
Junior guard Luke Brown (11), shown in last year’s NCCC Tournament title game, had a career-high 15 points in Tuesday night’s season opening win over Suffield.
CANTON, Dec. 20 – A year ago, the Canton High boys basketball team advanced to the championship of the North Central Connecticut Conference tournament where they lost to East Windsor with a long three-point shot at the buzzer. Overall, the Warriors won 17 games and captured a game in the Class S tournament for the first time since 2010.
Canton lost six seniors from that squad. But fifth-year coach Craig Archambault is optimistic. “People think it is rebuilding but I think we’ll be tough,” he said. “We’ll be a tough defensive team and I think we’ll share the basketball well.”
The Warriors got off to a good start on Tuesday with a 41-37 season opening victory over Suffield at Canton High. Senior guard Ethan Burke had the go-ahead basket with nine seconds remaining.
Burke and junior guard Luke Brown are the two starters returning from last year’s squad. Brown had a career-high 15 points Tuesday against the Wildcats while Burke chipped in with five points. “This year, they’ll be expected to step up offensively and be solid on the defensive end,” Archambault said.
Junior Ryan Enns scored 10 points for Canton while 6-foot-4 junior Mitchell Cormier added six points.
“This is one of the youngest teams we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Archambault said.
With just three seniors, Burke, 6-foot Ian Witzgall and 6-foot Nicholas Ambrose, the core of the team is six juniors – Cormier, Brown, Jake Mansur, Enns and Timothy Keating. Sophomore Grant Lange, Gavin Wood, James Mattson and Tristian Witzgall should see some playing time.
“This is a hungry group,” Archambault said. “They’re hungry to get back (to winning).
The schedule won’t be easy. With the departure of Enfield from the NCCC, Canton is now among the larger schools in the league which means two games each with Suffield, Ellington and Granby. The Warriors renew their long rivalry with Avon on Dec. 29 at the Lewis Mills tournament in Burlington at 5:30 p.m.
Canton also has non-league contests with Lewis Mills on Dec. 28, Gilbert on January 23 and Rockville on February 14. Rockville, currently in the Central Connecticut Conference, will be joining the NCCC in September 2017.
NOTES: Tuesday’s game begins the 96th season of varsity basketball at Canton High. The Warriors improve to 3-2 against Suffield on opening day. Archambault is 55-38 in four seasons with the Warriors.
Canton 41, Suffield 37
At Canton
Suffield (37) Jared Lobo 3 0 6, Ben Nigro 3 1 7, Brendan Tassy 2 0 4, Josh Baskin 5 4 15, Josh Mudano 1 0 2, Luke Lobo 1 0 2, Dave Danek 0 1 1, Totals 15 6 37
Canton (41) Luke Brown 5 4 15, Jack Mansur 1 0 3, Ryan Enns 2 6 10, Ethan Burke 1 3 5, Grant Lange 1 0 2, Mitchell Cormier 3 0 6. Totals 13 13 41
Suffield (0-1) 11 12 7 7 — 37
Canton (1-0) 10 15 6 10 – 41
Three-point goals: Baskin (S), Brown (C), Mansur (C)
2016-17 schedule
DECEMBER: 20, SUFFIELD; 23, ELLINGTON; 28, at Lewis Mills, 7:15 p.m.; 29, vs. Avon at Lewis Mills, 5:30 p.m.
JANUARY: 3, GRANBY, 9, SOMERS, 11, at Coventry, 13, at SMSA; 17, at Granby, 20, BOLTON; 23, at Gilbert; 25, at Windsor Locks, 27, at Suffield; 31, at Ellington
FEBRUARY: 3, WINDSOR LOCKS, 6, at Stafford; 8, HARTFORD CLASSICAL, 10, at East Windsor, 14, ROCKVILLE, 17, at East Granby
Games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise listed
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 30 years.


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