NHS Girls’ Basketball—

Young Hawks Are In A Battle To Reach SWC Playoffs

By Andy Hutchison

The good news surrounding the Newtown High School girls’ basketball team is that is has already qualified for the state tournament and this overall young team is gaining tremendous on-court experience for the future. The bad news is that, following a pair of losses to Masuk and Bunnell this past week, the Nighthawks will have to fight just to have a chance to qualify for the South-West Conference playoffs.

Newtown has reached the conference tourney every year since the SWC’s inception in 1996, but Coach Shawn O’Brien knows — with his team at 4-4 in SWC play (8-5 overall) and some difficult opponents awaiting — that the streak is in jeopardy.

“We’re going to need some help from other teams to get in,” said O’Brien, adding, “We’re going to have to pull off a couple of upsets along the way.”

Among seven remaining opponents on the schedule are three double digit-win teams — Lauralton Hall, Kolbe Cathedral and Brookfield — and nine-win Immaculate, which the Hawks will host Friday, January 29, at 7 pm.

The Nighthawks went to Masuk High in Monroe on January 22, fell behind by 20 points and never recovered in a 56-46 defeat.

“We just didn’t come into this game prepared,” O’Brien said. “It’s a rival. In seven years being here at Newtown this game has never been like that where a team takes a 20-point lead.”

O’Brien said the bright spot was his team’s fourth-quarter comeback effort. Riley Wurtz hit four 3-pointers and led Newtown with 21 points.

On January 26, Newtown fell 48-41 to now 10-win Bunnell. O’Brien was pleased with his team’s effort, especially given a huge height advantage for the Bulldogs. Wurtz had 18 points and Sara Kelley had 14.

The Nighthawks, after notching their eighth win just 11 games into the campaign, have seen their SWC playoff hopes slim.

“Obviously, it’s frustrating. But we do have to take a look at it and understand we’re starting three sophomores and a freshman,” said O’Brien, adding that the future is looking especially bright.

Newtown still has an outside shot of getting into the SWC playoffs and, with the team finally mostly healthy, these tough tests down the stretch should at least serve as good tune-ups for the state playoffs.