The Naugatuck boys basketball team will be playing in its first Naugatuck Valley League tournament final on Wednesday night.
No. 2 Naugatuck used an explosive third quarter to rout No. 6 Waterbury Career, 69-43, in the semifinals Monday. The Greyhounds (21-1) outscored the Spartans (12-10), 33-3, in the third quarter after the game had been tied at 23 at halftime.
“Just an unselfish group of guys who were playing Naugatuck basketball,” coach Mike Wilson said. “We really locked in defensively, we stopped turning the basketball over, we rebounded, then we started getting in transition a little bit and we got a couple easy hoops. That makes a world of a difference.”
Avery Hinnant (18 points), Derrick Jagello (15) and Keywan Garris (13) all hit double figures for Naugatuck.
The Greyhounds will face No. 4 Holy Cross in the final Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Wilby. The Crusaders beat top-seeded Sacred Heart, 66-58, in the semifinals and ended the Hearts’ 125-game NVL winning streak.
Naugatuck beat the Crusaders, 72-60, in the teams’ only meeting during the regular season Jan. 28 at Holy Cross.
Woodland girls advance in Class M: No. 8 Woodland defeated No. 25 Valley Regional, 54-48, Monday in the first round of the Class M girls basketball tournament.
Kylie Bulinski led the Hawks (15-7) with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Gabby Mastropietro added 16 points with six steals.
Woodland will host No. 9 Cromwell in the second round Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Cromwell (14-7) beat No. 24 Lyman Memorial, 56-24, in the first round.
