Career Magnet is too much for Falcons in Class L quarterfinal defeat

Players on the Avon High boys basketball are disappointed in the final minutes of Friday’s Class L quarterfinal loss to Career.

NEW HAVEN – There were times this season that the Avon High boys basketball team didn’t bring their ‘A’ game but in the North Central Connecticut Conference, they won anyways.

After two exciting victories in the CIAC Class L tournament, the Falcons had a huge challenge ahead of them facing No. 2 Career Magnet out of New Haven at the cavernous Floyd Little Athletic Center on the campus of Hillhouse High. The Panthers were quicker and stronger rebounding the basketball.

“We didn’t bring our ‘A’ game and we played a really good team,” Avon High coach Chris Vozzolo said after his Falcons were eliminated from the Class L tournament in a 57-37 quarterfinal loss to Career. “Sometimes, you can get away with that in our league but not against a good team like Career.” 

Tyreek Perkins scored a game-high 15 points with three 3-points shots for Career (21-4) while teammate Justin Campbell scored 12. Sean Herrmann led the No. 10 Falcons (17-7) with 13 points but five came long after the game had been decided. Patrick McKearney had 12 points, including several baskets in the lane.

“Career is a good team. We tried to take away one (aspect of the game) and they did something else,” Vozzolo said. “We tried to take away the inside game and they hit three-point shots. They answered with whatever opening we had on defense.”

Avon’s Sean Herrmann tries to move the ball upcourt Friday against Career.

The court at the school is in the middle of a spacious arena large enough to host most of the key indoor track and field championship meets each year. The seats are at least 20 feet away from the court. It can be an adjustment to get used to shooting there.

Career didn’t make it any easier for Avon with good defensive pressure and strong rebounding. Avon had few second opportunities to score. “We don’t usually see teams as athletic as they are or teams with the speed they have,” Vozzolo said.

Avon was able to hang with the Panthers for a while. McKearney drove the baseline and flipped up a shot to give the Falcons a three-point lead with 3:52 left in the first quarter. About a minute later, Justin Reichler maintained the three-point lead with a strong basket in the lane for a 9-6 lead.

Avon’s Patrick McKearney goes to the basket against Career Friday night.

Career scored the next six points on a three-point shot, a foul shot and a rebound basket in the lane. McKearney cut the Career lead to one, 12-11, after one quarter but taking an inbounds pass from John Burdick and driving to the basket as the quarter ended.

But the Panthers pulled away with a 12-2 run fueled by a pair of three-point shots, another basket scored after grabbing an offensive rebound and a layup after a steal. Career built its lead to 11 before a short Avon burst at the end of the second quarter cut the lead to seven at halftime, 28-21.

“We had to make an adjustment at halftime. They’re strong kids and a well-coached team,” Career head coach Larry Kelley said. “We dug in and hoped for the best.” A 12-4 run to open the third quarter secured the game for Career.

Avon erased a seven-point, fourth quarter deficit to beat Bulkeley in the first round, 43-38 and erased another seven-point, third quarter deficit to beat Darien in the second round, 52-42. Career didn’t let up. The Panthers led by 26 points before the Falcons closed out the game with six of the final eight points.

Career Magnet 57, Avon 37
At New Haven
Avon (37): Dan Reagan 0-0-0, John Burdick 1-1-3, Jordan Levine 0-0-0, Brad Fisher 0-1-1, Jared Rosenblatt 0-0-0, Sean Herrmann 4-2-13, Alex Zacchio 0-0-0, Patrick McKearney 6-0-12, Jake Sartain 0-2-2, Zach Stirling 0-1-1, Anthony Agli 0-0-0, Matt Reagan 0-0-0, Justin Reichler 1-0-2, Nate Laszewski 1-1-3. Totals 13-8-37
Career Magnet (57): Amos Ford 3-1-7, Matthew Hamilton 1-1-3, Jordan Lomax 1-0-2, Tyrell Eaddy 2-0-6, Tyreek Perkins 6-0-15, Justin Campbell 4-4-12, Justin Phier 5-0-10, Daniel Ampofo 1-0-2. Totals 25-6-57
Avon (17-7)                        11  10    6  10  — 37
Career (21-4)                     12  16  15  14  — 57
Three-point goals: Herrmann (A) 3, Eaddy (C) 2, Perkins (C) 3