BY KEN MORSE
CITZEN’S NEWS
The Naugatuck boys basketball team is closing in on its most successful season since it went 22-1 in 2020 and its first NVL title in 51 years. The Greyhounds are trying to get back to the NVL championship game for the third season in a row but will have a lot of company looking forward to the same destination.
Naugy was 18-0 entering its Feb. 18 game against Wilby. The Greyhounds were also scheduled to play at Torrington on Wednesday. The NVL tournament begins on Saturday with the final being held on March 2.
“I think all season long we had that target on our back,” said Naugy coach Mike Wilson. “They are kind of use to it by now, so I don’t see us feeling any added pressure. Teams are gunning for us every game.
“Even when we are up by over 20 points teams are playing us like it’s a tie game. So there is always that urgency with every possession and that helps us in the long run to be ready to play for every possession.”
Wilson added this about the tournament: “There are a lot of good teams in the NVL and everyone starts out at 0-0, so it’s anyone’s game at that point. We can’t get too concerned about that. We just need to go out and play our game and take care of what we are doing.”
There is a log jam of very capable teams following the Greyhounds. Kennedy, Crosby and Holy Cross create the on any given night scenario. Just as dangerous is the next level of contenders with St. Paul, giving Naugy all that they bargained for on two different occasions.
Torrington, WCA and Ansonia all sit at the bottom tier of the top eight that will qualify for the NVL tournament, all sporting competitive records with one week to go in the season.
Oxford and Woodland are two teams that just fell off the pace heading down the stretch. By no means are they throwing in the towel as they both have aspirations of competing in the state tournament.
Woodland was 6-6 and very much in the running for a league tourney spot before the wheels came off the wagon. The Hawks had a five-game skid marked by two games where they relinquished the lead late and one that slipped out of their hands in overtime. Suddenly the Hawks were in a fight for the state tournament.
“This has really been an enjoyable season,” said Woodland coach John Mariano. “I honestly think as a team we have played well. We were in position to win many of those games against some of the stronger teams in the league.
“Three of the last five games we lost we were winning with under two and a half minutes to go. It just didn’t bounce our way and we didn’t make enough plays to close those games out. But I feel good about our chances at making the state tournament. We just need to trust in the process and just keep doing what we are doing. Our senior class has been terrific and I think it has been a positive effect on our younger guys.”
The Hawks did manage to right the ship a little bit, snapping the skid with a convincing 78-27 win over Derby on Feb. 15. Rob Moriarty threw down 20 points to lead the way with Croy Mastropietro adding 12 points and Nate Bodnar chipping in with 10 points.
