Big week for Avon boys includes key game at Granby on Friday

Avon’s Patrick McKearney (14)

It’s a big week for the Avon High boys basketball team with two challenging road games at Ellington on Tuesday and on Friday night against Granby in a showdown for first place in the league.

The Falcons (13-2, 11-0 NCCC) have won five straight games after losing to Farmington on January 19 and have looked particularly sharp on the defensive end, holding their last four opponents under 40 points – including Farmington and three-time defending NCCC champion Enfield. 

“We’re making smarter decisions defensively,” Avon coach Chris Vozzolo said. “We’re playing a nice zone we’re waiting until teams make mistakes on us and we can get some turnovers.” 

Avon gave up just 31 points to beat Farmington for the first time since 2005, 50-31 on January 26. The Falcons followed up that performance with a 67-37 win over Sport Medicine Science Academy and a 69-36 victory over Somers. 

Against Somers, Sean Herrmann led the way for Avon with 19 points while Patrick McKearney added 12 and Brandon Feinberg scored 10. Guard Ryan Marioni had 15 assists and five steals. Against SMSA, Herrmann had 15 points and six assists while Marioni and Feinberg had 10 points each. 

The game against Granby on Friday night pits the top two teams in the NCCC. Granby (13-1, 11-0 NCCC) is coming off an 53-51 overtime win over Enfield on Friday. Carlin Champion drained a 10-foot shot just before the final horn to give the Bears the victory. He finished with a game-high 16 points. 

Champion is Granby’s leading scorer averaging 17.8 points a game. He has drained a team-leading 30 three-point shots. Transfer Brett Buser from New York is averaging 16.2 pints and 3.4 assists a game. He has sunk 14 three-point shots. Guard Michael Noyes is averaging 11.5 points a game and a team-high 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game. 

It’s been a competitive series between the two schools recently. Avon is 7-6 in its last 13 games with the Bears since 2006. 

Remaining regular season schedule
February: 5: at Ellington; 8: at Granby; 12: ENFIELD; 15: at Bolton; 19: CANTON