YellowJackets Open Season With Win

Coach Jim Reynolds and company opened their 2010-2011 campaign Wednesday night against Guilford with a nice result.

The team also answered a few lingering questions about what this year's YellowJacket basketball team will look like.

Will senior guard Jimmy Gagliardi continue to be one of the conference's leading scorers? Will he have much help and where will it come from?

Questions answered, at least for now.

East Haven came out strong in the first eight minutes, hoping to mirror a big junior-varsity win just minutes before. The YellowJackets capitalized on the Indians' poor shooting with strong rebounding and a quick transition game. East Haven dominated the first quarter 17-7.

In the second quarter, the good times continued to roll. Freshman guard Nick Lamberti found junior center Danny Somers with a sweet pass, the layup extending the YellowJackets' lead to 23-15 with 5:10 to play in the half.

Moments later, Lamberti picked off a steal at half-court beating his defender for the basket to stretch the YellowJackets' lead to 27-17. Lamberti would lead all YellowJackets in scoring at the half with nine points. 

Guilford would crawl back in behind two straight YellowJacket turnovers along with two straight baskets. The Indians managed to pull to 28-26 with 1:10 remaining in the half. East Haven would hold on behind Lamberti's nine first-half points; Guilford senior guard Jeff Battipaglia added nine of his own.

Things started rough for East Haven in the second half. Somers picked up his third foul early and was rested. Shortly after, a quick basket by the Indians brought the score to 33-31 with just over five minutes remaining.

Guilford's Battipaglia was put on the free-throw line with a chance to tie the game with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.

He calmly hit two of two, tying the game at 33-33.

East Haven finished the quarter on a run, managing to squeeze out with a 47-40 lead.

Strong play in the fourth quarter by Gagliardi and junior guard Mike Vessicchio sealed the win for East Haven, 67-57.

Battipaglia led the Indians with 16 points. Gagliardi had 16 points for the YellowJackets. Stellar freshman Lamberti added 16 points, six assists and five steals in a performance that Coach Reynolds took note of.

"He's going to be a big-time player," said Reynolds. "It's not easy to come in as a freshman and play this well. He really showed us something tonight. What was most impressive to me was that he was missing his free throws but he didn't let it bother him. He played very well tonight."

Guilford, a program once coached by Reynolds, made adjustments at the half to keep Lamberti in check.

"We tried to stop Lamberti," said Guilford Head Coach Jeff DeMaio. "I thought our energy picked up in the second half also, when we made a little run at him. We tied the game and had the ball, but the we turned it over. I thought that was a critical spot. They just have some answers on offense."

Next for the YellowJackets is Daniel Hand, Dec. 17.