Defense predicating offense has been the name of the game for Coach Jeremy O’Connell’s girls’ basketball teams at Newtown High School year after year.

This remains the case for the 2023-24 campaign, but with a wrinkle. The implementation of a shot clock will change the way games are played for both girls and boys. They will have 35 seconds to put up a shot rather than the option to run as much clock time as they wanted in the past.

O’Connell is interested to see how the shot clock, among other rule changes, impacts games this winter. He is also looking forward to seeing his team compete with the goals of winning a South-West Conference Championship and contending for a state title.

“We will need to all play as one and develop each member’s roles on the team,” the Newtown Coach said.

Senior captains are guard Izzy Caron, guard/forward Bridget McCleary, and guard Sofia Verdi.

Other key returners are junior forwards Ava Rochester and Jenna Lagan, junior guard Moira Murphy, sophomore guard Samantha Diaspro, and sophomore forwards Addy Cordova and Macey Arcario.

There stand to be numerous tests in and out of conference play this winter. Tough SWC teams include New Milford, Immaculate of Danbury, Pomperaug of Southbury, New Fairfield, Brookfield, Notre Dame-Fairfield, and Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport, O’Connell anticipates.

Nonconference opponents the Nighthawks will face, and whom O’Connell hopes will help prepare his squad for deep tournament runs, are Cromwell, West Haven, Norwich Free Academy, East Lyme, Danbury, Ridgewood, N.J., and Ramsey, N.J.

“Extremely excited for the season,” Newtown’s coach said.

In addition to the shot clock change, teams will now get two free throws after the fifth foul in every quarter, with fouls resetting each quarter; no more one-and-one foul shots. And there will be different inbounding locations following violations.

There will be some different coaching methods, and the use of the shot clock stands to alleviate some of the fouling, O’Connell notes.

It all gets underway Monday, December 11, when Cromwell visits Newtown at 6 pm. Following a road game against West Haven on Wednesday, December 13, also at 6 o’clock, the Hawks return home to face Norwich Free Academy Saturday, December 16 at 11 am. Brookfield visits Tuesday, December 19 at 7 pm. Danbury and East Lyme help the Nighthawks close out the calendar year. Mid-January matchups include a trip to New Jersey, January 13 and 14.

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