1. Northwest Catholic
2. Pomperaug
3. NFA
4. Berlin
5. Lauralton Hall
6. Hillhouse
7. E.O. Smith
8. Mercy
9. Bacon Academy
10. Wethersfield

For the entire poll, click here.

Hamden Hall didn't break much of a sweat, coasting to a 54-7 win over St. Luke's. Ellen Rich led the Hornets with 18 points, 14 rebounds and five steals.

Behind 16 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks from Lauren Okafor, Hopkins cruised to a 55-31 win over Masters.

For complete results from Saturday, click here.

Casey Dulin scored 22 points and broke the Law girls’ career scoring record in the Eagles 44-40 win over Sacred Heart Academy. Dulin needed just five points to break the previous mark of 1,453.

Morgan beat Coginchaug 43-38, handing the Blue Devils their second loss of the season. Kelcy Carlson led the Huskies with 19 points.

Amber Bepko scored 14 points as Mercy edged Hamden 38-36. Cara Deroy had 21 points and five steals for Hamden.

Bria Moore had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead Career to a 56-35 win over Wilbur Cross. The Panthers held the high-scoring duo of Aaliyah Robinson and Shaniqua Fuller to a combined six points.

Mary Hyde scored 17 points to lift Derby to a 44-39 win over Wolcott. The Red Raiders clinched a state tournament berth.

Coming off its second loss of the season, Hillhouse coasted to a 77-41 win over Hand. Bria Holmes had 26 points, seven steals and six assists for the Academics.

Courtney Schissler poured in 20 points for Branford as the Hornets coasted to a 55-25 win over North Haven. Olivia DiCapua (17 points) and Riley Dineen (eight points) were the only scorers for the Indians.

For the rest of Friday's results, click here.

Pomperaug has not only towered above the opposition on the scoreboard, but also on the floor.

The Panthers have four 6-footers, highlighted by Fairfield University-bound Katie Cizynski.

Cizynski is averaging 21 points and 12.6 rebounds and broke the school’s scoring record, boys and girls, of 1,377 points, previously held by Dave Grant since 1980.

“She’s an incredible player,” Panthers coach Jennifer Jackson said of the 6-foot-2 Cizynski. “Once she decided she was going to Fairfield, she’s stepped up a notch. She’s gotten stronger and more well-rounded. She’s made great strides.”

Cizynski seems to be one of the few legitimate post players in the state. With plenty of size, led by Cizynski, and a strong backcourt in Kasey Dean (headed to college at Brandeis) and Nicole Welton (headed to Dominican), the Panthers will be among the favorites to win a loaded Class L state tournament.

Cizynski and the Panthers look to win their 11th straight game tonight when Pomperaug hosts Brookfield at 7 p.m.

Berlin sharpshooter Alexys Vazquez will miss six to eight weeks after breaking her foot in a game against Middletown Friday, according to the Hartford Courant.

Vazquez, who will play at Fairfield next season, has helped the Redcoats to a 13-1 mark. Berlin is ranked No. 4 in the Register Top 10 poll.

It's a huge loss for Berlin, which was one of the favorites in a stacked Class L tournament.

Law senior Casey Dulin is just five points shy of breaking the school's all-time girls' scoring record of 1,354 points, which is currently held by Meghan Miller.

The Eagles travel to face Sacred Heart Academy tonight at 7 p.m.

Here's a look at the postponement list...

O'Brien Tech at Vinal Tech, ppd to Feb. 8, 7 p.m.

Lauralton Hall at Bunnell, ppd to Monday, 7 p.m.

Middletown at Platt, ppd to Friday, 7 p.m.

Amity at Shelton, ppd to Feb. 8, 7 p.m.

North Branford at Old Lyme ppd to Feb. 9, 7 p.m.

Valley Regional at Cromwell, ppd to Feb 9, 7 p.m.

Old Saybrook at Hale Ray, ppd TBA

Hyde at Portland, ppd to Feb. 6, noon

Haddam-Killingworth at Westbrook, ppd to Friday, 6:30 p.m.

All proceeds from Tuesday's Hillhouse-Law game went to the Kay Yow WBCA Cancer Fund. The Academics and Eagles joined together to raise over $1,000 for the breast cancer research foundation.

Ali Berman had 10 points to lead Hopkins to a 34-22 win over St. Luke's. Lauren Okafor missed the game with a knee injury. Hilltoppers coach Amanda Forcucci said Okafor will be back for Tuesday's game against Hamden Hall.

Meanwhile, Hamden Hall coasted to a 47-29 win over Convent of the Sacred Heart. Kelsey McCray sank four 3-pointers to lead the Hornets with 16 points.

Dejane "Snoop" James. Remember the name. She's a seventh grader from Hartford and this video clip tells the rest.

Derby's Mary Hyde scored 19 points to lift Derby to a 48-44 win over rival Ansonia Tuesday night. It's the second time the Red Raiders knocked off the Chargers this season.

For the game story, click here.

Casey Dulin scored 17 points as Law upset Hillhouse 54-49. Bria Holmes sat most of the first half because of foul trouble. She finished with 10 points.

Shaniqua Fuller finished with 18 points, including the 1,000th of her career, but Wilbur Cross fell 59-47 to Branford. Courtney Schissler led Branford with 20 points. Molly Poryanda added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets.

Mary Hyde scored 19 points to lead Derby to a 48-44 win over Ansonia. Kristin Mooney had a game-high 23 points for Ansonia. Derby sweeps the season series against the Chargers.

Keylantra Langley scored 24 points, six rebounds and seven assists for Lauralton Hall in the Crusaders’ 72-62 win over Immaculate.

For the rest of Tuesday's results, click here.

Wow.

Casey Dulin scored 17 points to lead the Law girls’ basketball team to a 54-49 upset win over Hillhouse tonight.


Hillhouse’s top scorer Bria Holmes was on the bench for most of the first half because of foul trouble. Holmes finished with just 10 points.

Kalinka DeRoched led the Academics (10-2), ranked No. 2 in the Register Top 10 poll, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

Amanda Keator added 12 points for the Eagles (10-5).

