Torrington boys split with Newcastle, Buffalo

Andrew Towne
Posted 2/12/20

TORRINGTON – The Torrington High School boys’ basketball team used a big second quarter to knock off Newcastle at home 44-31 on Friday before falling to Buffalo 70-33 on the road Saturday evening.

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Torrington boys split with Newcastle, Buffalo

Posted

TORRINGTON – The Torrington High School boys’ basketball team used a big second quarter to knock off Newcastle at home 44-31 on Friday before falling to Buffalo 70-33 on the road Saturday evening.

On Friday against Newcastle, both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net in the early going as Torrington led 6-4 after one quarter.

“Our kids played really hard on defense,” THS coach Neil Baker said. “Sam and Cameron both did a good job of guarding (Dylon Tidyman). The other guys did a good job of guarding their man, but they always knew where Dylon was. As we learned in Newcastle, he can score a lot of points.”

However, it didn’t take long for Torrington to find its offensive groove in the second quarter, including some key buckets from underclassmen Kieser Wolfe and Ryan Baker.

“He had been shooting the ball really well in practice this week. He’s spent a lot of time in the gym, and he’s a good shooter. I was pretty sure one of these games, he’d hit some shots,” Baker said. “Kieser hit some shots, as well. Those guys need to make plays. The scouting on us has to be, slow down Sam and Jackson because the other guys aren’t scoring much.”

Less than 30 seconds in the second, senior Jackson Jones drained the first two points of the quarter. Over the remainder of the frame, Torrington outscored the visiting Dogies, 20-3.

With the Blazers leading 28-7, the teams played even in the third quarter, but in the fourth, Torrington’s offense went cold.

The Blazers scored only three points over the final eight minutes, while Newcastle chipped away at the deficit.

The Dogies got no closer than 13 by the time the final horn sounded.

“We need to work on the balance when you have a lead, how much do you attack the basket and how much do you run the clock,” Baker said. “It’s hard to get that balance, and when you are playing as many young kids as we are, that’s tough.”

Senior Jackson Jones led Torrington with 14 points, while Baker had nine. Senior Sam Firminhac tossed in eight, while Wolfe added seven.

The next day, the Blazers traveled to Buffalo where the Bison handed the Blazers a 37-point loss, their largest of the season.

No stats were available at press time.

The Blazers host Douglas on Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.