Conard’s offense sputtered as star player Delaney Connors was injured in a pivotal matchup against Hall.
Amber Raisner at the free throw line, while Jenna Zydanowicz watches. Raisner made five of her six free throws in the fourth quarter. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
By Marlon Pitter. Photos by Ronni Newton
Conard High School freshman Azaiyah Felder’s game-high 20 points were not enough to offset the loss of star guard Delaney Connors to injury as the Chieftains fell to the Hall Warriors 57-45 at home in West Hartford on Friday night.
“Playing last night against a very good team, it took [its] toll,” Conard head coach Mike D’Angelo said. “We weren’t as tough as we usually need to be. The 50-50 balls that we usually get, we just didn’t get tonight. The shots we usually take, we didn’t take, and when you lose an all-state basketball player who’s a D1 recruit, the whole dynamic changes.”
Connors, a senior and co-captain for the Conard, was sidelined with a knee injury with about 5:30 left in the third quarter. The Chieftains had erased a nine-point second-quarter deficit to lead 26-25 at halftime but were down 30-26 at the time of Connors’ injury.
Felder, who led the team with nine points by the break, seemed to shoulder the burden of creating offense in Connors’ absence, attacking the rim for contested layups, but Conard’s offense stalled down the stretch.
Conard trailed by as few as four in the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer by Lena Proietti to make it 40-36 with 6:42 left in the game, but Hall entered the double bonus at the six-minute mark and proceeded to extend its lead from the free throw line.
The Warriors outscored the Chieftains 32-19 in the second half, capitalizing on Conard’s shortened bench and early foul trouble as they made 14 of their 18 free throws in the second half.
Amber Raisner found her way to the free throw line to help put the game away for the Warriors, as she made five of her six foul shots in the fourth quarter.
Raisner, Maddy Mandyck and Olivia Bonee each scored in double figures for Hall to give the visitors the edge with 20, 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Mandyck scored 10 of her points in the second half and was a factor rebounding for the Warriors as well, creating second-chance opportunities for her team. Without Connors in the game, the Warriors found Mandyck in the paint to exploit the Chieftains defensively.
“Everyone on our team can put the ball in the basket, but when we’re taking good shots, when we’re making the extra pass, we look that much better, and I think that’s what we were doing tonight,” Hall head coach Brittany Huggins said. “Kids were being super unselfish, making the extra pass, and we won.”
With the win, Hall improves to 10-3 and extends its winning streak to five games. Conard now has an identical record of 10-3, with the loss ending a stretch of three consecutive wins.
Both teams will play on the road Monday night – the Warriors visit Platt Technical High School in Meriden and the Chieftains travel to Middletown High School for 6:45 p.m. tip-offs.
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Delaney Connors with the ball while Maddy Mandyck defends. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Delaney Connors and Amber Raisner battle for the ball. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Amber Raisner on the line in the first half. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Azaiyah Felder and Jenna Zydanowicz. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard’s fan group, the Red C. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Gillian Haverty guarded by Jenna Zydanowicz. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Amber Raisner takes the ball down the court. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
From left: Delaney Connors, Maggie Venora, Olivia Bonee. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Hall’s fan group, the Blue Reign. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Amber Raisner with the ball. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Delaney Connors guarded by Maddy Mandyck. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Ambner Raisner with the ball. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Azaiyah Felder at the free throw line. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Maber Raisner with the ball, Gillian Haverty on denfense. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Maggie Venora. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Olivia Bonee looks to get by Azaiyah Felder and Maggie Venora. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Azaiyah Felder. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Conard freshman Azaiyah Felder was the high scorer in the game. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Maddy Mandyck with the ball. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Amber Raisner is guarded by Meg Morhardt. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Hall celebrates the victory. Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Hall head coach Brittany Huggins (left) and Conard head coach Mike D’Angelo shake hands after the Conard vs. Hall girls basketball. Jan. 19, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
[…] five straight games after star guard and senior Delaney Connors suffered a knee injury in a 57-45 loss to crosstown rival Hall on Jan. 19. Illness and injury plagued other players as well, and wreaked havoc on Conard’s […]