Former Mercy standout Rachel Roberts was supposed to redshirt this season, but instead she finds herself in Villanova's starting lineup. The Register's UConn women's beat writer Jim Fuller caught up with Roberts this past weekend. Read his story here.

The Connecticut Sun has selected Thomaston as its girls' basketball team of the week for Jan. 18 through Jan. 24.

Thomaston moved to 13-0 after beating Nonnewaug 54-40 on Tuesday and Lewis Mills 55-40 on Friday.

All proceeds from tonight's Hillhouse-Law game will go to the Kay Yow WBCA Cancer Fund.

The Academics will host the Eagles tonight at 7 p.m.

In a rematch of last year’s Shoreline Conference championship, Old Lyme knocked off Haddam-Killingworth 37-27.

Sophomore Adena Coste finished with career-high 16 points and added nine rebounds in Amity’s 44-36 win over North Haven.

East Catholic held Damika Martinez to a season-low four points as East Catholic coasted to a 57-37 win over Platt.

For a look at the rest of Monday's results, click here.

It’s like guessing how many jellybeans are in the jar. Actually, it’s probably harder.

That is predicting which team will win the Shoreline Conference.

“It’s been crazy all year long,” Morgan coach Joe Grippo said. “There’s no question there are five to eight teams that could win the whole thing. It’s really competitive. If you try and compare scores, you go out of your head.”

For example: Coginchaug beat Morgan, but has lost to Portland. But Morgan defeated Portland. Then Morgan lost to Haddam-Killingworth. But Haddam-Killingworth lost to North Branford, which lost to Morgan. This pattern could go on and on.

But like Grippo said, it’s confusing. The bottom line is there is plenty of parity in the conference, and there is an argument to be made for several teams.

Old Lyme has four starters back from a team that won the Class S state title. Coginchaug is 12-1. Portland has lost three of its last four, but the Highlanders may have the conference’s best player in Kelly Coleman and won their first nine games. East Hampton has some quality victories on its resume.

Meanwhile, Morgan has won its last six games. Haddam-Killingworth, the defending league champion, can’t be counted out either. Nor should Cromwell, which was a preseason favorite. And perhaps North Branford could be included in the mix.

“Who are you going to eliminate?” Coginchaug coach Tony Calcagni asked. “Any team can beat any other team.”

And at the very least, the balance should make for a very interesting conference tournament.

“It’s very wide-open this year,” Old Lyme coach Don Bugbee said. “Quite a few could win the championship. It boils down to who plays well toward the end of season.”

Of the 2,000 boys and girls nominated across the country, 48 principal players (24 boys and 24 girls) will be chosen for each team and will be announced in mid-to-late February at a selection show.

These players will compete in the tip-off of the McDonald's All American Games. The 33rd annual Boys Game will tip off at 8:00 p.m. on March 31 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and will air live on ESPN. The girls' game will precede the boys' game at 5:30 p.m. ET and will broadcast live on ESPNU.

Courtney Schissler, Branford

Kerry Wallack, Hand

Kelly Sundberg, E.O. Smith

Lauren Okafor, Hopkins

Casey Dulin, Law

Uju Nwankwo, Northwest Catholic

Kastine Evans, Norwich Free Academy

Keylantra Langley, Lauralton Hall

Katie Cizynski, Pomperaug

Kasey Dean, Pomperaug

Nicole Welton, Pomperaug

Abigail Corning, Wethersfield

Shaniqua Fuller, Wilbur Cross

Kristian Parker, Wilby

1. Northwest Catholic
2. Hillhouse
3. Pomperaug
4. Berlin
5. Norwich Free Academy
6. Lauralton Hall
7. Bacon Academy
8. E.O. Smith
9. Mercy
10. Wethersfield

For the entire poll, click here.

Alicia Reynolds, in her first game this season after recovering from a knee injury, scored seven points as Hamden Hall beat Kingswood-Oxford 47-34.

For the rest of Saturday's results, click here.

Hillhouse junior point guard Andreana Thomas is out indefinitely after re-aggravating a leg injury, according to Academics coach Catrina Hawley-Stewart.

Hawley-Stewart said Thomas developed tendonitis in her knee. Thomas missed the first six games for Hillhouse after suffering the injury during soccer season.
Thomas then played in the next four games before sitting out the last two games.

She is averaging 9.5 points per game this season for the Academics, ranked No. 2 in the Register Top 10 poll. Janaya Bradley will replace Thomas in the starting lineup.

Casey Dulin’s basket with 11 seconds left lifted Law to a 46-45 win over Hand. Dulin finished with 19 points. Kelsey Cuddy had 15 points, five rebounds, six steals, five assists and three blocks for Hand.

Cara Deroy’s go-ahead free throw led to Hamden’s 33-30 win over cross-town rival Sacred Heart Academy.

Bre Butler poured in 27 points in Sheehan’s 53-49 win over its cross-town rival Lyman Hall.

Bria Holmes finished with 22 points as Hillhouse knocked off Foran 62-49. Andreana Thomas did not play for the second straight game because of a leg injury.

Mary Hyde scored 22 points in a 59-36 Derby win over Crosby.

Sarah Royals’ 27 points helped Torrington to a 56-35 win over Ansonia, snapping the Chargers' five-game losing streak.

For Friday's complete results click here.

Ansonia has won its last five games and do-it-all senior Kristin Mooney is a huge reason why.

Mooney currently posts a 16.2 points per game average. But she does so much more than score.

In the Chargers latest win against Wolcott, Mooney finished with 17 points 15 rebounds three steals and three assists. Filling up the stat sheet is nothing out of the ordinary for Mooney. She's been doing it all season and has really made a name for herself in the Naugatuck Valley League.

But now's her chance to really carry the Chargers. They travel to face Torrington tonight. They face tough teams in St. Paul and Woodland down the stretch, too. Mooney and Ansonia also have a chance to avenge an earlier loss to Derby Tuesday, when the Chargers host the Red Raiders.

Ansonia is obviously hot right now, but are they good enough to be among the NVL's best? Now is Mooney and the Chargers' chance to prove it.

