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01/03/2020 11:00 PMIt didn’t take long for the North Branford boys’ basketball team to surpass its win total from last year. On the heels of a one-win season, the Thunderbirds are sporting a record of 2-2 in the early goings of the 2019-’20 campaign. North Branford has picked up two victories versus Westbrook to go with defeats against Hale-Ray and Coginchaug thus far.
“It’s really important that the guys learn now to win. We’re good enough to win games. That’s for sure,” second-year Head Coach Cliff Yerkes said. “Being good enough and actually doing it are two different things. Nothing gives you confidence and belief more than doing it.”
North Branford opened its season by taking a 55-48 home loss against Hale-Ray on Dec. 19. The T-Birds held a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but were outscored 22-14 during the final frame. Senior captain Mike Sitro scored 17 points, and fellow senior captain Brett Fee had 15 points for North Branford.
Two days later, the T-Birds hosted Westbrook and came away with a 70-64 overtime victory against the Knights. With the game tied 56-56 through four quarters, North Branford hit 12 free throws during the OT period to earn their first win of the season. Sitro scored a game-high 26 points, while Fee netted 17 points for North Branford in the victory. Junior Trevor Holzer pitched in with eight points.
Coach Yerkes said that he’s been pleased with how his two senior captains are performing this year.
“They’re both doing a great job leading the team. They’re two key players, and they’re doing a tremendous job,” said Yerkes of Sitro and Fee. “They show up, play hard, and lead by example. If they both stay in the game, we have a chance.”
Following the holiday break, North Branford had a home game against Coginchaug and dropped a 50-46 decision on Dec. 27. After falling behind early, the T-Birds made a valiant rally and outscored Coginchaug 18-11 in the fourth quarter, but were unable to come all the way back. Sitro scored a game-high 25 points for the Thunderbirds. Holzer and sophomore Dominic Scalia finished with seven points apiece.
On Dec. 30, North Branford closed out 2019 by posting a 57-48 win at Westbrook in its first road game of the season. North Branford outpaced the Knights by a 32-17 margin during the second half to get the come-from-behind victory. Sitro once again led the charge by scoring 26 points for the T-Birds. Holzer scored 14 points, and Fee added nine points in the game.
“We were down 12 and were able to come back and win,” Coach Yerkes said. “It was a huge confidence booster for us not to fold, keep fighting, and come out with the win.”
While Yerkes is pleased with his team’s 2-2 start, he said that North Branford could have won all four of its contests with some better shooting at the free throw line.
“We could easily be 4-0. The two games we dropped, we shot less than 40 percent from the line,” said Yerkes. “If we shot 70 percent instead, we’re 4-0 right now.”
As North Branford dives into the heart of its season, Coach Yerkes said that his athletes are focused on accomplishing their goals this winter. Yerkes feels that there is solid chemistry on the squad in his second season as the T-Birds’ head coach.
“Last year, I had one returning starter. This year, I have plenty. The familiarity is a positive thing,” Yerkes said. “Our first goal is we want to have a winner’s attitude and support each other. We want to be aggressive, take charges, and high-five. We constantly talk about the culture of the team. I feel if we get better every day, we’ve been successful.”