BRISTOL — Last season, the New Britain girls basketball team formed an unwanted habit of losing close games. On Wednesday night against Bristol Central, New Britain finished the job, winning 48-44 in a back-and-forth physical game between Top 10 teams.
“For a young team, we kept our composure and kept fighting,” New Britain coach Michael Jones said. “Last year, every game like this, we lost. This year, we got over the hump. We battled back and came back and got the victory.”
New Britain, ranked No. 6 in the GametimeCT Top 10 Girls Basketball Poll, stayed unbeaten at 5-0 while No. 10 Bristol Central fell to 5-2.
The Hurricanes' composure was tested in the final minute of the game.
With 49 seconds left and New Britain up 44-37, the Hurricanes were called for an intentional foul for a shove in the back and a technical foul for taunting after the play.
Bristol’s Gabby Bernier made all four free throws and Nicole Riemer made a layup after the Rams maintained possession, cutting the lead to 44-43.
New Britain, however, iced the game on free throws by Kayla Roberts and Yeriani Soto.
Roberts said the team maintained focus in the final 45 seconds to hold on for the win.
“We talked to each other, talked it out and try to stay focused.” Roberts said. “We are more focused and we know this is our year to win it.”
Roberts led the Hurricanes, who will play in the CIAC's newly formed Division I tournament this season, with 15 points with Jazzy Garcia adding nine.
Bristol Central, who will play in the Division II tournament, has been playing without All-State guard Kamaria Bowens, who has a knee injury but is expected back on the court in the next couple of weeks.
Rams center Nicole Riemer has been leading the way in Bowens' absence, and scored a game-high 24 points.
Bristol Central coach Steve Gaudet said his team can only improve from games of this magnitude at this point in the season.
“This was a great midseason test with two really good teams going at it,” Gaudet said. “We are not at full strength yet, but we will be very soon. I just love the energy of that game. It had a tournament feel with two athletic teams going at it.”
Bristol Central led by as many as eight points in the second quarter, but an 11-0 run by New Britain spanning the second and third quarters put it ahead 26-22.
Bristol Central did not help its cause by shooting 11-of-23 from the free throw line in the game.
New Britain plays in the newly formed CIAC Division I while Bristol Central is in Division II.
Player of the Game
Kayla Roberts, New Britain: The sophomore showed great poise in the final quarter, knocking down 6 of 10 free throws in the final quarter.
Quotable
“We are young. We are good, but we are young. The majority of our team is sophomores and they haven’t been in this moment before. The sign of a good team is how you face adversity, and tonight we had adversity and we fought through.” — New Britain coach Michael Jones.
New Britain 48, Bristol Central 44
NEW BRITAIN 6 11 14 17—48BRISTOL CENTRAL 11 11 7 13—44
New Britain: Jaelee Bryant 1 0-0 3; Jazzy Garcia 4 0-0 9; Yeriani Soto 2 2-2 8; Journee Christie 1 0-0 2; Kayla Roberts 4 7-12 15; ShaNya Roberts 1 2-2 4; Amelia Faienza 2 3-5 7; Kasey Cotto 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 14-21 48.Bristol Central: Laylani Cespedes 2 1-4 5; Olivia Louis 0 0-0 0; Sydney Ray 2 0-2 4; Gabby Bernier 0 4-4 4; Bria Rossi 0 0-0 0; Molly McMahon 2 0-0 6; Nicole Riemer 9 6-13. Totals: 15 11-23 44.3-point field goals: BC—McMahon 2. NB—Garcia, Soto 2, Bryant.