Tara Ricci finished with 12 points, seven assists and six steals as North Branford edged Haddam-Killingworth 44-42.

Damika Martinez continued to rack up the points, finishing with 30 points in Platt's 60-36 win over cross-town rival Maloney.

For the rest of Thursday’s results, click here.

Coginchaug sophomore Samantha Mancinelli recently earned Register Athlete of the Week honors.

Mancinelli scored 23 points in Blue Devils 64-48 win over Haddam-Killingworth on Jan. 12. Mancinelli then had 15 points in Coginchaug’s 60-47 win over Old Lyme on Friday.

She has helped make Coginchaug (11-1) a major factor in the Shoreline Conference race.

Check out a video interview with Mancinelli here.

Junior guard Nicole Bentley is thriving in her newfound role of coming off the bench for Career.

Not only is Bentley a spark defensively and as a ball handler, she has also given the Panthers a scoring punch recently. Bentley is averaging 12 points over her last four games. She scored 16 points in a win over Wilbur Cross and followed with 17 in a victory over Branford Jan. 12, both critical wins.

The Panthers are 7-0 since Bentley started coming off the bench after starting the first three.

“She’s starting to play like she’s capable of playing,” Career coach Kevin Walton said. “We gain when she comes in off the bench for us, we don’t lose anything. She’s capable of starting for us, but she’s accepted her role.”

Despite a late run by Foran, Sheehan edged the Lions 45-41. Chelsea Neelon led the Titans with 17 points.

Molly Deroy scored 10 points and pulled down 18 rebounds in Hamden's 52-45 over Cheshire. The Green Dragons outscored the Rams 16-0 in the first quarter.

Hillhouse point guard did not play tonight because of the knee injury, which forced her to miss the first six games of the season. The Academics still coasted to a 46-22 win over West Haven. Bria Holmes had 18 points.

Mary Hyde poured in 16 points to lift Derby to a 45-30 win over Watertown.

For the rest of Wednesday's results, click here.

Perhaps not with the same type of consistency, but Amber Bepko has replaced Rachel Roberts (now at Villanova) as Mercy's top scorer.

That was evident heading into this season. The question was, who was going to replace Bianca Simmons at point guard?

When watching Simmons (now playing for UMass-Lowell), the ball appeared to be attached to her hand with a string. She seemed to break through pressure and blow by a defender without breaking a sweat. She had a solid jumper and a knack for setting up teammates.

That's a lot to replace, but freshman Sadie Edwards has filled those shoes.

Edwards' game has a lot in common with Simmons. It was evident in Mercy's 49-47 win last night over Branford. She has tremendous ballhandling ability. The way she slices through the defense and finishes with a runner is reminiscent of Simmons. Not to mention, the fact that she makes her teammates better.

Edwards is averaging 13.1 points per game and she poured in 25 points against the Hornets in just her second varsity contest. She may the best freshman in the state right now.

And fortunately for Mercy coach Tim Kohs, Edwards is still scratching the surface when it comes to her potential.

Danielle Machold scored 14 points to lead Mercy to a 49-47 win over Branford Tuesday.

Mercy held off a late surge by Branford to edge the Hornets 49-47. Danielle Machold led a balanced attack for the Tigers with 14 points. Courtney Schissler scored a game-high 34 points, including 10 points in the final 2 minutes.

Sacred Heart Academy upset Wilbur Cross 44-41. Saige Johnson led the Pacers with 15 points. Shaniqua Fuller and Aaliyah Robinson combined for 37 points for the Governors.

Taylor Kulhawik broke a school record, drilling 7 3-pointers and finished with 21 points in Bunnell’s 59-43 win over Weston. The Bulldogs qualfied for the state tournament for the 20th straight season with the victory.

Jasmine Claxton scored 19 points for Career, as the Panthers beat Lyman Hall 58-32 to avenge an early season loss to the Trojans.

Sick, Keylantra Langley missed Lauralton Hall’s game against New Milford. The Crusaders still cruised to a 58-25 win.

For the rest of Tuesday’s results, click here.

The Connecticut Sun selected Hillhouse as its high school girls' basketball team of the week for Jan. 11 through Jan. 17.

The Academics beat Guilford 51-32 on Tuesday, No. 6 Mercy 49-45 on Thursday and capped their undefeated week with a 49-47 win over No. 4 Norwich Free Academy.

Weaver at Glastonbury, 7 p.m.: Latiqua Patterson and Weaver look to avenge an earlier loss this season against Glastonbury.

Lyman Hall at Career, 7 p.m.: Behind 31 points from Lindsay Karle, the Trojans handed the Panthers a surprising loss earlier this year. But Lyman Hall will be without Karle for this game because of a shin injury. They will have senior Jen Ruys back though.

Mercy at Branford, 7 p.m.: The Hornets dropped their season opener to the Tigers. Sadie Edwards and Amber Bepko torched Branford for a combined 50 points in that meeting. If the Hornets can slow that potent duo, the outcome may be different this time.

The Trojans hope to be back at full strength in time for Friday's showdown with cross-town rival Sheehan.
Forward Jen Ruys (11.9 ppg) will be back tonight against Career after missing Lyman Hall's last three games with a back injury.
Lindsay Karle (13.4 ppg) will miss tonight's game, but coach Tom Lipka is optimistic she will play Friday against the Titans. Due to a severe shin bruise, Karle missed two of the last three games for the Titans.

Led by Bria Holmes' 21 points, Hillhouse beat St. John the Baptist (N.Y) 52-41 today at the She Got Next Tournament in Union, N.J.

Holmes earned tournament MVP honors. Courtney Brown added six points, 15 rebounds and seven blocks. Takerra Williams had 10 points and 14 rebounds.

The Academics outscored the New York City school 15-5 in the final quarter.

Ranked No. 2 in the Register Top 10 poll, Hillhouse has now won seven straight and beat Mercy, Norwich Free Academy and St. John Baptist in its last three.

Also, Morgan handed Portland its second loss of the season with a 43-40 win. Amanda Cullen led the Huskies with 13 points.

For the rest of Monday's scores, click here.

