Naugy boys advance to NVL semis

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Naugatuck’s John Mezzo (12) pulls down a rebound in front of Watertown’s Peyton DeFoe (5) during a NVL tournament game Saturday at Wilby High School in Waterbury. -JIM SHANNON /REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

WATERBURY — The Naugatuck boys basketball team is one win away from its first Naugatuck Valley League tournament final appearance.

The No. 2 Greyhounds beat No. 7 Watertown, 72-43, in the quarterfinals Saturday at Wilby High. Robert Sanders and Avery Hinnant each had 17 points to lead the Greyhounds against Watertown. Derrick Jagello (13) and Ese Onakpoma (12) joined them in double figures.

Naugatuck (20-1) will play No. 6 Waterbury Career (12-9) in the first semifinal Monday at 5 p.m. at Wilby. WCA beat No. 3 Crosby (14-7), 73-59, in the quarterfinals.

Naugatuck coach Mike Wilson expects a big challenge from WCA, which he said is a tough team to guard.

“It’s going to be a tough, tough environment, and we’re going to have to just play Naugatuck basketball,” Wilson said. “Control what we can, is what I told the boys down there (after the game). As much as you try to watch and scout them, I don’t feel it’s as much about them as it is about us making sure we do our job.”

Naugatuck and WCA will both be playing for their first NVL tournament final appearance.

The second semifinal features No. 1 Sacred Heart (21-0) and No. 4 Holy Cross (16-5) at 7 p.m. The final is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Wilby.