The Hillhouse girls’ basketball team has been selected to compete in the second Massey Virtual National Championship in April.


USA Today editors will seed 64 teams (50 state championship teams and 14 at-large teams) and they will face off in computer-simulated matchups programmed by mathematician Ken Massey. Massey’s computer models were used to create the BCS rankings for college football in 1999. HighSchoolSports.net will post the brackets on Thursday and the winner will be announced on April 12 at noon here.

Hillhouse won the Class L state title and was voted as the state’s top team in the final Register Top 10 poll.

The 50th JCC Schoolboy/Schoolgirl all-star games will be held April 9 at JCC Center in Bridgeport. The Connecticut girls all-star game will be playued ay 6:15 p.m., followed by the Connecticut boys vs. the New Jersey boys.

The Connecticut West girls’ team is: coaches Dave Strong (Masuk) and Catrina Hawley-Stewart (Hillhouse). Players are Sarah Royals (Torrington), Brooke Butkovsky (Masuk), Cherelle Moore (Kolbe Cathedral), Andreana Thomas (Hillhouse), Amber Bepko (Mercy), Heather Framski (Woodland), Briyana Pabon (Newington), Ali Berman (Hopkins), Atong Reyak (Wilbur Cross) and Amanda Amanski (Lewis Mills).

The Connecticut East team is: coaches Dave Shea (Bacon Academy) and Tony Floyd (Bristol Eastern). Players Shianne Walker (Bristol Eastern), Dreisen Heath (Hamden Hall), Damika Martinez (Platt), Margaret Sundberg (E.O. Smith), Kelly Coleman (Portland), Katie Mahoney (Bacon Academy), Kaley Watras (Glastonbury), Kelsey Booth (East Hampton), Sara Binkhorst (Hall), Jahira Smith (Norwich Free Academy) and Kelly Dixon (Bacon Academy).

Tickets are $10 at the door. Any former alumni can attend the banquet and game by calling Rachel at 203-414-2787.

Bria Holmes scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Andreana Thomas added 26 points as No. 4 Hillhouse won its third straight Class L title with a 77-50 victory over No. 2 E.O. Smith Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

The Academics forced 29 turnovers and ended the game on a 14-0 run. Hillhouse coasted through the Class L field, winning their four games by an average of 27 points.

Maggie Sundberg had 16 points and Taylor Vonasek added 14 points for E.O. Smith.

Nicole Anderson's free throw with 3.7 seconds left lifted No. 9 Career to the Class LL title with a 39-37 win over No. 2 Mercy Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

The victory marks the Panthers third state championship.

Following Anderson's free throw, which gave the Panthers a 38-37 advantage, Jane Landy full-court outlet pass sailed out of bounds for Mercy. Nicole Bentley then sank one of two free throws for Career. Mercy's Amber Bepko came off a screen and her off-balance attempt was off the mark as time expired.

Bria Moore had 13 points and seven rebounds to lead the Panthers. Sadie Edwards had 16 points for Mercy. The Tigers' point total was a season low. They shot just 4-26 from the field in the first half, but battled back from a 25-13 halftime deficit.

Carlee Smith finished with 13 points to lead three players in double figures as No. 2 Windham won its first state title with a 54-46 victory over No. 21 Weaver Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Whippets forced 29 turnovers. Taylor McBride added nine points, 10 steals, seven assists and six rebounds for Windham.
Sasha Bucknar had 11 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks for Weaver.

Kelly Coleman scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead No. 4 Portland over No. 2 Cromwell 45-41 Friday night to win the school's first state title.
Lindsay Dionne added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Bellringers. Portland outscored Cromwell 15-4 in the third quarter.
Alex Marchinkoski led the Panthers with 14 points.

The schedule for all eight basketball finals, four boys and four girls, has been finalized.

To view the entire schedule, click here

Hillhouse will take on E.O. Smith in the Class L final after clobbering Bacon Academy 58-34 in the semifinals Friday. Bria Holmes led the way with 21 points, 13 rebounds, six steals, six assists and three blocks.
Led by the defensive effort of Quanisha Solomon, the Academics locked up Katie Mahoney, the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year. Hillhouse should coast to a third straight state title and has been beating teams by an average of 27 points during this year's run.
The Academics are clearly head and shoulders above the rest the Class L field. But how would Hillhouse have fared in a loaded Class LL field this season?

Lauralton Hall in Milford, Connecticut will play host for the inaugural 2011 Girls Basketball Showcase on Sunday, April 3rd, 2011. College Showcases America, LLC and the Nutmeg State Games have partnered to host this most unique high school showcase for seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshman.


The Showcase will provide players with the opportunity to be seen and evaluated by college coaches. Players will also have the opportunity to be professionally filmed during the showcase for an additional fee. Our goal is to provide events for athletes and teams to showcase their skills in both game and individual environments. Additionally, college coaches will receive academic profiles, athletic achievements and contact info of each participant through NoticeME!™ an online player profile database used by college coaches, high schools and high school student-athletes.

Players will be invited from Connecticut and from all over the New England to participate in this combine to showcase their skills to college coaches. This is an extensive skills, drills and games showcase. Players will execute all of the individual skills and some team skills during the morning session. The afternoon session will consist of full court team games. The event will conclude with a very important lecture on the NCAA and the recruiting process given by the experts.

Our coaches include Heather Borges - Co-founder of the New Hampshire Bombers AAU program, Heather Saucier, Head Coach, Jonathan Law High School, Ailya Cox, Head Coach, Choate Rosemary Hall, Katrina Hawley-Stewart, Head Coach, James Hillhouse High School, Alessa Podolak-Laczkoski, Head Coach, Lauralton Hall, Michelle Martinik, Head Coach, Amity Regional High School, Scott Nails, Head Coach, Joseph A. Foran High School, Tim Tredwell, Head Coach, Daniel Hand High School.

The Showcase will take place from 9:00 PM – 4:00 PM. The Girls Basketball Showcase is only accepting 125 participants. Registration Fee: $100.00. Five or more players registering from one AAU or High School program will receive a discount, $90.00 per player. $125.00 for video included. To register please log on to http://www.collegeshowcasesamerica.com/.