Berlin's Stephanie Lapierre recently saved her friend's life. Read about it in this Hartford Courant article.

Northwest Catholic’s goal heading into the season was to hold each of its opponents under 40 points.

At first, it doesn’t seem attainable, especially under the team’s makeup.

The Indians start four guards, so what about going against a team that’s stacked inside? Sure, Northwest Catholic is talented. But what if it gets out to a big lead? Won’t there be lapses? And what about against a team like Berlin, a squad that returned the key pieces to a team that reached the Class M state title game?

Well, the Indians are 11 games into the season. They have 11 wins and are the No. 1 team in the Register Top 10 poll for the third straight week. Oh yes, and an opponent has yet to score 40 points against their stifling defense.

Hall came close with 39, Avon finished with 38, and Simsbury scored 37 in the season opener.

“The first thing, it starts with a defensive mindset,” Northwest Catholic coach Karl Herbert said. “It’s been that way since Day One. Even on off-nights, our consistency on defense can hold teams.”

The key has been perimeter pressure, led by pesky guards Ally Mullings and Jenniqua Bailey. Then if opponents are fortunate enough to break down the pressure, they have to deal with lanky shot-blocking machine Uju Nwankwo in the middle.

Just ask the Redcoats about Northwest Catholic’s defensive scheme. Berlin was held to a season-low 28 points and have the Indians to thank for its only loss.

As for the offense, Northwest Catholic’s set of Division I-bound players are shouldering a sufficient scoring load. Bailey, who is headed to Bryant, is averaging 15 points. Mullings (Siena) is averaging 14, and Nwankwo (New Jersey Institute of Technology) 12 to go with her 6 rebounds and 4 blocks a game.

As expected, it will only get tougher for the Indians, who have the added target of being labeled the state’s top team. It may remain that way when they reach a loaded Class L state tournament field, which will feature teams like Hillhouse, Pomperaug and Bacon Academy.

“Are we No. 1?” Herbert asked. “That’s hard to say. But we work hard, and we should be mentioned in that group.”

1. Northwest Catholic
2. Hillhouse
3. Pomperaug
4. Berlin
5. Norwich Free Academy
6. Lauralton Hall
7. Bacon Academy
8. Torrington
9. E.O. Smith
10. Mercy

For the complete poll, click here.

No. 3 Hillhouse edged No. 4 NFA 49-47 Saturday night. Sophomore Bria Holmes led Hillhouse with 15 points.

No. 3 Hillhouse beat No. 4 Norwich Free Academy 49-47 tonight.

The Wildcats went on a 21-7 run that spilled from the third quarter into the fourth. They held a 44-43 advantage midway through the fourth quarter, after trailing by as much as 13 points.

Bria Holmes led the Academics with 15 points, most coming in transition. Andreana Thomas added 12 points. The duo combined for 18 of Hillhouse's 26 first-half points.

Jen Escobido led NFA with 16 points. Kastine Evans added 14 points and guarded Bria Holmes the whole game.

For the rest of the area scores from Saturday night click here.

Hillhouse hosts Norwich Free Academy tonight in what may be the best regular season game of the season.

Hillhouse is ranked No. 3 in the Register Top 10 poll and is coming off a win against No. 6 Mercy. Norwich Free Academy is No. 4 and is in the midst of the toughest non-league schedule in the state.

The Academics boast Bria Holmes and Andreana Thomas, while the Wildcats are led by Kastine Evans and Stephanie Long. Both are among the top one-two punches in the state.

Oh yeah, and both won a state title last season.

The two state powers will clash tonight at 6 p.m. at the New Haven Athletic Center.

Natalie Bastian’s three-point play at the buzzer in overtime lifted Sacred Heart Academy to a 40-39 win over West Haven. Bastian finished a putback and was fouled when time expired in overtime. Her free throw gave Sacred Heart the victory.

Christina Cretella scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in Seymour’s 52-49 win over Derby. Mary Hyde had 29 points for the Red Raiders.

Kristin Mooeny scored nine points and had 10 rebounds and three assists as Ansonia qualified for the state tournament with a 28-22 win over Watertown.

Amanda Cullen had a game-high 17 points as Morgan edged Cromwell 40-39.

Mollie Hamel’s 13 points led Sheehan to a 50-36 win over Shelton.

Audrey Biesak scored 21 points in Coginchaug’s 60-47 win over Old Lyme. Catherine Logan had 23 points for the Wildcats.

Damika Martinez was held to 11 points as Platt fell 76-45 to Berlin. Alexyz Vasquez, Katelyn Zarotney and Kim Rassmusson combined for 54 points.

Courtney Schissler had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Branford coasted to a 60-35 win over East Haven.

Taylor Kuhalwik had 13 points, but Bunnell fell to Brookfield 39-35.

Behind 16 points from Bria Moore, Career cruised to a 63-21 win over Cheshire.

Annie Raucci poured in 27 points in Foran’s 62-49 win over Hand.

Jordan Shultz scored 18 points, but Haddam-Killingworth fell 50-49 to Hale-Ray.

Keylanta Langley dropped in 20 points in Lauralton Hall’s 63-47 win over Barlow.

Led by Kim Legen’s 17 points, four players scored in double figures in Law’s 68-57 win over Guilford. Annie Goodrich led the Indians with 19 points.

Shaniqua Fuller and Aaliyah Robinson combined for 28 points in Wilbur Cross’ 47-29 win over North Haven.
Fuller added 13 rebounds, while Robinson had six assists, five steals and two blocks.

Felicia Ferraro’s 19 points lifted Lyman Hall to a 49-26 win over Amity. Jen Ruys and Lindsay Karle both sat out with injuries for the Trojans.

Kelly Coleman had a game-high 19 points as Portland beat Old Saybrook 59-27. Kayla McAvoy had 10 points for Old Saybrook.

Alli McDougall had 16 points and Kate Bangsten added 15 points for Valley Regional as the Warriors coasted toa 60-32 win over Westbrook.

Gladys Reed had 10 points in Hyde’s 62-27 loss to East Hampton.

