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Lakers Open Playoffs With 57-45 Win Over Middlebury

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Created on Wednesday, 29 February 2012 02:14

Written by George Commo

Granai and Caus Put Up 13 Each in Colchester Win

Colchester --- The eighth seeded Colchester Lakers opened play in the 2012 Vermont Principals Association Division One boys basketball tournament on Tuesday night, topping the ninth seeded Middlebury Tigers 57-45 at the Laker Gym.

Colchester opened the game on an 8-0 run, but the Tigers responded with a 10-0 run of their own, and it carried the visitors to the lead after the first eight minutes. But CHS regrouped in the second quarter and keyed by the play of Sandi Caus, Nate Hodge, and DJ Tuttle took an eight point lead, 26-18 into the locker room at halftime.

Colochester star Anthony Granai went to the bench early in the game with two fouls and did not score in the first half. But he came out on fire in the 3rd quarter, scoring the Lakers' first nine points after intermission. Sophomore guard Ricky Giroux ended the third with an exclamation point, burying a three at the buzzer to send CHS off the floor with a 12 point lead at 44-32 after three.

Giroux hit a lay up to begin the fourth, stretching the lead to 14. The Tigers did make a run, cutting the margin to seven with 2:49 to play, but three hoops down the stretch from Caus and one from Granai sealed the deal for the Lakers.

Granai ands Caus led Colchester with 13 points each, while Giroux finished with 10.

Connor Collins tossed in 11 points for the Tigers, Mitchell Clarke added 10 and David Burt chipped in nine.

With the win the Lakers improve to 11-10. They will meet the winner of Wednesday night's North Country game at top seeded Mt. Mansfield in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Middlebury ended their season at 10-11.