Avon girls face Bolton in NCCC Tournament final on Thursday night

Avon’s Shannon Curry (23) is averaging 5.9 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.

AVON – A year ago, an injury-ravaged Avon High girls basketball team played a courageous game but fell to Ellington in the championship game of the NCCC girls basketball tournament.

This year, the Falcons are healthy and seeking to win the NCCC Tournament for the first time since 2010 with a victory over Bolton on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Windsor Locks High School. Ellington and Suffield meet in the tournament consolation game at 5 p.m.

Sophomore Abby Laszewski and senior guard Anna Schrecengost both missed last year’s championship game with injuries. This year, they are on the court and ready to go. 

Avon (20-2, 16-0 NCCC) has won 18 straight games since dropping a seven-point decision to Glastonbury on Dec. 28 in the opening round of the Avon Holiday Tournament. The Falcons, who ran the table in the NCCC to win their 12th conference championship since 2000, earned a spot in the final with a 50-41 win over Suffield on Tuesday night.

Laszewski, Avon’s leading scorer, had 15 points while Schrecengost had 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals. Junior Olivia Welter chipped in with 12 points.

Laszewski leads Avon with an average of 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds a game. She has blocked a team-high 55 shots. Schrecengost is averaging 11.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game. She is the team’s leading three-point shooter with 27 through the first 20 games of the season. Welter is averaging 9.5 points per game in her first full varsity campaign after missing much of the past two seasons with injuries.

Bolton (18-2, 13-3 NCCC) finished second to the Falcons in the league this season. The Bulldogs, who are making their first-ever appearance in the NCCC Tournament final, are led by junior Marissa Gudauskas, who averages 13.7 points a game and has a team-leading 49 three-point goals. Senior Crystal Zimmerman (9.7 ppg), sophomore Jess Larsh (8.9 ppg) and senior Sarah Marshall (5.5 ppg, 12.3 rebounds) are other top players for Bolton.

Bolton advanced to the championship game with a solid 61-41 win over Ellington in the semifinals led by Larsh with 23 points and Gudauskas with 18 points. Marshall ripped down 23 rebounds. Zimmerman had 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Avon beat Bolton earlier this year, 56-31 in early January led by Laszewski with 14 points and Schrecengost with 12. Guadauskas had 10 for Bolton but the Bulldogs scored in double digits in just the fourth quarter.

AROUND THE COURT: Avon lost in last year’s NCCC Tournament final to Ellington, 59-56. The Falcons are 10-4 in the tournament final. … Bolton, which joined the league in 2007, is playing in the championship game for the first time. … The two teams did meet once in the NCCC Tournament before with Avon winning 52-36 in the 2008 semifinals. … Avon and Bolton shared the NCCC regular season title with 15-1 records last year in 2013.

2014 NCCC Tournament
Championship
Avon vs. Bolton
Consolation
Suffield vs. Ellington
Semifinals
Avon 50, Suffield 41
Bolton 61, Ellington 42
Quarterfinals
Avon 66, Windsor Locks 42
Ellington 52, Canton 47
Bolton 43, Granby 32
Suffield 28, East Windsor 23
Qualifying
Windsor Locks 48, Enfield 45

NCCC regular season standings: Avon 16-0, Bolton 13-3, Ellington 12-4, Suffield 11-5, East Windsor 11-5, Canton 11-5, Granby 9-7, Windsor Locks 9-7, Enfield 7-9, Coventry 4-12, Somers 3-13, SMSA 3-13, East Granby 1-15, Stafford 0-16