The Run to the Sun officially began on March 5 for the Greenwich High School girls basketball team, which received a bye in the first round of the CIAC Class LL Tournament and coach Megan Wax’s squad wasn’t about to be one and done in the state tourney when it hosted a tough opponent in the form of Enfield.

Visiting 14th-seeded Enfield gave the Cardinals all they could handle for three-plus quarters of play, but the home team’s determination to advance especially surfaced in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Finishing strong, third-seeded Greenwich seized control in the fourth quarter on its way to registering a well-earned 50-38 win over Enfield in the Round of 16 of the CIAC Class LL Basketball Tournament. The Cardinals host sixth-seeded Fairfield Warde in the Class LL quarterfinals tonight (March 7) at 7 p.m. In the win against Enfield, freshman center Zuri Faison scored a game-high 25 points to power Greenwich’s offense.

Victorious Greenwich outscored Enfield 20-8 in the fourth quarter after the third quarter ended in a 30-30 tie. The final quarter saw the Cardinals execute their offense well, while clamping down on defense, making it difficult for Enfield to get open looks at the basket.

“I think we did really good, we stayed calm, cool and collected,” said Faison, who scored nine fourth quarter points. “The second half we had to turn it up. We had to get more in the zone. Our mindset was there, but we had to keep composed and keep cool. We couldn’t throw the ball away or commit turnovers.”

Alyssa Gath, a senior guard/captain, added 11 points, including three clutch 3-pointers for the Cardinals, who sport a sparkling record of 20-2.

“I think we did a great job of cutting and kicking it out,” Gath said of the Cardinals’ play on offense. “This is our first round in third round of states since I’ve been here, so I’m really excited. We’re going to put up a fight.”

Junior guard Madi Utzinger scored eight points, while Juliette Pelham, a junior guard and Mikayla Kiernan, also a junior, totaled three points apiece in the winning effort. Greenwich led Enfield, 12-11 after the first quarter and went into halftime ahead, 23-20, following a back-and-forth opening half.

“They are a very tough team,” Wax said of Enfield. “We talked before the game about states and how there are no easy games, every game is a battle. They are not in our league, so it was a lot harder to know their style of play. They are a really good team and I’m proud of how we kept our composure.”

Faison grabbed 12 rebound to go along with her 25 points and added four steals, two assists and one blocked shot. Utzinger grabbed four rebounds, had six assists and two steals, Pelham gathered four rebounds and senior forward/captain Kate Baxendale tallied five steals and three rebounds for the victors.

“We went into the game with the mindset that we had to play together and have great ball movement and that’s what we did a really good job of,” Utzinger said.

Senior guard Alyssa Hosig scored a team-high 15 points for Enfield, which received eight points from junior forward Emma Gaucher. Kendall Coffey, a junior guard, contributed seven points for the visitors. Hosig kept Enfield close throughout most of the game behind her five 3-pointers.

Enfield played Greenwich to a 30-30 standstill through three quarters of action. Gath put the Cardinals on top, 33-30, by swishing a 3-pointer from the right corner early in the fourth quarter. After an Enfield basket, Faison grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback while being fouled.

She made the ensuing free throw, giving GHS a 36-32 advantage with 5:16 remaining in the fourth quarter.

“I just had to keep going up strong and didn’t hesitate,” Faison said of her play in the low post near the basket. “I kept bringing it down and going back up.”

Wax said of Faison: “It’s sometimes overlooked with how hard it is for her to finish with three bodies collapsing on her with a ton of contact. She jumps back up and gets her own rebound really fast.”

Following an Enfield basket, which made the score 36-33, Faison scored from the low post, upping the Cards’ edge to 38-34. A layup by Utzinger, coupled by a jumper by Pelham made it 42-34 in favor of the Cardinals.

Gath converted another 3-pointer, giving Greenwich a double-digit lead on Enfield at 45-34. They maintained their double figure advantage thereafter.

“She just is always so calm and collected,” Wax said of Gath. “She came up clutch when we needed her the most.”

In the second quarter, Faison scored off a strong low post move, putting the Cards on top, 19-15. Utzinger drove hard to the basket and scored, then Hosig made a 3-point shot for Enfield, making the score 21-18 in favor of GHS.

After Faison gave the hosts a 25-20 lead with a basket early in the third quarter, Enfield went on a 9-2 spurt to take a 29-27 lead. However, the fourth quarter belonged to the Cardinals.

“I think we really wanted it and that showed on the court, especially in the fourth quarter,” Utzinger said. “We put all our heart into the game.”

Greenwich’s defense was stellar throughout the game. The Cardinals did an effective job of rebounding on both ends of the court.

“I think that we all just have to lean on each other throughout the game and I wouldn’t be able to get those rebounds without if my teammates weren’t boxing out,” Baxendale noted. “We’re definitely playing as a team more and not playing selfishly.”