When Cayden Caldwell and Gage Gibson both drained threes in the second quarter at New Haven on Wednesday, it appeared as if the Indians were about to gain control of the district semifinal. Down 14-4 …
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When Cayden Caldwell and Gage Gibson both drained threes in the second quarter at New Haven on Wednesday, it appeared as if the Indians were about to gain control of the district semifinal. Down 14-4 at one point, they had roared back to make it a 14-12 game.
It remained a tight, back and forth affair until just before the break, when a pair of turnovers proved costly. Top seeded New Haven took a 23-18 lead in the locker room and stretched it over the second half into a 57-32 victory over Van-Far.
“It wasn’t a good time not to play our best,” Indians head coach Pat Connaway said.
Turnovers -- and the host’s ability to score off of Van-Far miscues -- doomed the Indians, who lost possession 28 times, leading to 30 New Haven points.
Connaway’s young squad turned in a solid defensive effort and forced 20 turnovers. However, they were only able to pull back 6 points.
Nikos Connaway scored 16 points on the night. New Haven pressed LaTrell Wright all evening, but he was able to put up 7. Caldwell added 6 and Gibson hit the first half three.
“It was a tough way to end the season, but I am very proud of all these kids,” Connaway noted. “They went through a lot this year.”
Dynamic duo sink Sturgeon
LaTrell Wright and Nikos Connaway combined for 50 points as Van-Far knocked off Sturgeon 68-63 in the opening round of districts on Monday.
The win was one of speed over size, but that meant the Indians first had to wear down their opponents.
Wright kept things, scoring 16 of his 26 points.
Sturgeon opened a narrow lead early on but built on it as Van-Far struggled in the third. Down by 10 the Indians rallied. Connaway rolled in a layup and then fired from three point range. He then fed Cayden Caldwell, who was open on the wing and hit a three.
Connaway converted from beyond the arc three more times in the final period on this way to 24 on the night while Wright, and Hunter Scrogin helped clamp down on defense to seal the win.
“I am so happy for these kids, and the emotion in the locker room was incredible,” head coach Pat Connaway said. “We knocked down some big shots.”