Seymour picked up its second win of the year, knocking off Derby 52-49. Christina Cretella led the Wildcats with 29 points and 15 rebounds. Mary Hyde led the Red Raiders with 26 points.

Last year, Virginia Schneider was one of the top shooters in the area for O'Brien Tech. But a medical condition has forced her life to change. Read her story here.

Hillhouse point guard Andreana Thomas played in her second game of the year Thursday against Mercy, after missing the first six with a leg injury. She played all 32 minutes and finished with eight points in the Academics 49-45 win.

Despite 10 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks from Lauren Okafor, Hopkins fell 53-33 to L.I. Lutheran.

Platt Tech fell 52-29 to East Granby. Aaliyah Bohannon led the Panthers with 14 points.

O’Brien Tech lost 61-22 to Kaynor Tech. Sasha Quinones hadd 12 poins for the Condors.

Mercy had its chances during the closing stages, but couldn’t capitalize.

The result?

A 49-45 win over the No. 6 Tigers for No. 3 Hillhouse.

Within striking distance, Mercy missed five of its final six free throws and had several good looks from the perimeter, which didn’t go down.

Hillhouse led most of the way, but never by more than six points.

Amber Bepko finished with 14 points to lead the Tigers. Bria Holmes led the Academics with 14 points.

In her second game back from her leg injury, Andreana Thomas played the whole game and finished with eight points. She hit two key 3-pointers in the final quarter.

Hamden Hall junior Dreisen Heath was named the Register Athlete of the Week. Check out a video interview with Heath here.

The Connecticut Sun have selected Portland as its team of the week for the week of Jan. 4 through Jan. 10.

Portland knocked off defending Class S champion Old Lyme 40-37 on Jan. 5, and followed with a 76-9 victory over Westbrook.

Hamden Hall senior Ellen Rich pulled down the 1,000th rebound of her career tonight. She finished the game 17 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks. She became the first girl in school history to reach the milestone.

However, the Hornets fell 44-42 to King. St. John's-bound Brianna Brown hit a game-winning runner in the lane with 7 seconds left for King. She finished with a game-high 25 points.

Lauralton Hall coach Steve Schuler couldn't have predicted Tuesday night's game against Pomperaug any better.

He said it would much different from the first meeting. It was. Pomperaug coasted to a 72-52 win over the Crusaders, which beat the Panthers 39-32 earlier in the year.

He said Pomperaug's Katie Cizynski and Lauralton Hall's Keylantra Langley would both get theirs. He was right. Both picked apart the opposing defense and finished with 23 points each.

He said it would come down to the secondary players. Langley didn't get much help. As for Cizynksi, Nicole Welton and Morgan Manz both finished in double figures.

Both teams moved to 8-1.

Schuler also predicted this wouldn't be the last time the two SWC powerhouses will meet. He'll likely be right about that, too, setting up a potential must-see conference championship game.

Both teams are deep and talented. But Career just had a little more of both in its 61-53 win over the Branford.

Four Panthers scored in double figures, led by Nicole Bentley's 17 points off the bench.

Branford cut the Career lead to six points early in the fourth quarter, but that's as close as the Hornets would get.

"They executed better than us," Branford coach Ted Kaczynski said. "They were more patient than us on offense. We couldn't get close enough to put some pressure on them."

Speaking of pressure, Branford did do a superb job of handling Career's defensive pressure. That was a concern coming in. But the Hornets problem was after they did break down the defense, they had trouble finishing.

Courtney Schissler led Branford with 19 points and Brittany Kenney added 17 points. Kendall Milles chipped in with eight points.

The teams will meet again on Feb. 1. That will likely decide the SCC Oronoque Division race.

"We certainly showed we can play with them," Kaczynski said. "We just have to bring our A game."

Nicole Bentley led three players in double figures with 17 points to lift Career over Branford 61-53.
Courtney Schissler had 19 points and nine rebounds for Branford.

Keylantra Langley poured in 23 points, but Lauralton Hall fell 72-52 to Pomperaug. Katie Cizynski led the Panthers with 23 points. Pomperaug outscored the Crusaders 39-23 in the second half.

Courtney Brown had 14 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks in Hillhouse’s 51-32 win over Guilford. Andreana Thomas scored seven points in 18 minutes in her return from a knee injury.

Shaniqua Fuller finished with 21 points, 20 rebounds and four steals in Wilbur Cross’ 50-30 victory over Lyman Hall. Aaliyah Robinson added 17 points, eight rebounds and six steals for the Governors.

Nicole Acerra scored a season-high 25 points as East Haven knocked off North Haven 53-40.

Kristin Mooney finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals in Ansonia’s 51-37 win over Seymour.

Sasha Quinones finished with a team-high eight points in O’Brien Tech’s 39-25 loss to Abbott Tech.

Julia Strobel had 13 to lead three players in double figures as Cheshire edged Shelton 43-41.

Samantha Mancinelli scored 23 points to lift Coginchaug to a 64-58 win over Haddam-Killingworth. Jordan Shultz finished with 24 points in a losing effort for the Cougars.

Erica MacAvoy had 14 points, but Old Saybrook fell 61-49 to Cromwell.

Cara Deroy dropped in 26 points and Lianna Carrero added 22 points in Hamden’s 76-50 win over Hand.

Sadie Edwards and Maura Calamari combined for 31 points in Mercy’s 56-39 win over West Haven.

Catherine Logan scored 16 points for Old Lyme in the Wildcats’ 53-22 win over Valley Regional. Alli McDougall led the Warriors with 11 points.

Isnede Milfort scored 11 points in a losing effort as Bunnell fell 50-31 to Kolbe Cathedral.

Damika Martinez poured in 33 points as Platt edged Bristol Central 59-51 in overtime.

Aaliyah Bohannon scored 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds as Platt Tech coasted to a 51-8 win over Goodwin Tech.

Behind Chelsea Neelon’s 11 points, Sheehan cruised to a 50-21 win over Amity.

Lauralton Hall coach Steve Schuler was asked about tonight's matchup between his No. 2 Crusaders and No. 8 Pomperaug at Southbury (7 p.m.).

His response?

"What game," Schuler said sarcastically.

