NEW BRITAIN – The Rocky Hill girls basketball team came into New Britain with one loss – to the three-time defending state champions.
New Britain was unbeaten.
The Terriers have four senior starters. New Britain has one.
In the end, the veterans triumphed, although it was the lone junior starter from Rocky Hill who had a key offensive rebound and what turned out to be the game-winning shot.
Rocky Hill handed New Britain its first loss, 54-52, after trailing most of the game Monday night, with its senior point guard in foul trouble.
Junior Jill Rhouddou had eight of her 16 points in the fourth quarter for the Terriers (13-1) and had a key offensive rebound with a minute left, then hit a shot at the shot clock buzzer to give Rocky Hill a 54-50 lead.
New Britain sophomore Amelia Faienza hit two free throws to cut the lead to two with 14 seconds left and after Rocky Hill’s Kelsey LaMay missed two free throws with 8.9 seconds left, New Britain’s Jazzy Garcia had a shot go in and out with a second left and that was the game.
New Britain’s Kayla Roberts scored 19 points in a girls basketball game against Rocky Hill but New Britain lost its first game of the season, 54-52 Monday night at New Britain High School. (Photo by Lori Riley)
“Our youth showed up tonight,” New Britain coach Michael Jones said. “We had the game in hand we couldn’t finish down the stretch. Rocky Hill has four seniors that were more composed than we were at the end. This was a great learning experience for us.”
Senior Katie Harding had 16 points for Rocky Hill while Kayla Robert, New Britain’s only senior, had 19 and Faienza, a sophomore, added 15 for the Hurricanes (15-1).
“This and Northwest Catholic (Rocky Hill’s only loss) – they applied the most defensive pressure on us, for sure,” Rhouddou said. “It’s good, getting us ready for CCCs, states, it was something we needed. It was a tough challenge but we were able to work through it in the end.”
LaMay, Rocky Hill’s point guard, picked up her third foul at the end of the first quarter and her fourth with 2:08 left in the third quarter. A minute later, New Britain had its biggest lead, 40-29.
“We came into this game knowing it was going to be a tough environment,” LaMay said. “I was in foul trouble, so it was nice to see some people step up like Jill and (guard) Ari (Daley).”
Rocky Hill’s Jill Rhouddou shoots against New Britain’s Jazzy Garcia (1) and Amelia Faienza (23) in Rocky Hill’s 54-52 victory over New Britain Monday night in a CCC girls basketball game at New Britain High School. (Photo by Lori Riley)
LaMay hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 44-42 with 4:50 left. Rhouddou had a shot to tie the score, a block at the other end and then back to back baskets to give Rocky Hill its first lead, 48-46 with 2:32 left. Daley hit two free throws and had a putback and the Terriers led 52-48 with 1:35 left.
But Faienza hit two free throws with 1:29 left to cut the lead to two again before Rhouddou’s shot clock beating shot.
“It was a great win,” Rocky Hill coach Pete Asadourian said. “They’re a great team. They’re quick. Roberts is unbelievable, she kept us on our toes all night. We persevered. We’re led by four seniors. Those guys don’t want to let up.
“They’re proving they can play with the best teams in the state.”
Rocky Hill 54, New Britain 52
Rocky Hill 9 11 13 21 – 54
New Britain 20 9 11 12 – 52
Rocky Hill: Kelsey LaMay 2 0 5, Arianna Daley 4 2 11, Madisyn Aurigemma 2 0 4, Jill Rhouddou 8 0 16, Isabella Tucker 1 0 2, Katie Harding 6 2 16. Totals: 23 4 54.
New Britain: Jaelee Bryant 0 1 1, Jazzy Garcia 2 0 5, Yeriani Soto 1 0 2, Journee Christie 2 2 6, Kayla Roberts 6 7 19, ShaNya Roberts 1 2 4, Amelia Faienza 5 4 15. Totals: 17 16 52.
Records: Rocky Hill, 13-1; New Britain, 15-1.
