Career's quest for a fourth straight title-game berth finally begins Friday night.

When the No. 4 Panthers host No. 13 Hamden Friday night in the second round of the Class LL state tournament, it will be the first time the Panthers played in 13 days.

Career last played Feb. 20, losing to Branford in the SCC quarterfinals.

"It's tough," said Panthers coach Kevin Walton of the long layoff. "We had to wait almost two weeks. We just have to bring them back and get focused. We're excited to play Friday."

Friday's game will be the first time the two SCC teams played each other this season. There are some interesting sub plots when the Panthers host the Green Dragons.

Hamden senior Lianna Carrero played her freshman year at Career. Career junior guards Trinity Barnes and Nicole Bentley, along with sophomore Morgan Rams, are all transfers from Hamden.

The Green Dragons knocked off No. 20 New Britain Tuesday night with a 56-42 win. Cara Deroy led Hamden with 25 points.

The Panthers are one of nine Class LL teams that received a first-round bye.

For state tournament brackets, click here.

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.

Hamden senior Cara Deroy scored her 1,000th career point today in the Green Dragons’ 65-57 win over Guilford in the Vanguard Classic.

Deroy finished the game with 25 points and five assists.

Annie Goodrich had 19 points to lead Guilford.

Hamden senior Cara Deroy is 22 points shy of joining the 1,000-point club. The Green Dragons will face Guilford today at 3 p.m., at Wilbur Cross, opening up the Vanguard Classic tripleheader.
If Deroy doesn't reach it today, she will likely get it Tuesday when Hamden hosts West Haven at 7 p.m.

Hamden just edged Sheehan in a close one, beating the Titans 63-58.
Sheehan's Shayna Adams hit a runner in the lane with under a minute left to put the Titans up 58-57 with under a minute left. Then Cara Deroy, who finished with a game-high 21 points, sliced through Sheehan's defense and hit Lianna Carrero for a layup to put the Green Dragons back up.
Hannah May got a steal for Hamden and sank a pair of free throws, giving the Green Dragons a 61-58 advantage. Carrero sealed the win with the final points of the game, sinking a pair of foul shots.