Follow all the nhregister.com coverage of girls high school basketball throughout the state on their way to Mohegan Sun Arena, the site of this year's championship weekend, March 19-20.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Register Top 10 Poll
1. Northwest Catholic
2. Pomperaug
3. Norwich Free Academy
4. E.O. Smith
5. Lauralton Hall
6. Wethersfield
7. Branford
8. Berlin
9. Hillhouse
10. Bacon Academy
Keylantra Langley scored just 12 points and Lauralton Hall fell 65-60 to Pomperaug in the SWC championship game. Katie Cizynski had 31 points for the Panthers.
King beat Hamden Hall 57-51 to win the Fairchester League title. Dreisen Heath had 25 points and seven assists for the Hornets.
In other championship games around the state...
Norwich Free Academy beat Bacon Acaemy 58-33 to win the ECC title.
St. Joseph beat Trinity Catholic 47-38 to win the FCIAC title.
Capital Prep knocked off Kaynor Tech 54-27 to capture the CSC title.
Originally scheduled for tonight, the SWC title game between Pomperaug and Lauralton Hall has been moved to Saturday night at 7:30 at Weston because of weather conditions.
SWC Championship May Be Moving and Mahoney Out For Title Game?
The SWC Girls Basketball final between Lauralton Hall and Pomperaug is scheduled for Friday night at Bunnell.
If weather forces the championship to be moved to Saturday, it will be played at Westion.
Also, Bacon Acamdey junior Katie Mahoney injured her knee in the Bobcats ECC semifinal win over Windham. Her status for Friday's title game is unknown.
Reported by the Hartford Courant, Northwest Catholic remained undefeated and handed E.O. Smith its first loss of the year with a 41-34 win in the CCC championship tonight.
Keylantra Langley scored 28 points to lead top-seeded Lauralton Hall over No. 3 Kolbe Cathedral 51-44.
No. 2 Pomperaug cruised to a 55-36 win over Brookfield, setting up a Crusaders-Panthers SWC championship Friday at Bunnell. The teams split in the regular season.
Dreisen Heath scored 24 points to lead Hamden Hall to a 42-34 win over Rye in the Fairchester League semifinals.
Meanwhile, Hopkins fell to King 57-49. Lauren Okafor had 26 points for the Hilltoppers.
That sets up a championship between No. 2 Hamden Hall and top-seeded King Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Led by St. John’s-bound Keylantra Langley, Lauralton Hall gets the No. 1 seed in this bracket. The Crusaders did not get a friendly draw. No. 16 Glastonbury is no slouch and may be a tough game for the Crusaders in the second round. No. 9 Mercy and No. 8 Stamford both get first-round byes and will the winner could face the Crusaders in the quarterfinals.
A Class LL finalist last year, No. 4 Career draws a bye as well. The Panthers get the winner of No. 13 Hamden and No. 20 New Britain.
No. 5 Holy Cross gets a bye. No. 12 Danbury draws No. 21 Sacred Heart Academy. The Pacers have upset a few teams during the regular season, but may have a tough time with Danbury’s Casey Smith inside.
No. 2 St. Joseph is happy to have top scorer Michelle Gorman back after she missed a few weeks with an illness. Wilbur Cross reached the semifinals as the No. 13 seed last year. The Governors have an outside chance as the No. 18 seed this year. If Cross can get by No. 18 East Catholic, it gets the Cadets in the second round.
No. 3 Norwich Free Academy played perhaps the toughest non-conference schedule to prepare for the state tournament. For what? The Wildcats could probably play without Kastine Evans and reach the semifinals.
Don’t know if it will happen because of the Crusaders’ draw, but Evans and Langley would be a great matchup in the title game.
Top-seeded Northwest Catholic may meet with No. 9 Hillhouse, the defending champion, in the quarterfinals.
No. 5 Pomperaug and No. 4 Berlin is also a possible quarterfinal game.
No. 6 Bacon Academy (defending Class M champion) loses just once in the regular season and its reward? A possible matchup with SCC champion No. 11 Branford in the second round. Then the winner of that game gets Abigail Corning and No. 3 Wethersfield. That’s all before the semifinals.
No. 16 Bunnell faces No. 17 Weaver and scoring machine Latiqua Patterson in the opening round.
No. 13 Lyman Hall draws No. 20 Fermi and may face Berlin in the second round. The Redcoats reached the Class M final last year, but are still without sharpshooter Alexys Vazquez. Lyman Hall also without its top post player in Jen Ruys.
E.O. Smith draws the No. 2 seed. The Panthers are still undefeated, but play top-seeded Northwest Catholic tonight for the CCC title.
No. 15 Platt has one of the field’s top players in Damika Martinez. The Panthers will face. No. 18 Wilby in their opening game.
NVL powerhouse Torrington earns the No. 7 seed. The Red Raiders one of the best guards in Class L in Sarah Royals.
No one in the state may be playing better than Branford’s Courtney Schissler. The Hornets open with SCC foe No. 22 Guilford.
There are so many contenders in this field. But if Hillhouse can get by Northwest Catholic, the Academics are the pick to repeat as Class L champs.
Defending champion Bacon Academy has moved up to Class L, so there will be a new Class M queen this year.
High-scoring senior Brittany Martelle and Brookfield earn the top seed.
No. 25 Foran may cause some problems for Brookfield if the two teams met up in the quarterfinals, and that’s if the Lions can knock off No. 8 Suffield.
Morgan draws the No. 9 seed. The Huskies fell to Cromwell in the Shoreline Conference semifinals last night.
No. 5 Law, led by the field’s top player in Casey Dulin, may get knocked off by No. 12 Immaculate.
Sheehan gets the No. 2 seed and earns a first-round bye.
Windham gets the No. 3 seed. But it’s a down year for the ECC and the Whippets will likely run into No. 6 Kolbe Cathedral in the quarterfinals.
