It was a good night for a home team in the NCCC women’s basketball tournament, as the top four seeds advanced to Tuesday’s semifinals with wins on Friday.
The top seed and regular season champion Bolton was given a career-high 24 points along with eight rebounds from senior guard Isabel Kenney in a 60-29 win over No. 8 Canton. No. 2 Ellington rode a second-quarter surge to take the lead and went on to defeat seventh-seeded Suffield 49-32. Eliana Wood scored 16 points as third-seeded Somers beat sixth-seeded Stafford 49-34. No. 4 Granby got 21 points from Alyssa Bordanaro in a 65-40 win over fifth-seeded Coventry.
In Tuesday’s semi-finals at East Granby High, Bolton takes on Granby at 5pm, followed by Ellington vs. Somers at 7pm.
BOLTON 60, CANTON 29. The Bulldogs had to hold on to earn a five-point win against the Warriors a week ago as they clinched the NCCC regular season title.
Bolton (20-1) had no such problems on Friday, jumping out to a 22-point lead at halftime to take their winning streak to 17.
Kenney, who hit six 3-pointers, was joined in double figures by Emma Diehl (13) and Niya Islam (10). Diehl also had six assists and five steals. Julia Zimmerman had eight points, nine rebounds and four steals.
Bolton and Granby split a pair of regular season games. The Bears defeated the Bulldogs 34-28 at The Den in Granby on December 28. The Bulldogs evened the score with a 46-34 win at Bolton on January 26.
Canton (10-12) got 11 points from Avery Brown.
ELLINGTON 49, SUFIELD 32. Sophia Vrakas and Hannah Kozik each had 13 points as the Knights advanced.
Ellington (18-3) trailed 8-6 after one quarter, but went on a 16-5 run in the second for a nine-point halftime lead. Suffield (11-11) came within eight but was outscored 16-7 in the final 8:00.
Jaela Garrow added seven points for the Knights, who have won 16 of their last 17 games. That stretch includes a 48-40 victory at Somers on February 10.
Lexi Mailoux had 11 points and Ava Toomey 10 for the Wildcats. Next up for Suffield is the Class MM state tournament with the Wildcats playing a first-round game on the road on February 28.
SOMERS 49, STAFFORD 34. The Spartans jumped on the Bulldogs, taking a 10-point lead after one quarter and extending it to 27-9 at halftime.
Wood was the only player in double figures for Somers (16-5), but four players — Sydney Cassidy, Devon Dalessio, Shea Cassidy and Erin Donohue — each had six points. Sydney Cassidy (11) and Hallie Watt (10) had double-figure rebounds, while Dalessio had six steals.
Somers lost a 48-40 decision to Ellington on February 10.
Stafford (13-9), playing her third game in three days and fourth in five days, got 17 points from Jaelyn Moulton.
The Bulldogs return to action on February 28 when they host a first-round game of the Class S state tournament.
65 GRANBY, 40 COVENTRY. The Patriots fell into an early hole and were unable to recover. Granby (16-5) led 32-17 at halftime.
Fem Jansen added 17 points for Granby.
Anaka Eaton had a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds for Coventry. Charlotte Jordan scored 10 points.
The Patriots (14-8) will be bye until Feb. 28, when they will host a first-round game of the Class S state tournament.
