Newtown High School’s boys’ basketball team fended off multiple comeback efforts by the host Masuk Panthers en route to a 70-62 victory, the team’s third straight win, on January 5. Newtown improved to 4-2 overall, and Masuk fell to 4-2.

Every time the Panthers tried to build momentum, Newtown got a key steal, rebound, or basket to maintain the lead.

“They made their runs. We hung tough,” Newtown Coach Tim Tallcouch said. “We answered every one of their runs with a run of our own.”

The Nighthawks were led by Harrison Depuy’s 17 points and Jacob Burden’s 16. Joe Duero had 12 — on four 3-pointers — Jeremy Doski scored 10, Will Dalton contributed seven, and Dylan Palumbo and Charlie Huegi both added four. Doski had nine assists and 11 rebounds, Depuy pulled down nine rebounds, and Burden had six rebounds. Dalton, Depuy, and Burden each had a trio of steals.

The game was tied at 31 apiece late in the first half, before Newtown pulled ahead 38-33 at the break. After the Panthers scored the first four points of the third quarter, Newtown used a 10-3 run to pull ahead 48-40. Burden hit a pair of 3-pointers for Newtown’s first points of the third quarter, and Dalton drained a shot from downtown to extend the lead to 47-39.

Read more about the game, and Newtown's winning streak, in the January 9 print edition of The Bee.