A quick favorite in this bracket? Which ever teams wins the semifinal game between Kolbe Cathedral and Sheehan will be the last team standing at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Top-seeded Thomaston could meet up with defending Class S champion Old Lyme in the quarterfinals. The No. 8 Wildcats would have to get by No. 9 Portland, which has one of the top players in the field in Kelly Coleman.
A pesky Capital Prep team is seeded No. 4 and will cause problems for teams without strong ballhandlers.
Coginchaug looks to rebound as the No. 5 seed after being knocked off in the Shoreline Conference semifinals.
No. 21 Derby, led by another one of the field’s top players in Mary Hyde, could be a tough matchup for the Blue Devils in the second round.
Bolton (19-1) draws the No. 2 seed. Cromwell, playing for a Shoreline Conference title Friday, gets the No. 7 seed and could be a factor in this tournament.
No. 3 St. Paul may be the favorite to come out of the bottom half of the bracket.
No. 22 Platt Tech may get knocked out in the first round by No. 11 Canton, but the Panthers have the tallest player in the field by far in 6-foot-4 freshman Aaliyah Bohannon.
The South-West Conference gets two top seeds in Lauralton Hall (Class LL) and Brookfield (Class M). Undefeated Northwest Catholic is the No. 1 seed in Class L. Thomaston, also still without a loss, draws the top seed in Class S.
Alex Marchinkoski poured in 20 points as No. 3 Cromwell knocked off No. 2 Morgan 54-36. Cromwell outscored Morgan 35-20 in the second half.
Kelly Coleman scored a game-high 20 points to lift No. 4 Portland to a 46-32 win over top-seeded Coginchaug. Sam Mancinelli had 18 points for the Blue Devils.
Cromwell will face Portland for the Shoreline Conference championship Friday (7 p.m.) at Coginchaug.
Branford becomes the lowest seed to win the SCC championship as the No. 7 Hornets knocked off top-seeded Hillhouse 70-57 tonight at the TD Bank Sports Center.
Courtney Schissler led the Hornets with 30 points, 25 in the second half. She also had 10 rebounds. She earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player honor.
Bria Holmes finished with 18 points for Hillhouse. Andreana Thomas added 12 points, but shot just 4-of-30 from the field.
Looks like Branford is going to become the lowest-seeded team to win an SCC title. The No. 7 Hornets lead top-seeded Hillhouse 65-54 with 1:39 left. Courtney Schissler now has 29 points, 24 in the second half.
Free throws are hurting Hillhouse. Janaya Bradley just missed two free throws and Hillhouse is now 9-of-19 from the free-throw line. Branford is 14-of-19 from the line. After a Courtney Schissler layup, the Hornets are on a 7-2 run and lead 59-50 with 3:01 left.
Andreana Thomas did sink a 3-pointer from the left wing to halt an 8-0 Branford run, but the Hillhouse point guard can't find her shot. She is just 3-of-20 from the field.
Kaitlin Kenney hit a 3-pointer just before the third-quarter buzzer to give Branford a 48-43 lead heading into the final period.
Branford is handling Hillhouse's full-court pressure well. A layup from Molly Poryanda just gave Branford a 41-40 advantage. Catrina Hawley-Stewart just called a timeout for hillhouse with 2:20 left in the third.
Hillhouse continues to deny Courtney Schissler the ball. Her teammates continue to keep Branford in the game. Brittney Kenney just drained a long jumper from the left corner. Hillhouse leads 38-35 midway through the third quarter.
Hillhouse leads 33-27 at the half. The Academics closed out the second quarter with a 15-4 run.
Bria Holmes is showing why she is a national recruit. With Andreana Thomas struggling (2-for-11, four points), Holmes has 15 points and seven rebounds.
Colleen Smith is doing a good job on Courtney Schissler. Schissler has just five points and is 1-for-5 from the field. Kendall Milles leads the Hornets with nine points (three 3-pointers).
Branford is falling apart a little. Full-court pressure from Hillhouse caused two turnovers and a pair of free throws form Janaya Bradley put the Academics ahead 31-26 with 1:30 left.
Courtney Schissler seems to be getting a little frustrated. Colleeen Smith won't let her touch the ball. But Branford's role players are stepping up. Kendall Milles has nine points on three 3-pointers.
The game is tied at 23 with 3:11 left in the half.
Branford coach Ted Kaczynski just called a timeout. Hillhouse is beginning to settle down. Off of Branford's seventh turnover, Bria Holmes drove in for an uncontested layup and the Academics trail 19-18 with 4:57 left.
Hillhouse lost to Wilbur Cross late in the regular season, a team Branford beat three times this year.
Branford has the size and toughness to matchup with Hillhouse, not the speed though.
Hillhouse has struggled shooting from the perimeter this season, but have lit it up from outside with 13 3-pointers in the last two games.
Branford needs to figure out Hillhouse's matchup zone early in order to have a chance.
Also, the Hornets need the role players to contribute. Courtney Schissler scored 33 of Branford's 45 points last night. Hillhouse coach Catrina Hawley-Stewart won't let that happen.
Only five players for Branford typically get quality minutes and the Hornets have been known to get in foul trouble, so a lack of depth may come into play.
Sometimes suburban schools seem to get intimidated by the city teams. Branford is not one of them.
Bria Holmes and Andreana Thomas seem to be at the top of their game right now. Will that continue tonight.
The SCC all-division teams will be announced at halftime. Here's a look at those that will be honored.
All-Oronoque
Shaniqua Fuller, Wilbur Cross
J'Voni Hilton, Career
Jasmine Claxton, Career
Bria Moore, Career
Molly Poryanda, Branford
Courtney Schissler, Branford
All-Hammonasset
Annie Goodrich, Guilford
Annie Raucci, Foran
Casey Dulin, Law
Courtney Brown, Hillhouse
Bria Holmes, Hillhouse
Andreana Thomas, Hillhouse
All-Housatonic
Bre Butler, Sheehan
Jen Ruys, Lyman Hall
Kelly Riddle, Cheshire
Lindsay Karle, Lyman Hall
Nkenge Blue, Amity
Mollie Hamel, Sheehan
It's about 30 minutes until tip off here at the TD Bank Sports Center between No. 7 Branford and No. 1 Hillhouse.
