Lady Hatters Fall to Tomahawks

The Lady Hatters’ state championship hopes came to an end Friday with a 75-51 loss at #6-seeded Glastonbury High School in the second round of the Connecticut LL Girls’ Basketball Tournament.

The Tomahawks, ranked second in the state according to MaxPreps.com, were able to overpower Danbury early, jumping out to a 12-0 lead in the first four and a half minutes of the game, a lead they would never relinquish.

Glastonbury’s versatile, balanced offense was the key to their victory.  Seven different Tomahawks scored in the first quarter alone, resulting in a commanding 17-8 lead at the end of the period. 

In the second quarter, the Hatters were able to close the gap slightly thanks to an 11-point quarter from junior captain Casey Smith and two 3-pointers from freshman guard Rachel Gartner.  Also highlighted in the second quarter was senior Rabia Rawji’s conversion on an old-fashioned three-point play.

But for everything Danbury did, the Tomahawks had an answer.  Clutch free-throw shooting, fast points in transition and open looks from three-point range helped Glastonbury keep the Hatters at bay throughout the second quarter.  Glastonbury senior Kaley Watras put an exclamation point on the half with a 3-pointer that swished through the net as the buzzer sounded at the end of the second quarter.  This was perhaps the dagger in Danbury’s heart, as it put the Tomahawks up 11 points going into the break and took away any momentum the Hatters might have had.

Glastonbury continued to dominate the Hatters in the second half, causing multiple turnovers that translated into fast break opportunities, virtually all of which the Tomahawks were able to score on.  With an 18-point Glastonbury lead heading into the game’s final quarter, it was all but over for the Hatters.

Smith led the Danbury effort with a team-high 23 points.  Rachel Gartner added 10 for the Hatters, shooting 3-for-8 from beyond the arc and adding a point from the charity stripe.  Rawji added 9 for Danbury, including a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line.  As a team, the Hatters shot 18-for-52 (35%) from the field, including just 3-for-12 (25%) from 3-point range.

Rawji’s high school basketball career came to a close in the fourth quarter, when her fifth foul sent her to the bench for good.  She was visibly distraught; as she walked off the hardwood for the final time, she wept and fell into the arms of her teammates waiting at the bench.

“It was sad because I fouled out,” she said.  “I just wanted to play and try my hardest to the end.  I knew it would be my last high school game, so I was hoping to go all the way.”

Danbury Head Coach Jackie DiNardo remembered Rawji’s career fondly, noting her development as a player and leader over four years.

“When she started out as a freshman and sophomore, I wasn’t sure what kind of person she was going to be,” DiNardo said.  “She came back her junior year, went and played AAU, got serious about it, and in her senior year, she came back one of my leaders.  What I’m most proud of is her leadership, not just her game.”

Glastonbury’s balanced attack was led by sophomore Courtney Latham, who led all scorers with 25 points on a 10-for-15 performance from the field including a 3-pointer, and a perfect 4-for-4 from the foul line.  Also making noise on the score sheet for the Tomahawks was senior Cara Manfredi, who added 21 points, including going 3-for-7 from 3-point range.  As a team, the Tomahawks shot a much more efficient 28-for-55 (51%) from the field, including 5-for-11 (45%) from 3-point range.

“They’re good,” Jackie DiNardo said of the Tomahawks after the game.  “They play really well together, they go to the basket hard, they’re strong.”

“We didn’t give up 75 points, they earned them,” she continued.  “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the kids, because a couple times we got back within 10, 9 points, and we didn’t give up.  We fought to the very end.”

Smith said that she was proud of the season the Hatters had, especially as a young squad with two freshmen starting in the back court.

“I think we developed really quickly, for being a new team with just two seniors,” she said after the game.  “I think we did really well, we’ve had team bonding so much more this year than previous years.  I think we all genuinely love each other, and it’s fun to play with people you love.”

Smith isn’t the only one looking forward to her senior year.  Coach DiNardo agrees that with the Gartner twins having a year of varsity experience under their belts along with the senior leadership of Smith, there is a true potential for a special season.

“I’m ready for next year tomorrow,” DiNardo said.  “We are a good team, we have a lot of good things coming back, and we know what we have to work on.”