Hornets Qualify for SCC, CIAC With Win Over Easties

Over the last few weeks it looked bleak for the Branford boys’ basketball team in its goal to qualify for both the upcoming SCC conference tournament and the CIAC state tournament.

The Hornets lost four games in a row to Cheshire, West Haven, Amity, and Career and needed two wins in their last four games to make the end of season playoffs. The East Haven game always brings out a big crowd.

Here Junior Sam Roach hustles to beat East Haven’s Ed Popolizio for a loose ball.

“We lost a couple during that stretch that we could have won, or should I say, should have won,” said Jake Palluzzi, the affable Hornet coach. Branford went into a scoring slump in the West Haven game going head to head with the Blue Devils in the first quarter, finishing only one point behind 20 – 19, but only scoring 20 more points the rest of the game. They lost 61 – 39.

Palluzzi announced recently that he was retiring after 33 years, four at North Branford and the last 29 at Branford. He amassed a total of 347 wins, over 33 seasons, including 302 at Branford.

In the Amity game the Hornets were up by 14 with 5:43 to go, but couldn’t hold on letting the Spartans catch them on their way to a 53 – 47 comeback win.

“Those two games were tough losses,” the coach said.

But Palluzzi and the Hornets hung in there, defeating Foran 45 – 40 and then against their arch rival East Haven pulled off a big win last week, 55 – 53, to qualify for both tournaments.

Their playoff opponents will be determined this week. ​“Those were two of our goals,” said a relieved Palluzzi.

In the East Haven game, Branford was led by senior co-captain Jake Sullivan (pictured) with 18 points, which included five field goals and going 8 for 11 from the free throw line. He also added 10 rebounds

He was followed by junior Sam Roach {pictured) with 14 points and nine rebounds and senior Trevor Brown with nine points.

The game was close all the way. East Haven led 16 – 14 after the first quarter. It remained a two-point margin, 26 – 24, at the half. Sullivan scored nine of the Hornets 11 points in the third period putting the Hornets ahead 35 – 29 Here Sullivan scores on a finger roll while driving down the lane. The Yellow Jackets outscored Branford 18 – 14 in the final period, but it was too little too late and they fell 53 – 51.

The Hornets finished the regular season on Friday, falling to North Haven 41 – 37 to finish with a 9 – 11 record. And now it’s on to the playoffs.
 
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