After winning two of its first seven games, then having a scheduled tilt with Joel Barlow of Redding canceled due to coronavirus protocol, Newtown High School’s boys’ basketball team was just happy (and hopeful, for that matter) to have four more regular season tilts and a guaranteed playoff berth, although nothing is close to a sure thing these days due to the virus.

Never mind that the Nighthawks — due to makeups necessitated by coronavirus protocol — had the daunting task of playing three games in as many days, and four contests in five to close out the regular slate. Coach Tim Tallcouch pointed out that the grueling stretch run beat the alternative of not being able to play. Many teams saw their postseason cut short a year ago, and have lost out on multiple game opportunities this winter. For those reasons, and with the goal to create more opportunities to play, all teams qualify for the South-West Conference tournament.

With a young roster led by a lone senior — captain Jack Petersen — any chances to play can only be beneficial for the future. Well, how about not just playing, but reeling off wins in each of those last four contests, then another in the first round of the South-West Conference playoffs?

That’s exactly what the happy-just-to-be-playing Nighthawks did, earning a home playoff tilt in the process. Because of their late-season hot streak, parents of the Nighthawks got to see their children compete one more time this winter, as only home team parents have been permitted for the past few games.

Newtown, which kicked off this steak of victories with a 78-70 overtime win at New Milford on March 9, had a rematch with the Green Wave in the first round of the conference tourney on March 15 and came away with a convincing 63-46 triumph. The Nighthawks, seeded sixth by virtue of their win over No. 11 New Milford, earned a visit to third-seeded Immaculate of Danbury — a 70-48 winner over the Nighthawks early in the season — in the quarterfinal round, March 18 at 6 pm.

“I can’t be more proud of how they’ve evolved throughout this year,” Tallcouch said after the playoff opener, adding that the old cliché is that teams want to be playing their best heading into playoff time and his squad is certainly doing that. “I feel 100 percent we’re playing our best basketball, collectively, now.”

As if a pileup of games versus challenging opponents wasn’t enough to overcome, the Newtown has battled injuries down the stretch. Newtown’s lineup has displayed its depth.

“One goes down, one steps up. Team effort led by our senior captain,” Tallcouch said. “Everybody knows what they’re supposed to do, everyone supports one another. I can’t be prouder of how these guys have come along.”

After the first victory at New Milford came that block of three in three — actually fewer than three days, considering the finale was a rescheduled game in the morning following back-to-back night contests. Newtown defeated visiting Masuk of Monroe 71-63 on March 11. Against Masuk, Petersen led the way with 34 points, six assists, ten rebounds, and two steals; and Joe McCray had 13 points and six assists in what Tallcouch called “a great team effort.”

Then they bested host Bunnell of Stratford 62-53 the next night, and upset visiting Notre Dame-Fairfield 60-56 on March 13. Notre Dame was unbeaten otherwise, and ranked seventh in the state.

“Overall, this team is ascending in their play, playing for one another and having fun doing it. A week ago no outsider would’ve thought we could put ourselves in position to host. Kudos to these captains and players for believing and going out there with a purpose each and every day,” Tallcouch said following the Bunnell game.

Against the Bunnell Bulldogs, the Nighthawks were 10-for-10 from the free throw line (Petersen, a clutch 8-for-8) in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Petersen finished with 21 points and six rebounds; Liam O’Connell had 15 points and four rebounds; Isaiah Williams tallied 11 points and six rebounds; McCray had eight points and four steals; and Cam Ward contributed seven points and six assists.

Against Notre Dame, McCray had 22 points and five steals; Petersen scored 13 to go along with six rebounds; Ward had ten points, six rebounds, and a trio of steals; and Saahil Ray was a rebounding machine, with 14 boards to go along with five points.

Newtown maintained its momentum in the playoff opener, taking a 31-24 halftime lead en route to pulling away to beat New Milford by 17. The Nighthawks put 21 points on the board in the out of the break and built a 52-38 lead after three quarters, capped by Jack Petersen’s buzzer-beater jumper from near the free throw line. NHS held the Green Wave to only one field goal and four points in the final stanza.

Each time the Wave showed signs of hanging around, the Hawks got a key basket, including a trio of 3-pointers in the third. Petersen finished with 27, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the third, along with 11 rebounds. O’Connell also nailed a shot from downtown in the pull-away stanza, to go along with seven rebounds. O’Connell and Ray both scored seven. McCray scored ten. Williams was a key factor under the rim with a 14-rebound effort

Win or lose the rest of the way in the postseason, the Nighthawks are getting a lot out of the experience, Tallcouch believes.

“All of this is going to help us as we move to next year and the year after,” Tallcouch said.