourt.

Newtown started the third quarter on a 7-0 run to take the lead. Lapple blocked a shot at one end of the court and Engler’s 3-pointer at the other end made it 40-39 with 4:50 to play in the third. Stratford tied the game on a free throw before Newtown reeled off eight unanswered points. Lynch scored a fast-break bucket to extend the lead to 48-40 before the Devils got their first field goal of the half 5:17 into the third quarter.

Engler hit 3-pointers from both corners of the floor, Matt Datin had a put-back tip-in and Newtown simply dominated the quarter from start to finish.

In the fourth, Stratford scored 14 straight points to get to within one and Newtown was held without a basket until Tenney hit a 3 for a 63-59 lead with 4:08 to play.

The Devils got 23 points from Payton, 16 from Jason Charles, and 13 and 12 from Bernard Brantley and Brandon Sherrod, respectively.

The Nighthawks, all in all, had a good game from the free throw line as they hit 11-of-15, but missed the front end of a pair of crucial one-and-one scenario shots to enable the Devils to come back in the final minute.

“I had a feeling it was going to come down to the wire — not the way it did,” Quinn said. “We had it up until the very end. We missed a couple free throws. … I think we’re very good. It’s a game that we could of, would of, should of won.”

Quinn is pleased with his team’s efforts and expects the players to bounce back.

Newtown’s next game is this Friday, January 22, against 7-3 Masuk at home at 7 pm. The Nighthawks certainly aren’t looking past their next game, but the Hawks will keep a possible rematch with Stratford in the SWC Tournament in the backs of their minds.

“We know we can play with some of the best teams in the state — so that’s a good feeling,” Zaruba said. “We’ll probably see them again.”