Portland Winds Up From 3 In Ending Hale-Ray’s Win Streak

Joe Rusczyk led three Portland players in double-figure scoring with 20 points, and the Highlanders knocked down 10 3-pointers on their way to a 63-43 Shoreline Conference boys basketball win over Hale-Ray.

The host Noises, who played Saturday without one of their top scorers in Mamush Ciccarello, saw their five-game winning streak end.

Portland came out of halftime with a three-point lead and hit Hale-Ray with a 6-0 run, scoring in transition each time, and took off with that momentum. The Highlanders outscored the Noises 19-4 in the quarter.

“We were kind of stagnant in the first half, especially against their 3-2 zone,” Highlanders coach David Bradbury Jr. said. “Defensively in transition, we had a tough time getting matched up and we let (Nate) Matetich (who led all scorers with 26 points) get out in transition too easily.

“We had some conversations at the half, made adjustments going into second half and attacked the 3-2. Out of that, the one-more passes were much more available, and that’s how got great 3-point shots.”

Bradbury also praised the performance of senior center Eli Evison, who, despite scoring just six points, had a bigger impact with his play on defense.

“Eli struggled in the first couple of quarters but had a tremendous game in the second half in making the adjustments defensively,” Bradbury said. “He was a force in middle with several blocks, 5-6-7 rebounds, and he dished out assists. He did a tremendous job and showed why he is one of the better players on our squad.”

Rusczyk had four 3-pointers on the night, Harrison Collins poured in 17 points and Jake Thompson (three 3’s) added 13 as Portland won its second straight game.

“Joe and Harrison showed what great young talent we have in our junior class,” Bradbury said.

PORTLAND (3-2)
Joe Rusczyk 8 0-0 20, Jake Thompson 4 2-2 13, Evan Johnson 1 0-0 3, Austin Vess 2 0-0 4, Ryan Kerr 0 0-0 0, Harrison Collins 7 1-2 17, Eli Evison 3 0-0 6. Totals: 25 3-4 63.

HALE-RAY (5-2)
Drew Conroy 0 0-2 0, Loudon Chupas 4 2-6 10, Miles Gagne 1 0-0 3, Nate Matetich 11 4-6 26, Avery Gugliotti 2 0-2 4. Totals: 18 6-16 43.

Score By Quarters
Portland……12 14 19 18–63
Hale-Ray…..11 12 4 16–43

3-pointers: Portland–Rusczyk 4, Thompson 3, Collins 2, Johnson 1; Hale-Ray–Gagne 1.
Up next: Portland vs. North Branford, Monday, 7pm; Hale-Ray at East Hampton, Monday, 7.

In other boys basketball games Saturday:

Westbrook 60, Coginchaug 53

WESTBROOK (3-3)
Bran Naccarato 14 2-6 37, Joey Caslin 5 4-6 17, Jesse Whitney 2 0-0 4, Sammy Freeman 1 0-0 2, Evan McIntyre 0 0-0 0, Vin Naccarato 0 0-0 0, Justin Whitney 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 6-12 60.

COGINCHAUG (0-4)
Jeremy Mangiameli 4 2-3 12, Sam Whittle 0 1-2 1, Franceso Marrotto 0 0-0 0, Conor Willett 3 0-1 6, Jayson Penney 3 6-7 14, Adam Schaffer 7 0-0 20, Preston Mennone 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 9-13 53.

Score By Quarters
Westbrook……6 19 14 21–60
Coginchaug..12 14 14 13–53

3-pointers: Westbrook–B. Naccarato 7, Caslin 3; Coginchaug–Schaffer 6, Penney 2, Mangiameli 2.
Up next: Westbrook at Valley Regional, Tuesday, 7pm; Coginchaug vs. East Hampton, Friday, 7.

Morgan 71, Haddam-Killingworth 35

H-K (0-5)
Joe Giaccone 1 0-0 2, Declan Christopher 3 0-0 6, Lucas Kamoen 1 1-2 3, Blake Kamoen 1 2-2 4, Andrew Crayton 4 0-0 9, Callen Powers 3 2-2 9, Ben Mercier 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 5-6 35.

MORGAN (2-3)
Drew Nye 5 0-0 13, Cooper Galdenzi 6 0-0 13, Tim McComiskey 3 1-4 7, Alex Fratamico 4 0-0 8, Connor Duffy 5 0-0 10, Eddie Dwake 1 0-0 2, Ben McDonnell 3 0-0 7, Cam Johnson 2 0-0 5, Mike Fragola 3 0-0 6. Totals: 32 1-4 71.