He knew. And anyone else who follows girls' basketball around the state knows as well.
A pair of top 10 teams, both which boast a division I-bound player, is certainly the featured game on tonight's girls' hoops schedule.

Schuler said he expects it to be much different game in comparison to the first meeting this season between the two South-West Conference powerhouses.

Pomperaug's Katie Cizynski, a formidable post player headed to Fairfield, found herself in early foul trouble in the first game. Meanwhile, Lauralton Hall's Keylantra Langley, who will play at St. John's next season, shot a dreadful 4-of-26 from the field. The Crusaders ended up beating Pomperaug 39-32.

But if all goes according to plan, both will be major factors tonight. Schuler says the difference, though, will come down to another player, one who steps up and plays beyond expectations.

The Panthers will be looking to avenge their only loss this season. As for the Crusaders, they hope to keep their undefeated season going.

"This probably won't be the last time we see them," said Schuler, referring to a potential matchup with the Panthers in the SWC tournament.

In a battle between the two Milford schools, Casey Dulin finished with 23 points to lead Law over Foran 67-56. Annie Raucci had 15 points to lead three players in double figures for the Lions.

Sarah Thompson had 17 points as Morgan edged North Branford 41-38.

Kelsey Svenson scored 17 points in a losing effort as Notre Dame-Fairfield beat Oxford 41-39.

Despite 19 points and 30 rebounds from Lauren Okafor, Hopkins fell 56-51 to Choate.

Looking to snap its 36-game losing streak, Hyde fell to Westbrook Monday night 34-26. The Howling Wolves led Westbrook 22-20 entering the final quarter. Westbrook rallied though, outscoring Hyde 14-4 in the fourth.

Hillhouse coach Catrina Hawley-Stewart said Academics junior point guard Andreana Thomas will return to action Tuesday night against Guilford.

Thomas, a Register All-State selection last year, has yet to play this season because of a leg injury.

How much will she play Tuesday night?

"As much as she can without wearing her out," Hawley-Stewart said.

Hawley-Stewart added she will base Thomas' status for Thursday's game against Mercy on her performance against Guilford.

Thomas averaged 16.4 points, 11 assists and five steals for the Academics last season.

Foran will host Law tonight at 7 p.m. in the first meeting between the two Milford schools.

The Eagles may be the favorite, but don't count out the Lions.

Foran has won five of its last six and fell by just five points to Guilford Friday, a team that beat Law earlier this year.

The Lions will need a big game from their top scorer Annie Raucci (14.1 ppg) as well as Cristina LaPenna. LaPenna has shown glimpses of her talent (23 points against West Haven and 16 points against Guilford) and will need a similar performance if Foran has a shot.

As for Law, the Eagles have proved they can be a balanced team. But expect the Marist-bound Casey Dulin to try and take over in this one. She poured in 21 points in a win over Foran last season.

It’s been a while. To be exact, 724 days. That’s the last time Hyde won.

The Howling Wolves defeated Hale-Ray 28-22 on Jan. 17, 2008. And today, they could potentially snap a 36-game losing streak.

The Howling Wolves will play host to Westbrook at 6:30 p.m., a team that edged Hyde 35-34 last month. The Howling Wolves came back from a 12-point deficit with under 5 minutes left in the last meeting.

“We’re definitely looking forward to the rematch,” Hyde first-year coach Tracy Claxton said. “They’re working hard. They’re excited. We’re ready for them.”

Here's a look at the latest Register Top 10 poll...

1. Northwest Catholic
2. Lauralton Hall
3. Hillhouse
4. Norwich Free Academy
5. Berlin
6. Mercy
7. Bacon Academy
8. Pomperaug
9. Torrington 248
10. Career

For the complete poll, click here.

Stratford snapped its 97-game South-West Conference losing streak with a 48-45 win over Bethel Friday night.

Keylantra Langley scored her 1,000th-career point as Lauralton Hall knocked off Kolbe Cathedral. Langley finished with 24 points, five assists and four rebounds. Nicola Matero added 18 points for the Crusaders.

Bacon Academy coach Dave Shea earned his 600th career victory in the Bobcats 71-39 win over Sports Medical Sciences Academy.

Damika Martinez scored her 1,000th-career point for Platt in the Panthers 62-27 win over Bulkeley. Martinez finished with 27 points.

Dreisen Heath scored 17 points and handed out five assists in Hamden Hall’s 49-38 win over Christian Heritage. Ellen Rich added 11 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks for the Hornets.

Sadie Edwards’ 18 points led Mercy to a 62-39 victory over Hamden. Amber Bepko added 17 points for the Tigers.

Kristin Mooney filled up the stat sheet with 25 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and one block in Ansonia’s 50-46 win over Naugatuck. The Chargers outscored Naugatuck 17-8 in the fourth quarter.

Guilford beat Foran 57-52. Kelly Ann Rooney had a game-high 19 points.

Bria Holmes led three players in double figures with 23 points in Hillhouse’s 73-48 win over Hand. Kelsey Cuddy had 20 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the Tigers.

Nicole Bentley had a game-high 16 points in Career’s 60-29 win over city rival Wilbur Cross. Shaniqua Fuller finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and three blocks for the Governors.

Felicia Ferraro scored 19 points to go along with eight assists, eight rebounds and six steals in Lyman Hall’s 48-40 win over Cheshire. The Trojans played with their top two scorers, Jen Ruys and Lindsay Karle, along with Brittany Mappa, who were all out with injuries.

Behind 15 points from Melissa Corraro, Shelton edged Amity 48-44. Jen Post had 10 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and three assists in a losing effort.

Casey Dulin poured in 21 points as Law coasted past Sacred Heart Academy 64-48.

Branford cruised to a 43-16 win over North Haven. Courtney Schissler finished with 18 points for Hornets.

Emily Anderson had 16 points to lift Haddam-Killingworth to a 46-33 win over Valley Regional.

Jordyn Tolomeo finished with 10 points in a losing effort as Oxford fell 45-38 to Brookfield.

Bunnell continues to roll, beating New Fairfield 51-43. Chloe Dyke had a career-high 18 points.

