Trailing by 14 points in the second quarter, Newtown High School’s girls’ basketball team flipped the switch and changed the script on the way to a 46-39 win over visiting Norwich Free Academy on December 16.

The Nighthawks used a 10-0 run to close out the first half down just one point, then pulled ahead in the third quarter on the way to victory. Newtown held the Wildcats to just eight points from the mid-point of the second quarter all the way until the middle of the fourth, about 16 minutes of game play/equivalent to a pair of quarters. That defensive shutdown combined with some hot shooting, especially from 3-point range, highlighted a pair of 12-0 scoring runs and added up to an impressive victory for the Blue and Gold.

So what led to the turnaround?

“I think the intensity,” NHS Coach Jeremy O’Connell said. “We started to play a little more physical and be more aggressive, and dictate things instead of letting them dictate what happened.”

A switch from man to man to zone defense midway through the second quarter also keyed the comeback, O’Connell said.

At one point, Newtown was behind 19-5, and the Nighthawks were still down double digits when a Sam Diaspro 3-pointer made it 23-14. Newtown closed in on the Wildcats late in the second quarter. After another Diaspro 3-pointer, Ava Rochester’s turnaround bank shot from straight away made it 25-19 with 42 seconds to go before the break. Addy Cordova came away with a steal and was fouled. Izzy Caron had a catch and shoot 3-pointer off the ensuing inbound pass, and just like that it was 25-22 with 27 seconds left in the quarter. After a Newtown defensive stand, Diaspro’s rebound and buzzer-beating mid-range jumper got the Hawks within a point at 25-24 heading into the locker room.

Newtown extended to a 12-0 run when Caron’s knock-away on the defensive end led to Jenna Lagan’s bucked down low for the Hawks’ first lead of the tilt, 26-25 less than a half minute into the third.

The Wildcats scored to reclaim the lead and both defenses stood tall until Ava Rochester’s basketball despite a foul and 3-point play made it 29-27 Hawks with 3:59 to go in the quarter. That initiated another 12-0 run and the Nighthawks never looked back. Caron had a defensive rebound and a coast-to-coast trip to the basket for another 3-point play making it 33-27 with 3:45 left in the third. Newtown’s defense continued to stymie the Wildcats. It was 34-27 Newtown heading to the fourth.

Rochester’s up and under baseline drive for two points pushed the lead to nine early in the fourth and Rochester’s runner from straight on made it 38-27 with 5:33 to play. NFA finally scored with 4:35 left and inched closer, pulling to within five at 38-33 with 3:46 to play.

Rochester dove to the court for a loose ball and before she got tied up by the defense O’Connell called time-out with 3:24 to play. Newtown capitalized with Rochester cashing in off an assist by Lagan for a 40-33 lead with 3:08 left.

NFA got the lead back down to five and had possession with a chance to cut further into the deficit. Newtown’s tough defense forced a double dribble and turnover with 1:22 to go. Diaspro hit a pair of free throws six seconds later, making it 42-35.

The Wildcats again pulled to within five, with just over a minute left, and got possession back on a Nighthawk turnover. But Lagan blocked a shot and Bridget McCleary and Diaspro sealed things at the free throw line.

Rochester led the way with 14 points, three rebounds, and an assist; Caron finished with a dozen points to go along with seven rebounds, two steals, and a trio of assists; Diaspro had ten points, and Lagan seven.

It was a similar story with a different twist the game before with Newtown overcoming a 9-2 deficit at a well-coached and tough West Haven squad to go up double figures in the third quarter, then finding a way to eke out a 43-41 victory on December 13.

“We made enough plays down the stretch to hold on and win,” O’Connell said. “It was a great road win for us.”

Diaspro had 12 points and Lagan scored nine against West Haven.

O’Connell, whose team also defeated Cromwell 48-20 to start the campaign, is happy with what his players have shown given they have had only three weeks to put it all together — conditioning, learning offensive and defensive systems, returning players taking on new roles, new players settling in, new sideline inbound rules, the shot clock in play. He’s been particularly impressed with the way the girls have made adjustments on the fly, the biggest of which in the NFA contest was that switch to zone defense.

“I’m really pleased. Their coach is phenomenal, the program is outstanding. Any time you get a quality win against a super-quality opponent that has great coaching it shows we belong playing against the top teams,” the coach said.

The Hawks hosted Brookfield on December 19 and kept up their winning ways in a 64-45 victory. Lagan compiled 22 points and 14 rebounds, McCleary scored 17, Caron recorded ten assists, and Rochester played lockdown defense on Brookfield’s top player.

Newtown made it 5-0 to start the year with a 47-37 win over Danbury on December 21 (read about that game in the December 29 print edition of The Bee).

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