The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Torrington holds off Wolcott in battle of NVL divisional leaders
TORRINGTON — Torrington’s girls basketball team held on through a take-no-prisoners final period for a 35-33 win over Wolcott Tuesday night at Torrington High School in a struggle for first place in the NVL’s Iron Division.
“We’ve been going against them since eighth grade in the PAL,” said Torrington senior Leah Pergola. “Sometimes we win; sometimes they do.”
That history brought a game swinging back and forth through three quarters, never separated by more than four points on either side until Pergola (game-high 13 points); Amelia Boulli (11 points); and Rachel Brewer-Karimi started the final period with a 6-0 run turning a 30-29 Wolcott lead into 3530, Torrington, in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter.
After that, in a pitched battle of defenses, whichever side could score again from the field looked like it might take the game away. Neither one could. Torrington was stuck at 35.
All three of Wolcott’s points in the quarter came at the foul line – two from Mayci Abou Arrage (team-high 12 points, including 6-for-6 from the line) and Lauren Sinclair (9 points) after a foul on her put-back try at the final buzzer.
Even that resulted in a fiery debate between coaches and officials. Referees agreed to put .1 second back on the clock after Sinclair’s second shot went in.
The real behind-thescenes drama came in the minute before.
At 35-32 with 57 seconds left, every move was crucial. Torrington tried to eat up the remaining time.
Abou Arrage darted in for a steal. The Eagles missed two shots.
In a crowd under the basket, Torrington’s Julianna Latina pulled down the biggest rebound of the game.
With six seconds left, the Raiders missed a foul shot that could have put the game away “early.”
Instead, a Torrington foul gave the Eagles one more chance for a tying
three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left.
The shot missed. Referees called a foul on Sinclair’s put-back try.
The .1 second on the clock didn’t really matter.
“Sometimes a shot goes in; sometimes it doesn’t,” said Wolcott coach Marty DiTuccio. “We missed some open three’s but it was a great game.”
“We didn’t play our best but it was a nice win,” said Torrington coach Mike Fritch. “We had seven turnovers in the first quarter.”
That’s when Wolcott’s full-court press against Torrington’s man-toman made it look like the Raiders might have to play catch-up all game after Eagle passers found teammates for four open layups, including Amanda Sullivan’s for an 11-7 lead at the end of the first.
Torrington’s switch to a pressing zone stopped the Eagle layups while a 12-4 Torrington second quarter turned it into a 19-15 halftime lead after Pergola delivered a three-point play with 18 seconds left in the half.
The pieces were set to play with more history down to that final minute.
Wolcott goes to 11-3 overall, 10-2 in the league.
Torrington is 10-2 overall, 9-2 in the league.
Only Holy Cross, undefeated in league play, has a better record in the NVL.
TORRINGTON 35, WOLCOTT 33
WOLCOTT ........................................... 114153–33 TORRINGTON .................................... 712106–35
WOLCOTT (33)
Julia Sullivan 3-0-7; Mayci Abou Arrage 3-6-12; Amanda Sullivan 2-0-5; Lauren Sinclair 3-2-9; Totals: 11-8/9-33.
TORRINGTON (35)
Rachel Brewer-Karimi 1-3-5; Amelia Boulli 4-2-11; Julianna Latina 1-0-2; Haley Burger 1-0-2; Brianna Murelli 1-0-2; Leah Pergola 5-1-13; Totals: 13-6/8-35.
3-point goals: W – J. Sullivan; A. Sullivan; Sinclair. T – Boulli; Pergola 2.
Records: Wolcott 11-3; 10-2 NVL. Torrington 10-2; 9-2 NVL.