Lancers Hold Off Bears 50-45

After surpassing the century mark in its previous game, the Notre Dame of Fairfield boys basketball team scored less than half that total Friday against defensive-minded Stonington.

Earl Coleman scored 14 points as the third-seeded Lancers fought off No. 6 Stonington 50-45 to advance to the Class M semifinals against Trinity Catholic on Tuesday.

 Daniel Upchurch, who added 12 points, cemented the victory with a late 3-pointer for Notre Dame.

“The coach (Vin Laczkoski) was telling me to shoot the ball,” Upchurch said.  “So,  I shot it and it went in.”

Junior Sam Donahue led the Bears with 22 points while Jake Berkowitz and William DeFanti combined for 11.

Despite shooting only 5-of-19 from the field in the first quarter, Notre Dame took a 15-11 lead on Coleman's jumper at the buzzer.

The Lancers used an 8-0 run to open a 29-15 lead with 2:46 left in the first half. However, Stonington (17-6) refused to back down, ending the second period with a 5-0 spurt to pull within 10 at the intermission.

“We had to slow it down tonight,” Upchurch said. “This was a defensive battle.”

In the third quarter, the Lancers limited the Bears to six points and took a 12-point lead into the final period, their biggest of the night.

However, Stonington surged back, tying the game at 45-45 with 3:5o left after Donahue's 3-pointer capped an 11-0 burst.

After Upchurch's 3-pointer snapped a 45-45 tie with a minute left, the Bears had a chance to tie, but turned the ball over against Notre Dame's pressure.

McPherson then hit a pair from the line to ice the victory for the Lancers.