RIDGEFIELD – It wasn’t your average first round matchup between Ridgefield and Hamden in the Class LL tournament on Monday night.
“Not at all and we talked about that,” Hamden coach Amanda Forcucci said. “FCIAC champions against SCC champions, both teams had to gut it out in their tournament. They played in overtime against Staples, we knew we had to be ready for them.”
Newly-crowned SCC champion and 19-seeded Hamden was ready for newly-crowned FCIAC champion and 14-seeded Ridgefield and then some, beating the Tigers on the road, 45-33.
Hamden (16-9) advances to face No. 30 Hall, a stunning winner over No. 3-seeded New London, in the second round on Thursday at Hamden.
“We came off a good win and I told my team keep the same energy we had for the SCCs,” Hamden senior guard Asya Brandon said. “If we keep the same energy and play as a team, we will go far. That’s all I said, if we keep the same every and we will do good.”
2020 CIAC GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCOREBOARD
Brandon scored 14 of her game-high 20 points in the first half to kick start the Green Dragons. In the second half, she gave way to center Rebecca Oberman-Levine.
The SCC and FCIAC champs meeting in the first round of the Class LL tournament made for a not the usual opening round game for either team #ctgb pic.twitter.com/nSTjEd6WhC
— Pete Paguaga (@PetePaguaga) March 3, 2020
“I told her that she had to get hot,” Brandon said. “We had to feed her the ball, just so she can get involved more because when she gets involved and it’s us two. It’s a duo.”
Oberman-Levine scored just one point in the first half, but made her presence felt in the second with eight points. She also grabbed 10 rebounds and made six blocks in a performance reminiscent of the SCC championship victory over East Haven.
“Read the defense, however it presents itself,” Forcucci said of the change of offensive philosophy in the second half.
“In the first quarter, Asya was able to get to the basket get some shots off. They tightened up the defense on her. I think (it was) some big unselfish play by Asya down the stretch. Let’s share the ball and run the offense, which happened to be Becca now wide open.”
Hamden’s Asya Brandon talks about her team using the energy from their SCC title win against FCIAC champs, Ridgefield tonight #ctgb pic.twitter.com/y2dvk6Sb3L
— Pete Paguaga (@PetePaguaga) March 3, 2020
Ridgefield, meanwhile, struggled to get shots to fall.
“I’m just really proud of our team, what they went through to win FCIACs and get here,” Ridgefield coach Rob Coloney said. “It wasn’t our night. I thought we missed some shots that sometimes we usually make.
“I am proud of the girls because they battled till the end and that’s all we can really ask of them. (It was) a memorable first season for me and Ridgefield, but hopefully a really memorable season for them because they earned it and I’m super proud of them.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Asya Brandon, Hamden. The senior scored 14 points in the first half and then scored six free throws in the final quarter to put the game away. She finished with 20 points.
QUOTABLE
With the clock winding down and Hamden holding on to a double digit lead, word started making its way down the bench that No. 30 Hall had upset No. 3 New London, 45-29, which would give Hamden a home game in the second round vs. the Warriors.
Word started to trickle down the Hamden bench late in the fourth quarter that the Green Dragons would host a second round game after Hall upset New London earlier in the evening #ctgb pic.twitter.com/bxffZVIzbs
— Pete Paguaga (@PetePaguaga) March 3, 2020
“One of my assistant coaches got the text at the end of the bench,” Forcucci said. “She whispered to my assistant coach and the kid next heard. It trickled down, then the parents heard. You heard the crowd mumble and I was trying to focus and come out with a win.”
