The West Haven boys’ basketball team headed to Torrington on Monday evening to battle the five-seeded Red Raiders in the CIAC Division III quarterfinals. The Westies controlled the opening tip and when Tyrese Hargrove drained a three-pointer just four seconds into the game, the Blue Devils were off to the start they needed.
After a couple nice defensive stops, Malcolm Duncanson pulled down a rebound and put it up and in to make it 5-0 1:37 into the first quarter. The Red Raiders battled back and took the lead after seven, unanswered points to lead 7-5 with 3:34 left in the quarter. Hargrove was at it again when he pulled up and hit another three-pointer 20 seconds later to put the boys back in the lead 8-7. The teams continued to battle with Torrington opening up a five-point lead before Mufee Cooper hit a layup with 44 seconds left in the quarter to cut the lead to 15-14. The Raiders hit one, more basket to close the quarter with a 17-14 lead.
Malcolm Duncanson hit a three-pointer with 6:24 left in the second quarter to knot the game at 18-18 but, the Red Raiders drained a three of their own with 5:05 left in the half to go back up 21-18. The Westies tried to keep it close and when Laron Holmes laid it up and in with 3:39 left in the half the deficit was only three at 23-20. Torrington took a 25-21 lead into the locker room.
The Red Raiders came out flying in the third quarter and increased their lead to a game high 19 points at 52-33 with 1:12 left in the quarter. Torrington held a 54-35 lead at the end of the quarter. The Blue Devils would not give in though and when Shea Sheffield hit two, consecutive three-pointers and then Mufee Cooper’s layup with 3:30 left in the game cut the lead to ten at 62-52, giving the Westies’ hopes of a comeback a boost.
Unfortunately for Westies that would be as close as they would get as the Red Raiders started to pull away again and went on to defeat the Blue Devils, 73-58. Malcolm Duncanson led West Haven with 14 points, Tyrese Hargrove had 13 points and Mufee Cooper contributed with 10 points. The Westies finished their season with a 14-10 record, making it to the state quarterfinals.