High School Basketball: E.O. Smith Faces Tall Order

By NICK CARBONI The Hartford Courant
March 7, 2009

The CIAC girls and boys basketball tournaments end with championships March 20-21. Along the way, we'll bring you slices of each. If you feel there is a unique story about your team, e-mail us at sports@courant.com.

STORRS — E.O. Smith coach Ron Pires offered a quick joke in regard to how his team will solve its next opponent."We're going to pray," he deadpanned, before quickly confirming that he was, in fact, teasing.It was all about getting serious in Storrs on Friday night, even on the heels of a 67-33 victory over Conard in a CIAC Class L play-in game. The Panthers now go on the road to play No. 1 Trinity Catholic-Stamford in a first-round game Tuesday.

The Crusaders (22-1) are five-time state champs, have produced a number of Division I players, including UConn's Craig Austrie, and currently display one of the state's best in 6-foot-7 senior Tevin Baskin.

It will certainly be difficult for E.O. Smith (12-11). But junior center Tyler Olander (24 points, 10 rebounds) says he's ready.

"We know that they're good," said Olander, who is 6-7. "We know they have Tevin Baskin. They'll try to push it. We'll have to control the boards."

Said guard Min Lin (six points, five assists): "We have to play our game."

Pires was optimistic about the Panthers' chances in Stamford, saying he's got a different team than the one that lost by a point in last year's semifinals.

"We've played teams that are comparable," Pires said. "It's not like we're going to be afraid of Trinity."