GMHS Falls to University 71-61 in Season Opener

Given the expectations that the University boys basketball team has this year, there was no shame in ’s 71-61 loss to the Hawks in the season-opener in Granby on Wednesday evening.

“Our goal is to win the conference and our goal is to win a state [Class L] championship. … We expect to be at Mohegan Sun [the location where the state final games are played],” University head coach Jay Riccitelli said after the game. “Our kids played hard. The intensity level from the beginning of the tip to the final horn. Defensively, the press, the half court defense, the kids couldn’t have given me any more effort.”

The Hawks (1-0) were led by Kadian Hall and Tyrell Henderson, who had 20 points apiece, while Luciano Martinez had 11.

Hall and Henderson are drawing interest from Division II and III schools, according to MaxPreps.com.

“Our kids are tough; our kids are fast,” Riccitelli said. “They work hard. Our pressure and intensity are going to overpower teams this year. [We have] high expectations.]

Granby Memorial head coach Wally Hansen, for his part, was not disappointed with his team’s effort in the out-of-conference matchup.

“[University is] athletic and skilled,” Hansen said. “They’re quick, they’re aggressive. They’re speed is good. We played zone for most of the game. They were making tough shots. The refs let us play tonight, which played into their favor. They’re good. They’re going to be a tough out.”

Junior Carlin Champion led the Bears (0-1) with 19 points, while Curt Field had 15 and Nick Mazzotta chipped in 11 in the losing effort.

Hansen also credited Dan Clark, who scored eight points and took four charges, for doing a lot of the dirty work in the paint.

“He played his absolute butt off,” Hansen said. “He plays with his heart. … You’ve got to be tough to be willing to take [four charges]. Four is a lot in basketball. He’s going to be beat up tomorrow.”

Hansen also said that Field, in his first varsity game, “gave us some great contributions.”

Jake Yankauskas submitted four points, while Ken Joslyn and Caleb McMullin each had two points.

Granby Memorial had a 19-16 lead after the first quarter, but Hall and Henderson led the Hawks to a 24-point second-quarter, giving University a 40-29 halftime advantage that it would never relinquish.

“We turned the ball over too many times in the second quarter,” Hansen said, noting that his team’s bugaboo, experienced depth, also played a factor. “Our guys were exhausted. Our experience and our depth right now is a little bit of an issue. They took advantage of that.”

The high scoring game also played into University’s favor, Hansen said.

“They did control tempo, and our game plan is to attack their pressure and we didn’t,” Hansen said.

Nevertheless, Hansen said that the game was one to build on.

“There are things to look forward to,” he said.

The Bears schedule doesn’t get any easier, as their next game is against Capital Prep on the road on Monday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.