Newtown Boys Battling Through Varsity Growing Pains

By Andy Hutchison

When the preseason was unfolding, John Quinn, Newtown High School boys’ basketball coach, said there would be a learning process for his team, made up of players who are mostly untested at the varsity level.

The third game of the campaign, against an experienced Ridgefield foe, exposed some of that rebuilding-year status.

Newtown fell 73-55 to Ridgefield in the first round of the South-West Conference Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament, the boys’ team’s first game in their new gymnasium, on December 28.

With the loss, Newtown fell to 1-2, and was slated to face Weston, which fell to Staples of Westport in the other first-round tournament game, in the tourney consolation game on Wednesday (after The Bee sports section went to press).

Newtown looked good in spurts but, as Quinn pointed out, spurts aren’t going to beat a tough team like Ridgefield.

“The varsity level — it’s such a physical game, and a game of speed, and young kids have to catch up to that. They have to learn to be ready to play that and it’s a completely different game,” said Quinn, referring from the jump from junior varsity to varsity play.

The Nighthawks got 17 points from senior Josh Engler, their lone starter with substantial varsity playing time under his belt. Senior returnees Sean Maher and Matt Datin played well, dropping in nine and five points, respectively. Junior Kyle Wilcox scored 13 points, and junior Josh Barrett added six. Some of the completely new-to-varsity players, including sophomores Kevin LeBlanc and Connor Quinn, got playing time, which stands to pay off down the road.

Coach Quinn was disappointed with the outcome but reminded his players that mistakes are going to happen, and that they have to play through them and aim to get better. He is optimistic that his team will bounce back.

“I think we’re going to grow. We’re going to be the better for it, and we’re going to be a pretty good team over time,” the coach said.

The Hawks are home to start the New Year, entertaining Pomperaug of Southbury on January 4, and Weston, in a rematch and regular conference game, on January 7. The Nighthawks then visit Stratford, in a rematch of last year’s SWC title game, on January 11.