Some pregame notes...
Hillhouse is 19-3 and have won its third straight SCC Hammonasset Division title this season.
This is the 12th time the Academics have made the SCC tournament and they have won a league-best five titles, including last year. Hillhouse is looking for its ninth title-game appearance.
Branford is 19-4 and finished second in the SCC Oronoque Division. The Hornets are making their ninth SCC tournament appearance. This is their third title game appearance and they have never won the title.
Branford is looking to become the lowest seeded team to win an SCC title (Sacred Heart Academy won in 1996 as the No. 5 seed).
The No. 1 seed has won the league tournament eight of the 15 years.
This is the first meeting between Branford and Hillhouse this season.
The Connecticut Sun have named Sheehan as their girls' high school basketball team of the week for Feb. 15-21.
Posting an 8-14 mark a year ago, the Titans put the finishing touches on a 16-4 regular season with a 58-33 win over Platt Tech. Sheehan earned a share of the SCC Housatonic Division title with Lyman Hall.
E.O. Smith edged Wethersfield 60-59 and Northwest Catholic beat Manchester 48-38. That sets up a meeting between the Panthers and the Indians - both which are undefeated - in the Central Connecticut Conference championship game Wednesday at New Britain.
For a look at the area scores from Monday, click here.
Never much of a contest, Hillhouse cruised to its ninth leauge championship berth with a 66-38 win over Lyman Hall.
Andreana Thomas led Hillhouse with 27 points and seven assists. Bria Holmes added 16 points. Sophie St. Hilaire led Lyman Hall with 11 points.
Hillhouse jumped out to a 37-22 lead. The top-seeded Academics will face No. 7 Branford Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the title game.
A basket by Andreana Thomas at the buzzer of the third quarter gave Hillhouse a 51-32 lead.
Thomas and Bria Holmes have combined for 31 points so far for the Academics.
Janaya Bradley's layup put the finishing touches on a 37-22 lead for Hillhouse entering halftime.
Andreana Thomas leads Hillhouse with 11 points. Bria Holmes has nine points. Hillhouse is shooting 62 percent from the field.
Lindsay Karle has 10 points for Lyman Hall, which is shooting just 31 percent.
Top-seeded Hillhouse leads No. 5 Lyman Hall 20-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Adnreana Thomas had nine points and three assists to lead the Academics in the first quarter. Lyman Hall doesn't seem to have an answer to Hillhouse's matchup zone. The Trojans are shooting 30 percent from the field.
The top-seeded Academics come in at 18-3. Hillhouse is making its 12th SCC playoff appearance. The Academics have won a league-best five titles and are the defending conference champions. Hillhouse beat No. 8 Hamden to advance to the semifinals. Sophomore Bria Holmes is the Academics top scorer at 19.8 ppg.
No. 5 Lyman Hall enters at 17-5. The Trojans are making their eighth SCC tournament appearance. Lyman Hall has reached the championship twice, winning once in 1998. The Trojans did not play Hillhouse in the regular season. Lindsay Karle leads Lyman Hall at 14.8 ppg.
Branford just stormed the court after coming from behind and knocking off Mercy 45-40. Courtney Schissler led the Hornets with 33 points and eight rebounds.
Courtney Schissler just drew a fourth foul on Amber Bepko. Bepko is still in the game. Schissler sank both free throws to knot the game at 31 with 5:40 left.
Mercy coach Tim Kohs just called another timeout. Branford trails 26-19 with 3:23 left in the third quarter, but has opened the period with a 7-2 run and Molly Poryanda is on the free-throw line after drawing a third foul on Amber Bepko.
Also, Branford has not turned the ball over this quarter, after committing 14 turnovers in the first half.
The Hornets have pressed Mercy early here in the third quarter and have moved Courtney Schissler on point guard Sadie Edwards. Schissler had three fouls. Mercy leads 26-18.
Mercy coach Tim Kohs just called an early timeout in the third quarter.
Mallory Perry missed an easy layup in transition for the Tigers and Kendall Milles made Mercy pay with a 3-pointer from the right wing for the first basket of the period.
The Tigers outscored Branford 10-2 in the second quarter. Courtney Schissler scored Branford's only basket of the period with 1:16 left to play in the half.
Amber Bepko leads the Tigers with 11 points. Sadie Edwards also has seven.
The Tigers are only shooting 30 percent, but are getting the job done defensively. Branford turned the ball over 14 times in the first half and shot just 25 percent.
Schissler leads the Hornets with eight points.
Branford is having trouble containing Mercy freshman Sadie Edwards. The guard has seven points. She netted a 3-pointer from the left corner, is getting ahead of the Branford defense in transition and picking apart the Hornets in the half-court game.
Branford coach Ted Kaczynski just called a timeout with 44.7 seconds left in the first quarter.
Mercy is on a 9-2 run. Sadie Edwards leads the Tigers with seven points. Amber Bepko also have five points for Mercy. Courtney Schissler has six points for Branford.
A minute into the game, Courtney Schissler scored the game's first basket on a drive to the basket for Branford. Both teams are in a man-to-man defense.
It's about 30 minutes before No. 7 Branford and No. 3 Mercy tip off. The TD Bank Sports Center is still pretty empty. One notable face - former UConn standout and assistant Quinnipiac men's coach Scott Burrell - is in the stands.
Top-seeded Hillhouse will face No. 5 Lyman Hall in the second meeting, which is set to begin at 7:45 p.m.
Some notes about the first game...
Branford comes in at 18-4 and beat No. 10 Wilbur Cross and No. 2 Career to earn a berth in the semifinals. The Hornets have the area's top scorer in Courtney Schissler (22.3 ppg). Branford reached the championship in 2008, but lost to Career. The Hornets are making their ninth SCC playoff appearance.
