Branford Takes Hand, Winning 54 – 44

The Branford boys’ basketball team moved a set closer to qualifying for the state tournament with a hard-fought 54 – 44 win over the Hand Tigers on Monday at the James L. MacVeigh Alumni Athletic Complex. The Hornets succeeded with stamina and grit by delivering a strong 4th quarter. 

Cheerleader Elena Gruendel sang the National Anthem before the game got underway.

“We always have a tough game when we play Hand even if one of us is having a bad year,” said coach Jake Palluzzi (pictured). Hand entered the game with a 1 – 10 record while the Hornets were 5 – 5.

Hand had a 12 – 8 led after the first quarter and kept the four-point lead until the end of the third quarter when Branford tied it at 32 apiece.

Here Hand’s Ken Ciotti collides with Ryan Sember as teammate Trevor Brown moves in.

In the fourth quarter Branford took charge and outscored the Tigers 22 – 12. Here Junior Damien Maniscalco leaps to intercept an errant ​“Tiger” pass.

Here Sophomore Jordan Donnelly guards a Hand player.

And here Sam Roach fires one up over a Tiger defender.

Senior co-captain Jake Sullivan scored 11 of his game high 24 points in the 4th quarter to ice the victory. He was 7 for 7 from the free throw line during the quarter. The win improved the Hornets record to 6 – 5. They need two more wins to qualify for the state playoffs. Here Sullivan tries to avoid a trap by the Hand players as their coach yells instructions. 

Sullivan was followed by Trevor Brown (pictured) with 10 points and co-captain Ryan Sember with nine. Brown also had seven rebounds. Here Brown lays one up for two of his 10 points.

On Friday the Hornets lost a tough game at Cheshire 45 – 43. They were down 15 points at half- time and outscored the Rams 30 – 17 in the second half but fell short by two points. Here Sember gets in position for a drive to the basket.

Here Co-captains Ryan Sember (L) and Jake Sullivan get together before the game.

Branford’s next home game was held last night. It didn’t go well. West Haven beat the Hornets 60 – 39.

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