Wamogo stuns East Hampton, advances to final

WOLCOTT — No. 4 Wamogo brought its whole team to the dance in a Division V 64-57 semifinal win over No. 1 seed East Hampton Wednesday night at Wolcott High School.

Scouts might have anticipated a battle between East Hampton senior Tom Close and Wamogo junior Garrett Sattazahn as two of the best guards in Division V.

Close played his role, slashing to the hoop for eight points in the first quarter while Sattazahn was off the mark.

Advantage Bellringers, with a 19-12 lead after the first period.

Then, while Sattazahn picked up his third foul late in the second quarter, sophomore Ethan Collins found his groove for 10 slashing points of his own while Sattazahn zeroed in on his second and third 3s.

“I just grabbed whatever I found open,” said Collins, finishing with 18 for the game.

“I have three other stars besides Garrett,” Wamogo coach Gregg Hunt said.

The combination had the Warriors trailing by just three at the half, 33-30, behind 13 points from Close, still finding his way to the hoop on his way to 21.

Two more Wamogo stars showed up early in the second half, with Sean Coffey and Reid Turturo grabbing the lead with back-to-back shots from outside while Colin Baker (14 points) found his range for the Bellringers.

Then disaster threatened for the Warriors. Sattazahn, heading for 20 points for the night, picked up his fourth foul with 3:13 left in the third quarter. His teammates were active, but nobody thought Wamogo could pull off the win without its leader.

Instead, while Sattazahn went to the bench, the Warriors ate up all but the final seconds of the period with a stall.

“That three minutes was crucial,” Hunt said.

When Sattazahn returned for the final period, Wamogo still had the lead, 45-42.

East Hampton’s Colin Baker and Nic DiStefano hit back-to-back 3s, followed by another Close drive.

But Sattazahn was back. He hit a 3 from the corner; Coffey dropped a layup;

Turturo hit a 3, 53-53, 4:29 on the clock.

Finally, Close and Sattazahn were matching drives, 1:25 left.

Turturo was the difference, with a layup and a foul shot, 58-55. And now the Bellringers had to foul.

Sattazahn went to the line for two; Coffey for two more, 16 seconds left.

“It’s one of my dreams,” Sattazahn said.

The dream continues, for the Division V Championship, against No. 4 Cromwell, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun.