Lyman Hall wins SCC Div. II championship

NEW HAVEN — Defense has been a huge key to Lyman Hall’s success all season. In the biggest game for the program in over a decade Friday night, the defensive effort was superb.

Lyman Hall shut out

East Haven over the final 5 minutes and 49 seconds to win the SCC Division II championship 34-26 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center.

“Defense has been our forté all year. It’s what we do well. We take pride in it. We try to keep teams under 40 points,” Lyman Hall coach Rob Ruys said. “It’s been a great year. I’m very pleased with everybody and proud of everybody.”

Friday was the 11th time the Trojans (13-2) held an opponent to 40 points or less. Ian Reynolds leaner with 5:49 left gave East Haven (9-5) the 26-22 lead.

Lyman Hall scored the final 14 points of the game.

“We’ve had pride in our defense all year. We knew we had to do it in this game. They have good shooters,” Lyman Hall senior guard Tyler Voisine said.

Said East Haven coach Ricky Narracci: “It wasn’t a great offensive night by either team for sure, but they did what they had to do to win.”

East Haven played some pretty good defense, too. After Evan Smith beat the first-quarter buzzer with a 3-pointer to put Lyman

Hall up 15-7, East Haven held Lyman Hall scoreless in the second quarter.

“How we were playing in the first half, we didn’t come all this way for that,” Voisine said.

Amazingly, Lyman Hall led at halftime 15-14 because East Haven only managed seven points in the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets led after three quarters 23-22, then scored the first three points of the final quarter — and that was it.

“They are good in the classroom and are good people. It’s been a pleasure to work with all of them,” Ruys said. “It’s been really gratifying. I’m very happy just to get the opportunity for them to get this.”

Reynolds was the only player in double figures for either team with 13 points. Cam Pragano led Lyman Hall with nine points.

STEPPING DOWN

Narracci told his players after the game that he was resigning after eight seasons as head coach. This was his second tenure at his alma mater, his first being from 2003-09.

“I think it’s time for someone else to take the reins. I may not be out of it completely, but as far as being the head guys at East Haven, I’m stepping down. I made this decision a year ago,” said Narracci, who will turn 50 in April.