By Kim J. Harmon

Jake DeVellis has never lost a middle school basketball game.

Neither has John Grimaldi.

Nor has Kurt Nacewicz or Ricky Gallucci or Ian Cooper or – to put it bluntly – any of the other Newtown Middle School eighth-grade boys’ basketball players after completing their second straight undefeated season with a 58-50 win over Jockey Hollow in the annual Jockey Hollow Tournament.

“The kids were undefeated in seventh grade and we thought we had a chance (to do it again),” said head coach Tom DeBenedetto, “but eighth grade is so much different and we just didn’t know. But these kids played so well together. Every time they had the ball they were looking to run it up the court.”

The Lions completed a 14-0 season with a 58-43 regular season win over Memorial, a 68-45 win over Bethel in the opening round of the Jockey Hollow Tournament, and then the 58-50 win over Jockey Hollow in the final.

DeVellis canned 27 points in the tournament championship and went 16-for-20 from the charity stripe in a foul-marred contest.

“Obviously Jake is our MVP – no question,” said coach DeBenedetto, “but he can’t do it all. We had kids who rebounds, kids who could shoot outside, and kids who could shoot inside. Even if teams triple-teamed Jake, we would still score.”

Connor Collier scored 10 points in the tournament final as Grimaldi and David Bray combined for 12 rebounds and 11 blocks. Nacewicz led a swarming, pressure defense and came up with seven steals while Jason Kostecki made some big plays.

Gallucci and Cooper had great floor games.

The Lions advanced to the final with the 23-point win over Bethel. DeVellis scored a season-high 35 points and added eight steals to power Newtown. Gallucci canned 10 points off the bench while Grimaldi grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds.

Cole Depuy also grabbed six boards while Keith McGrath and Collier anchored the defense with the help of Bray, Kostecki, Cooper, Joe Cappiello and AJ Ritchie.

In the regular-season finale, the Lions overcame a poor shooting night to thump Memorial. DeVellis scored 24 points and Collier added 10 while Bray and Gallucci combined for 15 rebounds. Depuy, Cooper and McGrath played superb perimeter defense.