Box Scores: Bobcats Stun Stratford, Shoot Past Bethel

Boys Basketball (8-7, 5-5):

A week ago, Brookfield was on the verge of losing its third straight game when they got a layup with under 10 seconds remaining by junior Danny Burkhart to defeat Weston.  Now, they are perhaps the hottest team in the SWC as they have won four straight.

The Bobcats shocked the number one team in conference, Stratford (13-4, 7-3) on Monday night by turning a one-point third quarter game into a 13-point home victory with a dominating effort in the fourth quarter. Brookfield pulled away for the 70-57 win by outscoring the Red Devils 23-11 in the final frame.

The boys backed that strong effort up by coming out on fire against rival Bethel (12-5, 6-5), knocking down eight three-pointers in the first half against a Wildcat team that had been a half game ahead of the Bobcats in the SWC standings coming into the game. The hot-shooting by Burkhart, who knocked down four of the long range bombs, gave Brookfield a 31-12 lead midway through the second quarter. Despite a furious rally by Bethel, Brookfield would hold on to win 59-52 at home.

In both wins Brookfield used a balanced attack on offense.  Senior captain Nick Paez led the team with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists in the win over Stratford.  Junior Ralph Schatz bounced back from a fouled-plagued game against Immaculate with a breakout performance, scoring 17 points and adding four blocks.  Junior Ryan Korb also scored 13 points with seven rebounds.

Burkhart led the Bobcats with 18 points against Bethel.  Paez and junior Joey Acquanita both hit two three-pointers apiece in the first half barrage.  Paez finished with 14 points on the night.  Korb had another strong all-around game by scoring 11 points, pulling down five rebounds, dishing out five assists and coming up with nine steals.

The win streak puts the Bobcats in clear position to make the SWC playoffs with two conference games remaining, as they have pulled ahead of Bethel, Bunnell, Newtown and New Fairfield in the battle for the final three playoff spots.

STRATFORD    17 16 13 11 — 57

BROOKFIELD 20 13 14 23 — 70

BROOKFIELD (70): Austin Yusko 3 3-3 9; Nick Paez 7 3-7 20; Danny Burkhart 2 5-9 9; Ralph Schatz 7 3-7 17; Boeing Brown 1 0-2 2; Ryan Korb 5 2-2 13; Joey Acquanita 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 21 16-30 70.

STRATFORD (57): Andreas Thompson 1 1-2 3; Markey Desruisseaux 2 2-4 6; Kyle Small 7 0-0 18; Bernard Brantley 6 7-8 19; Tyler Gruttadauria 0 0-0 0; Albert Gyimah 1 0-0 3; Tafari Whittingham 3 0-0 6; Marcus Vereen 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 16 10-13 57.

3-POINT GOALS: B—Paez 3, Korb; S—Small 4, Gyimah.

BETHEL             8 18 6 20—52

BROOKFIELD 17 17 14 13—59

BETHEL (52): Ryan Conroy 3 2-4 10; Jon Byrnes 4 2-2 10; Daniel Garvin 1 0-0 2; Alex Barry 3 1-2 9; Zach Bangs 3 0-0 7; Kevin Galvin 3 1-1 7; Nick Von Kaenel 2 0-0 4; Matt Gallagher 0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 19 7-11 52

BROOKFIELD (59): Nick Paez 5 2-3 14; Austin Yusko 2 0-0 4; Ryan Korb 4 3-3 11; Danny Burkhart 6 2-2 18; Ralph Schatz 3 0-2 6; Joey Acquanita 2 0-1 6; Boeing Brown 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22 7-11 59

3-POINT GOALS: BE—Conroy 2, Barry 2, Bangs; BR—Burkhart 4, Paez 2, Acquanita 2

Girls Basketball (13-6, 10-4):

Perhaps all the Lady Bobcats needed to do was play basketball games on a regular basis.  After struggling through snow postponements and a three game losing streak, Brookfield has turned things around with five wins in eight days.

The latest was a 78-44 road win over a Bethel (1-18, 0-13) squad that was clearly outmatched on Monday night.  Backed by a dominating 26-8 first quarter, the Lady Bobcats would cruise to victory from there.

The team was led by seniors Jamie Bickelhaupt, who scored 16 points, and Kerry Fleming who scored 15 points.  Fleming, who was coming off a career high 16-point game, knocked down three three-pointers as she has clearly found her range.  Junior Tara Shang was a third Lady Bobcat in double figures as she scored 12 points in the easy win.

Brookfield finishes the regular season tonight with a clash against the number one team in conference, Lauralton Hall (14-3, 13-1), as they battle for seeding in the conference playoffs that begin on Saturday.

BROOKFIELD 26 18 18 16 — 78

BETHEL               8 15 9 12 — 44

BROOKFIELD (78): Kerry Fleming 5 2-2 15; Julia DePoi 0 0-0 0; Tara Shang 4 4-11 12; Courtney Morlock 4 0-0 8; Jaimie Bickelhaupt 8 0-1 16; Corrine Bogle 2 0-0 4; Krista Melchione 3 2-4 8; Katie Layman 1 1-5 3; Maureen Vetter 2 1-3 7; Katie Kline 1 0-0 2; Amanda Martelle 1 1-2 3. TOTALS: 31 11-28 78.

BETHEL (44): Kaelin Hogan 1 0-0 3; Amanda Conroy 1 3-4 5; Lucy Daniels 0 1-2 1; Erin Morton 1 0-1 2; Stephanie Forese 0 3-4 3; Kate Toth 4 1-2 10; Samantha Davenport 1 1-2 4; Casey Oberhammer 2 1-2 5; Shannon Buckley 4 0-0 9; Alex Hernandez 1 0-0 2; Lauren Belardinelli 0 0-0 0; Danielle Wong 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 15 10-17 44.

3-POINT GOALS: Bk—Fleming 3, Vetter 2; Be—Hogan, Toth, Davenport, Buckley.