By Kim J. Harmon

It took the boys a little time to get it going, but the girls started right away and in the end it was a couple of easy wins over Rochambeau for the Newtown Middle School basketball program.

With Jake DeVellis, John Grimaldi and David Bray scoring 13 points apiece the boys defeated Rochambeau, 56-48, and with Jordyn Good and Jenna Legros scoring 10 points apiece the girls also defeated Rochambeau, 37-19.

Read on –

NMS BOYS

Newtown 56, Rochambeau 48

It was like animals playing with their food.

The Newtown Middle School boys’ basketball team dragged Rochambeau up and down the court for 24 minutes and – after three periods – was clinging to a mere one-point lead before the Lions simply exploded.

A 16-2 run to open the fourth period opened up the game and propelled the Lions on their way to a 56-48 win.

Jake DeVellis, John Grimaldi and David Bray popped in 13 points apiece while Cole Depuy and Connor Collier contributed six points apiece.

Rochambeau scored the first two baskets of the game but the Lions finally got started on a drive down the lane by Depuy. While trying to contend with the guard play and outside shooting ability of Rochambeau, the Lions did not gain their first lead until midway through the first when Grimaldi drove to the basket for his first two points of the game.

The visitors took the lead back with their second three-pointer of the game, but then Bray dropped in a free throw and Grimaldi added a couple of baskets and a free throw to stake the locals to a 19-14 lead at the close of the period.

Rochambeau chipped away in the second period, adding another three-pointer and a foul shot to take a 22-21 lead. But when DeVellis converted a steal into an easy basket, the Lions grabbed a 23-22 lead – a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the afternoon.

Oh, Rochambeau hung tough and even tied the score, 34-34, late in the third period but Bray had a spectacular game in the middle and muscled his way past Rochambeau’s tall defenders to keep the Lions out ahead.

With the score tied 36-36, Collier dropped in a free throw to give the Lions a one-point lead at the close of the third period.

And then it all exploded.

Bray opened the fourth period with a bucket in the lane (in heavy traffic) and then Grimaldi followed with a basket in the post off a feed from Depuy. Then it was Kurt Nacewicz and DeVellis popping in baskets and all of a sudden the locals were ahead nine, 45-36.

Rochambeau stopped the run with a bucket of its own, but then Bray, DeVellis, Depuy and Bray again (off another great assist from Depuy on the run) popped in four consecutive baskets to give the locals their largest lead of the night, 53-38.

Rochambeau whittled away at that lead in the final few minutes of the fourth period, but Collier and DeVellis combined to shoot 3-of-6 from the foul line to keep the score from getting any closer than eight points.

The Lions traveled to Memorial Middle School in Middlebury on Thursday and will conclude the 2004-05 season on February 16 and 17 at the annual Jockey Hollow Tournament in Monroe.

NMS GIRLS

Newtown 37, Rochambeau 19

Newtown 53, Whisconier 26

It had all the makings of a game – early on.

But then the Newtown Middle School girls’ basketball team got its offense on track, put together a 15-0 run and propelled itself to a 37-19 win – its third victory in a row – over Rochambeau on Tuesday afternoon.

In just the first couple of minutes of the third period, Rochambeau dropped in a couple of buckets and had an early 4-2 lead on the Lady Lions. But once Rachel Taback popped in a free throw, the locals were on a tear.

First it was Jenna Legros on a drive in the lane and then it was a Jordyn Good jumper. Betsy Vendel turned a steal into an easy basket and then Nora Lynn Shimko (off another Vendel steal) and Legros (off a Shimko steal) canned buckets to put the Lady Lions ahead, 13-4, at the close of the first period.

But they were far from through.

Good scored to open the second period and Shimko notched another bucket off her own (off Vendel’s third steal of the game) to put the locals up by 13. Rochambeau stopped the run with a free throw, but the Lady Lions finished off the half on a 10-3 run to take a 27-8 lead at the break.

Legros, Taback, Good and Kelley Sullivan all had buckets while Jen Brewer provided a key assist.

The Lady Lions eased off on the pressure for the rest of the game and notched just five field goals the rest of the way – three in the third period and two in the fourth. Good, Legros, Taback, Rachele Cox and Vendel notched those buckets.

Good and Legros finished with 10 points apiece while Taback had five and Vendel and Shimko notched four apiece.

Last week, the girls hosted Whisconier Middle School of Brookfield – the former team of Linda Magliocco – and came away with a 53-26 win thanks to suffocating 3-2 and man-to-man defensive presses.

Shimko canned 11 points – nine of those in the first half – to lead the way while Brewer added 10. Adelle Cerreta and Taback popped in six points apiece as Good, Emily Kluga, Legros and Vendel chipped in with four points apiece.

The locals were in Middlebury on Thursday to take on Memorial Middle School and will participate in the annual Jockey Hollow Tournament in Monroe next Thursday and Friday.