Suffield controls the glass, controls the game and eliminates Lewis Mills

Lewis Mills’ Layla Ljubuncic drives to the basket during Thursday night’s CIAC Division III game in Suffield. The host Wildcats won the game. (Gerry deSimas., Jr. photo)  More game photos

By STEVE BARLOW
Special to The Collinsville Press
SUFFIELD, March 12, 2026  – There’s no glaringly tall player on the Suffield High School girls basketball roster, but the average-size Wildcats are a great rebounding team nonetheless.

They attack the backboards with the fierceness of a cornered wolverine, snatching rebound after rebound until they score.

Leading the pack is junior Hazel Qua, the coach’s daughter. She grabbed 17 rebounds and scored 40 points – 10 from offensive rebounds – to lead Suffield to a 75-54 victory over Lewis Mills in the Division III state tournament Thursday night.

Qua bettered her per-game averages of 26 points and 15 rebounds as the Wildcats (23-3) advanced to an All-North Central Connecticut Conference semifinal against Coventry, which beat Suffield for their league title.

Third-seeded Suffield dominated with a 44-24 advantage in rebounds over the No. 6 Spartans (17-7). Besides Qua’s haul, forward Alex Eddy grabbed eight rebounds and guard River Seagrave had six.

“We’re a solid rebounding team. We have length and physicality, and the girls really go after the ball. They don’t just wait for the ball to come to them,” said Suffield coach Jason Qua.

“We came in saying we’ve got to stop them on the boards, especially (Hazel Qua). She averages nine or 10 offensive rebounds a game. She’s phenomenal,” said Mills coach Al Ciarlo. “She’s the best player I’ve seen this year as far as going after shots and getting her own shot.”

Suffield opened the game by sinking its first three shots, all 3-pointers. The Wildcats didn’t hit another one from behind the arc, but they didn’t need to considering the success of their inside game.

Lewis Mills freshman Caitlyn Putnam (3) and Suffield’s Kristine Antwi-Mensah (54) battle for the ball during Thursday’s CIAC tournament game in Suffield. (Gerry deSimas, Jr. photo)  More game photos

Qua had 10 points as Suffield went on a 16-9 run to take a 26-16 lead after one period. Caitlyn Putnam, Jillian Tiso and Layla Ljubuncic all hit 3-pointers for Mills in the second quarter as the Spartans kept the gap at 10, 41-31. But Suffield scored six quick points to open the third period, and Mills never got the deficit below double digits.

“We tried everything. We tried a 2-3 (zone) and they were making the outside shots. Then we went 1-2-2, then we had to go man to get body-on-body, but they’re just so athletic,” said Ciarlo.

Ljubuncic was the focus of the Suffield defense – “She’s a 3-point proficianado,” said Jason Qua – but she still managed to score 28 points, making four 3-pointers. Tiso added 12. Ljubuncic also had seven rebounds.

The Spartans finished a successful season that saw them reach the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. They also qualified for the Central Connecticut Conference tournament for the second straight year.

“We had a phenomenal season. 17-7 is the best record in who knows how many years. We reached the (Division III) Elite Eight,” said Ciarlo. “What are you going to do? We ran into a buzzsaw.”

Lewis Mills will graduate two starters in Tiso and Brooke Martineau, who both exited the game in the final minute to emotion-filled hugs.

“JT has been starting for three years, Brooke for the last two. They have a lot of heart, both of them,” Ciarlo said. “JT leads the team in assists and steals. Brooke leads the team with 35 blocked shots and is a good shooter. Two great kids.”

Suffield 75, Lewis Mills 54
At Suffield
Lewis Mills (54) Jillian Tiso 5 1 12, Megan Jones 0 0 0, Caitlyn Putnam 3 0 8, Brooke Martineau 3 0 6, Kendall Buthe 0 0 0, Madison Day 0 0 0, Liza Putnam 0 0 0, Layla Ljubuncic 11 2 28, Olivia Beausoleil 0 0 0, Sophia Valigorsky 0 0 0. Totals 12 3 54.
Suffield (75) Lilyana Vancott 0 0 0, Gia Hamilton 0 0 0, River Seagrave 8 1 19, Hazel Qua 16 8 40, Lilly Levasseur 0 0 0, Lily Morissette 0 0 0, Ava Petrovich 0 0 0, Jackie Murphy 4 0 8, Alex Eddy 3 1 8, Kristine Antwl-Mensah 0 0 0. Totals 31 10 75.
Lewis Mills (17-7)        16  15  13  10  – 54
Suffield (23-3)             26  15  19  15  – 75
Three-point goals: LM – Tiso 1, C. Putnam 2, Ljubuncic 4. S – Seagrave 2, Eddy 1.