Southington High School Knight Kourt

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Happy Summer!

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Basketball Booster Club

Everyone that paid via Venmo and won money in the NCAA Pool has been paid. Thank you for participating!

#6- Congrats UCONN HUSKIES!

James Percival is the $200.00 GRAND PRIZE WINNER! UCONN- 7(5) Purdue- 6(0)

Brian Crowley wins $80 & the first final four game. Purdue- 6(3) NC State- 5(0)

Sheri Barry wins! NOT Knight Kourt. UCONN- 8(6) Alabama- 7(2)

Southington All-State basketball player Ryan Hammarlund continuing career at Division III Roger Williams
By Bryant Carpenter
April 4, 2024

SOUTHINGTON — While Ryan Hammarlund and the Southington boys basketball team were blazing new ground in CIAC Division I this winter, a college program across the border in Rhode Island was doing the same in NCAA Division III.

Roger Williams University hadn't won the Commonwealth Coast Conference in 25 years. Rogers Williams had never even seen the NCAA Tournament.

All that changed in 2024. The Hawks got hot late, captured their league tourney for the first time since 1999 and qualified for the D-III dance for the first time ever.

Roger Williams is where Hammarlund, the All-State player and 1,000-point scorer at the vanguard of Southington's move to D-I, is heading next year.

After pushing the envelope with the Blue Knights, the 6-foot-3 guard is eager to do the same at Roger Williams for head coach Mike Tully.

"My goal is for the team is to be able to play in the NCAA Tournament every year I'm there," said Hammarlund, who made his choice after a recent visit to the Bristol, R.I. school.

"It really was just the best fit for me," he said. "When I went on campus, it encompassed everything I wanted."

Hammarlund was drawn to Roger Williams' business program, its location and the future teammates he got to play with during the visit.

Virtually all of them are due back next year, including Max Manjos of Monroe (Fairfield Prep) and Finn Miller of Stamford (Notre Dame-Fairfield).

"I thought it was good; I could hang with them," Hammarlund reported. "I could see myself playing in the rotation."

So can Southington head coach Ed Quick.

"It's a good conference and, knowing him, he'll go there and he'll find his way on the floor sooner than later," said Quick, who has coached at the college level.

"I know everybody promotes their own players and their own kids, but I think he's a steal for Roger Williams," Quick added. "He embodies all you strive to have as a coach. I think it'll be a great fit."

Hammarlund leaves Southington as the fourth-leading scorer in program history with 1,047 points. He is one of just six Blue Knights to go over 1,000 and the first to do so since 1990 grad Kris Steele.

On the all-time Southington scoring list, Hammarlund trails only 1972 grad Ernie Blue (1,155), 1980 grad Greg Porydzy (1,066) and Steele (1,052). He leapt ahead of 1989 grad Sean Feeney (1,033) and 1952 grad Ray Michanczyk (1.015).

Hammarlund savors scoring 1,000 and being just one of six in Southington history to do so, but credits the coaching staff and his teammates for devising and executing a system that enabled him to thrive.

"They encouraged me to score and to get the wins," he said.

The latter is what Hammarlund should be remembered for most. During his sophomore season of 2021-22, Southington was 4-16.

Quick was hired the ensuing summer and, rebuilding around Hammarlund and seniors Aidan Buck and Luke Penna, orchestrated a turnaround campaign in which Southington went 16-8 and reached the second round of the Division II state tournament.

Electing to move up to Division I, the Blue Knights went 17-5 this past season.

That's 33-13 over Hammarlund's final two seasons.

"I've been lucky," said Quick. "I've had two years at Southington with great kids, and he was at the forefront."

Roger Williams is losing just one starter from this year's team. Hammarlund expects to steadily earn his keep and build his playing time as his college career goes on.

"He going to be great there," said Quick. "I wouldn't be shocked if his career doesn't have All-Conference, All-New England, All-Rookie honors coming his way."