Just a few hours after putting their academics aside for the holiday break, Newtown High School girls' basketball team members took care of the Academics on the court. The Nighthawks beat the Hillhouse of New Haven Academics 42-24 to win the consolation game of the Threes For Sandy Hook tournament, on December 23. Newtown's triumph came the day after falling 34-30 to Cromwell.

Jackie Matthews, Olyvia Shaw, and Cailin Wilson all scored nine points, Nicki DaPra had five points, Carolina Stubbs and Rylee Mulligan both dropped in four, and Amy Sapenter had two points in the triumph over the Academics.

In the defeat to Cromwell, the Nighthawks fell behind 10-2 after one quarter of play and trailed 17-11 at halftime, and 26-17 heading into the fourth quarter, before clawing back in the final minutes to make it close.

Kira Smith, Shaw, and Wilson all had six points, DaPra scored five, Mulligan added four, and Stubbs tacked on three against Cromwell.