Avon, Canton girls play in NCCC Tournament quarterfinals Monday night

Avon’s Abby Laszewski (32) looks to make a pass earlier this season against Granby.

The NCCC girls basketball tournament kicks into high gear on Monday with four quarterfinal games.

Top-seeded Avon (18-2, 16-0 NCCC) hosts No. 8 Windsor Locks at 5 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the boys team. The Avon boys close out their regular season at 7 p.m. with a contest against defending Class S champion Granby. 

In the other three girls quarterfinal contests, No. 6 Canton (14-6, 11-5 NCCC) travels to Ellington (13-7, 12-4) to take on the No. 3 Purple Knights while No. 4 Suffield (14-6, 11-5) hosts East Windsor (15-5, 11-5) and No. 2 Bolton (16-4, 13-3) hosts Granby (9-11, 9-7). 

The semifinals will be Tuesday night at 5 and 7 p.m. in Avon with the championship game on Thursday night.

The tournament began on Saturday with Windsor Locks beating Enfield, 48-45 in a play-in game for the right to play league champion Avon. 

The Falcons went undefeated in the league this winter (16-0) to win its second straight league championship and the 12th in the last 15 years. The last team to run the table in the league was Avon in 2009. 

Avon hasn’t won the NCCC Tournament since 2010. Ellington has won the last three NCCC Tournaments, including a 59-56 win over an injury-riddled Avon squad a year ago. Canton last won the NCCC Tournament in 1997. They last played in the tournament final in 1999, dropping a 41-30 decision to E.O. Smith. 

BOYS BASKETBALL: Avon remains in the hunt for the NCCC championship thanks to its 64-45 win over Coventry on Saturday night. Freshman Nate Laszewski led the way with 18 points while Justin Reichler added 13. Patrick McKearney had nine points and 20 rebounds for the Falcons (14-5, 13-2 NCCC). 

Avon closes out the regular season Monday night by hosting Granby and earn a share of the league title with a win over the Bears and an East Windsor loss in one of their two remaining games. 

The Panthers (17-1, 13-1 NCCC) play at Bolton on Monday night and close out the regular season by hosting Somers on Wednesday. One more win gives East Windsor a share of its first league championship since 1982 and two wins will give them sole possession of the pennant.