By Michael Letendre

SOUTHINGTON – In scholastic hoops, there’s always one or two stinkers along the way of a very good season.

And the Bristol Eastern girls contest at Southington on Saturday, February 20 could be categorized as such.

But the game, a 65-45 loss to the Knights in a CCC Region B entanglement, wasn’t all bad despite the 20-point defeat.

Eastern head coach Tony Floyd is in COVID protocol which gave assistant coach Mark Camden the reins that afternoon.

And he had to battle a Southington squad coached by former Maloney boys mentor Howie Hewitt, a crafty veteran of the hardwood who likes to push the pace and throw up as many 3s as possible.

The Lancers were in it, trailing just 35-32 with 5:40 to play in the third tilt as the returning Janessa Gonzalez (three points) hit her only jumper of the game.

But the Knights hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers – the start of a massive 28-7 run – as Eastern trailed 63-39 with about five minutes to go in the contest.

Eastern simply never recovered from that jaunt.

Balance was the key for Southington as Livvy Pizzitola led the squad with 16 points, Allison Mikosz added 14 while Ali Carr and Kelly Marshall each posted 11 for the winners.

Ciara Collins led all players with 23 points to go along with four rebounds, two assists and a season-high three steals over another solid all-around effort.

Cali Doyon added eight points, five assists, and three steals, Alyssa Kehler nabbed five points, six rebounds, and three assists while center Sage Scarritt contributed two points, five rebounds, and three steals.

Taigan Parent flipped in two points and grabbed three rebounds and Emma Stavens scored a hoop to complete the Lancers’ scoring efforts.

Eastern limited Southington to 40-percent shooting from the field but was out-rebounded, 42-20.

The Lancers defense helped create 18 turnovers while passing the ball well, nabbing 13 assists on 15 hoops.

Eastern tried to run against Southington’s full court traps and extra passes helped the visitors nab hoops for an early edge.

Six lead changes highlighted a busy evening of play and down five points to start things off, a 9-3 Lancers’ run – including a big 3 from Kehler – made it a 9-8 contest in Eastern’s favor with 4:30 to play in the first quarter.

Later on the frame, Parent and Kehler added hoops to give Eastern a three point lead but a 7-0 push from Southington to end the frame saw the home squad scoop up a 17-13 tally through eight exciting minutes.

Late in the second quarter, Southington held a 30-22 edge with 2:02 before the half but Collins slipped in a jumper and when Doyon canned three free throws to end the half, Eastern was hanging around – trailing just 31-27 at the break.

To open the third, Doyon found Collins for a three-point play and Gonzalez hit her hoop that made it a 35-32 contest before the bottom fell out on Eastern.

Southington turned defense into offense, canned multiple 3s, and off the power of a 19-5 burst, the Lancers trailed 54-37 with one quarter to go.

Scarritt banked in a shot early in the fourth but Southington eventually built that 24 point lead and quickly went into stall-ball tactics late.

Collins ended the contest with a 3 and then canned three-of-four free throws as the Lancers fell in the end, 65-45.

NOTES…With 3:51 left to play in the game, Collins was awarded two free throws. She hit the first one and then the official called for a mask break – a usual occurrence with less than four minutes to play in every quarter of every game. But why was it called at that time of the contest, between free throws? The official, perhaps unintentionally, iced Collins at the foul line and she ended up missing the second charity toss. And she’s a 90-percent foul shooter this year! Imagine that happening in a game and Eastern losses by a point. Do you think Coach Floyd would be happy after that? Think he’d be yelling a little bit (or a lot)? You can use your imagination on that one…

CCC Region B girls basketball

SOUTHINGTON 65, BRISTOL EASTERN 45

from Southington high school

Bristol Eastern (3-1) 22 5 10 8 – 45

Southington (3-1) 26 5 23 11 – 65

BRISTOL EASTERN (45): Taigan Parent 1 0 2, Ciara Collins 7 8 23, Cali Doyon 2 3 8, Alyssa Kehler 2 0 5, Sage Scarritt 1 0 2, Audrey Tice 0 0 0, Emma Stavens 1 0 2, Janessa Gonzalez 1 1 3, Sarah Lacouture 0 0 0, Emily Piendak 0 0 0. Totals: 15 12 45.

SOUTHINGTON (65): Gabriella D’angelo 3 0 9, Taylor Sullivan 1 0 2, Allison Mikosz 5 0 14, Livvy Pizzitola 5 4 16, Ali Carr 5 0 11, Bethan Borges 1 1 3, Kelly Marshall 4 3 11. Totals: 24 7 65.

Three-point goals: Collins (BE), Doyon (BE), Kehler (BE), D’Angelo (S) 3, Mikouz (S) 4, Pizzitola (S) 2, A. Carr (S). 

Records: Southington 3-1 overall; Bristol Eastern 3-1