13-Under Lipow tipped off the spring in style today with 2 gutsy wins.   In a 38-31 win over Tri-State Thunder, a pair of Jacks led the attack... as Jack Petrafesa carried much of the scoring load and Jack Knott anchored the defense with at least 7 blocked shots to go along with 10 rebounds. JT Shapiro and Thomas Schindler contributed with key baskets and hustle plays down the stretch.   Then in a 26-24 defensive masterpiece over CWB: Max Andrews dominated the boards, Sean Racette distributed some nifty passes, and Dillon Mannix found the bottom of the net on a clutch game changing 3-pointer from the corner.

On Day 1 of the 2016 Fall Roundball Classic, the short-handed Fierce competed to the end against older, bigger kids in all 3 games.   In Game 1 Jack Petrafesa led the way with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Matthew Vivona chipped in with 8 points of his own. In Game 2 Max Andrews went off for 24 points and 7 rebounds. Beau Dehler contributed 3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. In Game 3 Dillon Mannix took charge with 12 points and 4 rebounds, and Eamon Jones found his stroke for 9 points and 3 rebounds.   On Day 2 and led by Coach Judah Seawright, Fierce 13-U finished the Under Armour Fall Roundball Classic with two impressive victories.   In the morning game, Jack Petrafesa poured in 17 points and Eamon Jones tallied 9 of his own as the Fierce edged out CT Elite Basketball 35-32. In the afternoon game, a 55-26 win for the Fierce was led by a balanced scoring attack of 18 points from Max Andrews, 14 points from Jack Petrafesa and 11 points from Ethan Crawford.

Today in the Battle at Brewster, the 13-U Fierce pulled off back-to-back nail-biting victories vs Chris Ward Basketball and CT PHD.   In the 9am game, the Fierce took everything CWB threw at us and found a way to pull it out 52-51. Ethan Crawford was draining 3's from all over the court. In the 10am game, the Fierce were running on fumes but still dug deep to outlast CT PHD in an offensive barn burner... 74-70. Jack Petrafesa led the way with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Dillon Mannix contributed 13 points including three clutch 3-pointers. Max Andrews came up with the game-winning steal and free throws, to go along with 15 points and 10 rebounds.   The Fierce finished the tournament as runner-up to the undefeated Wayne PAL (NJ).

In Saturday's 57-48 win over CT-PHD, the Fierce used team ball movement and ferocious defense to overcome a 10 point first half-deficit. Griffin Harding came to play and finished with an estimated stat line of 20 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Craig Hyzy was marveling the crowd with his creative finishes at the basket. The Fierce played with purpose to take control of the game in the second half. Max Andrews & Charlie Began worked together to dominate the boards, and JT Shapiro went 4 for 4 from the FT Line in the final minutes to seal the game.   The Fierce finished the Zero Gravity CT Showdown with a 2-1 record. In a 62-31 win over Wins 4 Life, Charlie Began was unstoppable with 18 efficient points. Hiro Wyatt contributed 10 points and Harrison Keith & Max Andrews each added 8 points. A short-handed Fierce squad wrapped up the weekend with a loss against the tough and hot shooting CT Blaze. Max Andrews scored 10 points for the Fierce, and Craig Hyzy put in 8 points. But we had no answer for #1 on the Blaze who caught fire with six 3-pointers.

Boys 12-U have won the first ever tournament for the Fierce!   On Day 1 of the Junior Tip-Off, the Fierce won both games. In a big win over the CT Breakers -- Hiro Wyatt scored 8 points, with Spencer Levine and Brian Fullenbaum both adding 7 points of their own. In the 7:40pm night cap, Kevin Hyzy led the way with 12 points. It was Harrison Keith's 10 points, including three big 3-pointers from the corner, that thwarted off a pesky CSA Velocity squad by a final score of 44-35.   On Day 2, the Fierce played our way into the Finals by holding CSA Velocity to 23 points. Benji Titlebaum set the tone from the start by going coast to coast for 4 quick points. Kevin Hyzy scored 9 points and Hiro Wyatt chipped in with 6 points and big rebounds.   In the Championship vs a rested, talented and bigger Magic Time team -- the Fierce played team basketball for all 28 minutes, and pulled out a thriller by a final score of 52-50. The Hyzy brothers (Kevin and Craig) combined for 29 points. Harrison Keith and JT Shapiro contributed 9 and 7 points, respectively.

Our Boys-12U team placed 2nd in this weekend's Zero Gravity Border Wars. In Sunday's early game, the Fierce played their way into the Championship with a 50-46 win over the AFK Renegades. Craig Hyzy was in rhythm and dropped 25 points. Griffin Harding chipped in with 8 of his own.   In the Championship, the Fierce came up short against a tough CT Blaze squad. The Hyzy brothers (Craig and Kevin) combined for 21 points.

Congrats to our Boys-12U team for defeating the Simsbury Spartans 43-28 and the New Britain Legacies 45-32 at today's Zero Gravity Easter Challenge.   Griffin Harding led the way with 16 and 19 points. Max Andrews dominated the glass and anchored a Fierce team defense that never let up.