Third time ... and still charming
New London makes it three straight titles with win over Bacon
Norwich — New London's dominance has found different ways to manifest itself over the last three seasons. Sometimes, the Whalers command with their size. Sometimes, as they did earlier in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I tournament, they can break an opponent with their relentless spirit.
On Tuesday, point guard Jayden Burns — always someone coach Holly Misto depends on for defense and this time the starch in the offense, too, in the first half — wrote yet another chapter.
Top-seeded New London won its third straight ECC Division I girls' basketball tournament title, beating No. 3 Bacon Academy 54-40 at Norwich Free Academy.
Burns, a sophomore in her first season with New London (21-2) after transferring from NFA — her dad, Johnny Burns just completed his first season as Whalers football coach — scored 13 points, all in the first half, to earn All-Tournament honors.
Burns scored nine points in the first quarter, with the Whalers taking a 14-10 lead. Burns then scored the first four points of the second quarter, including a smooth-looking 3-pointer, giving her nine straight New London points.
“I feel like I kind of picked up the intensity,” Burns said. “We have a lot of good players. It's not hard to do well together.”
The Whalers scored eight straight in all to start the second quarter, adding a basket by Spencer Roman and two points from Joniyah Bland-Fitz- THEDAY.COM Go online to read Mike DiMauro's thoughts on Wednesday's ECC Division I championship game.
patrick on the front end of a fast break to lead 22-10. New London led 30-16 at halftime.
Burns even got booed a little in the game, with the Whalers spending part of the third quarter with Burns holding the ball at the top of the key against Bacon's zone defense.
Bacon made up some ground in the third quarter, getting a pair of 3-pointers by Kellie Nudd and one by Taylor Rochette to trial 39-29 headed to the fourth quarter.
But it wasn't enough, as New London once again asserted its dominance with a 10-3 run to start the fourth quarter, lengthening its lead and prompting a cheer of "Let's Go Whalers" in the stands during an ensuing timeout by Bacon.
“The expect to win,” Misto said. “It's an expectation. They don't always win, but it's an expectation. They set goals that it's important for them to achieve.”
Melendez finished with 14 points to earn Most Outstanding Player honors for New London.
Also joining Burns and Melendez on the All-Tournament Team were New London's Spencer Roman and Tai Pagan and Bacon's Nudd, a senior who finished with a game-high 23 points.
New London reached the championship game with a 60-34 semifinal victory Saturday against No. 5 East Lyme, getting 17 points and 14 rebounds from Melendez. New London led 16-0 in that game and 19-2 after one quarter in a defensive display East Lyme coach Sal Fiorillo would later call "impressive."
Bacon (18-5) came from behind to edge No. 2 Stonington 44-40 in the semifinals, getting five of six free throws in the final 14.3 seconds from Cassidy LaSaracina.
New London won a regular-season game at Bacon 62-41 on Dec. 21. v.fulkerson@theday.com