Conard races away from Falcons to earn 10th win of season

Avon’s Jadd Eldah (2) and Tabor Engle (4) try to stop Conard’s Jalen Hamblin (34) in Friday night’s CCC West game in Avon. More game photos

AVON, Jan. 28, 2022 – Earlier this week, the Avon High boys basketball secured a spot in the CIAC Division II tournament with a dominating 67-32 win over E.O. Smith with 17 points each from Isaac Aguilar and Tyler Brokenshire.

On Friday night, the Falcons faced the challenge of a talented and versatile Conard High squad that beat Avon by 36 points earlier this month.

The visiting Chieftains held the lead throughout the game. Conard led by 11 in the third quarter before Avon rallied to cut the lead to five points on a pair of free throws by Brokenshire with 1:49 left in the third quarter.

Conard quickly snuffed out any upset hopes with a 16-0 run to put the Chieftains in command as Conard rolled to a 59-32 victory in CCC West action on Friday night. Conard (10-1) outscored Avon 25-3 in the final 9:49 of the contest.

“Our game plan was good – limit (Riley) Fox and (Jalen) Hamblin,” Avon High coach Kris Pedra said. Fox had 30 points in Conard’s 75-39 win on January 4 while Hamblin had 24 points.

Fox was held to 13 points while Hamblin had 15 but they had plenty of help from their teammates at both ends of the floor.

Avon gave up just 25 points in the first half but scored just 19.

“They are a good defensive team and they are well-coached,” Pedra said. “We couldn’t anything to fall. It was a flat night for us offensively.”

Conard’s Jayson Schuler (40) blocks the shot from Avon’s Tyler Brokenshire (13) in Friday’s CCC West game in Avon. More game photos

Conard controlled the boards, limiting Avon to a single shot on multiple occasions.

Avon cut the lead to five points, 34-29, on a pair of Brokenshire foul shots with 1:49 left but Conard quickly moved the ball upcourt only to see Jackson Morhardt quickly drain a three-point shot. The Chieftains forced a turnover and Avon fouled putting Fox on the foul line and his drained a pair of foul shots for a 39-29 lead and the Chieftains were off to the races.

Conard’s Ryan Bushnell added 10 points while Matt Santoro scored six of eight points in the fourth quarter.

Brokenshire led the Falcons (8-5) with 13 points while Aguilar added nine.

Avon returns to action on Tuesday when they host Glastonbury at 6:45 p.m.

Conard 59, Avon 32
At Avon
Conard (59) Declan McCarin 2-0-6, Kyle Barnum 1-0-3, Riley Fox 4-3-13, Jackson Mordhardt 1-0-3, Mike Weiss 0-0-0, Matt Santoro 4-0-8, Jalen Hamblin 5-4-15, Jayson Schuler 0-1-1, Ryan Bushnell 5-0-10. Totals 22-8
Avon (32) Alan Brockman 0-0-0, Jadd Eldah 0-0-0, Isaac Aguilar 4-1-9, Tabor Engle 2-1-6, Parker Jobe 0-0-0, Cam Dawiczyk 0-0-0, Tyler Brokenshire 4-4-13, Aidan Srb 0-0-0, Luke Coppen 0-0-0, Aarsh Moza 0-0-0, Nishant Goplachant 0-0-0, Emmett Borenstein 2-0-4. Totals 12-6
Conard (10-1)                    15  10  17  17  — 59
Avon (8-5)                            7  11  11    3  — 32
Three-point goals: McCarin (C) 2, Fox (C) 2, Morhardt (C), Hamblin (C), Engle (A), Brokenshire (A)