The Wolcott High girls’ basketball team had a rough start to Monday’s Class MM quarterfinal home against Berlin.
A total of 3:19 had run off of the John H. Morris Gymnasium scoreboard clock. The No. 18 Redcoats had scored six points on a press break, a layup off a patient set, and a midrange jumper. The No. 7 Eagles had nothing on the board with shots off the rim, side of the backboard and one that stuck between the rim and board.
Wolcott head coach Marty DiTuccio called a 30-second timeout, then Julia Sullivan got the home team on the board with a pair of free throws at the 3:50 mark. No one could have known that would be the first two points in a 20-0 run that spilled over into the second quarter.
Final score: Wolcott 45, Berlin 30. The Eagles became more aggressive and overwhelmed the Redcoats. And the victory clinched Wolcott’s first-ever state semifinal. The Eagles play No. 6 New London of the Eastern Connecticut Conference at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Guilford High School.
Ok, more about that 20-0 burst:
It started innocuously enough with Julia Sullivan’s free throws. Sullivan got to the line because fellow senior captain Mimi Reilly stole the ball from Berlin. Wolcott, especially senior captain Mayci Abou Arrage, began to attack the basket.
Abou Arrage was fouled and made one of two free throws at the 3:31 mark for a 6-3 deficit.
Reilly’s 3-pointer from the top of the key tied the game, 6-6, at 2:38 to go. Abou Arrage’s drive and bank at 2:10 gave the Eagles the lead for good, 8-6. Another drive and short make from Abou Arrage made it 10-6, a lead Wolcott carried to the second quarter.
Early in the second quarter, it was sophomore Lauryn Sinclair’s turn on offense. She scored off a Reilly assist on a cut to the basket 12 seconds in for a 12-6 lead. After a bank by Amanda Sullivan off a clearout, Sinclair sank a 3-pointer from the right corner opposite the Berlin bench for a 17-6 lead. Redcoat head coach Sheila King called timeout with 6:08 to go until halftime, and the Eagle faithful gave their team a standing ovation.
A Reilly fast break layup and Abou Arrage completed the 20-0 burst. Berlin finally ended the run on a layup at the 3:12 mark.
Four points from Amanda Sullivan got the Eagle lead to 26-8. The Redcoats hit a foul line runner at the buzzer, but the home team had an overwhelming 26-10 advantage.
Wolcott’s main problem in Friday’s semifinal will be New London’s versatile 5-foot-11 senior Nalyce Dudley. Dudley had a game-high 26 points for the Whalers in their 47-41 quarterfinal road win over No. 3 Sheehan-Wallingford. She put New London ahead, 43-41, with 51 seconds left. Dudley also had seven rebounds and four steals.
New London rolled to the ECC Division I championship behind the efforts of all-tournament honorees Dudley, 6-foot-2 sophomore Serenity Lancaster, and 5-foot-6 junior Italia Salis. The closest game for the Whalers was a 59-50 semifinal win over Fitch-Groton. That win avenged a regular season loss for New London.
