By Andy Hutchison

FAIRFIELD — Staples girls basketball team defeated host Fairfield Ludlowe 55-46 Tuesday night.

Chloe Smith had a dominant game in the paint, adding a dozen rebounds to her 22-point effort. Smith also had an assist, four steals and a block.

Addie Talbott scored nine points to go along with four rebounds, two assists, a pair of steals and a block.

Ella Harrington and Emma Asiel both had seven points. Harrington grabbed four rebounds and had an assist. Asiel recorded a rebound, assist and steal. Freya Harvey added three points, four rebounds, five assists and a steal.

The Wreckers led 26-19 at the half and pushed their lead to 42-32 heading to the fourth.

Staples improved to 7-3 in FCIAC action and sits in a three-way tie for fourth place along with St. Joseph of Trumbull and Stamford. 

New Canaan and Trumbull are both 6-4 and tied for seventh, holding the final two of the eight FCIAC Tournament spots as the regular season winds down.

Staples has some important games down the stretch as teams jockey for playoff positioning. 

The Wreckers host Trumbull on Friday. After hosting 4-6 Danbury next Tuesday, the Wreckers visit St. Joseph on Feb. 14, then visit Westhill of Stamford (currently 1-9) on Feb. 17. All of those games are scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. 

The regular season concludes with a home contest against Ridgefield (9-1) at 6 p.m. Feb. 19. (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.