Old Lyme Falls In Division V State Championship Game

Lester Emanuel had a game-high 15 points for Innovation (22-2), which also received 14 points and nine rebounds from Linwood Hazelwood along with 11 points and eight rebounds from Ramiesh Bogle. Leonard Okonya, who had five points, was a force on the glass for Innovation, as he finished with a game-best 12 rebounds.

Innovation trailed 10-9 with 2:04 left in the first, but Carlos Gonzalez drained a 3-pointer from the top of the arc as the clock expired at the end of the quarter to make the score 12-10 and give the Ravens their first lead of the game, which they would never relinquish.

Innovation built its lead to 30-23 at the half, taking advantage of 11 first-half turnovers by Old Lyme. Gonzalez attempted to drain another basket from 3-point land at the second quarter buzzer to extend Innovation's lead to 10, but his heave from well beyond the arc came up empty.

The Ravens went on an 8-0 run to open the third quarter up until Old Lyme's Aedan Using converted a 3-point play after getting fouled on a shot in the paint to make it 38-26.

Old Lyme (19-5) trailed 44-32 heading into the final quarter, and things began to get out of reach with 3:43 left in the game when Hazelwood converted a layup to make the score 54-38. Less than a minute later, with 3:01 left in the game, Bogle sank two free throws to put Innovation up by 20.

Brady Sheffield and Raymond Doll led the way for Old Lyme on offense, scoring 11 points apiece, but the Wildcats were just 14-of-56 from the field and 3-for-13 from 3-point range.

Using finished the game with eight points, enough for him to reach 1,000 for his career.

Sunday marked the first appearance in the state championship game for Old Lyme in school history.