New London Basketball Turns Up The Heat

This one, unlike its Class L state tournament opener, was over early for No. 1 ranked New London.

After watching Wilby's potential game-tying three-pointer bounce off the rim last week, the New London High boys' basketball team made sure there was no drama in its quarterfinal game against Daniel Hand. A relentless pressure defense and all-around intense effort rattled the Tigers and fueled the Whalers' comfortable 74-56 victory.

This game was actually over just minutes after the Whalers trimmed Wilby, 76-73, in what served as a wakeup call. No matter who faced New London was in for it Monday at Conway Gymnasium. The fact it was a methodical team that favors a slow tempo only fueled the Whalers' intensity.

"Coach scouted them and said they'd have trouble against pressure," Whaler guard Kris Dunn said.

New London (25-0) trapped Hand (12-11) from endline to endline, creating 24 turnovers. The Tigers had no answers for New London's 1-2 tandem of Dunn (33 points) and Torin Childs-Harris (29)

"Our goal coming in was to take good care of the ball, control tempo by passing the ball," Hand coach FrankRossi said. "We dribbled into too much pressure. Dunn and Childs are the best two guards we've seen. We played a good schedule in the SCC, but even in practice it's very difficult to mimic the type of pressure New London brings. We've never faced pressure like that. They're the best team we've seen."

Twenty-two seeded Daniel Hand came into the game hot, off upsets over Masuk and East Catholic. The Tigers couldn't handle New London's press nor traps early, falling behind 10-4 on Childs-Harris' dunk off a turnover. Dunn finished off the first quarter with a three to make it 20-12.

New London's Division I guard prospects poured it on in the second quarter with a series of steals, drives and offensive tip ins to up the lead to 37-19. Childs-Harris' alley-oop stuff off a Dunn feed gave New London a 41-25 lead.

"We want to play fast, we want to play aggressive, we want to trap, that's how we play," New London coach Craig Parker said. "As game in the '50s would have been to their advantage, but we didn't want that. My only concern tonight was that we didn't stretch the lead more once we got up by around 20."

New London contained Hand's high-scoring forward Riley Kirsch (4 points). Forward Jordan Barnaby scored 17. Only a standout effort by guard Brendan Fish (20 points) kept the game from getting completely out of hand.

For Hand, a team which lost five straight in one stretch, a state quarterfinal berth is a satisfying run.

"Back in November, I felt we had a team that could potentially be dangerous in the state tournament," Rossi said. "It's very positive. We grew up a lot in the last three weeks and played our very best at the very end. We didn't do that all season but we peaked at the right time."

For New London, nothing less than one step better than last year's state final berth, a loss to Stratford, will suffice. The Whalers play Maloney (23-1) in the semifinals 7 p.m. Wednesday at New Haven Athletic Center.