Middletown girls basketball takes on Platt Tech

GIRLS BASKETBALL: MIDDLETOWN 52, PLATT 43

MERIDEN — With the game on the line, Dominique Highsmith took over.

The Middletown High star scored 16 of her 20 points in the second half as the Blue Dragons pulled away from stubborn Platt in the fourth quarter to win a Central Connecticut Conference South matchup 52-43 at Platt High Thursday evening.

The score was tied 30-30 after three quarters, and a hoop by Wallica Bailey gave the Panthers a 34-33 lead in the opening minute of the fourth. But from then on Middletown took control as the Dragons built a 40-34 led with four minutes left.

Highsmith drained a jumper from the corner to build the lead to eight and the closest the Panthers got after that was six down with 1:45 left at 47-41. But that was it as Highsmith made three free throws and Silvana Barcomb added two more to give MHS the 9point win and even its record at 1-1.

“This was a tougher game than I thought it might be,” said Middletown coach Rob Smernoff. “But we have a lot of players stepping into roles they’re not used to and the only way to overcome that is to

play the games.”

Neither team could throw the ball in the ocean in the first half. Platt led 10-5 after one and Middletown led 14-13 at the break.

“We wanted to play at a faster tempo,” said Smenoff. “But when you’re not making baskets, that’s tough to do.”

Platt coach Tina Gonyea sang the same song.

“We couldn’t buy a basket,” she said. “I don’t know how many layups we missed early, but I stopped counting at seven in the first half, And when you’ re not shooting well, it gets contagious.”

Platt’s post player Kiara Lopez (10 points) hurt Middletown inside, but was largely ineffective in the fourth quarter when the game wad decided.

“She had four fouls,” said Gonyea. “I wanted her to play hard and I told her just to play, but when you’re in foul trouble, it’s hard.”

Highsmith was the only Middletown player in double figures.

“She started to take the game over in the third,” said Smernoff. “She played like she is capable of playing tonight. She is always unselfish and maybe sometimes too much so. We’re trying to get her to play her game and to bring her softball mentality, where she just takes over, to the basketball court.

“We need her to be what she can be.”

Barcomb and Deziar Rose-Daniels each had eight points for Middletown.