Kim Earl S.A. Messenger:
ST. ALBANS – The BFA St. Albans boys’ varsity basketball team took a 66-45 loss to the visiting Champlain Valley Union RedHawks on Monday, Feb. 6. From tip off the tempo was fast-paced. BFA did a nice job of breaking the press and moving the ball well in transition.

Initially, both teams took turns scoring, with Will Hughes putting BFA on the scoreboard with two quick baskets. Shortly after the two-minute mark, Liam Howrigan drove the lane to score and give BFA their first game lead, but after that, CVU went on a 16-0 run hitting several three-pointers and shooting well from the free throw line to end the quarter up 20-6.

In the second quarter, BFA made some defensive changes, and they slowed down CVU a bit by doing a better job contesting shots and closing out. BFA slowly began to chip away, and with about one minute left on the clock, Liam Howrigan deflected a CVU pass resulting in a steal and basket by Isaac Gratton to cut the lead to eight.

Despite the ball not falling in the basket during the first half, the Bobwhites went into halftime down only nine points, 21-30.

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Kim Earl
The RedHawks came out strong in the third quarter, continuing to shoot well from the perimeter, hitting several threes. BFA picked up several quick fouls, but despite CVU shooting less than 50 percent from the free throw line, the Redhawks outscored BFA 23-8 in the third quarter.

BFA outscored CVU in the fourth with baskets from several Bobwhites, including Justin Munger, who went four for four from the free-throw line. But it wasn’t enough to cut the deficit, and the Bobwhites went on to take the loss 66-45.

BFA-St. Albans scoring leaders: Will Hughes led the Bobwhites with 11 points, Liam Howrigan had seven, and Noah Earl, Gabe Howrigan, and Seth Richards contributed six each.