By Michael Letendre
NEWINGTON – The Newington girls basketball team, behind the play of the outstanding Lilly Ferguson, has continued to run through the scholastic season with zest.
And on Saturday, Ferguson and crew was able to eventually shake Bristol Eastern, winning by a 55-41 final from the Richard E. Rogalski Gymnasium in Newington.
The Nor’Easters’ improved to 16-1 on the campaign while the Lancers dropped to 5-8.
However, Eastern did a credible job in hanging around with the ultra-talented squad as it was just a two-point game early in the second period and a 26-16 contest at the half.
A jumper by Ferguson (20 points) with 6:03 left to play in the contest saw the home squad zip up a 46-27 cushion as Newington cruised to the end.
Bella Cucuta added 15 points for the victors.
On the flip side, Ciara Collins was big in prime time again, notching a game-high 25 points – going a slick 10-for-10 from the charity stripe – along with 10 rebounds.
Janessa Gonzalez just missed out on a double-double, collecting eight points and a team best 13 rebounds. She cashed in on a perfect 6-of-6 showing from the free throw line.
Collins and Gonzalez scored all of Eastern’s 16 first half points, generating eight apiece.
Taigan Parent added four points and blocked two shots, Lauren Ayotte nabbed three rebounds while the duo of Tavia Swain and Leah Roy (two rebounds) combined to hit 4-of-4 free throws.
Speaking of foul shots, Eastern went a perfect 22-of-22 from the free throw line for the game.
While the Lancers did not shoot well from the field, neither did Newington as Eastern’s defense did enough to gum up the works.
The Nor’Easters’ shot less than 37-percent from the field and while the Lancers never led in the game, that defensive effort kept things close.
Newington grabbed a 12-4 edge early in things but an 8-2 burst by the Kingstreeters, including a sweet spin move and hoop by Collins, got Eastern within two at 14-12 with 6:23 left in the second quarter.
The home team then went on a 10-2 run with threes from Karissa and Marllie Zocco – followed by hoops by Ferguson and Kendall Miller – to propel Newington to a 24-14 cushion.
The halftime deficit was just 26-16 and when Collins banked in a hoop early in the third, Eastern was within eight points of the lead.
However, the Lancers could not inch any closer.
Eastern never quit as Collins connected on four straight foul shots to end the third but the visitors trailed 40-27 with eight minutes remaining.
The home squad nearly built its lead to twenty early in the fourth and in the end, Newington was able to snare a big 55-41 win to keep its top-10 ranking intact.
Coming Weeks
After a grueling CCC Interdivisional slate of games, Eastern finishes out the 2021-22 campaign by playing five of its final six contests from home.
It starts with a tough test on Monday against Middletown in Bristol and then Lewis Mills is in town on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium.
Thursday is the Lancers final road game of the season in a showdown at Plainville (6:45 p.m.) and then it’s another Saturday attraction.
Conard comes to BEHS on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. as the locals will be making its final playoff push.
BRISTOL EASTERN GIRLS BASKETBALL
NEWINGTON 55, BRISTOL EASTERN 41
from the Richard E. Rogalski Gymnasium, Newington
Bristol Eastern (5-8) 8 8 11 14 – 41
Newington (16-1) 12 14 14 15 – 55
BRISTOL EASTERN (41): Taigan Parent 1 2 4, Vanessa Drury 0 0 0, Tavia Swain 0 2 2, Ciara Collins 7 10 25, Leah Roy 0 2 2, Janessa Gonzalez 1 6 8, Lauren Ayotte 0 0 0. Totals: 9 22 41.
NEWINGTON (55): Lilly Ferguson 8 4 20, Karissa Zocco 1 0 3, Adriana Romano 3 0 7, Bella Cucuta 6 1 15, Marlie Zocco 1 0 3, Arianna Barnes 0 0 0, Ella Stair 0 0 0, Selah Prignano 0 0 0, Kendall Miller 2 3 7. Totals: 21 8 55
Three-point goals: Collins (BE), Karissa Zocco (N), Marlie Zocco (N), Adriana Romano (N), Bella Cucuta (N) 2.
Records: Newington 16-1 overall, Bristol Eastern 5-8
