In an intense boys basketball game, that was close through the first three quarters, Conard defeated crosstown West Hartford rival Hall on Tuesday night.
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Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
By Ronni Newton. Photos by Ronni Newton and Craig Rosenberg
The last time the Conard boys lost a basketball game it was an away game against crosstown rival Hall, 66-62, on Jan. 18. In their home gym Tuesday night, packed with students and other fans, the atmosphere was even more electric than ever as the Red Wolves were hyped up to avoid a sweep and also with the anticipation that Riley Fox would almost assuredly reach the 2,000-point career mark.
Hall was was looking for not just for bragging rights, but also for a guaranteed spot in the upcoming CCC Tournament.
Justin Joiner. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
Even without a win, the Titans still had a path to the CCC (South Windsor had to win, and that result was unknown at press time), but when the buzzer sounded the Red Wolves were the ones smiling with the 57-47 win.
First things, first – the two points that Fox needed to reach 2,000. Hall was not going to make it easy, as Justin Joiner and Anthony McKeown scored the first two baskets, and Cooper Griffin drained a 3 to start Hall off on a 7-0 run. The Titans’ defense stymied Fox – whose first appearance of the night on the stat sheet was for a personal foul – and kept him bay for the first three minutes of the game.
“I was actually a little nervous. I thought I would have made that first lay-up, but the first two shots went in and out,” Fox said after the game. “I was kind of trying to force it and get it out of the way, but I think they started off 7-0 because of it.”
Five minutes into the game, Riley Fox watches as his shot goes in for 2,000 points. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The pressure was finally off as Fox nailed a jumper at the five-minute mark, which came with an extra point at the charity stripe, and after a brief stoppage of play for photos, the teams got down to business.
Fox, who will play for Yale University next year, is just the 27th player in the state to reach the 2,000-point mark. “It’s pretty crazy.”
He said he never even considered 2,000 points as a goal until he hit the 1,000-point mark last year. “And I knew I wanted to try to break it.” Hitting the mark at home, against rival Hall, was a special moment.
“Being able to do it against hall with the whole town watching was pretty cool,” he said. Fox said he’s played travel basketball with five of the Hall players, too, and they all came over and congratulated him.
The crowd holds up signs as Riley Fox hits his 2000th career point. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Riley Fox and Conard coach Jared Leghorn. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
For the first three quarters, it was anyone’s game.
Hall led 14-13 after one, Conard was up 27-24 at the half, and Hall was ahead by a point, 37-36 at the end of three. But then his team lost control of Riley Fox, Hall head coach Bryan Moretti said.
“We just had defensive lapses for two minutes maybe, and we lost the game in three minutes,” said Moretti. “Can’t lose him, can’t leave him.”
Moretti said they expected to get good looks offensively, but didn’t really make many of their shots.
Anthony McKeown. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
“At halftime we talked about that we need to dictate the game and force our will on the court,” Conard coach Jared Leghorn said. “It was not an X or O game … we need to run after each and every ball. Finally in the fourth quarter we were doing that.”
Leghorn said he was a little nervous coming into the game, knowing Hall was their last loss, and knowing how good the Titans are.
Fox had three of his four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and his brother, Aidan Fox, added two more. Conard racked up 21 points in the fourth quarter to beat their rivals by 10.
Aidan Fox drains one of his 3s in the fourth quarter. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Riley Fox ended the day with 30 points, and Aidan Fox added 14. Riley said he’s been working with Aidan, who should be ready to take his spot next season.
Hall’s scoring was balanced with 14 points from Anthony McKeown and 11 from Justin Joiner, which Cooper Griffin added eight and Chase Hanawalt chipped in six. Those are the guys that have been contributing all season, Moretti said.
Justin Joiner. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
“I like my team,” Moretti said. “They’re fun to be around.”
Conard, 15-5, will host a home game in the CCC Tournament on Thursday, and then move on to state tournament play. Hall, 11-9, is guaranteed a spot in the state tournament as well.
“It’s coming up on March and I think everything’s coming together at the right time,” Riley Fox said. “I’m thankful for my teammates and everyone that supports us,” he said.
Riley Fox jumps up on defense. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
“I can’t say enough good things about him,” Leghorn said of his star player. “If you hear people say he’s a special human, he really is a special person. He is the best – not just basketball-wise either. The way he cares about other people, the maturity he has, how good of a teammate he is, how good of a leader he is. He’s the total package. It’s been an honor and blessing to coach someone like him at Conard for four years.”
Next up, the CCC Tournament, Leghorn said, with Lewis Mills the likely foe. He’s hoping for many more games left to continue the season.
Riley Fox drives to the basket as he looks for a chance to earn his 2,000th career point. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Aidan Scully. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The crowd holds up signs as Riley Fox hits his 2000th career point. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The crowd holds up signs as Riley Fox hits his 2000th career point. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The Hall student section pretends to ignore Fox’s 2,000th point. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Julius Goode. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Maurice King. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Hall student section. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Noah Armstrong pushes past Amecca Freeman. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Riley Fox. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Aidan Fox guards Anthony McKeown. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Max Tartaglia. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Aidan Fox drains one of his 3s in the fourth quarter. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard student section. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Hall student section. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Hall’s Amecca Freeman works to get past Aidan Fox. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
Hall’s Cooper Griffin is challenged by Aidan Fox. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
Hall’s Colin McGann defends Noah Armstrong. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
Colby Hurlock is guarded by Max Tartaglia. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
Amecca Freeman at the free-throw line. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
Colby Hurlock. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg
The Conard student section waving their phones and chatting to the Hall students at the end of the game. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Hall Principal Dan Zittoun and interim Conard Principal Jocelyn Tamborello-Noble. Courtesy photo
Conard’s Riley Fox with the ball he used to hit his 2,000th career point. Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Friends of Feeney held a “Friends of Fox” fundraiser at the Conard vs. Hall boys basketball. Feb. 20, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
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Congratulations to Riley Fox on his 2000 career points and the Conard team in beating Hall.
Oh, how fondly I remember playing basketball at Conard.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Johnson, Captain 1960
http://www.JamesAJohnsonEsq.com