Some games are relatively easy in comparison to others ... and then there are the hard-fought contests. Newtown High School’s girls’ basketball team experienced a little of both all in one on the way to a 58-46 win over visiting Masuk of Monroe on January 15.

The Nighthawks jumped out to a 24-point lead before sweating it out a bit down the stretch, with the Panthers whittling the sizable deficit down to nine with 5:47 left in the fourth quarter and having five possessions with which to draw closer, only to be halted by the Nighthawks. Newtown then saw its 11-point advantage trimmed to eight with 2:33 to go, but that was as close as the Panthers got.

“This was a great way to learn some composure and still get a victory,” Newtown High Coach Jeremy O’Connell said. “We panicked a little, we were too frenetic and that hurt us.”

But not so much that it cost the Nighthawks, thanks to the first two-plus quarters of sheer dominance.

The Nighthawks led 35-14 at the half and went up 38-14 on Addy Cordova’s 3-pointer to start the third quarter scoring. Masuk chipped away to get to within 15 at 50-35 through three quarters of play and made it a 52-43 NHS lead with continued success early in the fourth. After both teams were denied on five straight possessions, Newtown’s Ana Morris scored to get the Hawks back ahead by double digits. A Masuk 3-pointer with 2:33 left, and subsequent 3-point try that rimmed out, had the Hawks a bit on the heels before Newtown closed out the win.

“Very happy with the effort, the intensity, and the focus the first two and three-quarter quarters,” O’Connell said. “We kind of lost focus and lost our game plan.”

The NHS coach added that the Hawks played a little tight, with rushed shots and careless mistakes.

Sam Diaspro continued to lead the way offensively with another scoring barrage, racking up 35 points and hitting five 3-pointers along the way. She single-handedly outscored the Panthers 12-5 in the first quarter and 12-9 in the second. Diaspro had a double-double, grabbing ten rebounds, all on the defensive end of the court.

“She was elite tonight. She found openings, she was getting open — she has 25-foot range,” Masuk Coach Dan Young said.

Other Nighthawks are learning their roles and making huge contributions, O’Connell noted.

Macey Arcario scored nine points, Cordova had five, and Anna Morris, Leah Morris, and Kendal Khazadian all added three. Ana Morris had five rebounds and two steals; Madi Weston grabbed six rebounds; Arcario had five rebounds and a steal; and Khazadian logged three rebounds and a pair of steals.

Newtown lost 55-33 to Ridgewood High in New Jersey on January 17, but bounced back and kept up its winning ways against South-West Conference foes in a visit to New Fairfield on January 20, winning 52-29. Diaspro scored 25 points and had nine rebounds, Ana Morris and Cordova both had seven, Khazadian scored six, and Weston had five points and nine rebounds.

The Nighthawks improved to 7-3 overall and 5-0 against SWC teams. They will host Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport Friday, January 23 at 5 pm.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.