By Andy Hutchison

WESTPORT — Whether fluidly moving the ball on offense, turnover-causing defense, sharp outside shooting or taking it to the rim, everything worked for Staples boys basketball team Tuesday in a 77-48 win over Stamford High.

The Wreckers led 21-16 after one quarter of play, growing to 40-25 at halftime. Staples outscored the Black Knights in each quarter, with a 58-38 margin heading into the fourth and pulling away with reserves off the bench contributing down the stretch.

“I think we played our most complete game we’ve played all season,” Staples Coach David Goldshore said.

That is saying something given the Wreckers have been perfect so far this season, improving to 8-0. Stamford fell to 4-4.

Goldshore noted that all the Wreckers contributed to the victory. Nine players got on the scoresheet, including freshman Henry Veissid drilling a late 3-pointer for his first varsity points.

Sam Clachko led the way with 25 points. Mason Tobias was a standout on both ends of the floor, registering 19 points and playing solid defense on Stamford’s center.

Despite giving up 5 inches to Stamford big man Jordan Sutton — listed at 6-foot-8 — the Staples standout worked hard to contain his counterpart. Sutton managed 18 points, but it could have been more if not for some tight marking on the defensive end. Tobias managed five rebounds and came away with two of his team’s 15 steals, helping set the tone as Stamford matched its lowest point total of the campaign.

“Our guards did a great job pressuring the ball, making it a lot easier for me,” Tobias said. “It’s a big win for us.”

Clachko had four steals, Adam Udell and Charlie Bowman each had three steals, Austin Heyer two and Dhilan Lowman one takeaway.

Bowman scored 10 points, Matty Corrigan six points to go along with four assists and Udell five points and four assists. Udell grabbed six rebounds and had a trio of assists; Ben Cukier had four rebounds.

Clachko hit a pair of 3-pointers and Tobias, Veissid, Jack Jacob, Lowman and Corrigan all made shots from downtown.

Leading by 15 midway through the third period, Staples went on 22-7 run that spilled over into the fourth, including a 10-0 spurt to begin the final stanza, doubling the spread. During that scoreboard runaway, Clachko converted a 3-point play the old-fashioned way, connecting on a layup and foul shot, Tobias hit a put-back shot despite being fouled and drained a right-corner 3-pointer, and Corrigan and Clachko nailed 3-pointers. Udell’s steal and score made it 68-38.

Goldshore said the team breaks the season into quarters to focus on the games just ahead.

“You can’t win the FCIAC championship in January,” he noted.

But what the Wreckers can do is bolster their playoff positioning. And so far, so good. 

Staples is the only unbeaten overall squad in the conference and one of just four teams yet to lose in FCIAC play (Ridgefield, Fairfield Ludlowe, Fairfield Warde). Only Trumbull has had one loss in conference play thus far.

The Wreckers will host their “Pink Out” game Friday — to support Pink Aid — when Darien (1-3 in the conference and 5-4 overall) visits at 7 p.m. (Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest CIAC updates.)

Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories in Fairfield County, since the 1990s.