Raiders, Hearts to meet in NVL final

WATERBURY — No. 3 seed Torrington and topseeded Sacred Heart will meet at Wilby High School Wednesday night at 7 p.m. for the NVL boys basketball tournament championship game if an impending storm allows it.

Monday night, each team created its own storm at

Wilby — Torrington, by shooting the lights out on No. 7 Crosby, 95-83; the Hearts with suffocating defense in an 80-55 stampede over WCA.

“We just played well,” said Torrington coach Eric Gamari, whose team lost a close regular-season game to Crosby on a night when the Bulldogs buried 13 threes.

Monday was Torrington’s turn to hit 13 threes as the Red Raiders came out on fire and blazed away all game.

“(Tyreek Davis) had the best game he’s played (35 points, including 5 threes), and we got contributions from everyone tonight,” Gamari said.

That notably included Joel Villanueva, battling inside and out for 19 points; C.J. Root, off the bench for 5 threes; and Dontae Thomas, in the thick of the fast-paced

action for 13.

“We hit a buzz saw,” said Crosby’s legendary Nick Augelli. “I’ve said all year we don’t play D, but they were hot; they hit their threes.”

“It’s amazing,” said Thomas. “Playing with your best friends and winning feels great.”

While Crosby’s Kerwin Prince was doing a star turn with a game-high 42 points, joined by Tyler Spears at 26, Torrington’s Davis led the Raiders on a mission all night, beginning with a 25-20 firstquarter edge swelling to 52-38 at the half and 82-62 after a 30-21 third quarter that cushioned Crosby’s comeback attempts in the final period.

In the late game, there, was no coming back for the Spartans, despite a relatively close game (5943) between the two teams at the end of last month.

WCA’s Marquan Watson lit up 33 points, along with Lawrence Lazaro’s 14.

Hearts Nate Tabor (26 points) and Jamaal Waters (24) countered on offense while the Hearts had most of the other Spartans contained on defense.

“I think the speed we played at for four quarters was the difference,” said Hearts coach Jon Carroll. “When we play together and make passes, we can be pretty good on offense, but the consistent part of our team is the D.”