Despite offensive drought, Canton beats Granby for first time since 2021

Canton junior Ruby Theberge drives to the basket in Friday night’s NCCC victory over Granby. Theberge scored a game-high 21 points.

CANTON, January 16, 2026 – The Canton High girls basketball didn’t score a field goal in the final seven minutes of Friday night’s North Central Connecticut Conference game with Granby.

But the Warriors played with poise, hustle and determination to beat Granby for the first time since 2021 with a 40-33 victory. Canton sank six of eight free throws in the final quarter and played a disruptive defense to beat the Bears (8-3, 3-2 NCCC).

Ruby Theberge had a game-high 21 points for the Warriors and sank 13 of 14 shots from the free throw line. Lucy O’Connor had 10 points and 10 rebounds while Riley Ahlgren had four points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Canton snapped a five-game losing streak to the Bears, who were led by Brenna Nichols with 11 points and Sophia Bodman with 10 points.

“This is definitely one of our best games this year,” Canton coach Brian Medeiros said. “I think this has been the first time we played against a team that was a little better than us and we made enough plays to pull it out.”

Canton (5-3, 1-1 NCCC) had a nine-point lead late in the third quarter before the Bears closed out the quarter with a four-point surge to cut the lead to five. A turnaround jumper from Bennett in the lane ended the quarter for the Bears.

Theberge drove to the basket with 7:22 remaining to extend Canton’s lead to seven, 34-27 but that was the final field goal of the game for the Warriors.

Granby wouldn’t go away. A steal and a basket from Nichols with 6:28 left cut the lead to five, 34-29. Sophia Bodman’s drive to the basket with 2:27 remaining cut the Canton lead to three, 34-31. And the Bears were celebrating after Nichols drove to the basket and scored with 1:46 left to cut the lead to one, 34-33.

Canton’s Riley Ahlgren (4) had seven rebounds and four assists in Friday night’s NCCC victory over Granby.

But the Bears could get no closer. Theberge was 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 1:19 while pesky guard Helen Canny was 2-of-4. Granby missed on three shots from the floor in the final 1:20 and the Warriors got all three rebounds.

“We still struggled (in some aspects of the game) but we made the plays we needed down the stretch,” Medeiros said.

“This year, we are athletic enough to play man-to-man (defense) and can switch to a lot of things (other defenses) and our taller players can play on the perimeter,” he said. “That allows us to get into passing lanes, get deflections, get steals due to our length and athleticism.”

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for Canton, who lost to Ellington on Tuesday, 43-35 and to Coventry in a non-league encounter on Jan. 5, 63-23. The Warriors return to action on Tuesday when they host Rockville.

Granby came into the game with victories in seven of their last eight games. The Bears will face Coventry on Tuesday.

Canton 40, Granby 33
At Canton
Granby (33) Natalie Welcome 0-0-0, Sophia Bodman 3-4-10, Mia Crunden 2-1-6, Sierra Dzielak 0-0-0, Brenna Nichols 5-1-11, Charlotte Bennett 3-0-6, Totals 13 6-9 33
Canton (40) Ruby Theberge 4-13-21, McKenzie Yanke 0-0-0, Riley Ahlgren 1-1-4, Helen Canny 1-2-4, Lucy O’Connor 5-0-10, Emery Howard 0-0-0, Macy McCullough 0-1-1, Maya Affsa 0-0-0. Totals 11 17-22 40
Granby (8-3)     8    8  11  6  — 33
Canton (5-3)   11  11  10  8  — 40
Three-point goals: Ahlgen (C), Crunden (G)
Of note: Canton snapped a five-game losing streak to the Bears with their first win over Granby since 2021.