Host East Hampton overcame a 10-point deficit with 9 minutes left Thursday night, capped by Drew DiStefano’s two free throws with 29.9 seconds remaining, to defeat Shoreline Conference rival Hale-Ray 59-57.
The Bellringers, who were coming off a two-point loss at home to undefeated Cromwell, improved to 9-6 in John Antolini’s first season as coach.
The loss was the third for the Noises (11-5) in their last four games. Hale-Ray scored just two baskets in the final nine minutes and one over the final 5:30.
East Hampton trailed 53-43 with 1:10 left in the third quarter when their gradual comeback began. After Hale-Ray’s Loudon Chupas (24 points) scored directly off an inbounds pass to give the Noises a 55-49 lead, a six-point run involving Jack Blakey (jumper), Brady Lynch (3-pointer) and Blakey again (front end of a one-and-one) tied the game.
East Hampton went ahead when Blakey scored scored off a feed from Jye Lynch with 2:18 remaining.
Mamush Ciccarello, who scored a game-high 25 points, got the roll on a close-range shot to tie the score at 57 with 45 seconds to go. DiStefano, who led East Hampton with 17 points, was fouled by Chupas on a drive to the basket and made both.
The Bellringers had a chance to pad their lead in the closing seconds, but Jye Lynch missed the front end of a one-and-one. Miles Gagne’s 3-point attempt just before the buzzer sounded was long.
Nate Ireland (12 points), Brady Lynch (12) and Jye Lynch (11) also scored in double figures for East Hampton.
HALE-RAY (11-5)
Drew Conroy 0 0 0, Loudon Chupas 7 6 24, Mamush Ciccarello 11 1 25, Nate Matetich 1 4 6, Miles Gagne 1 0 2, Braden Lankrage 0 0 0. Totals: 20 11 57.
EAST HAMPTON (9-6)
Brady Lynch 4 2 12, Drew DiStefano 5 5 17, Jack Watkins 0 0 0, Miller Koziel 1 0 2, Jye Lynch 5 0 11, Jack Blakey 2 1 5, Nate Ireland 4 4 12. Totals: 21 12 59.
Score By Quarters
Hale-Ray……….12 16 25 4–57
East Hampton..11 12 22 14–59
3-pointers: Hale-Ray–Chupas 4, Ciccarello 2; East Hampton–B. Lynch 2, DiStefano 2, J. Lynch 1.
Up next: Hale-Ray vs. Old Lyme, Friday, 7; East Hampton vs. H-K, Friday, 7.
Also on Thursday:
Middletown 58, Maloney 41
MIDDLETOWN (11-4)
Chace Petgrave 4 0-0 9, Matt Steuerwald 5 2-2 17, Tim Vaughters 2 1-2 5, Elijah Wilborn 4 1-3 9, Nasir McDaniel 3 3-3 10, Omar Gutierrez 1 0-0 2, Marshall Butler 3 0-2 6, Dariyon Drake 0 0-0 0, Adison Brown 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 7-12 58.
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MALONEY (5-9)
Tylee Flowers 3 2-3 9, Ian Graham 1 0-0 2, Donte Kelly 1 4-6 6, Tijohn Johnson 1 2-3 4, Tomas Medina 1 0-0 3, Marquis Ward 1 1-2 3, Stone Deleon 4 3-5 11, Tyrdeek Jones 1 0-0 3. Totals: 13 12-19 41.
Score By Quarters
Middletown…18 12 13 15–58
Maloney……..11 11 13 6–41
3-pointers: Middletown–Steuerwald 5, McDaniel 2, Petgrave 1; Maloney–Flowers 1, Medina 1, Jones 1.
Up next: Middletown at Weaver, Friday, 5:45. The Blue Dragons play their final home Tuesday against No. 1-ranked Bristol Central.