Mercy comes in at 16-5. The Tigers beat No. 6 Sheehan to reach the semifinals. Amber Bepko leads the Tigers at 16.4 ppg. Mercy won the SCC title in 2007, beating Guilford. The Tigers are making their 14th SCC appearance. Mercy swept the season series against the Hornets, beating them twice during the regular season.
Symone Roberts And Live Blogging From The SCC Semifinals Tonight
The Register's UConn women's beat writer Jim Fuller caught up with Symone Roberts this past weekend. Roberts was last year's Register All-State MVP and is now playing at Providence. See how Roberts is faring as a Friar here.
Also, don't forget to check back later. I will be blogging live from the SCC semifinals at the TD Bank Sports Center. No. 7 Branford will take on No. 3 Mercy at 6 p.m. and No. 5 Lyman Hall will face top-seeded Hillhouse at 7:45 p.m.
Losing 70 percent of his scoring from a year ago, Wethersfield coach Brian Fanelli expected his team to be around 12-8 or 13-7.
Certainly he didn’t expect the Eagles to be 20-1 heading into the semifinals of the Central Connecticut Conference tournament.
So after taking a hit on the offensive end, the key, Fanelli said, has been defense. Wethersfield is holding opponents under 40 points per game with a variety of defenses and kept a high-scoring Manchester team under that total twice.
Wethersfield isn’t tall either. They don’t have a starter over 5 feet 9, just five versatile seniors who understand their roles.
On the offensive end, Fordham-bound guard Abigail Corning leads the team at 19 points per game and is also averaging 10 rebounds, six steals and four blocks.
Wethersfield will be one of many contenders in a deep Class L state tournament.
“If we do anything, it will be because of defense,” Fanelli said.
1. Northwest Catholic
2. Pomperaug
3. Norwich Free Academy
4. Lauralton Hall
5. E.O. Smith
6. Hillhouse
7. Wethersfield
8. Bacon Academy
9. Berlin
10. Capital Prep
Top-seed Hillhouse leads 38-32 at the half over No. 8 Hamden.
Hot shooting from the perimeter and penetration from Cara Deroy has kept it close for the Green Dragons. Hamden cut the deficit to as little as 30-29 with under 2 minutes left, but Hillhouse responded with a quick unanswered points.
Also, something noteworthy...
Law's Casey Dulin is in the stands sporting a Hillhouse hooded sweatshirt.
It certainly has been an exciting start to the SCC quarterfinals. Andreana Thomas just sank a 3-pointer from just over halfcourt to give the Academics a seven-point lead heading into the second quarter.
It was one of three 3-pointers for Thomas in the opening period.
Hillhouse's size inside has been tough for Hamden, but the Green Dragons are managing to keep it close against the top seed.
Courtney Schissler scored 27 points and Kendall Milles added 20 points in No. 7 Branford's 78-57 win over No. 10 Wilbur Cross.
The Hornets will face No. 2 Career Saturday.
Bre Butler had 22 points, five rebounds and four assists to lift No. 6 Sheehan to a 50-41 win over No. 10 Sacred Heart Academy. The Trojans will face No. 3 Mercy Saturday.
Felicia Ferraro had 24 points, six steals and five assists in No. 5 Lyman Hall's 58-53 win over No. 12 Foran. The Trojans will take on No. 4 Law Saturday.
Molly Deroy scored 30 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as No. 8 Hamden coasted to a 83-55 win over No. 9 Guilford. Cara Deroy added 16 points and 15 assists. The Green Dragons will face top-seeded Hillhouse Saturday.
Shoreline Conference
Quarterfinals
Saturday, 7 p.m.
No. 8 Old Saybrook at No. 1 Coginchaug; No. 7 Hale-Ray at No. 2 Morgan; No. 6 North Branford at No. 3 Cromwell; No. 5 Old Lyme at No. 4 Portland
Semifinals
Tuesday at Coginchaug, 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Championship
Feb. 26 at Coginchaug, 7 p.m.
NVL
Quarterfinals
Saturday at Holy Cross
No. 6 Wilby vs. No. 3 St. Paul, noon; No. 7 Derby vs. No. 2 Holy Cross, 2 p.m.; No.5 Woodland vs. No. 4 Ansonia, 4 p.m.; No. 8 Kennedy vs. No. 1 Torrington, 6 p.m.
Seminfinals
Monday at Kennedy, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Championship
time and site tbd
SWC
Quarterfinals
Saturday
No. 5 Bunnell vs. No. 4 Brookfield (at Pomperaug), 5 p.m.; No. 8 Newtown at No. 1 Pomperaug, 7 p.m.; No. 6 Immaculate vs. No. 3 Kolbe Cathedral (at Lauralton Hall), 5 p.m.; No. 7 Weston at No. 2 Lauralton Hall, 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Tuesday at Oxford, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Championship
Feb. 26 at Bunnell, 7:30 p.m.
Central Connecticut Conference
Today
East Catholic at Manchester 2 p.m.; Weaver at Farmington, 7 p.m. Tolland at Hall, 7 p.m.; Platt at Glastonbury, 6 p.m.
After today's games, remaining teams get re-seeded
Quarterfinals
Saturday, at higher-ranked team, times tba
Semifinals
Monday at New Britain, 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Championship
Wednesday at New Britain, 7 p.m.
