Sports

Sweeney Scores 1,000th Point; New Canaan Falls to St. Joe’s

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Tyler Sweeney would be the first person to tell you he’d trade every point he’s ever scored for a win. The New Canaan senior basketball star has seen more than his share of personal success over his four-year career—success that unfortunately hasn’t translated into wins for the Rams.

Even so, Sweeney—as he has been every game since cracking the New Canaan lineup as a freshman—was a huge bright spot in the Rams 58-42 Senior Night loss to St. Joe’s, netting the 1,000th point of his career. Sweeney became the first century scorer at New Canaan since the great Monroe Trout hit the mark in the 1979-80 season. He is only the fourth 1,000-point scorer in NCHS boys basketball history joining Wilky Gimore, Bill Saunders and Trout in that exclusive club (former girls basketball star Sara Mannelly also scored 1,000 points for the Rams).

Sports

Danbury Tops New Canaan Boys Basketball 63-43

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A 63-43 home loss to Danbury was certainly not the way New Canaan head coach Mike Evans wanted to send out his four seniors—Jack Havard, Kyle Smith, Sam Larson and Brian MacCalla. That being said, as has been the case for much of the 2015-16 season, there were positives aplenty that—although they didn’t contribute to a win—were minor victories in and of themselves. “The seniors have always been vocal leaders,” Evans told NewCanaanite.com. “Tonight they got to showcase it physically.”

MacCalla gave New Canaan (4-15, 3-12 FCIAC) quality minutes running the point while Larson had a solid night for the Rams, scoring five points and doing an admirable job working in the paint against a physical and athletic Danbury (17-2, 14-1 FCIAC) squad. And in what was probably New Canaan’s best feel-good moment of the game, Havard nailed a deep three-point basket—something the senior co-captain worked on the entire offseason.

Around Town

New Canaan Boys Basketball Routs Bridgeport Central 80-34

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With a winter weather warning forecast for the area Monday night, tipoff for the New Canaan-Bridgeport Central boys basketball game was changed twice, moving from 7 p.m. to 4, then ultimately to 2:30. By the time the game ended, the Hilltoppers were probably wishing it had been cancelled altogether. In perhaps their most impressive performance in years the Rams blew out Central 80-34 in front of a shell-shocked home crowd, unused to such domination in recent memory. “I’ve never seen that in my time here,” New Canaan head coach Mike Evans told NewCanaanite.com. “With the last three games against all against legitimate opponents [Wilton, Danbury and Greenwich], this is the best way it could have gone.”

For New Canaan (4-13, 3-10 FCIAC) the scoring output was the highest non-OT total since March 3rd, 2008 when a great Will Hanley-led squad knocked off East Lyme 92-42 in the first round of the Class L playoffs.

Sports

Ready to Rebound: 2015-16 New Canaan Rams Boys Basketball Preview

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It might be difficult for many to imagine, but it wasn’t too long ago that New Canaan was a “basketball town.” Although the Rams have not won a state title since 1962, hardcourt tradition has deep roots here in town, going back to the Loren Keyes-coached teams of the 1930’s, through the golden Wilky Gilmore and Gary Liberatore years of the late 50’s and early 60’s on up to the Don Usher era of the 70’s and 80’s. And there might not be anyone here in town who is more aware of that tradition—or more qualified to restore it—than current Rams head coach Mike Evans. “We have seven state championships, but no one knows that,” Evans told NewCanaanite.com. “We’re fifth all-time in Connecticut.”

Sports

Greenwich Holds Off New Canaan Boys Basketball

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Conor Harkins scored 24 points, including 15 in the 1st quarter to lead the Greenwich Cardinals boys basketball team to a 63-58 win over New Canaan. With the loss, the Rams (3-12, 1-12 in the FCIAC) now need to win all five of their remaining games to qualify for the state tournament, while the Cardinals improved to 5-10 and 4-9 in conference play. “It was a great win,” Greenwich head coach Pat Heaton said. “It’s our first two-game win streak so the kids are excited about that. It shows that the kids are better as the season goes on.”

Harkins put on a show soon after the opening tipoff.