Milford Mirror

Austin Woods leads Lions (boys hoop)

Tuesday, 24 January 2012 14:42

After trailing early in the first quarter, Austin Woods and the Foran High boys basketball team went on a 13-2 run and never looked back in defeating Guilford High, 61-40, in a Southern Connecticut Conference Hammonasset Division road game on Friday night. “Overall we played well,” Foran coach Tim Swaller said after his Lions improved to 6-5 with the win over the 2-8 Indians.

“Defensively, I thought we gave up some open threes, but offensively I thought we were very sound.

“We knew coming in here it was going to be a tough game. They’re a tough out at home. Being the first game of the second half [of the season], hopefully it’ll give us some momentum moving forward.”

Woods led Foran with 16 points, while senior James Richetelli added 11 and Marcel Slowly contributed two 3-pointers off the bench to finish with eight markers.

Nick Morretti led Guilford with 19 points, including two 3-pointers.

“When Austin’s aggressive, and he was aggressive tonight, he’s a very good offensive player,” Swaller said.

“He helps us out tremendously, because if he’s getting his touches and he’s scoring inside it opens things up on the perimeter for our guards.

“I’ve been very pleased with his effort recently, he’s stepped up and he’s playing really well.”

Richetelli started the game nailing a three from the right corner, but Guilford responded behind a 8-1 run with foul shots from Ted Jensen and Morretti, and layups from Will Cofrances and Dante Parisi.

The Lions were having trouble with Guilford big man Andrew Kelly, as well as their early foul trouble.

Coming out of a timeout, Woods used his combination of size and agility around the basket to post-up Kelly and start a 13-2 run with three consecutive baskets in the paint.

Foran finished off this stretch with a baseline layup from Nick Elliot, a layup from Shawn Cariglio, and a deep three two feet beyond the arc from Richetelli.

“We came out kind of slow and our ball pressure isn’t as fast as we should’ve had it, but once we got up-tempo we had a great flow,” Woods said.

Foran continued its scoring deluge into the second quarter. Woods continued to dominate the low post, while Slowly and Casey McCone (seven points) nailed threes to keep the lead.

Guilford managed only two baskets in the quarter, both 3-pointers from Morretti.

Even when the Lions began to get in a funk midway through the second period, their swarming defense maintained the lead to finish the half in front 31-19.

Guilford began the second half making two of the first three baskets, mid-range jumpers from Kelly and Morretti, before a Woods lay-in and a Slowly 3-pointer gave Foran a quick five-point swing.

Elliot then added a short jumper and a layup to take Foran on a 9-1 run.

Guilford finished the period like it started, this time with baskets from Morretti and Paul Mirmina.

The Lions’ Nick Weissauer tallied on a drive to the hoop, and Foran took a 44-28 lead into the final period.

Guilford started the fourth quarter with a five-point swing, before a long fade-away jump shot from Richetelli and a steal and layup from McCone jump-started a 13-3 run that sealed the Foran victory.

McCone added another layup in the run, Slowly, a baseline layup, Kevin Greene a steal and layup, and Richetelli a three-point play.

Foran will host West Haven (4-7) Friday at 7 and visit Daniel Hand in Madison (7-4) on Monday night.

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