In the first test with a 35-second shot clock in place, Newtown High School’s girls’ basketball team made like it was a ten-second clock. The Nighthawks moved quickly in transition and regularly put up shots at the rim early in their possessions, mixing outside shooting touch with some nice interior passing and baskets down low. The Hawks pulled away in the second half for a 48-20 win over visiting Cromwell on December 11.

“We’ll take a decent win against a really good program that’s had our number throughout the years,” said Newtown Coach Jeremy O’Connell, whose Nighthawks have a more experienced squad than their Cromwell counterparts who opened this campaign with a group of freshmen who saw regular minutes.

The teams traded 3-pointers late in the first quarter with Mo Murphy and Sam Diaspro connecting from downtown as the Nighthawks took a 12-9 lead into the second period. Newtown stretched the lead to 24-13 by halftime. The Hawks allowed only one field goal in the second quarter. The Hawks did what they do best, which is work off their defensive pressure to create chances at the other end of the court.

Jenna Lagan, who missed all of last year with an injury, made her presence felt on both ends of the floor. Lagan blocked a shot that led to an Addy Cordova free throw and Izzy Caron came away with a steal and basket to help Newtown extend its lead.

There was more of the same in the second half. The prettiest play of the game came when Caron made an up-court/cross-court pass to Diaspro for a one-touch feed inside to Lagan for two points in the paint and a 29-13 lead. That was part of a 12-0 run capped by Caron’s right-side 3-pointer. Cromwell did not score in the second half until nearly seven minutes into the eight-minute third stanza. It was 36-20 Hawks at the end of three.

Bridget McCleary’s basket from behind the arc opened the fourth-quarter scoring. The defense continued to stifle Cromwell, which did not manage any points in the fourth and had the game’s first shot clock violation late in regulation.

“I thought we played great defense in the second half. In the first half we played a bit sporadic but in the second half we stepped it up,” O’Connell said.

Lagan had 13 points and Caron ten to lead the Nighthawk offense. McCleary and Diaspro both scored seven, Murphy had six on a pair of 3-pointers, and Cordova added four. Ava Rochester added a foul shot. Newtown shot 16-for-23 from the free throw line.

Diaspro and Lagan both compiled six rebounds, Caron and Rochester both had five, McCleary and Murphy both grabbed four, and Macey Arcario had three. McCleary came away with four steals and Diaspro had three steals.

The Nighthawks, following Wednesday’s visit to West Haven will have a trio of home games in a row beginning with Norwich Free Academy’s visit to NHS Saturday, December 16, at 11 am. The game kicks off a day of canned food collections to benefit FAITH Food Pantry, which continues with JV action in the early and mid afternoon and culminates with the boys’ varsity contest against Wilton at 4 pm.

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