Stamford Spoils Greenwich Hoops Opener

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The Greenwich boys basketball team warms up prior to their season-opening game against Stamford on Dec. 18, 2017. (Rob Adams photo)

 

By Rob Adams

Junior guard Lovell Stanton scored 17 points – 12 from beyond the three-point arc – and went five-for-five from the free throw line to lead the Stamford Black Knights to a 58-46 win at Greenwich High School.

The game was the opener for the Cardinals (0-1), and the first for their new head coach, Phil D’Amato.

“Coming in, we knew it was going to be a tough one,” D’Amato said. “Stamford is a great team. They battle every possession.”

The Knights (2-0) opened the game on a 7-1 run in a sloppy first quarter in which neither team could find a rhythm. The Cardinals rebounded from that start to cut the deficit to 11-7 after one.

“A lot of guys are stepping on the floor for the first time as varsity players,” D’Amato said. “We all had similar emotions.”

The Stamford lead ballooned to ten toward the end of the first half, and held a 25-15 lead as the teams headed to the locker room. Senior forward Tevin St. John paced the Knights with 10 points at the break.

The game was also the first to be played on the new court in the gym at GHS. The new floor – as well as new grandstands – were completed in the fall.

The teams returned to a sluggish start in the second half, similar to the play of the first quarter. A Stanton three-pointer was all either team had to show on the scoreboard after three minutes of play. The Black Knights lead increased to 16 towards the end of the third stanza.

“It’s very physical,” D’Amato said of the FCIAC. “Guys are quick in passing lanes. Stamford had guys that hit the boards and they hit shots.”

The Cardinals climbed back in the game midway through the fourth quarter at 46-38. But missed free throws and shots at close range that weren’t falling turned out to the be the difference. Another Stanton three-pointer turned out to be back-breaker, once again opening up a double-digit lead for the Knights.

“We missed a ton of chippies,” D’Amato said. “We missed foul shots. They hit all of their foul shots.

“We got great looks at times. We just didn’t convert, and that will come as the season progresses.”

Greenwich was led by the combination of their captains, Elia Gianopolous and Matt Robins, both of whom had 13 points. Junior forward Oliver Milledge added 10 points.

Beyond Stanton, St. John finished with 14 points and senior guard Jelani Jackson ended the night with 12.

“To keep this team (Stamford) under 60 points is still something to be happy about,” D’Amato added, noting that it was the free throws down the stretch that brought Stamford to their final total for the night.

The Cardinals jump back on their new court on Tuesday when they host Notre Dame from West Haven of the Southern Connecticut Conference.

“They’re always big and they’re always quick and they’re one of the premier teams in the state, said D’Amato. It’s a quick turnaround and we have to get back to work.”

The Cardinals travel to Darien on Thursday to begin their FCIAC season, and will see the Black Knights again for their regular season conference game on Jan. 23.

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