Wrecker cagers capitalize on Danbury turnovers, qualify for states

By Eliot Schickler

eschickler@bcnnew.com

Turnovers are lucrative if you own a bakery or peddle in sweet confections.

On a basketball court, turnovers are hazardous to a team's health. Just as high cholesterol foods have created many heart attacks, turnovers killed the Danbury boys basketball team's chances of leaving Westport with a win Tuesday.

Host Staples forced 30 Danbury turnovers, 16 in the first half, in its 64-54 home victory.

"We came out flat and had trouble executing after closing the gap," Hatters coach Casey Bock said.

Staples raised its record to 8-7, 7-6 in the FCIAC, and qualified for the Class LL tournament for the fifth straight year. Danbury lost its third straight game and dropped to 9-6, 7-6.

"It's a tribute to the kids' work ethic every year, which is why we're successful," Wreckers coach Colin Devine said.

Bock said, "They are a good team. Our team is in a funk right now and we need to snap out of it."

Staples led throughout and it all began when it jumped out to a 9-0 lead. Junior James Frusciante had two straight steals for the Wreckers and set up classmate Pete Rankowitz for easy layups off the transition.

"Our 1-3-1 defense was effective, and I was in the right place at the right time," Frusciante said.

Although Danbury opened a temporary bakery in Westport, it still did some good things on offense. The Hatters were especially lethal from outside and hit five 3-pointers. They were able to whittle the lead down, mostly because of their marksmanship. Senior TJ Jackson and junior Danyjoel Harris each hit two treys and a Harris trifecta cut the lead to four, 23-19.

Danbury also rebounded well at times and junior Javonte Parker's puback cut it to 23-21 with 5:23 remaining in the half.

However, Staples knew how to respond to the rally. Rankowitz had a 3-point play after laying it in off a steal to push the lead back up to seven, 28-21.

"We worked well in our 1-3-1 defense and had planned traps," Rankowitz said. "When everyone worked hard, we were able to force the turnovers, and someone was able to get the steal."

The Hatters cut it to four at the half, 33-29 on senior Elijah Mourning's 3-pointer.

Harris was the game's high scorer with 20 points, and used his speed and athleticism to keep Danbury in the game with his speed, athleticism and shooting. His 3-point play off a steal cut the deficit to 37-32 and another layup off a steal made it 43-41.

"Points, at this point, don't matter," Harris said. "At the end of the day, I'd rather score zero points and win. At this point, we're falling apart. We need to pick it up and get going."

Frusciante answered with two free throws.

Harris hit a layup to make it 47-43 and came up with a steal with a chance to make it a two-point game or even a one-point game. However, Wrecker junior Ross Whelan made a diving steal near the endline and then scored a layup on the transition to make it 49-43 with 52.1 seconds to go in the third quarter. This kicked off an 11-2 run.

"I think we had a great team effort tonight," Devine said. "We played great team defense down the stretch and secured the ball in the fourth quarter."

Danbury hopes to get back on the winning track Friday at Wilton.

"We need two good days of practice and be ready to play Wilton," Bock said.

Staples 64, Danbury 54

DANBURY (9-6, 7-6)

Danyjoel Harris 8 2-5 20 James Harrington 3 0-0 6 CJ White 0 0-0 0 Elijah Mourning 4 1-2 10 TJ Jackson 4 0-0 10 CJ Neptune 1 0-0 2 Javonte Parker 2 0-0 4 Corey Chaffee 1 0-0 2. Totals: 23 3-8 54.

STAPLES (8-7, 7-6)

Mike Argosh 5 2-2 14 Pete Rankowitz 8 1-1 17 Vasili Tziolis 0 3-6 3 James Frusciante 4 6-8 14 Darryle Wiggins 2 1-2 5 Ross Whelan 4 2-2 10 Pat Kohlmann 1 0-0 2. Totals: 24 15-21 64.

DANBURY 16 13 14 11--74

STAPLES 23 10 16 15--64

3-pointers: D--Harris 2, Jackson 2, Mourning 1. S- Argosh 1. D-Harris had 5 rebounds and 3 steals, Neptune had 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots, Jackson had 6 rebounds, Parker had 6 rebounds, White had 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot. S-Rankowitz had 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, Frusciante had 6 assists and 3 steals, Whelan had 3 assists and 6 steals, Wiggins had 8 rebounds, Argosh had 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 blocked shot. Tziolis had 3 steals. The Wreckers qualified for the Class LL tournament for the fifth straight year.