Christina Cretella finished with 14 points, but Seymour fell to Crosby 45-37.

Mary Hyde dropped 23 points as Derby beat Kennedy 43-29.

Melissa Bastian and Kelcy Carlson combined for 34 points for Morgan, in the Huskies 66-49 win over Old Saybrook.

Old Lyme cruised to a 54-29 win over Hyde behind a balanced attack led by Nikki Strizzi’s 12 points.

Ashley Volkens’ nine points led Platt Tech to a 40-21 win over Abbott Tech.

Portland clobbered Westbrook 76-9. Kelly Coleman finished with a game-high 14 points.

Sheehan outscored East Haven 22-5 in the first half and went on to beat the Easties 44-24. Bre Butler finished with 22 for the Titans.

A pair of milestones may be reached tonight.

Lauralton Hall's Keylantra Langley is on pace to score her 1,000th career point. She is 18 points shy. It won't be easy for Langley, as the Crusaders will host Kolbe Cathedral tonight at 7 p.m.

Also, Bacon Academy coach Dave Shea could get his 600th career victory tonight. The Bobcats will travel to face Sports and Medical Sciences Academy tonight at 7 p.m.

Check out a video interview with the St. John's-bound Langley here.

Also, check out a video with the Register Boys' Athlete of the Week: Branford's Taylor Sullivan

Kelsey Svenson had 12 points to lead Oxford to a 55-16 win over Amistad Academy. Sixteen players saw the floor for Oxford. Sahara Murphy led the Wolves with 11 points.

Despite 18 points from Alyssa Long-Jeffrey, O’Brien Tech fell to Wilcox Tech 68-43. Sasha Quinones added 15 points for the Condors.

After losing point guard Shantel Thompson for the season, Wilbur Cross will be without starter Alexis Boyd (ankle) for at least a week, according to coach Michelle Cabaldon.

Cabaldon also said Governors sophomore Aaliyah Robinson, another starter, is day-to-day with a calf injury.

Lyman Hall’s Lindsay Karle, Brittany Mappa and Jen Ruys will all miss Friday’s game against Cheshire because of injuries, according to Trojans coach Tom Lipka.

All were injured in Tuesday’s win over Shelton.

Karle (severe shin bruise) and Mappa (knee injury) both may be back for Tuesday’s game against Wilbur Cross. Ruys (stress fracture in back) is out indefinitely.

A 53-50 win over Hyde Tuesday, gave Haddam-Killingworth coach Jim Bombaci his 450th career win.
Though still a solid team, the wins, however, won't pile up as high as they did last year for the Bombaci and the Cougars, the defending Shoreline Conference champions.

Bombaci called it a rebuilding year for his 4-3 squad. They replaced three starters.
Haddam-Killingworth has been in every game this season. The Cougars fell 49-40 to North Branford. They fell 43-40 to Coginchuag, a team with just one loss. They also went dropped an overtime game to Canton in their holiday tournament.

He praised the play of his five starters: Senior Jordan Schultz, junior Emily Anderson, junior Lauren Muise, junior Carley Mooney and sophomore Shaina Rowley.

"We've lost three, but we've been right there in each game," Bombaci said. "They never give up. They've given me everything. I can't ask for more."

Read about the No. 1 team in the Register Top 10 poll in this story from the Hartford Courant.

Dreisen Heath poured in 29 points as Hamden Hall coasted to a 64-18 win over MacDuffie. Heath moved into sixth among area scoring leaders.
Ellen Rich added 18 points for the Hornets.

Of the 49 points per game Lyman Hall is averaging this season, 31.1 of them went down with injury Tuesday night against Shelton.

Forward Jen Ruys (11.9 ppg), who has been battling a back injury played for a few minutes in the first quarter, but she went to the bench because of the injury and never returned.

Meanwhile, leading scorer Lindsay Karle (15 ppg) went to the bench with a leg injury and Brittany Mappa (4.2 ppg) left the game with a knee injury, the same knee that forced her to miss all of last season.

Trojans coach Tom Lipka said all are day-to-day for now and he was unsure if they would play Friday against Cheshire.

Lyman Hall still managed to beat Shelton 48-31. Felicia Ferraro had 15 points, 11 rebounds, nine steals and five assists to lead the Trojans.

Branford resident Kathleen Timmons scored the 1,000 point of her career for Portsmouth Abbey School (Portsmouth, R.I.) in a game last month.

The senior finished the game - a 56-33 win over Newtown - tying her career high with 30 points, while pulling down 10 rebounds.

Timmons became just the second girl in school history to reach the 1,000-point milestone.

Timmons may be able to crack the school's all-time scoring mark of 1,490 held by former boys' standout A.J. Beaulieu.

Molly Poryanda was a formidable presence in the post and poured in 17 points in Branford's 62-50 win over Wilbur Cross Tuesday night.

North Haven’s Olivia DiCapua hit a layup with five seconds left to force overtime, but the Indians fell 52-49 to Amity.Nkenge Blue finished with 24 points. She went 10-of-21 from the free-throw line. DiCapua had 18 points for North Haven.

Courtney Brown scored 12 points and 15 rebounds in Hillhouse’s 66-57 win over Law. Bria Holmes had a game-high 22 points for the Academics. Casey Dulin had 19 points in a losing effort.

Courtney Schissler scored 20 points and Molly Poryanda added 17 points as Branford beat Wilbur Cross 62-50. The Hornets jumped out to 17-4 first-quarter advantage. Shaniqua Fuller led the Governors with 16 points.

Kelly Ann Rooney poured in 23 points and Jenna Bellantoni added 18 points in Guilford’s 68-58 win over Hand. Amanda Leonardi had 23 points and eight rebounds for the Tigers. Guilford shot 56 percent from the field.

Kelly Coleman had 13 points as Portland remained undefeated with a 40-37 win over Old Lyme.

Keylantra Langley finished with 21 points in Lauralton Hall’s 53-37 win over Brookfield. Langley is now 18 points shy of 1,000 for her career. Devon Leahy and Cassie Gildea each had 10 rebounds for the Crusaders.

