NHS Boys’ Basketball Team Hopes One Run Leads To Another

By Andy Hutchison

Members of Newtown High School’s boys’ basketball team are hopeful that a late-season run will lead to a postseason run. The Nighthawks are not guaranteed a spot in the South-West Conference playoffs, but the team members all but guarantee that they have what it takes to be a factor in the bracket if they get there.

“If we win out and make SWCs I think we can make a run,” said junior point guard Connor Quinn, whose Nighthawks beat visiting Joel Barlow of Redding 63-55 on February 10, then knocked off host New Milford 68-53 on Tuesday to improve to 8-10 overall and 5-7 in SWC play. The Nighthawks need to win their remaining two games, and get a little outside help, to qualify for the conference tourney, NHS Coach John Quinn said. The Hawks, along with Weston, Bethel, Masuk of Monroe, and Brookfield, are all fighting for one of the final spots in the eight-team tourney.

The Nighthawks will visit Weston on Friday, February 17. If Newtown wins, the teams will share the same record but the Hawks will own the tiebreaker, Coach Quinn notes. “That’s an absolute ‘have to win,’” the coach said. “That will be a major, major boost for us.”

Then, the regular season ends on Wednesday, February 22, when Stratford visits Newtown.

“We know we can win every game for the rest of the season if we bring everything and play as a team,” captain Kyle Wilcox said following the Barlow game.

“We need to play every game like it’s our last because it somewhat is,” fellow captain David Lucia added.

Against Barlow, the Hawks played their usual strong defense early on and led 30-12 at the half. It was 41-28 after three, and the Falcons made it a little interesting in a fourth quarter Coach Quinn was not pleased with.

Taylor Steimle scored 13 points, Connor Quinn had 12, Mike Daubert contributed 11, and Gavin Scallon came in and contributed with seven points.

In the win over New Milford, Newtown’s fifth victory in its last six games, Connor Quinn led the way with 24 points and Wilcox added 17.

Late in the game, New Milford senior David Chabre, a special needs player, got a chance to score a varsity basket and the Nighthawks, led by sophomore Jake Ball’s initiative, aided Chabre’s scoring effort. He made a basket to bring the crowd to its feet, Coach Quinn said. “It was one of the most heart-warming things you’re ever going to see,” the coach added. “Very touching.” Coach Quinn added that he was proud of Ball for assisting Chabre on the court.