Canton boys basketball looks to start new winning tradition

CANTON, Dec. 10 — It was just four short years ago when the Canton High boys basketball had one of the best seasons in school history, going 19-1 in the regular season and finishing 22-3 in the 2008-09 campaign.

That’s ancient history for the current Warrior team.

There is a new coaching staff in place and first-year coach Craig Archambault is trying to establish a new tradition of success in Canton.

In the past two years, Canton has won a total of 11 games. A year ago, the Warriors struggled on the court finishing with a 3-17 record, 1-15 in the NCCC.

That journey begins on Friday night when Canton opens the season at Suffield. In fact, the Warriors play their first four games on the road. The first home game is Dec. 29 against old rival Lewis Mills.

“We’re focused on changing the culture and developing a basketball program,” Archambault said. “It’s based on toughness, playing together and playing with high energy and enthusiasm.”

It won’t be easy, Archambault admitted. Canton faces challenging games with Avon, Enfield, Suffield, Ellington and Granby – talented teams with experienced players on the court.

Archambault hopes to get his Warriors running. “We need to key on defense and rebounding,” he said. “We have the athletes who can get up and down the floor.”

The leading scorer from last year’s team, Colin Gurry (14.2 ppg, team-leading 41 three-point goals) graduated but seven players with varsity experience return.

Sullivan is a 6-foot-1 senior guard and tri-captain. He was the second leading scorer a year ago, averaging 9.2 points a game and sharing the team lead in three-point goals with 41. “He is big, strong and he can shoot the ball,” Archambault said. “He is a tough kid.”

The other senior on the team is 6-foot-3 forward Tyler Lange, a versatile player with good inside moves and the ability to sink 15-foot jump shots. He averaged 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds a game a year ago.

The other two captains are a pair of juniors – 6-foot guard Jake Wood (5.3 ppg) and 5-foot-10 guard Andrew Zukowski (2.2 ppg). Wood is very confident with the basketball and can shoot well. Zukowski is a versatile player, including acting as the stopper on defense if one wants to use a soccer term in basketball.

Sophomore Cameron Daley, who averaged 4.2 points a game, as a freshman should see plenty of playing time. He is a tremendous athlete. He’ll be on the floor with his brother, junior Alex Daley, who Archambault called a no nonsense player. “He is a staple of what we’re trying to build here – playing with toughness and being a good teammate,” Archmabault said.

Six-foot-four sophomore Shane Tolian should see plenty of playing time along with 6-foot-1 freshman guard Cameron Lange and 5-foot-9 freshman Cameron Riley.

NOTEBOOK: All 16 games in the NCCC count toward determining the league champion. Canton has four non-league games with Plainville, Portland, Lewis Mills and Shepaug. The Warriors play league opponents Coventry, Windsor Locks and Somers twice. … This is the 91st season of varsity basketball at Canton. The first season was 1920-21. … Canton is facing Lewis Mills for the first time in a regular season game since 1986. It’s been a long time since the Warriors faced Plainville (1982) or Shepaug Valley (1983). Mills did beat Canton in a CIAC Division IV tournament game in 2005. …

Archambault grew up in West Hartford where he played football and basketball at Conard. One of coaches at Conard was current Canton High football coach Paul Philippon. Archambault played four years of varsity basketball at Drew University and was an assistant coach for one year at Western New England College. He spent the last three years as the head coach of the Rockville High girls basketball team. He is currently a seventh grade health teacher at Sedgwick Middle School in West Hartford. …

Archambault is the 14th head coach in team history since 1930. He replaces Eric Deegan, who coached for 11 years with an overall record of 128-115. It is the second highest number of wins in school history behind Bill Mudano, who won 173 games in 15 years from 1974-88. …. Deegan led the Warriors to the CIAC tournament eight times in nine years, including a school record seven straight appearances from 2005-11. His 2007 team advanced as far as the Class S semifinals before falling to Cromwell in overtime.

Canton High boys basketball
December
14: at Suffield; 18: at Somers; 22: at Portland; 28: at Plainfield; 29: Lewis Mills
January
4: Bolton, 8: SMSA; 11: at Stafford; 15: Coventry; 18: Somers; 22: at Enfield; 24: Granby; 29: Windsor Locks
February
1: East Windsor; 5: at Coventry; 8: at East Granby; 11: Shepaug; 12: at Windsor Locks; 15: Ellington; 19: at Avon
Games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise listed