Old Lyme — Monday was the kind of night the Old Lyme boys’ basketball team expected to have this season.

The Wildcats pounced on East Hampton early, scoring 24 points in the first quarter alone. Their young, but experienced lineup played their most complete game. And imploring them all the way was Kirk Kaczor, the head coach they fought to bring back during the offseason.

“We’ve always been looking forward to this year,” senior Olin Frederiks said after Old Lyme wrung out East Hampton, 70-29, in a Shoreline Conference rout. “We knew we had a really good junior class. We had a solid senior class that can support them along the way. ... We set our standards really high.”

The Wildcats are 6-1 (6-0 in the Shoreline) and third in the CIAC Division V rankings.

“Last year, we were a young team, but had a lot of success,” Old Lyme’s Aedan Using said. “Even though we’re young, we’re all experienced. We have some good seniors and we’re ready to make a run this year. I think we’re on the right track. We still have a lot to work on, but I think we’re on the right track.”

Using, one of the Wildcats’ four junior starters, had 21 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Classmates Brady Sheffield added 11 points and three steals and Connor Hogan scored 10. 

Ray Doll (three steals, four rebounds), Sheffield and Using all started last season.

“Aedan started the third game his freshman year, so he’s always been the focal point of the team,” Frederiks said. “Last year, Brady and Ray both took really big steps. This year, we’re really ready to bring it all together and show the state and the conference what we’ve got.”

Junior Stephen Brady (11 points) was the only player to score in double figures for the Bellringers (2-4, 2-4).

Old Lyme used an early 11-0 run to put East Hampton in its rear view mirror. Using punctuated it with a dunk as the Wildcats led, 13-5, with 4 minutes, 9 seconds left in the first quarter.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had so many tipped passes in a single game,” Frederiks said. “It was insane. Just one after another, and then obviously Aedan’s dunk erupted those whole place.”

Old Lyme made 10 of 16 shots that quarter and led, 24-13. It increased its lead to 36-17 at halftime.

“It was definitely our most complete game,” Frederiks said. “That’s been our biggest issue the whole year. We haven’t had a full game. We’ll have one quarter that’s kind of mediocre, and then we have a few quarters that are really good.”

Kaczor began taking the starters out with over seven minutes left in the game, yet the Wildcats still padded their lead. Junior Ty Dean’s 3-pointer gave them their largest lead, 67-25, with 6:10 remaining.

The Bellringers didn’t score their first point that quarter until there was 3:20 left.

“Everybody contributed, really proving how good a team we can be,” Frederiks said.

Kaczor said, “Win, lose or draw, they’re a great group of kids, and that’s why I’m here — because I have a great group of kids. I know they can have some success on the court, but I know all these kids are going to experience success off the court. That’s what I’m here to do.”

Kaczor almost didn’t get to return for his 17th year because his coaching contract wasn’t renewed after last season.

The Wildcats fought for his reinstatement.

“I think it was pretty clear that he was a very important part of us winning as a team,” Using said. “He was the (Shoreline) Coach of the Year last year. We all know how much he knows about basketball. It was clearly the decision that we needed to make — fight to bring him back.”

Kaczor’s non-renewal was rescinded in June.

“(I was) overwhelmed,” Kaczor said of the support. “Like I said, they’re a great group of kids.”

n.griffen@theday.com