Enfield Advances to NCCC Championship Game

For a while Tuesday, it appeared the boys basketball team might pull off an upset.

With one minute to play in the third quarter of a semifinal game in the North Central Connecticut Conference tournament, the Bears led host , 33-31, and had held the Raiders' standout guard, Tre Preston, to just five points.

All of a sudden, Preston exploded for 11 straight points, including three consecutive three-point baskets in a 1:53 span early in the fourth quarter, giving the Raiders the lead for good in a 58-49 victory and a berth in the league tournament finals.

Enfield (19-3) will compete for the title against , which defeated Suffield, 33-24 earlier Tuesday. The championship game will be at Enfield High School Thursday at 7 p.m.

While the double-teaming Granby defense smothered Preston in the opening half, Hugh Lindo stepped up for the Raiders, sinking nine first-half points as Enfield opened up a 24-20 advantage at intermission.

Granby hung right in, taking the lead on a Mike Noyes basket with 1:47 left in the third period. The Bears missed four consecutive free throws over the next 45 seconds, however, setting the stage for Preston's resurgence.

"Our game plan was to try to contain Preston and keep the ball out of his hands," Granby coach Walter Hansen said. "He's such a great player that if he has a second, he'll knock it down."

Paul Lima was also a major contributor to Enfield's victory, scoring 12 of his 15 points in the second half, including four big free throws in the final 1:20 that helped secure the win and a trip to the championship game.

Lindo finished with 10 points and hauled down 19 rebounds. "Hugh was enormous again," Enfield coach Cory O'Connell said. "With Tre struggling like he was, to have another player step up like that was huge for us. He was all over the place.

Carlin Champion had 18 points for the Bears, while Sean Witte-Meredith added 10.

Granby (13-9) will compete in the Class M state tournament next week. "We have a really good basketball team, and I think we can make a little bit of a run," Hansen said. "