Newtown’s Juliette Cryder (14) releases a shot during the SWC championship against Notre Dame-Fairfield on Wednesday.
Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media
STRATFORD — The Notre Dame-Fairfield girls basketball team has been No. 1 in the GametimeCT Top 10 Poll for most of the season but never put together a game quite like the one they did in the SWC championship Wednesday night.
The No. 1 Lancers came out on fire and never cooled off on the way to a 70-40 win over defending champion, No. 2 Newtown, at Bunnell High School.
It is the first title for Notre Dame since 2016 and was a perfect ending in the SWC for the lone senior starter and tournament MVP, Erin Harris.
SWC GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET
“It feels great. We were mad hyped for each other and just doing what we do and it turned out great,” Harris said. “It all started with defense. We had to lock in on defense and we knew our offense would come. We are really dangerous. We get into gaps, fill in the lanes, pass to each other and call when we are open. We (move the ball) really well.”
Notre Dame wins the SWC title 70-40 over Newtown #ctgb pic.twitter.com/upoRHIyqG1
— Scott Ericson (@EricsonSports) February 27, 2020
Notre Dame was already up by nine early in the second quarter when it busted out for a 12-0 run, spurred by tenacious defense, transition baskets and kick-out 3-pointers.
They led by 19 at halftime and 57-23 after three quarters.
Notre Dame was led by 18 points each from Mac Stone-Folmar and Aizhanique Mayo and 12 from Yamani McCollough.
Notre Dame kept moving the ball and different girls kept scoring, making Newtown’s job on defense next to impossible.
SWC championship MVP Erin Harris #ctgb pic.twitter.com/Z8lvwmxFSc
— Scott Ericson (@EricsonSports) February 27, 2020
“Oh, my lord. Every kid stepped up and hit shots for them. They were amazing,” Newtown coach Jeremy O’Connell said. “I didn’t think our defense was that bad but they were just dialed in. Every single one of them was dialed in tonight. Whenever we got a bucket and thought we might go on a run, they’d hit two buckets. It wasn’t just one kid, it was three, four, five, six different kids. All night.”
Amy Sapenter paced Newtown with 10 points.
Notre Dame did a solid job all night closing out on Newtown’s 3-point shooters, forcing contested shots or extra passes.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Mac Stone-Folmar, Notre Dame. The tone was set offensively early by Stone-Folmar who scored 12 points in the first half, including two 3s and a couple layups.
QUOTABLE
“It was a team win tonight. Everybody that stepped on the floor did their role and what they had to do in different pockets and different positions,” Notre Dame coach Maria Conlon said. “When we play in unison like that, we are really tough to beat. Especially on the defensive end. When we lock in and play team defense, and take pride in that, that’s why we won.”
