The Warriors celebrate in the waning seconds of Tuesday night’s win over Somers in the NCCC semifinals. Canton will face Granby in the championship game on Friday night in Canton. (Photo courtesy Paul Amrose)
SOMERS, February 3, 2020 – The Canton High boys basketball team sank a season-high nine 3-point shots and used a stifling defense to beat Somers, 64-53 on Tuesday night and earn a spot in the NCCC Tournament championship game.
The Warriors (20-2) will face Granby for the third time this season in the NCCC final on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. in Canton. The Bears, the fourth seed in the league tournament, beat league champion SMSA in the other semifinal, 60-56.
Canton led by three points with 2:53 left in the second quarter but closed out the first half with a 9-3 run to take command of the contest thanks to three 3-point shots. Thomas Amrose hit back-to-back 3-point shots for the Warriors and had a pretty assist on another three-point shot by Ryan McGoldrick for a 27-18 halftime lead.
Amrose finished with a career-high 11 points while Burke finished with nine points on three 3-point shots. Matt Rose led the Warriors with 17 points while his twin brother Jack chipped in with 10 points.
Ryan McGoldrick puts up a long-distance shot during Tuesday night’s win over Somers. The Warriors sank nine 3-point shots in the game. (Photo courtesy Paul Amrose)
Nine of Canton’s 12 field goals from the floor in the first half were from three-point range.
The first meeting between the two schools this season went to triple overtime with Somers prevailing 75-73 on January 31. Canton never let it get that close this time as the lead never got into single digits in the second half.
Aiden Miller scored 16 points for Somers while Alex Barresi chipped with 11 points.
Canton, No. 3 seed in the tournament, will be seeking their first-ever NCCC Tournament championship. The Warriors are 0-4 in the tournament title game. In their most recent appearance, Canton lost to East Windsor on a three-pointer at the buzzer, 57-54, in 2016.
Granby is the defending NCCC Tournament champion. The Bears beat Ellington in the finals a year ago, 50-39, for their first NCCC Tourney crown since 2006.
Granby won the first game between the two schools earlier this year, 58-53. Canton won the second game in February, 60-51.
Senior Thomas Amrose scored a career-high 11 points off the bench for the Warriors Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy Paul Amrose)
Canton 64, Somers 53
At Somers
Canton (64) Ryan McGoldrick, 2 2-2 8, Josh Burke, 3 0-0 9, Chris Tenczar, 3 0-0 6, Jack Rose, 4 2-3 10, Matt Rose, 6 5-6 17, Colin Macklin, 0 0-0 0, Silas Sawtelle, 1 0-0 3, Thomas Amrose, 4 0-0 11. Totals: 23 9-11 64
Somers (53) Brady Palazzesi, 3 0-0 8, Dimitri Sanchez, 0 0-0 0, Aiden Miller, 6 1-1 16, Derek Hostetler, 1 2-4 4, Alex Barresi, 3 4-5 11, Cody Palazzesi, 2 0-0 6, Egan Foye, 3 0-0 6, Kyle Yvon, 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 7-9 53
Canton (20-2) 8 19 19 18 — 64
Somers (16-6) 7 11 17 18 — 53
Three-point goals: B. Palazzesi (S) 2, Miller (S) 3, Barresi (S), C. Palazzesi (S) 2, McGoldrick (Ca) 2, Burke (Ca) 3, Sawtelle (Ca), Amrose (Ca) 3
