By Andy Hutchison

MONROE—A tenacious, turnover-causing defense helped Staples girls basketball turn a seven-point halftime lead into a commanding third-quarter advantage on the way to a 69-44 win at Masuk on Monday.

“We were able to weather the storm. It took us a while to get into a flow, an offensive flow,” said Staples Coach Tommy Sparks, whose team led 28-21 at halftime before seizing control. “We stayed true to our reads, shots started to fall, we started to create turnovers on defense to get out in transition.”

Staples came away with 18 steals led by Addie Talbott‘s six thefts and three apiece from Sadie Katzner and Chloe Smith who had a team leading 20 points.

Freya Harvey scored 13, Talbott had nine, Emma Asiel eight, Marley Belzer and Sadie Katzner both had six, Sammy Selig five, and Kennedy Do celebrated her birthday by adding two points to the Wrecker tally.

Belzer logged seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal. Talbott had three rebounds and two assists. Katzner recorded five rebounds and two assists. Smith grabbed three rebounds and had two assists.

Smith noted that the team prides itself on its defense.

“Defense creates offense. We’re all over everyone,” Smith said. “We want to be the best defensive team in the FCIAC and even the state.”

Sparks said he believes the Wreckers are the one of the best defensive teams in the state and that they need to go out and prove it with each game.

Staples held Cheshire to 25 points and limited an Amity of Woodbridge team that has produced point totals in the high 50s in three of five contests, to 48.

Smith’s left corner 3-pointer extended the lead to 15. After Masuk cut the deficit to 10 the Wreckers answered with a Talbott steal and finish highlighting the Wrecker effort late in the quarter. It was 47-34 after three quarters of play.

In the fourth, the Wreckers had a five-point trip down the court. Even when things did not go perfectly, they worked out for the Wreckers. Talbott made a 3-pointer despite a foul. She missed the free throw but Smith was there for the rebound and putback, extending the Wrecker lead to 62-40.

The Wreckers carry a record of 3-0 into the New Year. Staples is home Tuesday, Jan. 6, when New Canaan visits at 7 p.m.

Andy Hutchison

^{_{Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories, since the 1990s. He is the sports editor at the Newtown Bee. He writes for the Monroe Sun. He was director of communications and radio color commentator for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (now Islanders) hockey team. He has won numerous writing awards, including regional and national first-place honors.}}