The Lewis Mills boys basketball team won the Litchfield Hills Holiday Classic for the second straight year on Saturday night with a big win over Suffield.
BURLINGTON, Dec. 30, 2023 – Senior guard Eli Pelletier had a game-high 27 points and hit seven three-point field goals to help the Lewis Mills boys basketball team capture the Litchfield Hills Holiday Classic for the second straight year with a dominating 68-27 win over Suffield on Saturday night.
Mills (3-2) turned in their second consecutive suffocating performance. On Thursday night, Mills beat Canton by 41 points – the most-ever in the long-time series between the two neighboring schools. On Saturday, Mills beat Suffield by 41 points.
The game was tied after one quarter before Mills took a nine-point lead at halftime. The Spartans blew the game open in the third quarter, giving up just two points and extending their lead to 29.
Lewis Mills sank 13 shots from beyond the three-point line with Gavin Daly hitting three and finishing with 17 points and five assists. Pelletier was named the tournament’s MVP with Daly earning a spot in the All-Tournament team.
In the consolation game, Canton dropped a 66-51 decision to Wamogo in what could be the final game between the two schools. Wamogo, the regional school for Warren, Morris and Goshen, is closing at the end of this spring.
Warren, Morris and Goshen will be forming a new regional school district with Litchfield. The new school will be called Lakeview High and be located in what is now Wamogo High.
Anthony Turtoro and Quinn Coffey had 16 points each for Wamogo (2-2) while Jayden Young led Canton (1-4) with 20 points. Mike Valenti added 15 for Canton.
For the past three years, the tournament home has rotated among three schools. In 2021, the tournament was at Wamogo in Litchfield and it was in Canton last season. This year, Lewis Mills was the host school.
Lewis Mills 68, Suffield 27
At Burlington
Suffield (27) Michael Coggins 4-2-10, Sam Evans 2-0-6, T. Levis 0-0-0, Quinn Lyman 0-0-0, Schonamelon 0-0-0, Bobby Podykula 1-0-2, Chris Crozier 1-0-2, Luke Robles 1-0-2, Andrew Bombard 1-0-2, R. Ovgano 0-1-1, D. Holmes 1-0-2, C. Forbes 0-0-0, Totals 10-2-27
Lewis Mills (68) Gavin Daly 7-0-17, Tristan Mooney 1-0-3, Eli Pelletier 9-2-27, Brett Harding 2-0-5, Tommy Dinunzio 4-0-8, Chad Edmond 2-0-5, Jack Nestor 0-0-0, Gage Kosak 1-0-2, Connor Evans 0-0-0, Max Dinunzio 0-0-0, Ethan Braddock 0-1-1, Totals 26-3-68
Lewis Mills (3-2) 13 16 22 17 — 68
Suffield (2-3) 13 7 2 5 – 27
Three-point goals: Pelletier (LM) 7, Daly (LM) 3, Mooney (LM), Harding (LM), Edmond (LM), Evans (S), Forbes (S)
All-Tournament team: Eli Pelletier (LM) and MVP; Gavin Daly (LM), Michael Coggins (Suffield), Jayden Young (Canton), Quinn Coffey (Wamogo)
2023 Litchfield Hills Holiday Classic
At Lewis Mills (Burlington)
Thursday, Dec. 28
Lewis Mills 67, Canton 26
Suffield 54, Wamogo 45
Saturday, Dec, 30
Championship: Lewis Mills 68, Suffield 27
Consolation: Wamogo 66, Canton 51
Recent Litchfield Hills Holiday Classic champions
2023: Lewis Mills 68, Suffield 27
2022: Lewis Mills 51, Wamogo 49
2021: Canton 53, Wamogo 30
2020: No tournament, COVID-19
2019: No tournament
2018: Wamogo 63, Somers 56
2017: Shepaug 55, Oxford 52
2016: Wamogo 63, O’Brien Tech 46
2015: Shepaug 57, O’Brien Tech 55