Score By Quarters
H-K……..5 12 12 6–35
Morgan..23 20 19 9–71

3-pointers: H-K–Crayton 1, Powers 1; Morgan–Nye 3, McDonnell 1, Johnson 1, Galdenzi 1.
Up next: Morgan vs. Old Saybrook, Monday, 7pm; H-K at Old Lyme, Monday, 7.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Coginchaug 54, Westbrook 28

Mia Poturnicki poured in a career-high 21 points and Katie Farr played excellent defense in the Blue Devils’ second straight win in the Shoreline Conference.

“Mia was awesome tonight,” Coginchaug coach Chris Watson said. “I knew going in that our big advantage would be our post players, so we made it a priority to find them. Mia worked really hard to be open for the ball and also does a really good job of letting the ball come to her within our offense.

“Bottom line is that she finished when she had the chance.”

COGINCHAUG (4-1)
Serena Fournier 0 2-2 2, Katie Farr 4 0-3 9, Alyssa Woodward 1 0-0 2, Mia Poturnicki 8 5-6 21, Allison Strang 6 0-0 12, Jackie Kelly 1 0-0 2, Chloe Shafir 3 0-0 6. Totals: 23 7-10 54.

WESTBROOK (4-2)
Adriana Stranieri 2 0-0 4, Leticia Pires 1 0-0 3, Sadie Susi 1 0-1 2, Jami Sacco 6 2-7 17, Alex Zanzalari 1 0-0 2. Totals: 11 2-8 28.

Score By Quarters
Coginchaug…17 12 10 15–54
Westbrook…..10 10   1   7–28

3-pointers: Coginchaug–Farr 1; Westbrook–Sacco 3, Pires 1.
Up next: Coginchaug at Hale-Ray, Wednesday, 6pm; Westbrook vs. Valley Regional, Tuesday, 7.

From Friday:

Daniel Hand 57, Mercy 36

DANIEL HAND (4-1)
Brooke Salutari 3 3-3 10, Sophia Coppola 4 6-9 15, Maya Blomberg 2 0-0 5, Natalie Lucas 3 3-4 10, Carson Miller 0 0-2 0, Coco Rourke 4 1-2 9, Aubrey Canth 2 0-0 4, Annie Goodrich 1 2-4 4. Totals: 19 15-24 57.

MERCY (2-2)
Sophie Hedge 4 0-0 9, Kate Donlan 1 0-2 3, Ava Giansiracusa 3 5-6 11, Melina Ford 1 0-2 2, Winnie Ciccarello 2 0-0 6, Lily Schoonmaker 0 0-2 0. Caelyn McMahon-Egan 0 1-2 1, Bella Gonzalez 1 0-0 2, Mercedes Artaiz 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 6-14 36.

Score By Quarters
Hand……22 11 12 12–57
Mercy……3  12  9  12–36

3-pointers: Hand–Salutari 1, Coppola 1, Blomberg 1; Mercy–Ciccarello 2, Hedge 1, Donlan 1.
Up next: Mercy vs. Amity, Monday, 7:15.

From Thursday:

Xavier 61, Sheehan 43

SHEEHAN (2-2)
Isaih Hernandez 2 0-0 4, Jaiden Kapoor 1 2-2 4, Anthony MarkAnthony 3 2-3 10, Alex Moralez 4 0-0 9, Ryan Gersz 2 0-0 4, Vin Carbone 2 1-4 5; Ethan Pabon 3 0-0 7. Totals: 17 5-9 43.

XAVIER (3-3)
John Carrozzella 2 3-3 7,  Ethan Bessoni 2 0-0 6,  Colby Ciampi 2 2-2 6, Vik Vakati 1 1-3 4, Anthony Parker 7 5-8 20, Richie Rivers 5 2-4 12, Aidan Driscoll 2 2-2 6, Mark Schoonmaker 0 0-2 0. Totals: 21 15-24 61.

Score By Quarters
Sheehan……7 11 6 19–43
Xavier……..16 22 7 16–61

3-pointers: Xavier–Bessoni 2, Vakati, Parker;  Sheehan: MarkAnthony 2, Moralez, Pabon 1.
Up next: Xavier vs. Amity at Mercy High, Monday, 5:30pm.