By KEN LIPSHEZ
Herald Staff

NEW BRITAIN — The engine hummed in the first quarter with the New Britain High boys basketball team working its inside-outside game to perfection.

But through the second and third quarters, the Hurricanes lost their rhythm.

With the contest going back and forth, Steven Glowiak, Darius Watson and Robert McKinnon slipped the battery back in the slot.

The trio shredded the Bulkeley defense in the fourth quarter Monday night to carry New Britain to a 70-57 win in a game between two CCC heavyweights at Chick Shea Gym.

New Britain (5-1) trailed 41-40 with just under 7 minutes remaining in the game. Watson was fouled on an offensive rebound and drained a pair of free throws, then kicked out to McKinnon for a trey.

Glowiak, who led all scorers with 26 points, received a long outlet pass from Raheem McKinley, scored the layup and finished off a three-point play to expand the lead to seven.

Another long-distance call by McKinnon gave New Britain a 51-43 lead with 5:15 remaining. Bulkeley (3-2) never recovered from the Hurricanes’ 20-5 surge to start the fourth quarter.

“We brought [Watson] up to the top and it was a mismatch for whoever was guarding him,” New Britain coach Stan Glowiak said. “He can handle a guard, and we wanted to spread the floor to get the ball into [McKinnon’s and Steven Glowiak’s] hands.”

Glowiak had 13 points in the quarter. Watson had six points and three assists. McKinnon swished both of his shots. Watson, a 6-5 junior, finished with 21 points.

“Darius can score in so many different ways,” coach Glowiak said. “He’s a big guy but he’s got shifty moves.”

New Britain made 22 of its 29 free throws with Glowiak perfect on 12 attempts.

“I told the guys before the game that it would be a game of runs and whoever made the last run would win,” the coach said.

The Hurricanes built a 20-15 lead in the first quarter on the strength of Steven Glowiak’s guard play. He dropped in a 3-pointer and assertively drove to the hoop, picking up the offensive slack for Watson, who drew two quick fouls. Glowiak finished the quarter with 10 points.

While the ’Canes were knocking down seven of their first 10 shots, Bulkeley stayed close with effective passing on the interior and a substantial edge off the glass.

The second stanza was an awkward one on both sides.

The first 4½ minutes went by without a field goal. A driving layup and two free throws by Watson opened up the largest lead of the half at 26-18, but New Britain turnovers fueled the Bulkeley fast break that ran off five straight points in the final minute before intermission.

New Britain made but one field goal in the quarter but maintained a three-point halftime lead.

“We had a nice run to start,” coach Glowiak said. “Then we went flat and didn’t execute our offense in the second and third.”

Bulkeley established 6-4 center Chaz Arnold early in the second half, dishing down low to him for easy hoops and trips to the foul line. The Bulldogs took their first lead of the night at 35-34. Two late buckets by Watson restored the New Britain lead, 40-37 after three.

Coach Glowiak singled out Bulkeley forward Deshawn Hamlet as the Bulldogs’ key offensive threat and the ’Canes held him to nine points. Brandon Jones led Bulkeley with 18 points. Arnold and Michael Foster had 13 and 10 respectively off the bench.