No. 12 Foran (10-10) at No. 5 Lyman Hall (15-5): With Jen Ruys out for Lyman Hall, this becomes a little more interesting. But Lindsay Karle proves to be too much for Foran. Pick: Lyman Hall
No. 11 Sacred Heart Academy (10-10) at No. 6 Sheehan (15-4): These teams split in the regular season. This turns out to be more like the first meeting (a 51-34 win for Sheehan) than the second (48-43 overtime win for Sacred Heart Academy). Pick: Sheehan
No. 10 Wilbur Cross (11-9) at No. 7 Branford (16-4): The Governors knocked off Hillhouse to gain some confidence heading into the postseason. The win turns out to hurt Wilbur Cross. Instead of facing a shorthanded Lyman Hall team in the first round, the Governors get the Hornets, and Branford will beat Wilbur Cross for the third time this season. Pick: Branford
No. 9 Guilford (11-9) at No. 8 Hamden (13-7): This game could go either way. Hamden beat Guilford 65-57 back in December. This will be another close one with Cara Deroy putting the Green Dragons over the top. Pick: Hamden
Quarterfinals
Saturday at West Haven
Hamden vs. No. 1 Hillhouse (17-3), noon: It was nice while it lasted for Hamden. A lack of defense and no inside presence leads to an easy win for the Academics. Pick: Hillhouse
Lyman Hall vs. No. 4 Law (15-5), 1:45 p.m.: If Ruys was healthy, it would be a different story. Instead, Casey Dulin leads Law to a trip to the semifinals. Pick: Law
Branford vs. No. 2 Career (17-3), 3:30 p.m.: The Hornets prove they can handle full-court pressure and keep this one somewhat close. Courtney Schissler doesn't get any help though, and the Panthers prevail for the third time this season over Branford. Pick: Career
Sheehan vs. No. 3 Mercy (15-5), 5:15 p.m.: This will be a high-scoring affair with the Tigers having a little more firepower. Pick: Mercy
Semifinals
Monday at Quinnipiac's TD Bank Sports Center, 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Hillhouse vs. Law: Bria Holmes got in early foul trouble and Hillhouse shot awful from the free-throw line, which led to a Law upset in the last meeting. The Academics have Andreana Thomas this time and Hillhouse makes sure it doesn't forget the upset. The Academics coast to its second straight SCC title game. Pick: Hillhouse
Career vs. Mercy: Mercy cruised to a win over the Panthers in the first meeting, then fell to Career 59-57 last Saturday. Amber Bepko, Sadie Edwards and a solid supporting cast outweigh Career's balance this time. Pick: Mercy
Championship
Tuesday at Quinnipiac's TD Bank Sports Center, 7 p.m.
Hillhouse vs. Mercy: A meeting between Hillhouse and Career would have been closer. Instead, the Academics cruise to a second straight conference title and set the tone for what will be another successful postseason for Hillhouse. Pick: Hillhouse
Masuk kept its state-tournament berth streak alive with a 43-37 win over Bunnell. The Panthers clinched a state tournament berth with the win and have now reached every CIAC state tournament since its formation in 1974 under coach Dave Strong.
Woodstock Academy edged Haddam-Killingworth 55-50, clinching a state tournament and denying the Cougars of a spot in the state tournament. For coach Jim Bombaci, it is just the third time in 31 seasons as a head coach he will miss the state tournament.
Keylantra Langley scored 24 points as Lauralton Hall closed out its regular season with a 51-35 win over New Fairfield.
Kayla McAvoy scored 15 points as Old Saybrook edged Hale-Ray 52-49. The Rams outscored Hale-Ray 18-4 in the first quarter.
An update from an earlier report about Lyman Hall's Jen Ruys' ankle injury...
Trojans coach Tom Lipka says it's a bad sprain and she will miss the SCC tournament. Lyman Hall, the No. 5 seed, hosts No. 12 Foran Thursday night at 6:30. Lipka hopes she can return for the Class L state tournament. Ruys is averaging 12.3 points per game for Lyman Hall.
After missing time earlier in the year with a back injury, Trojans senior Jen Ruys went down with an ankle injury during the second quarter in Monday's win over Sacred Heart Academy.
It looks Ruys won't play in Thursday's SCC tournament opener against Foran, according to coach Tom Lipka. Ruys is averaging 12.3 points per game for Lyman Hall.
Norwich Free Academy had arguably the toughest non-conference schedule in the state this season and the Wildcats will soon see if it will pay off with the postseason right around the corner.
To name a few of the powerhouses on its schedule, Norwich Free Academy opened the season with a win over Kolbe Cathedral and lost to Pomperaug 46-45 two days later. The Wildcats also knocked off Capital Prep and Manchester, before falling 49-47 to Hillhouse.
“It’s one of the hardest schedules I’ve had in my 18 years as head coach,” said Wildcats coach Bill Scarlata, whose team is 17-2. “It should help us. We’ve faced real good competition. We’ve saw a lot of height and saw a lot of different styles.”
After Wilbur Cross' double-overtime win over Hillhouse today, the SCC tournament pairings are set...
First round
Thursday at 6:30
No. 12 Foran (10-10) at No. 5 Lyman Hall (15-5)
No. 11 Sacred Heart Academy (10-10) at No. 6 Sheehan (15-4)
No. 10 Wilbur Cross (11-9) at No. 7 Branford (16-4)
No. 9 Guilford (11-9) at No. 8 Hamden (13-7)
Quarterfinals
Saturday at West Haven
Hamden/Guilford winner vs. No. 1 Hillhouse (17-3), noon
Lyman Hall/Foran winner vs. No. 4 Law (15-5), 1:45 p.m.
Branford/Wilbur Cross winner vs. No. 2 Career (17-3), 3:30 p.m.
Sheehan/Sacred Heart Academy winner vs. No. 3 Mercy (15-5), 5:15 p.m.
Semifinals
Monday at Quinnipiac's TD Bank Sports Center, 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Championship
Tuesday at Quinnipiac's TD Bank Sports Center, 7 p.m.
Under legendary coach Dave Strong, Masuk has reached every CIAC state tournament since its formation in 1974. The Panthers need to beat Bunnell Wednesday to earns their eighth win, or that streak will end.
Meanwhile, Haddam-Killingworth coach Jim Bombaci could miss just his third state tournament in his 31 years as a head coach if the Cougars don't get their eighth win against Woodstock Academy Wednesday.
Casey Dulin scored 28 points to lead Law to a 64-60 win over Hamden. Law clinched a first-round bye in the SCC tournament with the victory. Cara Deroy had 25 for Hamden.
