Suffocating defense lifts No. 2 Coventry past East Granby in semifinal

Coventry’s Ava Topliff and East Granby’s Tamia Hewitt battle for a loose ball in Tuesday night’s Class S semifinal in Hartford. Coventry won, 53-27.

HARTFORD, March 11, 2025 – Only five teams at East Granby have ever played for a state championship and the last team to do that was the girls basketball team in 2003.

Last week, the Crusaders erased a 10-point third quarter deficit to beat Canton in overtime and advance to the Class S semifinals for the third time since 1996.

Could the Cinderella Crusaders earn a trip to the Mohegan Sun Arena, home of the CIAC boys and girls basketball finals?

No. League co-champion Coventry wouldn’t allow it.

With a suffocating defense, the Patriots gave up two points in the second quarter and five points in the third quarter as No. 2 Coventry advanced to the Class S championship game for the first time since 2022 with a dominating 53-27 win over East Granby Tuesday night at Sports Medicine Science Academy (SMSA).

Coventry (23-3), who shared the NCCC regular season title with Ellington and won the league tournament, will face No. 4 Morgan in the Class S title game on either Saturday or Sunday in Uncasville.

“The girls were awesome,” Coventry head coach Kevin Clancy said. “I told them just show up and play our game and that is total defense. If you play your best your can win and that is exactly what we did.

“We’ve been a tough man-to-man, in-your-face defensive team that pressures the entire game,” Clancy said.

No. 11 East Granby turned the ball over on numerous occasions. Some passes were stolen, there were several shot clock violations and numerous traveling violations caused, in part, by the Patriot defense.

“Defense has always been our strongest suit,” Coventry guard Ava Topliff said. “The way we were able to execute today, that is our team identity. We were able to stick to it and stay composed. That is Coventry basketball.”

East Granby grabbed an early 7-1 lead thanks to a three-point shot from Maya Betts and a basket inside from Tamia Hewitt. But the Crusaders would only be able to score one more field goal in the second half – a jumper from Ava Walsh with 5:45 left in the second quarter that cut the Patriot lead to 14-11.

Turnovers and steals propelled the Patriots. Coventry’s Hailey Mayo had nine of her14 points in the second quarter. At one point, Topliff had steals on three consecutive East Granby possessions.

Consecutive baskets from Rose Jeamel sparked a 9-0 run by Coventry that turned a six-point deficit into a 10-7 lead in the first quarter. Three free throws from the Crusaders cut the lead to 10-9 after one period.

But East Granby was outscored 18-2 in the second quarter as Coventry grabbed a 28-11 lead at the half.

East Granby’s Ava Walsh is pressued by two Coventry defenders in Tuesday night’s Class S semifinal in Hartford.

Coventry kept their foot on the throttle in the third quarter, taking a 43-16 lead.

Mayo and Jeamal each led Coventry with 14 points with Jianna Foran adding eight points. Betts led East Granby with seven.

It was a disappointing end to a season to remember for East Granby and it could by a catalyst for future success, Crusader head coach Doug Knowes said.

“I talked to them about laying the foundation for the future of East Granby basketball,” he said. “This group set a legacy and there is a large group of young girls who have been following us. This will matter for a long time. We’ll have success because of this (season). There are future Lady Crusaders who will want to be here too. It’s a great moment for East Granby overall.”

Coventry 53, East Granby 27
At Hartford
East Granby (27) Alyssa Koraleski 0-0-0, Mackenzie Dubois 1-1-3, Logan Nicolle 1-1-3, Chloe Rapose 1-1-3, Kiley Rudzik 0-2-2, Ava Walsh 2-0-5, Tamia Hewitt 2-0-4, Karina Baran 1-0-3, Maya Betts 2-1-7. Totals 10-6
Coventry (53) Alicia Sobel 2-0-5, Ava Viera 1-2-5, Ava Topliff 1-0-2, Madison Tibero 0-0-0, Rose Jeamel 6-1-14, Jianna Foran 4-0-8, Danielle Wheeler 2-0-5, Hailey Mayo 6-2-14. Totals 24-5
East Granby (16-10)   9  2  5  11 – 27
Coventry (23-3)           10  18  15  10  — 53
Three-point goals: Walsh (EG), Betts (EG) 2, Sobel (Cov), Viera (Cov), Jeamel (Cov), Wheeler (Cov)