MONROE — Down 36-33 at the half and then ahead by just one point early in the fourth quarter the February 8 clash between host Masuk and the Newtown High School boys’ basketball teams appeared headed for a close finish. The Nighthawks, however, had other plans as they pulled away in the final stanza for an 84-67 triumph.

“We cleaned it up in the second half. Defensively they played well in the second half and we had great contributions. They had no answer for Declan Regan,” Newtown Coach Matt Murphy said.

Regan was a force in the paint with 21 points and eight rebounds. Coleman had 14 points; Drew Bradley and Aidan Walker both dropped in ten; Ben Barber had eight; and Ryan Zaniewski and Emmett Regan both added six.

Emmett Regan had eight assists; Coleman finished with seven rebounds and a trio of assists; and Walker had seven rebounds and two assists.

Newtown took its first lead of the second half on a Makai Coleman basket to make it 43-41 about three minutes into the third quarter, and the Nighthawks did not relinquish the advantage the rest of the way, although the Panthers kept things very close throughout the third. With the Hawks up two points Coleman nailed a left corner 3-pointer for a 58-53 lead with 15 seconds left in the stanza. A Masuk free throw cut it to four and it was 58-54 Newtown going to the fourth.

Masuk got back to within a point early in the fourth. The Hawks answered with the next six points on a Barber baseline reverse layup, and back-to-back baskets by Declan Regan — the first on a bank shot down low and the second when he finished following an offensive rebound. Bradley answered a Masuk hoop with a left corner 3 making it 67-59 with five-plus minutes left and Zaniewski was set up by Barber in close as the Hawks pushed the lead to double digits at 69-59 with 4:15 to play. In the final minutes, Coleman set up multiple baskets with fast break drives and passes in the paint as Newtown built on its lead.

The Nighthawks had their Senior Night game versus Pomperaug of Southbury postponed by snow on February 13 with a makeup the next day. The outcome of that game (an NHS win; read about it in the February 23 print edition of The Bee) along with the Friday, February 16, regular-season finale at Brookfield, at 7 pm, will determine seeding for the South-West Conference Tournament and with the Nighthawks in the middle of the pack, whether or not the Hawks (11-7 overall and 6-4 in conference play) get a home game to begin the tourney. The SWC playoffs begin Friday, February 23.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.