Alex Marchinkoski sank a short jumper at the buzzer to lift Cromwell to a 42-40 win over Old Lyme. Catherine Logan had a game-high 17 points for Old Lyme.
Jenna Bellantoni poured in 22 points as Guilford edged Cheshire 61-59 in overtime.
Erica Jones, Taylor Edinger and Samantha Mancinelli each had eight points in Coginchaug’s 37-36 win over North Branford. Jessica Sola had 13 points for the Thunderbirds.
Kayla McAvoy scored 18 points and had eight rebounds in Old Saybrook’s 55-50 win over East Hampton.
Annie Raucci scored 22 points in Foran’s 59-43 win over East Haven.
Felicia Ferraro had 14 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and seven steals in Lyman Hall’s 63-43 win over Sacred Heart Academy.
If Wilbur Cross defeats Hillhouse Tuesday (2 p.m.), the Governors will be the No. 10 seed, Sacred Heart Academy will be the No. 11 seed and Foran will be the No. 12 seed.
If Wilbur Cross loses to Hillhouse, Sacred Heart Academy will be the No. 10 seed, Foran will be the No. 11 seed and the Governors will be the No. 12 seed.
SCHEDULE
First round, Thursday (all games at 6:30 p.m.): No. 12 tbd at No. 5 Lyman Hall; No. 11 tbd at No. 6 Sheehan; No. 10 tbd at No. 7 Branford; No. 9 Guilford at No. 8 Hamden.
Quarterfinals, Saturday at West Haven: No. 8/9 winner vs. No. 1 Hillhouse, noon; No. 5/12 winner at No. 4 Law, 1:45 p.m.; No. 7/10 winner vs. No. 2 Career; No. 6/11 winner vs. No. 3 Mercy, 5:15.
Semifinals: Monday at TD Bank Sports Center, 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Championship: Tuesday at TD Bank Sports Center, 7 p.m.
Casey Dulin scored 28 points to lead Law to a 64-60 win over Hamden. Law clinched a first-round bye in the SCC tournament with the victory. Cara Deroy had 25 for Hamden.
Check back later tonight for complete SCC tournament pairings.
The NEPSAC girls’ basketball all-star games will take place March 7 at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass. The Class AB all-star game will tip off at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Class CDE all-star game at 3:30 p.m.
Hopkins’ Lauren Okafor will play for the AB West team, Branford resident Kathleen Timmons (Portsmouth Abbey) will play for AB East team, Hamden Hall’s Kelsey McCray will play for the CDE West team, along with teammate Ellen Rich.
Last Friday’s meeting between Law and Sheehan was not only a matchup between a pair of Southern Connecticut Conference surprises, but also two potential Class M state title contenders.
Sheehan won Friday’s game 62-52, splitting the season series with the Eagles.
Law coach Heather Saucier looked at the loss as a positive one, which snapped a 10-game winning streak and consequently, Saucier hopes, will keep Law hungry.
Law posted an 11-11 mark last season and lost to Montville in the opening round of the Class M state tournament. Led by Casey Dulin and complemented by a solid, but young, supporting cast, the Eagles are now 14-5 and can be considered a legitimate challenger for a Class M title.
“I think we surprised some people,” Saucier said. “But these kids put an enormous amount of work in the offseason and I really think that hard work pays off.”
As for the Titans, senior Bre Butler highlights an experienced Sheehan squad that is 15-4. It’s been quite a turnaround considering the Titans finished 8-14 last season after being ousted by Berlin in the Class M state tournament’s opening round.
“I still think we have a lot to prove,” Sheehan coach Mike Busillo said. “I have a lot of respect for those South-West Conference and those Fairfield County Conference teams that are in Class M. I have respect for those Central Connecticut Conference teams in M. Sometimes it depends on what kind of draw you get. But I always tell my girls, there’s no one we can’t play with. There’s no one we’re afraid of.”
Last year’s Class M champion Bacon Academy has moved up to Class L, along with runner-up Berlin. A perennial powerhouse in Kolbe Cathedral may be the Class M favorite. Brookfield (15-3), along with Windham (the Whippets handed Bacon Academy its only loss this season), are contenders, too.
And now Sheehan and Law certainly deserve to be in the conversation among those teams.
“They’re a good team,” said Saucier of Sheehan. “This could be a Class M championship, potentially.”
1. Northwest Catholic
2. Pomperaug
3. Norwich Free Academy
4. Hillhouse
5. Berlin
6. Lauralton Hall
7. E.O. Smith
8. Wethersfield
9. Bacon Academy
10. Career
For a complete look at the Register Top 10 poll, click here.
Led by J'Voni Hilton's 16 points, four players scored in double figures as Career edged Mercy 59-57. The Tigers missed a shot to tie the game in the closing moments. Amber Bepko had 25 points for Mercy.
After falling to Hamden in the first meeting, Wilbur Cross coasted past the Green Dragons 54-36. Shaniqua Fuller led the Governors with 20 points. Cara Deroy had 16 points for Hamden.
Despite a game-high 24 points from Tara Ricci, North Branford fell 52-44 to Old Lyme. Catherine Logan had 19 points for the Wildcats.
Kelsey McCray scored a career-high 27 points, including six 3-pointers, to lift Hamden Hall to a 62-44 win over Westover.
McCray also had 10 rebounds and six steals.
Hillhouse outscored Cheshire 18-4 in the final quarter to avoid an upset and earn a 63-49 win over Cheshire.
Kristin Mooney had 18 points, 16 rebounds and five assists to lead Ansonia over Wilby 44-39.
Mary Hyde poured in 29 points to lead Derby to a 59-52 win over Sacred Heart.
Shayna Adams scored 19 points, including 15-of-18 from the free-throw line, to lift the Sheehan to a 62-52 win over Law. Casey Dulin led the Eagles with a game-high 27 points.
Hamden senior guard Lianna Carrero returned to court Tuesday and scored six points in the Green Dragons win over Sacred Heart Academy. Carrero missed the previous three games win an ankle injury.
