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WILTON, Conn. Casey Pearsall and Maddy Fulton the Wilton High girls basketball team's star shooters broke out their biggest game of the year, combining for 40 points Saturday afternoon to top Norwalk High in the conference quarterfinals.
Pearsall netted a career-high 24 points including eight of Wiltons final 10 to edge the Bears, 49-47. Wilton moves on in the conference tournament for the first time since 1996. It next takes on undefeated Danbury.
I think everyone played well in this environment, and Im glad so many people came out. It made us really excited, Pearsall said. Were going to be ready to play and ready to go regardless of who we play.
After leading for most of the game, Norwalk clawed back to take a 45-44 lead with just more than two minutes to play in the fourth. Pearsall buried a jumper in double-coverage on the next Wilton possession to claim the lead again.
Freshman Hayley English nailed two clutch free throws to seal the win. English was the only Warrior besides Pearsall and Fulton to score, finishing with eight points.
Bowdoin College-bound Fulton (16 points) was a force on offense and defense, combining with Alyssa Malvarossa and Erica Meyer to hold Norwalks leading scorer, Emma Oyomba, to just four points. Fulton nailed a rare three-pointer in the fourth to cushion Wiltons lead.
I couldnt be more proud of the team today. Words cant describe how awesome this feels, Fulton said. We knew this was going to be close, and we knew we just had to capitalize on turnovers.
Wilton will have to get past unbeaten Danbury if it hopes to win its first conference title since 1989. Wilton takes on the Hatters at Fairfield Ludlowe on Tuesday after the other semifinal game between Trumbull and Stamford, which begins at 6 p.m.
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