By Steve Bigham

Anthony Santella scored 33 points last Friday afternoon as the Newtown Middle School boys’ eighth grade basketball team (now 9-1 on the season) scored a 74-65 overtime win over Rochambeau of Southbury.

Santella scored 11 of his points during the decisive overtime period and also led his squad with nine assists and six steals. Rochambeau had sent the game into the extra session on a last second shot. The Lions, however, refused to buckle as Santella and Co held on.

Brennan Coakley also had a big game for Newtown, scoring 15 points and pulling down a season-high 27 rebounds. Kyle Lyddy chipped in with 11 points, three steals and two assists. Dan Cascone played well in the paint where he scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

The girls were also winners at Rochambeau, coming out on top 42-31 and raising their record to 8-2. Jacqui Curran led Newtown with 16 points and Siobhan Cooper chipped in with nine points. Meghan Kelley, Courtney Brunton, Megan LaFlamme and Ashley LaRocque combined for another 18 points in the win.

The Lions have surprised a lot of people with their success this year, including their coach, who admitted he wasn’t sure if this team had the ability to carry on the school’s winning tradition.

“We started a little slow as far as our work ethic was concerned and playing up to out potential, but they have worked hard in practice. This team is overall just as good as any team in the past,” noted Coach Bill Girard. “I would put these girls up against any team in the area.”

Earlier Games

It has been, though, a balanced-scoring attack that has helped the middle school boys through the season. And it was that balance recently that helped the Lions to a 69-56 win on the road over Memorial Middle School of Middlebury.

Brennan Coakley scored 16 points (and 14 rebounds) to lead five different players to score in double figures. Stephen Lamb and Marcus Tracy each poured in 14 points, while Anthony Santella and Josh Rouse added 13 and 10 points respectively. Rouse, playing well in the paint, also pulled down seven rebounds.

John Collins, Ryan Davies, Pete Dittmar, Kyle Lyddy and Nick Mentesana combined for 10 assists, four steals and four rebounds in the victory.

The girls, meanwhile, beat Memorial, 58-42. Siobhan Cooper led Newtown with 12 points, while Jacqui Curran scored nine and Meghan Kelley and Emily Nezvesky each netted seven.

The rebounding chores were aptly handled by Curran with 15, Cooper with 14, and Kelley, LaRocque and Nezvesky with seven apiece. Meghan Kelley played standout defense, compiling 11 steals.