Both the Avon and Granby High School boys basketball teams entered Thursday night’s game looking to get back on track and it was Granby that found what it was searching for.
The Falcons had their chances but a couple of big 3-pointers and some tough defense gave the Bears a 48-42 victory.
The loss drops Avon to 7-6. The Falcons have dropped two straight and three of their last four since turning their season around with a six-game win streak.
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Granby (8-4) was coming off a loss to Enfield in which it scored just 28 points. The Bears were a little bit better offensively Thursday, especially in a couple crucial moments and they continued to play solid defense.
Granby has not allowed an opponent to score more than 48 points in its last eight games. The Bears made things tough on offense for the Falcons , allowing Avon no more than 12 points in any quarter and just nine in the second and fourth.
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“Our lack of focus and our lack of concentration was just awful,” Avon coach Chris Vozzolo said. “We game planned what we wanted to do on the defensive end and I don’t think we came out and executed it once. I don’t question our effort, I credit our guys I think they play hard and the effort is there. But when it comes to focusing in during a basketball game and concentrating and making smart basketball plays we are very inconsistent and we are struggling.”
Despite the struggles, Avon was right in it, which was a testament to their hustle. The Falcons opened the second quarter on a 6-2 run and eventually went to the locker room tied at 21-21.
Granby came out and started the third quarter on an 8-0 run, sparked by Brandon Kumnick, who had two baskets in the run and finished with a game-high 12 points.
Avon fought back to tie the game 31-31 on a pair of free throws by Matt Nadaff with 1:27 left in the third, but Avon’s lack of focus cost them at a crucial time.
Nick Mazzotta drained a pair of three pointers for Granby in the final minute of the quarter to give the Bears a 37-33 lead entering the fourth.
“Those were huge 3-pointers for us,” Granby coach Walter Hansen said. “They came in a time of the game where it could have gone the other way. They came back and made a run at us and Nick hit some big buckets for us, they were huge.”
They were especially big because Avon was having trouble scoring as it was and now had to play the fourth coming from behind.
“Those were huge shots,” Vozzolo said. “Nick Mazzotta hits two big threes, credit him for stepping up and hitting the shots, we didn’t close out quick enough which again, a lack of concentration on defense and it cost us.”
Avon’s inability to make free throws hurt as well as the Falcons were just 7-of-18 from the line.
“You shoot 7 of 18 from the line and you’re not winning games,” Vozzolo said. “we make half of the ones we missed and we win the game.”
The Falcons get a chance to put this one behind them quickly as they host Canton on Friday night. A win over the Warriors and Avon would qualify for the state tournament.
“We need to get hot and get a couple wins and that will get our confidence back up,” Vozzolo said. “We can still finish the regular season strong and get to where I thought we would be when the season started.”
Sophomore Brandon Feinberg led Avon with 11 points and center Clint Wallburg added eight.
Granby 15-6-16-11 – 48
Avon 12-9-12-9 – 42
Granby (48): Rob Richards 1-2-4, Mike Reid 1-3-5, Sean Witte 3-0-6, Mike Noyes 1-0-2, Carlin Champion 2-3-7; Nick Mazzotta 4-0-10, Brandon Kumnick 6-0-12, Zach Grakowsky 1-0-2. Totals 19-8-48.
Avon (42): Jacob Forchheimer 1-0-3, Drew Montano 3-0-6, Collin Pavano 1-1-3, Tyler D’Onofrio 1-0-2, William Stevens 0-1-1, Matt Naddaf 1-4-6, Brandon Feinberg 5-1-11, Clint Wallburg 4-0-8, Sean Ade 1-0-2. Totals 17-7-42.
3-pointers: Avon – Forchheimer, Granby – Mazzotta 2.
