By Michael Letendre

NEWINGTON – The Newington girls basketball squad is one of the best programs in the state.

And when the team start’s hitting shots from downtown, those 3-point bombs quickly add up.

In the first round of the Central Connecticut Conference girls basketball tournament on Thursday, the Nor’easters hit a barrage of 3s, saw balanced scoring inside and out to defeat Bristol Eastern by a 63-39 final from Newington high school.   

Newington moved to 20-1 on the season while Eastern dropped to 8-12 but the program is looking forward to the Class L state tournament.

Newington hit nine three-pointers in the game, five from freshman Bella Cucuta – leading the program with 22 points.  

All-stater Lilly Ferguson kicked in 15 points, Kendall Miller added nine while Karissa Zocco scored six.

For Eastern, Ciara Collins notched a game-high 28 points, sinking nine field goals overall.

She canned two three-pointers and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line.

Fellow senior Janessa Gonzalez scored nine points while Emma Stavens netted a hoop on a baseline shot to end the third quarter.

No one else scored a point for the Kingstreeters.

Four different players scored for Newington in the opening minutes of the game as the home team raced out to a 8-0 edge and never looked back.

A hoop by Collins at the 6:10 mark of the first period stopped the run but playing catch-up against Newington was going to be a tall order.

Ferguson had three hoops in the quarter while Cucuta and Marliese Zocco both flipped in two baskets – each canning a 3 along the way – as Newington scooped up a 21-14 lead after one frame.  

Collins scored eleven of the Eastern’s 14 points in the period to keep the Lancers in the game.

The second stanza didn’t get much better as the Nor’easters outscored the Lancers 19-6 and etched up a twenty point lead by intermission.

With Cucuta scoring nine points in the second quarter, including two additional 3s, Newington opened up a 40-20 lead at the half.  

Both squad scored 11 points in the third tilt as the game was a 51-31 affair with eight minutes remaining.

The home team nailed four threes over the final half as the Lancers absorbed a tough 63-39 decision.

RIM DUST…It looks as if the Lancers will be ranked No. 21 in the Class L state tournament fray and will be forced to travel to Bethel (No. 12) in first round action. Stay tuned…

2022 GIRLS CCC TOURNAMENT – FIRST ROUND

NEWINGTON 63, BRISTOL EASTERN 39

from Newington high school

Bristol Eastern (8-12) 14 6 11 6 – 39

Newington (20-1) 21 19 11 12 – 63

BRISTOL EASTERN (39): Taigan Parent 0 0 0, Vanessa Drury 0 0 0,  Tavia Swain 0 0 0, Emily Piendak 0 0 0, Ciara Collins 9 8 28, Madison Charette 0 0 0, Leah Roy 0 0 0, Janessa Gonzalez 4 1 9, Lauren Ayotte 0 0 0, Gabby Piendak 0 0 0, Emma Stavens 1 0 2, Gracie LaMar 0 0 0. Totals: 14 9 39.

NEWINGTON (63): Lilly Ferguson 6 3 15, Karissa Zocco 2 0 6,  Adriano Romano 1 0 2, Bella Cucuta 8 1 22, Marliese Zocco 2 0 5,  Kendall Miller 3 2 9, Arianna Barnes 1 0 2, Ella Stair 0 0 0, Selah Prignano 1 0 2, Lia Pouliot 0 0 0. Totals: 24 6 63.

Three Point Goals: Collins (BE) 2, Cucuta (N) 5, K.Zocco (N) 2, M. Zocco (N), Miller (N).

Records: Newington 20-1 overall; Bristol Eastern 8-12.