Highlanders squeak out victory over Ansonia

WINSTED — Northwestern hosted the Ansonia Chargers in a state championship game Monday, March 9, and after four quarters of spine-clenching tension, took a one-point victory in the dying seconds of the game, 60-59.

Ansonia had a significant size advantage over the Highlanders: They won the tip-off and scored the game’s first points in the opening seconds. The Chargers built a healthy lead while the Highlanders seemed scattered and disoriented. Northwestern’s Jake Rodenberg tallied his team’s first points with a three-pointer, which lead the way to a Highlander offensive streak. Northwestern tied the game with a few minutes left in the first quarter, and used that remaining time to take a slight lead over the Chargers, 18-14.

Northwestern continued to look fantastic early in the second, with an improved defense keeping Ansonia off-balance. Highlander Chris Laudati looked particularly excellent against Ansonia, setting up plays, hitting shots from the outside, grabbing steals and finishing the Highlanders’ offense cleanly and consistently.

Ansonia seemed to be so far behind and suddenly outclassed that it looked as if they were already preparing for the long walk to the locker room. That was not the case, however: The Charger offense sparked late in the second, adding a few points, then closing the gap further while shutting down Northwestern’s scoring. Ansonia hacked the Highlander lead down to just two points, heading into the half with the score Northwestern 33, Ansonia 31.

The Chargers came out of the break to tie the game and take a slight lead, while Northwestern continued to plummet into foul trouble. Fortunately for the Highlanders, Ansonia struggled to make good on foul shots, finishing the game with less than 50 percent on free throw efforts. Northwestern did manage some solid defensive efforts in the third, but Ansonia adapted with a great passing game. Ansonia captured the lead, 51-42, at the end of the third.

Ansonia had difficulty holding onto their lead in the fourth, as the Highlanders found success from the outside, including the tying three-point shot from Laudati halfway through the quarter. Northwestern found themselves in foul trouble as Casey Bellot, a key element of the defensive effort, fouled out in the fourth. Ansonia managed to hold onto a very small advantage late into the quarter, but Northwestern remained right behind them into the final seconds.

With only 10 seconds remaining and Northwestern down by one, Highlander Bobby Lippincott was fouled and had a chance to tie or win with his effort at the line. It is hard to imagine being in Lippincott’s situation, with two chances to either tie or win, or to blow it all in the dying moments. Lippincott performed with surgical precision and calm, sinking both the tying and winning points to give the Highlanders a 60-59 victory over Ansonia.

Chris Laudati paced his team and the overall scoring with 28 points, including six points from the outside. Jake Rodenberg managed 14 points, 12 of which were from three-point efforts, and Bobby Lippincott followed with 12 points of his own, two of which came from what might be considered the most important free throw successes of his student athlete career.