Champion Powers Granby Memorial Past Windsor Locks 60-51

Junior swingman Carlin Champion scored 10 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter, fueling the basketball team’s comeback in a 60-51 victory over Windsor Locks in Granby Wednesday evening.

Windsor Locks (1-7) led 39-36 after three quarters, but Champion was electric late, hitting two of his five 3-pointers in the final period to help the Bears (3-4) outscore the Raiders 24-12 in the last eight minutes and snap a two-game losing streak.

“He’s just one of those guys, he wants the spotlight,” Granby Memorial head coach Wally Hansen said of Champion. “We’re down a couple of hoops, he’s going to find the basketball and get us a hoop. It’s nice. When he’s in a rhythm like that, I know it’s going in because he’s so confident. That’s the only way to play this game.”

Nick Mazzota poured in 12 points for the Bears, while Mike Noyes had 10, Curt Field 6, Dan Clark 4, and Jake Yankauskus two.

After taking an early 18-8 lead, Granby Memorial fell behind by as much as seven points in the game, as Windsor Locks took a 33-26 lead into the half.

“We just didn’t guard,” Hansen said. “We let [Tayler Gorzkowski] in the paint for a two-handed dunk - that can’t happen. We’re taught to step in and take a charge and to help, and we kind of just watched the show. They were getting in the baseline, getting layups, getting easy shots.”

But in what has become a disturbing trend for Windsor Locks head coach Michael Mascaro, the Raiders could not hang on to a lead late in the game.

“It’s kind of typical of how our season has gone,” Mascaro said. “We play tough every game, except one, and then we get to the fourth quarter and we don’t execute well. Lack of execution, lack of following the game plan, lack of making plays. Granby made more plays than us down the stretch.”

Brandon McIntosh paced Windsor Locks with 14 points, while Nate Pierce and Gorzkowski each chipped in 13, Jon Oliviera had five, and Brandon Gilbert, Ed Langan and Conor Pepin scored two apiece.

Hansen, for his part, was pleased that his team, which only has a seven-man rotation, was able to stay with Windsor Locks despite the early deficit.

“I’m glad we didn’t wear down because we play like six or seven guys, our guys kind of dug down deep,” Hansen said. “We pushed the basketball up the floor, had the guys take the shots and away we went.”

Both teams will be back on the court on Friday, as Granby Memorial faces Suffield at home, while Windsor Locks is in Bolton. Both games are at 7 p.m.