The Hall boys basketball team defeated RHAM 69-64 on Tuesday night in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Paul Palmer

Eli Kramer hit three free throws in the final :30 as the Hall Titans held off a scrappy RHAM to clench a berth in the state post-season tournament with their eighth win of the year. Senior Ashton Garcia was a force at both ends of the court in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 17 points, including a pair of 3s. At the other end, he blocked several shots and altered others to keep RHAM from scoring.

Early on it was Anthony McKeown hitting two key baskets – including a steal and hoop – to pull Hall ahead 9-6 after the Raptors built an early lead. Hall was successful using its early full court pressure to get back in front, and Aiden Delaney went for seven of his game-high 22 points in the opening eight minutes as Hall built the 18-7 lead.

In the second quarter it was Delaney hitting a 3 from the right side and Calvin Cianflone with a jumper in the lane as the hosts increased their lead early on. But RHAM chipped away, breaking the Hall press and hitting several 3s to make it a 29-24 Hall lead with 2:00 to go. In total, the visitors would outscore Hall 21-13 in the second quarter it make it 31-28 at intermission.

In addition to its ball movement, RHAM also did a solid on the defensive boards limiting the second chances for Hall. “I did not like how we played defensively,” said Hall coach Bryan Moretti. “RHAM is a very good team.”

Coming out of the break, RHAM continued its attack, needing just :15 to tie things at 31 when Casey Lovett drilled a 3-pointer. When Caid Trzaskos hit a turnaround, the Raptors owned a 33-31 lead. Hall then went on a run that built a 47-41 lead after three. Kramer hit a 3, and with 5:17 to go it was Delaney making it a six-point lead.

After a time out from RHA, it was McKeown with a steal and lay in at the other end to make it an eight-point Hall lead.

“We missed some bunnies (easy shots) and the basketball Gods don’t like it when you do that,” Moretti joked after the game. “We missed and they converted 3s at the other end.”

With the game still in the balance the final eight minutes saw a scrappy back-and-forth between teams with each going on runs, only to be answered by the opponent.

It was Garcia getting Hall started with a side 3 by the big center to open the scoring. “That 3 had nothing to do with him (Garcia),” Moretti confided after the game. “They overplayed it and left him alone and he got open.”  He later hit a short jumper in the lane to make it 52-45 for Hall, and then at 3:07 Garcia hit another 3 for the 59-50 lead.

RHAM was not about to give up, and the Raptors continued to press the issue, relying on deep 3s and some timely inside play. But with the clock winding down, coach Rob Rose had no choice but to have his players foul to conserve clock, which also put Hall on the free throw line repeatedly.

With :36 to play, Connor Sullivan drained a 3 for RHAM and the game was back to five points. After a pair of Hall free throws,  Joey Drosonk hit the hoop and the harm and with 24.7 left, RHAM was down 66-62. That would be as close as they would get as Kramer’s shots from the charity stripe sealed the victory.

“We had to grind it out and we made the free throws we needed,” Moretti said of the game’s final minutes.

On Friday Hall hosts 5-3 Platt in what should  be another tight game. The Titans then meet Conard on Tuesday the 21st and Glastonbury on Friday the 24th.

“We made states and that checks the first box for us on the season,” said Moretti after Tuesday night’s win.

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