WOODBURY – Last Friday the Nonnewaug High School boys basketball team powered past Shepaug 70–56 , dominating in the final minutes to secure a victory. But looking back, what makes this victory especially impressive is it affirmed this year’s team as something special: a team capable of dethroning last year’s BL champion and Class S champion.
Senior starter Brady Herman thinks back to the unreal moments he had during the game.
“It was a surreal feeling,” Herman said looking back at last week’s victory. “When Derek blocked it out of Sunny’s hand, and then I blocked it off the backboard, and then Rob blocked it out of Tagan’s hand. Defense: Tristan Parker, is why we won that game.”
Even though Shepaug returned with much of the same core, that didn’t stop the Cheifs from winning the battle.
Herman feels that each time he scores the better he feels about himself the rest of the game.
“Whenever I score or anything good happens, I’m able to bounce off that energy and play better,” Herman said.
Olivia Gwiazdoski always tries her best to show up to the games to support the team.
“I think the spirit was really high,” Gwiazdoski said. “Everyone was excited to be there and I think we had the best turnout for the game that we’ve had all year, and I think for the next game against Shepaug even more people will be there.”
(Courtesy of Noreen Chung)
With the Lakeview vs Nonnewaug coming up tonight, Senior player Owen Fitzgerald, knows that his team can handle pressure, even if the score is neck and neck.
“I think we can handle pressure really well, trying to embrace the moment, get comfortable with it. I think our coach prepares us really well for those kinds of moments.”
Senior starter Derek Chung adds to Fitzgerld how the pressure of the situation can actually help the team out.
“We deal with pressure because our practices are intense. We really propelled the season and were gonna win out.
Delcan Curtin has a good feeling about this season, and what’s to come.
“I think we’re heavy on guarded play but we are growing and getting better by the week,”Curtin said. “I hope that overtime that improvement occurs because if we can put the puzzle pieces together it could be a very nice team come the state tournament.”
Robert Metcalfe, another senior starter, is confident that the team this year can have a good turnout.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that we’re going to win because we’re the best team in the BL and nobody can stop us,” Metcalfe said.
