Stamford, Padilla batter Rams

NEW CANAAN -- The Stamford High boys basketball team was coming off its biggest win of the season -- an upset over previously once-beaten Ridgefield -- and now was about to take on a one-win New Canaan squad Friday. SHS coach Jim Moriarty was, typically, nervous.

"I didn't like this game, I was worried," Moriarty said.

That, however, was before Moriarty had a pre-game talk with his team.

"Shawn (Padilla) told me not to worry," Moriarty added. "He said, `I'm going to have a big game.' "

Moriarty's queasiness indeed dissipated. With Padilla leading the way, the surging Black Knights avoided the "trap" and finally reached the .500 level by romping past New Canaan, 82-40.

Padilla had 18 points and dominated the boards with 17 rebounds to lead Stamford (7-7, 6-6 FCIAC).

"The twins (Barry and Bryan Boderick) were hitting their shots but that Padilla was terrific," New Canaan's first-year coach Michael Halley said. "He had 18 and 17, and also a 3.5 GPA, too. I was just talking to his father. You can't beat that."

The Rams (1-13, 0-12) couldn't beat the Knights on this night, not the way Padilla was dominating, and not the way the rest of team was clicking. Barry Boderick made five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points, Bryan Boderick had 11 points and eight rebounds and Quaisean Crowe chipped in with 14 points off the bench.

But Padilla, who was held to five points and six boards in Tuesday's 50-39 victory over Ridgefield, was sensational.

"I told Shawn that tonight should be your night," Moriarty said. "He was all over the boards."

Stamford, which had a 43-23 lead at halftime, dominated the young Rams in every aspect of the game. Thanks to a 45-25 edge off the boards, the Knights managed to launch 79 shots (35 made) in the 32-minute contest and held New Canaan to 16-for-43 shooting.

Stamford also turned the ball over just six times while forcing the Rams into 24 turnovers.

"Stamford's been up and down but they're getting better," said Halley who had a freshman and three sophomores on the floor most of the time. "They're what we're trying to be."

Nick Depuy lead the Rams with 10 points (all in the first half) and 11 rebounds while Willie Burger and Connor Kilbane had nine points each.

The Knights need to win just one of their final six games to qualify for the state tournament. But Moriarty has his eyes on more than that. The win Friday leaves the Knights within one game of Greenwich and 1 ½ of Bridgeport Central for one of the final two FCIAC playoff berths.

"We played good team basketball tonight and won comfortably," Moriarty said. "But we've got to keep improving every day.

"We lost to Central by two and took Trinity into overtime before losing," Moriarty said. "And two of our losses early were without Bryan Boderick and Shawn (Padilla). So, we're still a little behind a lot of teams but if we keep improving we have a legitimate shot at winning the majority of our games, and then anything's possible."

STAMFORD 82, NEW CANAAN 40

STAMFORD (7-7, 6-6 FCIAC)

Barry Boderick 8 1-1 22; Bryan Boderick 5 1-3 11; Shawn Padilla 9 0-0 18; AncelNevers 3 1-2 8; RawaneSy 2 0-0 4; LucasLaria 2 0-0 5; Quason Crowe 5 0-0 11; Joe Palumbo 0 0-0 0; David Gilette 0 0-0 0; Tamarie Sterling 0 0-0 0; Angel Gonzalez 1 0-0 3; Evans Antoine 0 0-0 0. Totals: 35-79 3-6 83

NEW CANAAN (1-13, 0-12 FCIAC)

Nick Depuy 5 0-1 10; Willie Burger 4 1-3 9; Chris Dewaele 0 0-0 0; Max Urbahn 0 0-0 0; Connor Kilbane 3 1-2 9; Henry Lavieri 2 0-0 6; Claude Chandonnet 1 0-0 2; Erik Jager 1 2-2 4; Tommy Ready 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16-43 4-7 40

STAMFORD 24 19 18 21--82

NEW CANAAN 8 15 7 10--40

3-pointers: S--Ba. Boderick 5, Nevers, Laria, Crowe, Gonzalez; NC--Kilbane 2, Lavieri 2

Highlights: S--Padilla 17 rebounds, Br.Boderick 8 rebounds; NC--Depuy 11 rebounds