The Avon High girls basketball is all smiles after handing Canton their second loss of the season Friday night, 63-50.
CANTON – Players on the Avon High girls basketball are no strangers to big games and pressure-filled contests. Many have played on championship girls soccer and lacrosse teams at Avon High as well as girls basketball, which has made championship runs the past few years.
That poise was evident as Avon moved into position to claim a share of the NCCC championship Friday night with a 63-50 win over Canton. The Falcons (14-4, 14-2 NCCC) can secure a piece of its fourth title in the last five years and its 13th NCCC crown since 2000 with victories over Stafford (1-17) and East Windsor (6-13) next week.
Avon raced out to a 17-1 lead after about four minutes only to see Canton battle back to take a 45-44 lead with 3:01 left in the third quarter. But Avon held Canton scoreless for a span of 8:48 and gave up one field goal in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
“Our first key is to play great defense,” said senior Michaela Marcus, who scored a game and season-high 23 points. She was 11-of-13 from the free throw line. “The second key is to take care of the ball, work together as a team and get up and down the court.”
Marcus and teammate Olivia Welter spent the fall season playing with the girls soccer team that had plenty of pressure-packed games in the final weeks of the season playing against Suffield and then making a run to the Class L championship game.
How does one stay calm? “We just have to work together as a team,” she said. “As long as we do that, we’re fine.” Senior Shannon Curry had nine points while Welter had 14 points and several key steals.
“On any given night, I can’t tell you who the high scorer will be,” Avon coach Frank Waters said. “It could be any one of them.”
Avon has played the entire season without 6-foot-4 center Abby Laszewski, who injured her foot playing volleyball in the fall. She was cleared to begin playing today and dressed for the game. But she hasn’t practiced yet so Waters didn’t put her into the game.
Avon’s Alex Benedict (20) puts pressure on Canton’s Jacquie Grabowski (20) in Friday night’s NCCC contest.
It was a frustrating loss for Canton, which won the first 15 games of the season. But the slow start was nothing new to Warrior fans. Canton trailed Ellington, 9-2 earlier this week and trailed Suffield by 10 earlier in the season but rallied to win. They trailed Enfield, 9-1 and lost.
“We dug ourselves a big hole and we came all the way back,” Canton coach Brian Medeiros said. “It seemed like we did enough, we relaxed and then it was mental error after mental error.”
Canton sophomore Emily Briggs drives to the basket for two of her team-high 21 points.
Sophomore Emily Briggs led Canton with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Maggie Treacy had 12 points. Gabby Rose had seven points and nine rebounds. Canton (17-2, 15-2 NCCC) can still claim a piece of its first NCCC championship since 1999 if they can beat Windsor Locks on Tuesday night at home.
“They seemed ready,” Medeiros said. “But it was 3-0, 5-0 and 7-0. They got rattled and you saw that deer-in-the-headlights look on their face for a moment. It was like quicksand. The harder we worked, the deeper we sunk.”
Canton turned over the ball on its first five possessions. Sparked by Marcus and Welter, Avon raced out to a 17-1 lead. They led 26-9 after one quarter. Marcus drained a pair of three-point goals in the first eight minutes while Welter scored six of her 14 points.
In the second quarter, Canton’s defensive intensity began to improve and Briggs scored 10 points. She scored the final six points of the quarter on a nice jumper and four foul shots to cut the Avon lead to nine at halftime, 38-29.
In the second half, Welter hit a jumper to push the Avon lead to 11 points, 40-29. But Canton went on a 10-0 run with Briggs scoring five points to cut the lead to one. Briggs drained a big three-pointer off an inbounds play to cut the lead to five, 40-35. Rose sank two free throws to cut the lead to three and Rose fed Jacquie Grabowski down low with 4:49 remaining to cut the lead to one, 40-39.
Avon’s Alex Benedict stole the ball and laid it in to extend Avon’s lead to five, 44-39. But Briggs hit a layup, Treacy stole the ball and drove the basket for a layup to cut the lead to one. After a steal by Canton’s Abbe Skinner, Treacy scored with 3:01 remaining to give Canton its first – and only – lead at 45-44.
Canton scored just one field goal the remainder of the game. The Warriors turned the ball over on its next four possessions. Curry scored down low after a nice pass with 46 seconds left in the quarter to give Avon the lead, 46-44 and Welter hit two foul shots with 14 seconds remaining to extend the lead to 48-44.
In the fourth quarter, Canton turned the ball over on eight consecutive possessions. Meanwhile, Avon rebuilt its lead. “Champions die hard and they showed that tonight,” Medeiros said. “We’re still learning how to win the big game.”
Avon’s Kelly Lamarre (14) and Shannon Curry (23) bottle up Canton’s Emily Briggs.
Avon has won the last two NCCC championships and won the NCCC Tournament a year ago. Canton was looking for its first win over the Falcons since 2010. “I think they feel they’re not supposed to be beat Avon and I think you saw that in their faces at times,” Medeiros said.
A rematch could occur in the NCCC Tournament that begins next Thursday, Feb. 19. Avon and Canton will get byes into the quarterfinals which will be held on their home court on Saturday, Feb. 21. The semifinals are scheduled for Feb. 24 with the tournament final on Feb. 26.
Avon 63, Canton 50
At Canton
Avon (63) Michaela Marcus 5 11-13 23, Kelly LaMarre 2-0-4, Alec Benedict 1-0-2, Shannon Curry 3 3-3 9, Oliva Welter 5 4-4 14, Carly Carpino 0 2-2 2, Kaleigh Sherman 3 2-4 9. Totals 19 21-25 63
Canton (50) Katie Walker 0-0-0, Jacquie Grabowski 3 3-4 9, Emily Briggs 6 7-8 21, Maggie Treacy 4 3-4 12, Gabby Rose 2 3-5 7, Emma Charron 0 1-2 1, Belle Magna 0-0-0, Abbe Skinner 0 0-2 0, Carly Atkinson 0-0-0. Totals 15 17-25 50
Avon (14-4) 26 12 10 15 – 63
Canton (17-2) 9 20 16 5 – 50
Three-point goals: Briggs (C) 2, Treacy (C). Marcus (A) 2, Sherman (A)
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