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.
Friday, May 14, 2010
White to Play at Houston
Former Hillhouse standout Michelle White has signed on to play basketball at the University of Houston.
White, a 5-foot-8 guard averaged eight points, three assists and 1.3 steals last year at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, last season. She was a Register All-Area selection for the Academics in 2008. The Cougars finished second in Conference USA last year.
“I’m excited,” White said. “I have the opportunity to start if I work hard. They came in second, so they have a chance to make the NCAA tournament. They just had a couple of missing pieces.”
White said she was also drawing interest from Rhode Island, Missouri and East Tennessee State, among other schools.
Class L Title Game Familiar Territory For Hillhouse
Hillhouse is no stranger to the routine.
First there’s the CIAC girls’ basketball state championship luncheon, which was held Wednesday at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center. Then there’s the few days of eagerness and anticipation that follows. Finally, the time comes to play for a state title at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
The ninth-seeded Academics were crowned queen of Class L last season and will defend their state title Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena against No. 3 Wethersfield.
“It helps a lot,” said Hillhouse point guard Andreana Thomas of last year’s experience. “We know what to expect. We know the bright lights will be shining when we’re playing this year.”
The run to the sun has been different this season for Hillhouse. Academics coach Catrina Hawley-Stewart said last year’s squad was motivated by the senior factor: A handful of seniors focused on finishing with a ring. This year, a loss to Branford in the Southern Connecticut Conference championship has sparked the Academics tournament run. Hillhouse enters, coming off a quarterfinal win over previously undefeated and top-seeded Northwest Catholic and a semifinal win over last year’s Class M champion Berlin.
Is there pressure that comes along with the title defense?
“It’s back-to-back,” Thomas said. “It’s Hillhouse. You have to win it.”
Standing beside Thomas, Hawley-Stewart added: “Pressure isn’t always that bad. We take pressure as expectations that we could and should do it.”
Hillhouse is headed back to the Mohegan Sun Arena to defend its Class L title.
The No. 9 Academics beat No. 4 Berlin 54-47 at Plainville tonight.
Hillhouse trailed 22-10 early in the first quarter, but the Redcoats cooled off and the Academics took advantage.
Bria Holmes, who was held scoreless in the first half, finished with a game-high 18 points for Hillhouse. Andreana Thomas added 16 points and Courtney Brown chipped in with 10. Katelyn Zarotney led Berlin with 15 points. Zarotney and Kaitlyn Bovee combined for Berlin’s first 14 points.
Hillhouse will face No. 3 Wethersfield in the Class L championship. After falling in the Class L semifinals last season, Wethersfield knocked off No. 2 E.O. Smith 66-56 to earn a spot in the title game.
No. 3 St. Paul will face No. 9 Portland in the Class S championship.
Portland beat No. 5 Coginchaug 35-28, its third win over the Blue Devils this season. St. Paul beat No. 2 Bolton 44-30.
Tonight, No. 9 Hillhouse will face No. 4 Berlin in a Class L semifinal game at Plainville.
The Redcoats already played two games this season at Plainville and are significantly closer to the school than the Academics.
Does Berlin hold an advantage?
"A court is a court," Hillhouse coach Catrina Hawley Stewart said. "The only advantage is they may have a bigger crowd. But we won our last two games in blue (referring to Hillhouse's road uniforms)."
Hillhouse, the defending Class L champions, knocked off previously unbeaten and top-seeded Northwest Catholic 41-39 in the quarterfinals. The Indians handed Berlin a 38-28 loss earlier in the year.
Andreana Thomas scored 21 points and dished out 10 assists to lift No. 9 Hillhouse to a 61-46 win over No. 8 Trinity Catholic.
Molly Poryanda scored 18 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as No. 11 Branford coasted into the quarterfinals with a 64-36 win over No. 27 Newington.
Class S
No. 5 Coginchaug came from behind to edge No. 12 Putnam 45-42. Audrey Biesak led the Blue Devils with 15 points. Katelyn Tarr had a game-high 28 points for the Clippers.
Kelly Coleman and Alyssa Unikewicz each scored 13 points as No. 9 Portland knocked off No. 8 Old Lyme, the defending Class S champions, 36-34.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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