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Sports

East Hampton's Late Surge Buries Haddam-Killingworth

Defense and free-throw shooting secures win for Bellringers

The last time East Hampton and Haddam-Killingworth met, the game was decided at the buzzer on a a Kyle Adams basket.

Friday night's game in Higganum also looked like it was heading down to the wire when the fourth quarter began and the Cougars holding a 32-31 lead.

But when you have only four games left and you need to win two to qualify for the state tournament, you seem to get an extra boost of desire to not let a game slip away and possibly the chance to earn a berth.

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Coach Bob Freitas got that from his team as the Bellringers exploded for 20 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 51-42 victory.

"I told the team at halftime that if we stayed with our gameplan, then our shots will start falling and good things will happen," Freitas said.

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"I just went with what is working and they all contributed. Nate [Heroux] had a great game, and they are the ones that won this game, not me.  I wouldn't do anything differently and we just wanted to play East Hampton basketball.

The Bellringers (7-10) shook off a sluggish start to trail only by four at the end of the first quarter, 11-7. 

The Cougars (7-9) needed the game just as much as East Hampton as they also sit on the bubble trying to qualify for the state tournament. A school needs eight victories to qualify.

"It's a disappointing ballgame," Haddam-Killingworth coach Paul McCormick said. "We went 6 of 26 from the field in the second half.  We missed shots that have to go, there is no excuse for that.

"To East Hampton's credit, they hit the shots they needed to. We have to endure. We have four games left to try to get that eighth win."

At halftime the Bellringers found themselves trailing by six, but there were signs the team was starting to click offensively during the second quarter.  Trailing by seven at one point, they went on a 5-0 run to keep the game from getting away.  With key baskets by Brian Roberson (eight points), Nate Heroux (nine points) and Matt Vasquenza (18 points), and defensive lock-down pressure by Jeff Pratt and Kyle Adams, the Bellringers were improving as the game wore on.

Entering the third quarter down 24-18, East Hampton went on an 11-4 run to take a 29-28 lead with 2:23 left in the quarter. 

The Cougars' Wes Nuhn was on most of the night and led H-K with 18 points.  His basket with 2:08 left gave the lead right back to H-K, 30-29.  It was a lead Haddam-Killingworth would take into the fourth quarter and hold on to until there was 4:25 left in the game.

East Hampton regained the lead when Austin Shumbo (10 points) drove hard to the basket and scored while getting fouled.  Shumbo converted the free throw to put the Bellringers up 37-35 with 4:09 to play. 

The Cougars came right back when Erik Carlson hit a long three-pointer to take their last lead of the game, 38-37, with 3:21 remaining. 

On the ensuing possession, East Hampton's Matt Vasquenza scored on a nifty up and under layup and Heroux followed that by hitting a huge 3-pointer that gave the Bellringers a 44-38 lead.

Haddam-Killingworth had little choice at this point but to foul whenever East Hampton got the ball in hopes the Bellringers would miss their free throws.

That plan backfired as East Hampton hit 11 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter, which iced the much-needed win.

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