23 | December | 2011 | McClelland Miscellanea

Mike Daubert heads for the basket after a steal.

Kyle Wilcox – 23 points including 18 in the second half

(Southbury) Pomperaug (0-2) came out red hot but flamed out after a quarter and visiting Newtown (2-1) was able to catch up and pull away in the second half for a 62-47 win on Thursday night at Pomperaug.

The Panthers connected on four long ones in the first four minutes to bolt ahead 15-5. They still had that 10-point spread at period’s end (22-12).

Newtown cut into that lead in the second quarter as Reid Schmidt sparked a 7-point run but Pomperaug still led, 27-23, at the half.

The Night Hawk defense seemed to get tighter as the game wore on and the Panthers made just one trey in the second half. Carl Gatzendorfer had that one in the first minute to keep the Panthers on top, 30-25.

The rest of the way it was all Newtown. The Panthers made few shots and the Hawks ran with every rebound getting a bunch of layups.

The numbers back up the second half domination. Newtown outscored Pomperaug, 37-17, over the last fifteen minutes of the game.

Leading the Newtown surge was Kyle Wilcox. Limited to five points in the first half, he erupted for eighteen in the second half. He had a three in there but most of the points were in transition.

It was a Connor Quinn baseline drive that gave Newtown the lead for good, 32-31, with 4:45 left in the third and the Hawks never looked back from there.