Defense helps Canton boys top Windsor Locks for fourth straight win

Canton’s Ethan Burke (23) drives to the basket in Wednesday night’s win over Ellington. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

CANTON, Feb. 3 – A little over a week ago, the Canton High boys basketball team lost their first North Central Connecticut Conference game of the season to Windsor Locks, scoring a season-low 38 points.

The Warriors have played well since. Canton won their fourth straight game on Friday night with a 53-35 decision over Windsor Locks to capture their 13th win of the season and maintain their one-game lead in the NCCC championship race over Sport Medicine Science Academy.

Canton (13-2, 12-1 NCCC) limited Windsor Locks (9-6, 8-4 NCCC) to just 15 points in the first half and 22 points after three quarters. Grant Lange had a game-high 15 points for the Warriors while Ethan Burke scored 12 points on a field goal and nine free throws. In the past two games, Burke has sunk 20 free throws.

Canton remains in first place in the league with SMSA (12-2, 10-1 NCCC) one game behind. Canton beat SMSA earlier this season, 59-56. The Warriors play at Stafford on Monday and then host Hartford Classical (10-2, 9-1 NCCC) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in a big matchup with championship hopes on the line.

For Canton, it was their third win in five days. The Warriors throttled Gilbert on Monday, 86-29. On Wednesday night, they used a 12-2 run in the fourth quarter to pull away and beat Ellington, 56-48. Again, the Warriors played outstanding defense, allowing the Purple Knights just two field goals in the fourth quarter.

Canton’s Ryan Enns is focused on getting to the basket in Wednesday’s win over Ellington. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

Ellington by three, 43-40, after a pair of foul shots with 6:56 remaining in the game before the Warriors took over. Burke sank a jumper with 6:41 left to pull Canton within one point. Ryan Enns scored the next six points for Canton on three baskets to give the Warriors a five-point lead, 48-43, with the third basket coming with 2:05 left in the game.

Ellington’s Ricardo Papa sank two foul shots with 1:40 remaining to trim the Canton lead to three, 48-45 but Burke sank a pair of foul shots with 1:21 left and with 28 seconds to go to extend the lead to 54-45. Enns and Burke each sank two foul shots in the final 16 seconds to secure the win.

Burke led all scorers against Ellington with 22 points and was 11 of 14 from the charity stripe. Enns had 18 points for the Warriors.

Canton 53, Windsor Locks 35
At Canton
Windsor Locks (35) Tyler Hinckley 2 0 5, Chavon George 3 4 10, Dajein Cunningham 1 2 5, Ian Wade 2 1 5, Adam Haglund 1 1 3, Aly Mohamed 1 0 3, Kaheem Doe 0 2 2, Alex Charette 1 0 2. Totals 11 10 35.
Canton (53) Jack Mansur 3-0-7, Ryan Enns 2-1-5, Ethan Burke 1-9-12, Grant Lange 4-4-15, Mitchell Cormier 1-0-2, Matt Rose 1-0-2, Chris Tenczar 2-1-5, Tim Keating 2-0-5. Totals 16-15-53
Windsor Locks (9-6)              7    8  7  13 – 35
Canton (13-2)                      16  17  9  11 – 53
Three-point goals: Hinckley (W), Cunningham (W), Mohamed (W); Mansur (C), Burke (C), Lange (C) 3, Keating (C)

Canton 56, Ellington 48
At Ellington
Canton (56) Jack Mansur 1-2-5, Ryan Enns 6-6-18, Ethan Burke 4-11-22, Grant Lange 0-0-0, Mitchell Cormier 0-0-0, Chris Tenczar 3-0-8, Tim Keating 1-1-3. Totals 15-20-56
Ellington (48) Kevin Redler 3 6 13, Jack Zuffelato 0 1 1, Nick Abbruzzese 2 0 4, Randy Philavong 2 1 6, Ricardo Papa 1 3 5, Zach Mozzer 2 0 4, Ryan Zahner 0 0 0, Don Leonard 1 0 2, Kyle Brunelle 2 2 7, Josh Sumislaski 3 0 6. Totals 16 13 48
Canton (12-2)    16    8  14  18  — 56
Ellington (3-11)    7  18  14    9  — 48
Three-point goals: Mansur (C), Burke (C) 3, Tenczar (C) 2, Redler (E), Philavong (E)

Bill Brewster contributed to this story. 

NCCC standings