Canton freshman guard Braydon Keefe tries to get upcourt in Friday night’s season-opening win over Grasso Tech.
CANTON, Dec. 15, 2023 – A year ago, the Canton High boys basketball team captured a share of their third North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) championship under head coach Craig Archambault and their first league championship since 2018.
The Warriors qualified for the CIAC state tournament for the tenth time in 11 seasons, posting a winning record for a tenth consecutive season, the most consistent streak of success in the history of a basketball program that dates back to 1921. There was no CIAC tournament in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Canton hit the hardwood on Friday night against Grasso Tech from Groton, there were no starters from last year’s team on the floor. Eight seniors graduated from last year’s team. Ryan Cuniowski and Jayden Young got a few minutes here and there but they were not major contributors.
“Every kid that played tonight, this was their first varsity win, their first varsity basketball game, their first varsity game when they’re playing more than a few minutes,” said Archambault, who is beginning his 12th season behind the bench for the Warriors. “We’re so young. It’s exciting.”
Tate Bemis had 19 points including four three-point shots to lead the Warriors to a 64-50 win over Grasso Tech in the season-opening contest for both schools. Cuniowski and Young each had 12 points as Canton won their season opener for the third straight year.
Canton (1-0) raced out to a 23-4 lead after one quarter over the visiting Eagles.
“We can be a very good shooting team,” Archambault said. “It showed in the first quarter.”
There will be some difficult nights for the Warriors this season. They have just one senior in the program and the five players on the floor Friday night were mainly juniors and freshmen.
“We have to lock in a really, really tight good culture with leadership, positivity, being coachable,” Archambault said.
And the goal doesn’t change.
“The expectations are like (they are) every season,” he said. “We’ve done it for (all) 12 years here — eight (wins) to states, try to get eight wins, focus on defense rebounding execution.”
Bemis, Cuniowski, Young, Chase Algren and Michael Valenti – all juniors – got the start. Freshmen Wyatt Bernabucci and Braydeon Keefe got plenty of playing time.
Canton returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 20, when they host East Hampton beginning at 7 p.m. The Warriors host Rocky Hill two days later on Dec. 22.
With the win, Canton evens its record on opening day to 51-51. It was the first-ever game with Grasso Tech for the Warriors.
Canton 64, Grasso Tech 50
At Canton
Grasso Tech (50) Chris Johnson 9-2-22, George Rogers 0-2-2, Nick Stanley 5-2-15, Kelvin Paulino 0-0-0, Rane Brown 0-0-0, Jeffrey Santiago 0-0-0, Joey Moore 2-0-4, Bryce Johnson 0-0-0, Ethan Chacha 1-0-2, Christian Laprade 0-0-0, Ryan Gendry 2-0-5. Totals 18 6-24 50
Canton (64) Tate Bemis 5-5-19, Ryan Cuniowski 4-4-12, James Canny 0-0-0, Jake Sidlowsky 0-0-0, Braydon Keefe 2-0-6, Jayden Young 1-10-12, David Grabowski 0-0-0, Chase Ahlgren 3-0-6, Michael Valenti 2-1-5, Wyatt Bernabucci 2-0-4. Totals 18 20-25 64
Grasso Tech (0-1) 3 12 17 18 — 50
Canton (1-0) 24 9 13 16 — 64
Three-point goals: Gendry (G), Stanley (G) 3, Johnson (G) 2; Bemis (C) 4, Keefe (C) 2
