East Granby holds off Canton rally to win fourth straight game

Canton’s Brayden Keefe (12) finds it difficult to get to the basket surrounded by four East Granby defenders. (Photo courtesy Paul Amrose)

They almost pulled this one out.

Trailing by seven with 1:39 left in regulation, the Canton High boys basketball team rallied to take the lead but East Granby stood firm in the final minute to outlast the Warriors, 49-48 on Wednesday night in a North Central Connecticut Conference contest.

East Granby (4-1) led by seven, 45-38 before Canton’s Jaden Diaz converted on a four-point play with 1:32 left in the game. Despite being fouled, Diaz hit a three-point shot. Diaz added a free throw to cut the Crusader lead to three, 45-42.

The Crusaders missed their next shot with Canton’s Wyatt Bernabucci pulling down the rebound. Diaz hit another three-point shot with 1:08 to tie the game at 45-45. Diaz scored seven points in the span of 31 seconds.

Canton’s Brayden Keefe hit one of two free throws with 59 seconds remaining to give the Warriors a 46-45 lead.

East Granby’s Cole Malinowski put the Crusaders back on top by driving through the lane with 44 seconds remaining as East Granby took a 47-46 lead.

Canton couldn’t convert on a shot with 24 seconds left and with 18.4 seconds left, East Granby’s Daniel Jacius sank a pair of free throws to extend the lead to three points.

Bernabucci scored with 4.4 seconds left but that is as close as the Warriors would get.

Canton, who has dropped three games in a row, returns to action on Monday when they host East Windsor.

After losing 14 straight games to Canton from 2013 through 2023, the Crusaders have won two of their last three games against the Warriors. East Granby won their fourth straight game on Wednesday.

East Granby 49, Canton 48
At Canton
East Granby (4-1)     17  8  8  16  — 49
Canton (2-4)              12  8  9  19  — 48