Hamden was still able to pull out an impressive win over Torrington without Carrero. But her return will certainly bolster the Green Dragons, which close out their regular season with games at Wilbur Cross (Saturday, 2 p.m.) and Law (Monday, 1 p.m.)
Carrero is averaging 10.1 points per game for the Green Dragons.
Lyman Hall beat Sheehan 51-41 to clinch a share of the SCC Housatonic Division title with the Titans.
Taylor Kuhalwik drilled 5 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in Bunnell’s 49-43 win over Oxford.
West Haven upset Guilford 48-45. McKenzie Farquaharson had 18 points to lead the Westies.
Derby’s Mary Hyde finished with 17 points and scored the 1,000th point of her career in the Red Raiders 61-38 loss to St. Paul.
Seymour won its third straight game with a 61-38 win over Wolcott.
Bria Holmes had 21 points, 14 rebounds, six steals, and six assists in Hillhouse’s 60-30 win over Foran. Andreana Thomas did not play for the Academics because of a foot injury. Hillhouse coach Catrina Hawley-Stewart said she will play Friday against Cheshire.
With a 51-41 win tonight over Sheehan, Lyman Hall clinches a share of the SCC Housatonic Division title with the Titans.
Sheehan wasn’t able to recover from a 15-point deficit at halftime. Felicia Ferraro had 14 points and Lindsay Karle added 13 points for Lyman Hall. Bre Butler had six points, 11 rebounds and five assists for Sheehan.
It’s Lyman Hall’s second division title in three years and Sheehan’s first since 2005.
Derby senior Mary Hyde needs just 11 points to reach 1,000 points for her career. The Red Raiders host St. Paul tonight at 5. Hyde is averaging 19 points per game this season.
Lauren Okafor scored 26 points, pulled down 24 rebounds and had five blocks in Hopkins 56-30 win over Kingswood-Oxford.
Amanda Cullen had 15 points and Sarah Thompson added 14 points as Morgan beat Haddam-Killingworth 53-42.
The Huskies outscored the Cougars 19-5 in the third quarter.
Kelsey Pendagast had 13 points and nine rebounds to lift Shelton over Amity 36-32.
During its Hoops 4 Haiti fundraiser Saturday, Mercy raised $650 for those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
Donation jars, a raffle for UConn women’s basketball tickets, a bake sale and ticket sales from Saturday’s game against Hillhouse helped raise the money.
Not only did Berlin lose a senior leader, but also one of the best shooters in the state when Alexys Vazquez broke her foot in a game against Middletown late last month.
The Fairfield-bound sharpshooter made 33 3-pointers and was shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc before the injury. Redcoats coach Sheila King said Vazquez would be re-evaluated late this month or in early March.
As for life without Vazquez?
“We’ve adjusted well,” King said. “We have a good bench. Some players have stepped up. Our seniors have stepped up. But we’re more concerned for Lexy and this being her senior year.”
The wins are still piling up — Berlin is 16-1 — but the margin of victory quickly became narrower. Coasting to many of its previous wins, the Redcoats escaped with a 52-51 overtime victory against Windsor in their first game without Vazquez. Then Berlin beat Maloney 36-26, a team it trounced by 33 points earlier.
The Redcoats’ depth takes some of the sting out of losing Vazquez, and it’s reassuring that Siena-bound Katelyn Zarotney is averaging 17.5 points since Vazquez has been out.
1. Northwest Catholic
2. Pomperaug
3. Norwich Free Academy
4. Berlin
5. Hillhouse
6. Lauralton Hall
7. E.O. Smith
8. Bacon Academy
9. Wethersfield
10. St. Joseph
Bria Holmes scored 20 points and Andreana Thomas added 10 as Hillhouse coasted to a 59-42 win over Mercy. Danielle Machold had 16 points for the Tigers.
Cara Deroy poured in 22 points in Hamden's 52-36 win over Torrington. Facing a seven-point deficit entering the final quarter, the Green Dragons outscored the Red Raiders 28-5 in the fourth. Sarah Royals had 15 points for Torrington.
Kristin Mooney had 15 points, 12 rebounds, five steals, three assists and three blocks to lift Ansonia over Kennedy 62-54. Rebecca Beherendt added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Chargers.
Isnede Milford scored 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead Bunnell to a 47-41 victory over Immaculate.
Kelsey Cuddy had 12 points, 10 rebounds and six steals as Hand edged Foran 40-37
Christina Cretella poured in 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Seymour's 33-31 win over Naugatuck.
Shaniqua Fuller returned from a knee injury and had 12 points, nine rebounds, seven steals, four assists and four blocks in Wilbur Cross' 72-32 win over North Haven.
Typically a doormat for the top teams in the Southern Connecticut Conference, Sacred Heart Academy has surprised some quality teams in perhaps the state's best conference.
The Pacers have knocked off Lyman Hall, Wilbur Cross and most recently Sheehan. With the win over the Titans, Sacred Heart Academy earned its first trip to the state tournament since 2006-07.
Can the Pacers sneak up on some teams in the Class LL tournament this season?
Perhaps expected to be a bit closer, Portland coasted to a 70-53 win over Coginchaug. Kelly Coleman scored 31 points for Portland. Audrey Biesak led the Blue Devils with 22 points.
Catherine Logan scored 15 points to lift Old Lyme over East Hampton 42-25.
Old Saybrook edged Haddam-Killingworth 49-43. The Rams outscored the Cougars 18-9 in the third quarter. Kayla McAcoy had 19 points for Old Saybrook.
Emily Anderson and Jordan Schultz each had 16 points for the Cougars.
Hillhouse sophomore Bria Holmes finished with 13 points in the Academics 52-35 win over Career Wednesday night.
UConn women's coach Geno Auriemma stopped by the New Haven Athletic Center to catch a glimpse of the highly recruited guard. Check out what Holmes had to say about playing in front of the legendary coach and what it's like having point guard Andreana Thomas back in the lineup.
The Connecticut Sun have named Law its girls' basketball high school team of the week for Jan. 25 through Jan. 31.