Lyman Hall knocked off Shelton 48-31. Felicia Ferraro had 15 points, 11 rebounds, nine steals and five assists for the Trojans.

It took a pair of overtimes, but North Branford held off Old Saybrook 56-52. Katie Saunders had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Thunderbirds. Kelly Ratchford led the Rams with 19 points.

Isnede Milfort finished with 18 points for Bunnell, in the Bulldogs’ 47-38 win over Notre Dame-Fairfield.

Bria Moore and J’Voni Hilton combined for 42 points in Career’s 69-20 victory over East Haven. The Panthers held a 26-3 lead after the first quarter.

Annie Raucci had 10 points to lead a balanced attack in Foran’s 58-19 win over Platt Tech. The Lions have won five straight.

Jackie Morressey had 24 points, but Oxford fell to Immaculate 65-50.

Amber Bepko scored 19 points and Sadie Edwards added 14 in Mercy’s 61-30 win over Sacred Heart Academy. The Tigers outscored the Pacers 28-5 in the third quarter.

Alyssa Long-Jeffrey had a game-high 17 points for O’Brien Tech in the Condors’ 36-19 win over Whitney Tech.

Bre Butler posted 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in Sheehan’s 45-41 win over Cheshire.

Mary Hyde poured in 19 points in a losing effort, as Derby fell 52-27 to St. Paul.

Amber Martinez finished with 18 points, but Seymour fell to Wolcott 61-44.

The Connecticut Sun named Northwest Catholic its team of the week for Dec. 28 through Jan. 3.

The Indians, the top team in the Register Top 10 poll, put the finishing touches on an impressive week, knocking off Berlin, the previous No. 1 team, 38-28.

Northwest Catholic also beat East Catholic 54-27 and Avon 47-38 last week.

Guilford at Hand, 5:30 p.m.: It may have lost a little competitiveness with Hand's Kerry Wallack out, but it's still a big rivalry.

Brookfield at Lauralton Hall, 7 p.m.: One of these South-West Conference powerhouses will pick up there first loss of the season.

Hillhouse at Law, 7 p.m.: It will be interesting to see how Casey Dulin fares against the Academics.

Cheshire at Sheehan, 7 p.m.: This could be a measuring stick to see if the Rams will be in the mix for another SCC Housatonic Division title.

Branford at Wilbur Cross, 7 p.m.: The Governors' Shaniqua Fuller and Branford's Courtney Schissler - two of the area's best - will go head-to-head tonight in this SCC Oronoque Division game.

Portland at Old Lyme, 7 p.m.: Portland's the last undefeated team left in the Shoreline Conference. That could be in jeopardy tonight when Portland takes on the defending Class S champions.

Holy Cross at Torrington, 7 p.m.: Two of the NVL's best square off.

Please check out our boys' basketball page here.

In the only area game Monday, Coginchaug coasted past Sports & Medical Sciences Academy 56-34.

Samantha Mancinelli led the Blue Devils with 20 points and Audrey Biesak added 16 points.

Can anyone stop Damika Martinez?

Platt's 5-foot-7 junior is averaging 34 points over her last four games. Martinez has scored more than half the Panthers' points during that stretch.

Back on Dec. 18, Martinez poured in 41 points in a win over Simsbury. That was just two points shy of a school record. She has led Platt to a 6-1 mark so far.

It will be interesting to see how Martinez fares on Jan. 15 against Berlin, one of the top teams in the state.

Oh yeah, Martinez can play defense too. As a sophomore, she set the school record with 64 blocks.

The way Branford coach Ted Kaczynski illustrates what Courtney Schissler faces on a game-by-game basis, it’s difficult to understand how she is managing to lead the area in scoring.

Kaczynski rattles off schemes like box-and-one, double team and ball denial. Schissler is undoubtedly the focal point of opposing defenses.

As Kaczynski carries on, it becomes clear as to why Schissler remains effective.

“It’s her desire and aggressiveness,” he says about his Bryant-bound senior. “She makes the most of her opportunities and does what it takes to score.”

Kaczynski follows that up with some stats. Of course, there is her 23.2 points per game. The 5-foot-11 Schissler is also averaging 11 rebounds per game and gets a lot of points off putbacks.

When she gets the ball near the basket, she finishes. Schissler is shooting 57 percent from the field, not to mention 90 percent from the free-throw line.

She can shoot too, and will play on the wing at Bryant. But she hasn’t gotten much of an opportunity to showcase her jumper, since opposing defenses smother her when she touches the ball.

Schissler averaged 18.9 points and pulled down 11.1 rebounds last year, and was a Register All-Area selection. She continues to progress. Kaczynski says she is learning to move without the ball this year and he hopes the Hornets’ scoring will become more balanced, consequently opening more up for Schissler.

Regardless, she will likely still find ways to score.

“She’s a coach’s nightmare to prepare for,” West Haven coach Jim Eagan said of Schissler, who dropped 24 points earlier this season against the Westies. “She’s a complete player. She can post up and go outside and shoot the jumper. She has the whole package. She’s one of the best players I’ve gone up against in my 30 years.”

Here's a look at the latest Register Top 10 poll.

1. Northwest Catholic
2. Lauralton Hall
3. Hillhouse
4. Berlin
5. Norwich Free Academy
6. Mercy
7. Bacon Academy
8. Pomperaug
9. Torrington
10. Career

For the complete poll, please click here.

Christina Cretella finished with eight points and grabbed eight rebounds as Seymour earned its first win of the season, knocking off Sacred Heart 36-32.

Kristen Mooney had eight points, 15 rebounds, five assists one block and one steal for Ansonia, but the Chargers fell to Holy Cross 60-44.

Mary Hyde scored 13 points in Derby's 71-41 loss to Torrington.

The top two teams the Register Top 10 poll will square off Saturday.

No. 1 Berlin will travel to face No. 2 Northwest Catholic at 7 p.m. Both teams are 6-0.

It will be interesting to see which will prevail: The Redcoats' inside game led by
the Siena-bound Katelyn Zarotney or the Indians' speedy, four-guard lineup?

It should be an exciting one. In the words of Terrell Owens, get your popcorn ready.