Hatters, Perreault outlast Knights

STAMFORD — Between COVID-19 and injures neither the Stamford nor Danbury girls basketball teams has been able to field a full roster this season.

That stayed true when they met Thursday night with both teams still down players for various reasons.

Thursday night, it was Danbury knocking down a few more shots and beating Stamford 66-49.

Danbury jumped out to an early lead and answered every Stamford run — something coach Jackie DiNardo has been emphasizing in practice.

“That’s what we’re working on, how to keep our composure. You can see tonight we keep letting them get back in the game. We are working on it,” DiNardo said. “Offensively we looked good and defensively we are all rotating and moving well. It all works but then kids get

flustered in certain situations with the ball and are like ‘I have to shoot it, I have to throw it away, I have to do something.’ When we calmed down, we did fine.”

One could look at the records for Danbury (4-3) and Stamford (5-4) and think they have been struggling, but a closer look reveals most of the losses suffered by the two FCIAC teams have come against some of the best teams in the state.

In fact, three of the losses the two teams have been handed came against teams ranked in the top five of the GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll

Stamford has won five of its last six games after losing the first two games of the season on the road. Two of the Black Knights losses this season have come to No. 3 ranked Sacred Heart Academy and the No. 4 team Ridgefield. Stamford’s other loss is to 5-0 West Haven.

Danbury has lost to No. 2 Notre Dame-Fairfield, a highly-regarded Trumbull team and Glastonbury

Stamford has been doing it with players in and out of the lineup all season.

Danbury lost its allstate caliber forward Kianna Perry to injury prior to the season and she will not return. The Hatters have also been without center Amar’Ryi Edwards, who has been sidelined with an injury and missed Thursday night’s game for a private matter.

Chloe Perreault has stepped up for the Hatters and she led the way Thursday with 21 points to lead all scorers. She was aided by 18 points, including four 3-pointers from sophomore Cam Froehlich.

“They shot the lights out,” Stamford coach Diane Burns said. “Danbury is a well-coached team and they are going to come at you with some intensity, especially coming off a loss. I still think is was a good game in our growth because we made some runs, but they made some more runs. At the end of the day, we have to figure out as a team how to grow and get better. I know Danbury has faced similar things like us with people in and out with COVID. I am excited to maybe finally get everyone back so we can put all the pieces together.”

Danbury opened up a 50-33 lead after three quarters.

Stamford was able to get back within nine points with 4:54 to play but could get no closer.

Madison Lockery hit five 3s for Stamford, leading the Black Knights with 17 points.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Chloe Perreault, Danbury, Jr.: Perrault scored from all over the court but more importantly was the calming influence the Hatters needed when Stamford would made its runs.

QUOTABLE

“Our underclassmen have looked really good. It has taken a couple of games but everyone has taken their role and filled in. Stamford really brought it, their 3-point shots are unbelievable, but our free throws really helped us and all the practice we do, definitely came through.” — Danbury’s Chloe Perreault