Conard boys basketball climbs closer to .500, improving to 9-10 after defeating RHAM on Friday night.

By Marlon Pitter

The Conard High School boys’ basketball team needed a defensive stop in a one-possession game with 9.5 seconds left to seal a victory over RHAM on Senior Night, and Ajaye Fair delivered.

Coming out of a timeout leading by two, Fair blocked a shot by RHAM’s Jack Salem to close out a 48-46 win over the Sachems at home in West Hartford on Friday night.

“[RHAM has] been in a lot of close games,” said Conard head coach Jared Leghorn. “I know their record isn’t phenomenal, but they’ve played tight games, and we need to play better if we’re going to not just get to [the state tournament] but perform well. Hopefully this was a good wake-up call for them.”

Casey Shane was instrumental in the contest for the Chieftains on both sides of the ball, as he led the game with 17 points, including a timely layup with 1:45 remaining in the fourth quarter to give Conard a 43-42 lead.

Shane made the ensuing free throw to complete the three-point play and made another basket 30 seconds later to push Conard’s advantage to 46-42 with 1:15 remaining.

The Sachems came within one, 47-46, with 18 seconds to play, but Fair converted the first of his two free throws with 12 seconds left to give the Chieftains a necessary two-point cushion.

The game seemed to come full circle down the stretch – the first quarter was as evenly matched as the fourth, while each team took turns controlling the second and third quarters. There were seven lead changes in the first quarter, as both teams traded baskets in the early part of the game before RHAM scored the final bucket of the period to take a 12-11 lead.

For the Chieftains, it was the second quarter where they took control of the game. Heading into the second quarter down, Conard outscored RHAM 14-5 to take a 25-17 lead into halftime and did not allow the Sachems to score for a seven-minute stretch spanning the second and third quarters.

RHAM then found its rhythm in the third, cutting an 11-point deficit down to five by the end of the quarter to trail Conard 32-27. The Chieftains allowed 19 points in the fourth quarter, but their 16 were just enough to stave off the Sachems in the final minutes.

Conard improves 9-10 on the season with the win, earning its second victory in as many nights. The Chieftains will finish the regular season at crosstown rival Hall on Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Along with a season sweep of their main rivals, a win over the Warriors would give the Chieftains the opportunity to open the CIAC Division III Tournament at home. Conard qualified for the state tournament prior to Friday’s contest.

Shane says he wants to make sure Conard gets to play at home once more by taking care of business at Hall.

“For all our seniors, we’re not looking at it as this is the last game in this gym,” Shane said. “We’re going to go over to Hall on Tuesday and get a win and then come here and get another win in [the state tournament] to start our run. That’s our goal and our plan.”

With the season winding down, Leghorn reflected on the impact of this year’s senior class, the first batch of players he has coached for all four years of their high school careers.

“They have left a mark on our program that is going to beyond when they play their last game,” he said. “They’ve established a culture where at practice, we work hard every day. We show up on time. We’re there for our teammates. We cheer on the bench. We stand up and high five guys when they come out of the game. They’ve just left something that’s gonna be bigger than them – that’s my hope. I want this season to keep going with them.”

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