By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – After a ridiculous stint of road games to start the 2023-24 campaign, the Bristol Eastern boys basketball team finally returned home on Friday night.
And the Lancers were raring to go against Tolland in a CCC interdivisional showdown in Bristol, looking to open its home slate of games in style.
Eastern took it to the opponents, scoring 44 points by halftime, and eventually defeated the Eagles 76-51.
“It was nice to be at home tonight,” said Eastern coach Bunty Ray.
The Lancers improved to 5-2 overall while Tolland (1-4) hasn’t posted a win since opening night but were feisty none-the-less.
Eastern once again established a season-high in points, the most the team has scored from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium since dropping in 88 against Platt back on January 20, 2015.
And speaking of history, why not make some in Eastern’s first home game of the season?
That honor went to Jordan Chisholm.
The outstanding junior shooting guard drained seven three-pointers – tying the school records for 3s made in a game.
He now shares that honor with Elijah Parent who was in attendance at the game, cheering on the newest record holder.
“It felt good,” said Chisholm of the record. “I want to thank my teammates for looking for at me when I had the hot hand and they just kept giving me the ball.”
Chisholm hit 7-of-14 three-pointers, scoring a career-high 27 points to go along with two rebounds and two assists.
After connecting on just two 3s as a team in its four-point loss at Lewis Mills in its previous game, Eastern connected on 13 three-point field goals with over half of those coming from Chisholm.
“It was how we got the threes. We went inside-out,” said Eastern coach Bunty Ray. “We were able to get out on the break, drive and kick so the threes really just didn’t come off our offense. It came off our transition. When we’re in transition, that’s where we’re at our best.”
“I thought we played tremendous defense that opened up the floor. Then you’re going to lose the shooters and that’s when the threes started going.”
Eastern’s starting core was tremendous, getting a monumental effort from point guard Lukas Sward.
Sward ended the night with 12 points and team highs of eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals as he dominated both sides of the hardwood.
Brayden Dauphinais found his shooting touch, connecting on 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, hitting two 3s in the process, to go along with five rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Zaveyn Tate added eight points, five rebounds, three assists and a team best three rejections.
Brady Bell didn’t attempt a field goal but his two points, six rebounds and two assists were an excellent contribution to the winning effort.
Ben D’Amato was in attack mode off the bench, hitting three 3-pointers on his way to a season-high 11 points.
Also for the Kingstreeters, Dante DePass canned a 3, Isaiah Lawrence-Bynum hit a hoop, Naseem Walker snared a couple steals while Ben Kozikowski, Owens Myers (two rebounds) and Tyghe Collins all saw action against the Eagles.
Tolland was led by Cam Lumia’s 14 points while Matt Taylor added 10 over the losing effort.
Eastern forced Tolland into 19 turnovers, taking advantage of 11 steals that eventually led to some pretty spectacular offense.
Tolland was also limited to two offensive rebounds as second shooting opportunities by the Eagles were at a major premium.
“It was a point of emphasis after the other night where was obviously couldn’t run because we got beat on the offensive glass,” said Ray of the Lewis Mills showdown. “We have to do a better job of cleaning up the boards so we can do the things that we’re best at which is get out on the open floor. Yeah, I was very happy with that. It just wasn’t one guy either.”
“It seemed like the rebounds were coming from everywhere.”
After a jumper from Sward to start the game, Chisholm netted the next 13 Eastern points – including 3 threes – as the home team was in charge at 15-7 with 2:25 to go in the first frame.
D’Amato took over the scoring from there, draining a 3 and hitting a slick baseline jumper off a feed by Dauphinais as the Lancers led 20-11 through eight minutes of play.
To open the second stanza, Eastern scored 10 straight points as Lawrence-Bynum canned a lay-up, Chisholm hit another 3, Dauphinais made a steal for a lay-up and hit a charity toss off another theft and when Tate’s drive to the basket led to a hoop, the Lancers were firmly in charge at 30-11 with 6:19 left before the half.
Midway through the period, Chisholm flipped in his fifth three, Dauphinais added one of his own, Sward found him for another bucket and when Tate put-back a miss with 2:40 showing on the clock, Eastern was in complete command at 44-16.
The Lancers led by 23 points at the half and the scoring and defensive onslaughts continued.
Chisholm added his sixth three with 5:44 to go in the third, D’Amato later hit one of his own and when Dauphinais dropped in a baseline 3 at the quarter buzzer, the Kingstreeters were firmly in command at 59-33 with eight minutes remaining.
“Tolland went to the 1-3-1 [defense] and lost Chisholm and a couple other times, there were trying to switch the screens and when they switched the screens, they lost him. So they lost him a lot,” said Ray. “He made them pay tonight. As much as he was doing getting open, the other guys were spacing the floor. He was getting his threes within the offense. It wasn’t like he was just running down the floor and throwing up threes. He was getting them within the offense, we were going inside, different guys would drive to the hoop then we’d score another basket and then [Chisholm] would get his three.”
“That’s what was happening. It was just a balanced attack and when it was his turn to shoot, he shot a really good percentage tonight.”
The only suspense left was to see if Chisholm could tie the school record with one final 3-pointer.
D’Amato started the fourth off with – you guessed it – a three-point field goal while Bell found Sward for a bucket and with 5:36 to play, Eastern’s lead grew to 66-36.
Moments later, Sward dropped in a sweet up-and-under lay-up and at the 3:46 mark of the fourth, Chisholm blasted in one final 3 – his school-tying seventh three-pointer – as Eastern’s edge was pushed out to 30 again (71-41).
Late in the tilt, DePass added the program’s 13th three-pointer of the outing, Tate made one final lay-up while the bench came in to mop up over the final two minuets – leading to a huge 76-51 triumph as Eastern is now a perfect 1-0 at home with several more game from King Street to play.
“It’s been a long time,” said Chisholm about finally being able to play at home. “But we came out and won. It felt good.”
Bristol Eastern Boys Basketball – CCC Interdivisional Tilt
BRISTOL EASTERN 76, TOLLAND 51
from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium, Bristol
Tolland (1-4) 11 10 12 18 – 51
Bristol Eastern (5-2) 20 24 15 17 – 76
TOLLAND (51): Cam Lumia 5 4 14, Matt Taylor 4 0 10, Ben Gordon 2 0 6, Owen LoVol 1 0 2, Ben Russell 2 1 6, Cam Neyers 3 2 9, Gabe Pletscher 2 0 4. Totals: 19 7 51.
BRISTOL EASTERN (76): Brayden Dauphinais 4 1 11, Jordan Chisholm 9 2 27, Isaiah Lawrence-Bynum 1 0 2, Zaveyn Tate 4 0 8, Lukas Sward 5 2 12, Brady Bell 0 2 2, Dante DePass 1 0 3, Ben D’Amato 4 0 11, Naseem Walker 0 0 0, Ben Kozikowski 0 0 0, Owen Myers 0 0 0, Tyghe Collins 0 0 0. Totals: 28 7 76.
Three-point goals: Matt Taylor (T) 2, Ben Gordon (T) 2, Ben Russell (T), Cam Neyers (T), Brayden Dauphinais (BE) 2, Jordan Chisholm (BE) 7, Ben D’Amato (BE) 3, Dante DePass (BE).
Records: Bristol Eastern 5-2 overall; Tolland 1-4.
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