Defense helps Warriors beat East Windsor and advance to NCCC semifinals

Abbe Skinner (21) brings up the ball during a recent Canton victory. She had four points Saturday night against East Windsor.

CANTON, Feb. 20 – Maggie Treacy had 23 points, seven assists and seven rebounds as the Canton High girls basketball team beat East Windsor, 57-44 in the quarterfinals of the NCCC Tournament Saturday at Canton.

The Warriors (16-5) advance to the semifinals of the tournament and will face No. 2 seed Bolton Monday night at 7 p.m. on the road. In the other semifinal, top seed and league champion Enfield (21-0) will face No. 4 seed Hartford Classical (14-7) on Monday in East Windsor. Enfield’s gym is unavailable because of renovations at the school. Enfield and Fermi High will be merged into one school beginning next fall.

Thanks to a tough man-to-man defense, Canton leaped out to an 11-4 lead with Emma Charron scoring a quick five points. “Great ball movement led to (nearly) everyone who played to score a basket,” Canton coach Brian Medeiros said. “Over the last couple of weeks, the girls have done a really good job at sharing the ball and playing very solid team defense.”

Emily Briggs scored 16 points for the Warriors. Loren D’Agosinto led East Windsor with 22 points while Jessica Saponare chipped in with 14 points.

Win or lose, Canton will also play on Wednesday at a site to be named. The league will host a championship game at 7 p.m. that will be preceded by a consolation game beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Canton 57, East Windsor 44
At Canton
Canton (57) Emily Briggs 6 3-6 16, Maggie Treacy 7 5-7 23, Emma Charron 2-0-5, Abbé Skinner 2-0-4, Leah Eschenbrenner 1-0-3, Carly Atkinson 1-0-2, Amanda Gottlieb 1-0-2, Belle Magna 1-0-2, Lauren Puglielli 0-0-0. Morgan Walzak 0-0-0. Totals 21 8-13 57
East Windsor (44) J. Saponare 5-0-14, S. Rodrigue 2 2-3 6, S. Fisher 0-0-0, G. Fiaschetti 1 0-1 2, A. Montana 0-0-0, A. Mangene 0-0-0, L. D’Agostino 7 8-12 22. Totals 15 10-15 44
East Windsor (11-10)       9    9  15  11 – 44
Canton (16-5)                15  12  19  11 — 57
Three-point goals: Saponare (E) 4, Briggs (C), Treacy (C) 4, Charron (C), Eschenbrenner (C).

2016 NCCC Tournament
Friday’s first round
(7) Windsor Locks 55, (10) SMSA 39
(9) Coventry 53, (8) Ellington 36
Saturday’s quarterfinals
(4) Hartford Classical 49, (5) Suffield 33
(3) Canton 57, (6) East Windsor 44
(1) Enfield 65, Coventry 32
(2) Bolton 39, Windsor Locks 29
Monday’s semifinals
Enfield vs. Hartford Classical at East Windsor, 7 p.m.
Canton at  Bolton, 7 p.m.
Wednesday’s championship
Site TBA, 7 p.m.
Wednesday’s consolation
Site TBA, 5:30 p.m.