By Hal Levy, Shore Line Newspapers
Special to MaxPreps.com
It might not have been the most scintillating offensive show in the history of basketball, but Tuesday night’s game between top-ranked Wilbur Cross-New Haven and giant-killer Xavier-Middletown (ranked seventh in the state) was as exciting as nay contest you’ll see all year.
Both defenses were much more the reason for the final 44-42 score than the lack of offense.
“We held them to 44 points, we out-rebounded them (40-19), we blocked so many shots (nine) … but we didn’t win,” said Xavier coach Mike Kohs, whose team suffered its second loss of the year to the Governors.
“Both teams played great defensive games,” Cross coach Jim Reynolds said. “It was a great game to win.”
What made it even better was the atmosphere at the Art Kohs Gymnasium (he’s Mike’s dad and was a long-time coach and AD at Xavier). The place was full by halftime of the well-played junior varsity game and the student sections were at their best.
“This had a state tourney final game atmosphere,” Reynolds said. “The Xavier crowd was great, the Cross crowd was great.”
The teams took turns at the lead. Cross had a 10-3 margin after one quarter but Xavier reversed fortunes in the second and had an 18-17 lead at the half. The Falcons still led by one, 30-29, after three. Midway through the fourth quarter the Cross press took its toll and the Governors went up, 37-30.
Little-used reserve Edward Murray was a big part of things and scored 12 points (more than 11 above his average), including a pair of free throws to give his team a 41-36 edge with less than two minutes left.
Xavier came back to take a 42-41 lead on a Dan Fitzpatrick put-back, but Cross, out of times-out, got the ball from Jesse Pittman to inside workhorse Markus Wright, who scored with 20.5 seconds left for a 43-42 Cross edge.
Xavier ran the clock down and called time out with just under five seconds left. Point guard Sean Holley tried to penetrate but was cut off by Murray, then was fouled with four-tenths of a second to play. Make the first of the one-and-one for a tie and overtime. Make both and be the hero of an upset win. Clank the first as Holley did and it was over.
Xavier fouled on the rebound, no time went off the clock and one free throw for Wright produced the final score.
Holley and Fitzpatrick had 11 points apiece and Will Tye had 13 for Xavier while Murray was the only played in double figures for Cross.
Hoops Polls
Windsor remained second in the New Haven Register poll of sports media with Trinity Catholic-Stamford third. New London and Holy Cross-Waterbury rounded out the top five. Crosby-Waterbury was sixth with Xavier, St. Joseph-Trumbull, Hillhouse-New Haven and East Catholic-Manchester completing the top 10.
On the girls’ side, Holy Cross-Waterbury remained unbeaten (15-0) and in the top spot in the Register poll of media and coaches. New Britain, (14-1) is second with Career-New Haven (14-1) third. Career lost Wednesday night to Mercy-Middletown, 67-52, so that should shake things up a bit next week. Bulkeley-Hartford (13-1) was fourth with Mercy (14-2 prior to the Career win), fifth.
Trinity Catholic-Stamford, Lauralton Hall-Milford, Kolbe Cathedral-Bridgeport, Plainville and Notre Dame-Fairfield round out the top 10.
Unbeaten South Windsor Hockey’s No. 1
Fairfield Prep went through the month of December without winning an ice hockey game from a Connecticut opponent, but that has changed in January. Among Prep’s latest victims are East Haven and Hamden, both Southern Connecticut Conference Division I opponents. East Haven is ranked second in the New Haven Register media poll and Hamden is third.
South Windsor (11-0) tops the poll once again with Notre Dame-West Haven fourth, Notre Dame-Fairfield fifth, Ridgefield sixth, Darien seventh, Conard-West Hartford eighth, North Haven ninth and Trinity Catholic-Stamford 10th.
Hatters Hand Long Island Power a Loss
Ho-hum. Another week, another Norwich Bulletin wrestling poll, another instance of Danbury on top in the voting of a panel of state coaches. The Hatters knocked off four-time defending Long Island champ McArthur last weekend.
Ledyard is second in the poll with Middletown third. Bacon Academy-Colchetser and New Milford round out the top five.
Places six to 10 are occupied by Berlin, Windham, Bristol Central, Jonathan Law-Milford and Southington.
