Second half surge helps Northwestern eliminate Canton in Div. V opener

Canton High basketball coach Don Goscinski makes a point during a game earlier this season. The campaign ended Saturday night with a loss at Northwestern in a Division V contest.

Patrick Rouleau scored 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second half including 10 in the fourth quarter as No. 12 Northwestern pulled away from No. 21 Canton in a CIAC Division V contest on Saturday night in Barkhamsted.

The Warriors (8-14) led by as many as seven in the second quarter and had a three-point lead early in the second half.

But the Highlanders (12-10) used an 11-0 run late in the third quarter to turn a two-point advantage into a 13-point lead and secure the contest.

Canton junior Brayden Keefe had a team-high 22 points for the Warriors, including three 3-point shots. Jaiden Diaz had eight points, all in the second quarter.

With several steals and some solid rebounding, Canton had a 15-11 lead after one quarter. They led 23-16 with 4:21 left in the first half but the Highlanders closed the half with a 5-2 surge to cut Canton’s lead to four at the half, 25-21.

Northwestern opened the third quarter with a three-point shot from Josh Phair (16 points) and a drive to the basket from Rouleau to take a one-point lead.

Keefe hit a three-point shot and Enquist hit one of two free throws to give Canton a 29-26 lead but the Highlanders scored four of the next five baskets in the game to take a 36-31 lead, including consecutive three-point shots from Phair and Rouleau.

Keefe his a three-point shot with 3:25 left in the third quarter to cut the lead to two, 36-34 but that is as close as Canton would get. Northwestern scored the next 11 points of the game to take a commanding 13-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Highlanders scored several baskets on the run after pulling down defensive rebounds and Phair drained another three-point shot.

Northwestern advances to the second round of the CIAC Division V tournament and will travel to face No. 5 Coventry.

Northwestern 63, Canton 46
At Barkhamsted
Canton (46) Nolan Enquist 2-2-6, Brayden Keefe 9-1-22, Wyatt Bernabucci 1-2-4, Brandon Morin 1-0-2, James Canny 1-0-2, Jaiden Diaz 4-0-8
Northwestern (63) Patrick Rouleau 9-4-25, Josh Phair 7-0-16, Ty Divita 3-0-8, Easton Combes 1-0-2, Liam Baxter 3-0-6, Gavin Nalette 1-0-3
Canton (8-14)                  15  10    9  12  — 46
Northwestern (12-10)    11  10  21  21  — 63
Three-point goals: Keefe (C) 3, Morin (C); Rouleau (NW) 3, Phair (NW), Nalette (NW)