East Granby Rolls Over Bolton in Season-Opener 56-36

Behind a stifling defensive effort in the first half, the boys basketball team rolled to a 56-36 victory over North Central Connecticut Conference rival Bolton High in the Crusaders’ season-opener in East Granby on Friday evening.

The Crusaders limited Bolton to just one 3-pointer in the first eight minutes, taking a 15-3 lead after the first quarter. East Granby didn’t let up in the second quarter, extending its lead to 32-11 at the half.

“We came out and played very, very good defense early on,” East Granby head coach Jeff Moger said. “We rebounded well. … We didn’t give them second shots, we contested all their first shots and that was important to us.”

Senior guard Ryan Aeschliman was the best player on the floor, scoring a game-high 19 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists for the Crusaders in the victory. Guard jack Beatty had nine points, four assists and five steals, while Brian Watterlond, Ray Marek, Tyler Arsenault and Dylan O’Brien each submitted six points for East Granby.

Crusaders forward Kyle Bowers scored four points and played solid, if not spectacular, interior defense.

It wasn’t much of a contest from the beginning as Aeschliman and Beatty hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the first two minutes of the game, giving East Granby (1-0) an early 6-0 lead; the Crusaders never looked back from there.

“We played well right out of the gate,” Moger said. “We came out with exactly what we needed to do to take control of the game.”

While Aeschliman was his typical stellar self, Moger also credited the performances of Watterlond and Beatty, who stepped in for starter Noah Fersch, who did not play Friday evening.

“Brian Watterlond played the best game he’s ever played for East Granby,” Moger said. “He drove, he penetrated, he was all over the place on defense. Every loose ball was his. He’s a very, very quick, athletic kid. … He’s very emotional and he plays hard.”

Bolton first-year head coach Israel Caban left the East Granby High gymnasium impressed with the Crusaders.

“They are very well-coached and a very disciplined team,” Caban said. “We’re learning the ropes right now. We’re implementing a new system, new coach in town and it’s going to take a little while to be where they are. We want to be where they are, but it’s going to take us a little while. I’ve got all the confidence in the world that we will come back.”

Bolton sophomore Colin Cordero had a team-high 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss; Cordero led the team with 20 points in a tough 52-50 loss to SMSA on Dec. 14.

“Cordero one of our leaders; you cannot ask more from an underclassman to lead the charge,” Caban said.

East Granby, for its part, will have to continue to play tight perimeter defense in its next game against Coventry, which is on the road at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20.

“They’ve got one of the better players in the league in Tommy Meyers,” Moger said. “We’re going to have to rebound well and defend the perimeter well. If we continue to do that, we will be competitive against whoever we play.”