Preston Proves Too Much For Ellington

Tre Preston poured in 30 points, and survived a second-half comeback to hold off the Knights 49-46 in NCCC boys basketball action Sunday afternoon.

"Tre is tough, he's strong, and the main goal of everybody in the league is to stop him," Enfield head coach Cory O'Connell said. "He controls the team, and we'll go as far as he wants to take us."

The rare Sunday offering, necessitated by a flurry of postponed games throughout the region, featured very few foul calls; the teams combined to sink just six free throws.

Preston scored just four points in the opening quarter, but heated up with 12 in the second period, including a pair of three-pointers that provided the Raiders a 30-25 lead at halftime.

Ellington held Enfield scoreless for a 3:20 span in the third quarter, taking the lead briefly on a Connor Defemia basket halfway through the session. Preston reclaimed the lead for good for the Raiders with 2:19 left in the period.

"I knew they were going to make a run and we wouldn't be able to just walk away," O'Connell said. "They're too good of a team, with their size and their quickness."

In the fourth quarter, the Raiders stretched their lead to eight on a Hugh Lindo hoop near the midway point. Ellington refused to fold, and back-to-back three-pointers by Dan Schofer and Justin Dionne pulled the Knights within two with 2:17 left to play.

Preston drained a three-pointer, his fourth of the contest, with 1:51 remaining, but Schofer's basket with 1:27 to play made it a one-possession game again.

In the final minute, Ellington's Zack Graves missed a reverse layup, but redeemed himself at the other end of the floor by rejecting a shot by John Cerrato. Lindo fouled out of the game with seven seconds left, but Mike Gresh missed a desperation three-point attempt as time expired.

"Turnovers by key players killed us," Ellington coach Don Flint said. "Enfield played solid, and every time we turned it over, it ended up being a score on their part. We knew we could match up with them underneath, but the key for us has always been outside scoring. This entire season has been one of frustration because we can't get outside shooting on a consistent basis."

Gresh led the Knights with 12 points, but had just two in the second half. Graves and Schofer each had 10 points for Ellington.

Enfield completed a season sweep of the Knights; the Raiders posted a in Ellington on Jan. 8.

With its sixth victory in a row, Enfield improved its record to 13-2. Ellington fell to .500 at 8-8; seven of the Knights' losses have been by seven points or less.

The Raiders travel to Somers Monday at 7 p.m., while Ellington hosts Avon Tuesday at 7 p.m.