This CT girls basketball team has won 15 straight and is ready for a title push
After advancing to the Class MM quarterfinals last year with a relatively young team, the Suffield girls kept that momentum this year, finishing 18-2 in the regular season.
Suffield is ranked third in Division III heading into the state tournament, behind Ansonia and Coventry, last year’s Class S champion. One of Suffield’s losses came to Coventry, 60-46, on Dec. 18 (the other was to Ellington, which is ranked fifth in Division III).
Suffield has won 15 straight, including overtime victories over Enfield and Ellington.
“All roads are going to go through Ellington and Coventry – the state tournament as well as the NCCC tournament,” Suffield coach Jason Qua said.
His daughter, junior point guard Hazel Qua, is the team leader; she averages 24 points and 15 rebounds per game. Addison Holmes and Ava Petkovich are also junior captains and two sophomores – River Seagrave and Alex Eddy – also start.
Suffield will play in the NCCC tournament in a quarterfinal game Wednesday against the winner of the Bolton-East Granby first-round game.
Highlights from last week
Urielle Abrokwa, East Catholic: Abrokwa scored 29 points and had 20 rebounds in a 69-55 win over Coventry Monday.
Riley Ahlgren, Canton: Ahlgren scored 19 points and had seven assists in Canton’s 63-37 win over Wilbur Cross Saturday.
Kiley Bohn, St. Paul: Bohn scored 34 points in a 62-34 win over Derby Monday and had 19 points and 15 rebounds in a 54-50 loss to Oxford in an NVL tournament first round game Thursday.
Claire Cassella, Old Saybrook: Cassella went 10 for 10 from the free throw line and had 18 points in Old Saybrook’s 49-45 loss to Portland Tuesday.
Ella Clark, E.O. Smith: Clark had a career-high 27 points in a 63-53 win over Tolland Sunday and 21 points, 11 rebounds in a 54-40 victory over Glastonbury Wednesday.
Alyssa Diehl, Bolton: Diehl had 25 points in a 50-42 victory over Wheeler Wednesday.
Natalie Friedrich, Stafford: Friedrich hit five 3-pointers and had 15 points in a 39-30 win over Windham Tech Thursday.
Piper Kovacs, Cromwell: Kovacs had a double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in a 66-29 win over Comp Sci Friday.
Kelsey LaMay, Rocky Hill: LaMay had 20 points and 11 assists in Rocky Hill’s 64-44 victory over Berlin Friday.
Hailey Mayo, Coventry: Mayo scored 22 points and had 16 rebounds in a 71-41 victory over Somers Thursday.
Sadie Passante, Morgan: Passante had 22 points in a 45-49 win over Haddam-Killingworth Saturday.
Nicole Riemer, Bristol Central: Riemer scored 41 points in an 83-53 win over Bristol Eastern Thursday.
Games to watch
The CCC tournament starts Tuesday with first-round games at the higher seeds. Northwest Catholic is the No. 1 seed and hosts E.O. Smith Tuesday. Southington, the defending champion, is the No. 7 seed and will host Lewis Mills. The quarterfinals will take place Wednesday, the semifinals Saturday and the championship game Monday at 6 p.m. at the University of Hartford.
The NCCC tournament starts Tuesday. Coventry is the defending champion and the No. 1 seed this year. The semifinals will take place Friday at neutral sites and the final Monday at a site to be determined.
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