The Conard High School Girls Basketball varsity team with the ECHT championship trophy. Submitted photo
The Conard girls basketball team took home its first tournament championship in more than three decades with an overtime victory over another West Hartford team – perennial powerhouse Northwest Catholic – in the East Catholic Holiday Tournament last week.
To reach the finals, Conard had to first get past Glastonbury in the first round on Monday. Dec. 28. The Chieftains built up an 11-point lead in the third quarter, but fell behind twice in the final stanza, battling the Tomahawk comeback attempt in the final quarter for a 45-39 victory.
The win was Conard’s first over Glastonbury since 1997, and is Glastonbury’s only loss so far this season.
Conard senior captain Nicole Kradas was the high scorer, and converted 15 of 18 foul shots – including eight of 10 in the fourth quarter. Dezyree Morales had 8 points.
Northwest Catholic defeated East Catholic to face Conard in the finals on Tuesday, Dec. 29.
The Chieftains led the Lions by three points until NWC’s Lizzy Jacobs converted a three-point play and knotted the score, sending the game into overtime.
Sarah Hoisl and Tatiana St. Juste each contributed four points and Lena Proietti added three more in OT as Conard outscored NWC 11-3 to end the game 45-39. St. Juste ended the game with 13 points, Proietti had 12, and Delaney Connors contributed 11, including three 3-pointers.
The loss was Northwest Catholic’s first of the season.
Kradas was named Tournament MVP, and Proietti was named to the All-Tournament team.
This is the first tournament victory for the Conard girls since the Chieftains won the West Hartford Classic during the 1982-83 season.
Conard followed up the tournament victory with a 50-33 win over Windsor on Saturday. The 6-0 Chieftains travel to East Hartford on Monday.
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Conard High School Varsity Basketball players Lena Proietti (All-Tournament team) and Nicole Kradas (Tournament MVP) with their awards. Submitted photo
