Hall scores his 1,000th career point as Avon earns solid win over Lewis Mills

Avon’s Will Soucier (12) drives between three Lewis Mills defenders in Thursday night’s win over Lewis Mills. Soucier scored 23 points.

AVON, Feb. 25, 2021 – Avon High senior Jack Hall needed just two points against Lewis Mills on Thursday night to reach 1,000 for his career. Hall missed his first three shots from the floor.

So, he just started passing the ball. “I have great teammates to rely on,” Hall said. “Those guys always step up and they’re always there for me. Once they step up, it makes easier for me.”

Hall drained a three-point shot with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter to break the 1,000 point barrier and poured in a game-high 26 points to lead the Avon High basketball team to a 69-56 victory over Lewis Mills in a CCC Region B contest Thursday night.

Hall is the 13^th player and the seventh boy in school history to score at least 1,000 points in his scholastic career at Avon. He is just the second boy since 2005 to score at least 1,000 points. Four years ago, Hall, then a freshman, was on the floor in 2016 when Jordan Williams scored his 1,000th point.

“It feels really good,” Hall admitted afterward. “It’s been my goal ever since my freshman year when I saw Jordan get it. He was a senior when I was a freshman and he was like my big brother.”

Avon High coach Kris Pedra scored 1,000 points when he played for the Falcons. He has coached Hall for his entire scholastic career.

“Jack has two things working for him,” Pedra said. “He has a natural ability and two, he just works his tail off. He is one of the hardest working guys on the team. When you combine talent with hard work you will have success. Good for him. He deserves it.”

Avon’s Jack Hall (4) became the seventh boy to score more than 1,000 points in school history.

Hall, who sank five 3-point field goals, had plenty of help from his teammates as Avon (3-2) got back on the winning track after a disappointing four-point loss to Southington on Tuesday night.

Against Mills, Will Soucier had 23 points while Tyler Brokenshire scored nine points and Issac Aguilar added seven. The Falcons rebounded well and played with some aggressiveness to take control of the game.

“Let’s just say there were some floor burns from practice yesterday,” Pedra said. “The boys responded. They came to practice (Wednesday) with a little chip on their shoulder. We thought we allowed one to get away (against Southington).”

On Tuesday night, Avon had a 25-12 lead at the half. The Falcons scored just 13 points in the final two quarters of a 42-38 loss to Southington.

Avon was more aggressive on Thursday against Mills. Tied at 10-10 late in the first half, Avon closed out the first quarter with a 8-0 run. Hall drained a pair of three-point shots and Issac Aguilar closed out the quarter with a driving basket on the baseline after taking a long pass from Hall at the other end of the court.

Mills (2-3) cut the lead to three points with a three-point shot from Logan Cowger with 2:00 left in the second quarter but it was the Falcons with the final basket of the half when Aqiular drove the lane, scored and was fouled. He hit the foul shot to extend the halftime lead to six, 29-26.

Avon led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter. Mills cut the lead to seven points twice in the final three minutes but that is as close as they would get. Avon hit all eight foul shots they took in the final 1:09 and Hall blocked a pair of three-point shots that Mills tried to launch in the final two minutes.

Bruce Waldron led Mills with 16 points while Tommy Marinotti added 12 points. Drew Cormer scored 11 for the Spartans.

Jack Hall (4) stands with his teammates after he scored his 1,000th career point against Lewis Mills on Thursday night.

Avon returns to action on Friday night when they host Plainville beginning at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on Avon High’s YouTube channel. No visiting spectators are allowed in the building and spectators are limited to just two family members for each player due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avon 69, Lewis Mills 56
At Avon
Lewis Mills (56) Nate DiChara 0-1-1, Tommy Martinotti 5-0-12, Jacob Lomnicky 1-0-3, Colby Cables 3-0-6, Drew Cormier 5-0-11, Bruce Waldron 6-3-16, Logan Cowger 2-17. Totals 22-5
Avon (69) Issac Aguilar 2-3-7, Jack Hall 9-3-26, Will Soucier 8-6-23, Tyler Brokenshire 3-3-9, Cameron Dawiczyk 0-0-0, Aarsh Moza 0-0-0, Emmett Borenstein 1-2-4. Totals 23-17
Lewis Mills (2-3)           10  13  16  17  — 56
Avon (3-2)                    16  11  21  19  — 69
Three-point goals: Martinotti (LM) 2, Lomnicky (LM), Cormier (LM), Waldron (LM), Cowger (LM) 2; Hall (A) 5, Soucier (A)

Southington 42, Avon 38
At Southington (Tuesday)
Avon (38) Isaac Aguilar 1 0 2, Jack Hall 6 3 16, Will Soucier 3 0 6, Tyler Brokenshire 4 0 9, Cameron Dawiczyk 0 0 0, Aarsh Moza 1 0 3, Emmett Borenstein 1 0 2. Totals 16 3 38
Southington (42) Anthony Matarazzo 1 0 3, Nicholas Marecki 3 1 8, Devan Bade 3 4 10, Richard Macioce 0 0 0, Dylan Olson 4 3 12, Aedan Derrick 4 1 9, Elijah Whitehead 0 0 0. Totals 15 9 42
Avon (2-2)                        10  15    4  9 – 38
Southington (2-3)            8    4  21  9  — 42
Three-point goals: Hall (A), Brokenshire (A), Moza (A), Matarazzo (S), Marecki (S), Olson (S)