Winners now of nine straight, the Eagles upset Hillhouse 54-49, which was ranked No. 2 in the Register Top 10 poll at the time. Law followed with a 44-40 win over Sacred Heart Academy.
Clare Kane scored the go-ahead basket with 2 minutes left in overtime to lift Sacred Heart Academy to a 48-43 win over Sheehan.
Alexis Iannone scored a career-high 15 points, including a 3-pointer to force overtime for the Pacers.
Lindsay Karle poured in 24 points to lead Lyman Hall to a 64-55 overtime win over Hamden. Felicia Ferraro added 22 points for the Trojans. Cara Deroy had 20 points for Hamden.
Ali Birnbaum had 14 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in Hand’s 54-48 win over Wilbur Cross. Kelsey Kinnare went 8-for-8 from the foul line, including six in the final minute. Alexis Boyd had 18 for the Governors.
Courtney Schissler and Molly Poryanda combined for 39 points as Branford edged Guilford 58-53.
Despite being shut out in the final quarter, West Haven edged Shelton 34-33. Rae Matteway led the Westies with 14 points.
For a look at the rest of Wednesday's results, click here.
Andreana Thomas returned from a leg injury for the second time this season to finish with 18 points off the bench and lead Hillhouse to a 52-35 win over Career.
Bria Holmes added 13 points for the Academics, who lost 58-46 to the Panthers earlier this season.
UConn women's coach Geno Auriemma was in the building to get a first-hand look at Holmes.
Career didn't have an answer for the Academics' two-three zone and only scored one basket over the final 4 minutes.
The Class L tournament is filled with a handful of the state’s top teams, and E.O. Smith is proving to be one of them.
The Panthers have a 15-0 mark and may be tested tomorrow night when they host Windham, a team that handed Bacon Academy its first loss of the season last week.
The Panthers have all five starters back from last season, and the experience has been beneficial. E.O. Smith is one of four teams still undefeated, and it is beating opponents by almost 30 points per game.
“I knew we’d be good,” Panthers coach Kirk Murad said. “But maybe not this good.”
Liz Moynihan (13.2 ppg) is the team’s top scorer, but the Panthers have plenty of balance (Kelly Sundberg, 12.5 ppg and Maggie Sundberg, 9.4 ppg), along with a solid bench (Morgan Olander, Ashley Forand and Murphy Murad).
E.O. Smith — a guard-oriented squad that creates havoc defensively and averages over 65 points — appears fit to improve on its second-round loss in the Class L tournament a year ago.
“We understand the Class L landscape is kind of scary this year,” Murad said, “so we don’t want to look too far ahead.”
In its second game since Steve Schuler was fired as head coach, Lauralton Hall coasted to a 52-31 win over Notre Dame-Fairfield. Keylantra Langley led the Crusaders with 21 points.
Christina Cretella had 15 points, six rebounds, three steals and four blocks to lift Seymour to a 54-39 win over Watertown.
In what may have turned out a little closer than expected, Hamden Hall edged rival Hopkins 50-47 today.
Hopkins Ali Berman fouled out with 6 minutes left, which proved to be the difference.
Dreisen Heath led the Hornets with 16 points, including 10 after Berman fouled out. Lauren Okafor led the Hilltoppers with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Career came back from an 11-point deficit at halftime to knock off Branford 65-55. J’Voni Hilton had 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Panthers. Courtney Schissler had 24 points for Branford before fouling out.
Jen Ruys and Lindsay Karle combined for 36 points to lead Lyman Hall to a 48-37 win over Wilbur Cross. Aaliyah Robinson had 21 points, 11 rebounds and four steals for the Governors.
Audrey Biesak finished with 12 points to lift Coginchuag to a 49-42 win over Cromwell.
Lauren Muise had 14 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, as Haddam-Killingworth beat East Hampton 40-31.
Bria Holmes scored 30 points as Hillhouse coasted to a 69-38 win over Guilford.
In a battle of two Milford schools, Law knocked off Foran 48-38. Casey Dulin and Kim Legen each had 10 points for the Eagles.
Casey Dulin is the type of player who can explode for a headline-worthy point total on any given night. So it’s hard to believe a cluster of quiet performances this season have come from a player that is capable of so much more. But it hasn’t been a matter of Dulin not playing up to her potential.
Nope, not at all.
Law is simply proving it doesn’t need Dulin to have a huge game in order for the Eagles to soar. Instead, second-year coach Heather Saucier’s system has created players eager and able to share the load with Dulin.
“She embraces it,” Saucier said about how Dulin has handled Law’s balanced attack. “Casey loves it. She’s really excited about how her supporting cast has gotten so much better. She knows she can’t have a really great season unless everyone is getting involved.”
And it seems to be a superb season in the making. The Eagles have won seven straight, and in the midst of the streak, they upset one of the state’s best in Hillhouse 54-49 Tuesday. They could potentially earn a share of the Southern Connecticut Conference Hammonasset Division title, and Academics coach Catrina Hawley-Stewart calls Law a contender for the Class M state title.
Sure, the ball will be in Dulin’s hands if the Eagles need a basket down the stretch. She came up with the winner in a victory over Hand two weeks ago. After all, she will be playing in college at Marist next season.
When needed, she can provide Law with a high-scoring game (28 points against Sheehan), and she did break the Law girls’ career scoring record (previously 1,453 points) during a 22-point effort Friday in a win over Sacred Heart Academy.
But with players like Kim Legen (9.3 ppg), Amanda Keator (12 points against Hillhouse) and Phoebe French (15 3-pointers), the Eagles are even tougher.
“It’s extremely important,” Saucier said of Law’s balance. “You can’t win a championship without it. I teach them to understand the game and that it doesn’t revolve around one player. All these kids really believe in themselves.”
Talented post players are hard to come by this season. Hopkins has one in Lauren Okafor and Hamden Hall has another in Ellen Rich. Both are 6 foot 3 and will square off Tuesday. Read the story here.
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