CIAC boys basketball tournament preview
DIVISION I STORYLINES THE POWER 5
The top five teams in the GameTimeCT poll last week were, in order, East Catholic, Notre Dame-West Haven, Notre Dame-Fairfield, Ridgefield and Northwest Catholic. East Catholic, the defending champion, is the prohibitive favorite after winning the CCC tournament title. Notre Dame (WH) repeated as SCC champion, Notre Dame-Fairfield lost its bid for a three-peat in the SWC, Ridgefield fell short of a five-peat in the FCIAC and Northwest Catholic is trying to reach the Division I final after getting to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Division II a year ago.
JOINING THE MADNESS
The CIAC boys basketball committee decided to try a 16-team bracket this season. That means teams will only need three wins to reach the final and a fourth to win it all. The current system has been tinkered with over time and has its flaws, but one thing the CIAC has been fairly consistent with — as with previous playoff formats — is allowing teams to move up to play in the Big Boy Division. Notre Dame-Fairfield (seeded third), Hillhouse (10th) and Wilton (11th) all moved up.
THE FCIAC KINGPINS
You lose players to graduation, you lose Dylan Veillette to prep school, yet you still find a way to win the FCIAC regular-season title. Ridgefield won 16 straight games before falling in the FCIAC tournament semifinals to Staples, which was the last team to beat the Tigers. Ridgefield reached the quarterfinals last season in Division I. The Tigers are hoping to go a little bit deeper. Danbury was the last undefeated team in the state — losing to Ridgefield by 2 after beating Ridgefield by 2 early in the season. The Hatters have put together two long winning streaks this season. The two teams could face one another in the quarterfinals if seeding holds to form.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Mekhi Conner, Notre Dame-West Haven, Sr., G:
Conner always has his head up, always looking for his teammates. But he can not only shoot it, he can also get to the basket with relative ease. The SCC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Preston Fowler, East Catholic, So., C: Can go with a number of players on this roster, but Fowler is tough to stop in the pivot and a monster on the glass. Proceed at your own risk.
Najimi George, Kolbe Cathedral, Jr., F: Has the ability to score in a variety of ways. His length gives opponents fits.
Christian McClease, Wilbur Cross, Sr., G: Has five 30-point games for the Governors, who advanced to the Division I quarterfinals last season. Big reason why Cross has been ranked in the top 10 most of the season.
Tommy Scholl, Fairfield Prep, Sr., F: Was a big reason why the Jesuits were able to win 17 games and reach the SCC semifinals before falling to the eventual champion, Notre Dame-West Haven.
Thomas Glover, Hillhouse, Jr., G: Has been the Academics’ best all-around player this year, a major reason why Hillhouse reached its 16th SCC tournament final.
SEEDED UPSETS: No. 10 Hillhouse over No. 7 Kolbe Cathedral in the second round
MORELLI’S FINAL FOUR PICKS: No. 1 East Catholic, No. 4 Ridgefield, No. 2 Northwest Catholic, No. 3 Notre Dame-West Haven
CHAMPIONSHIP: East Catholic over Notre Dame-West Haven in overtime in a rematch of last year’s final.
DIVISION II STORYLINES MOVING ON DOWN
The CIAC decided on using a 16-team Division I field this season. Teams still had the opportunity to move up to Division I. Three teams did: Notre Dame-Fairfield, Hillhouse and Wilton. Because that happened, the lowest-ranked public schools, or non-schools of choice, in the preliminary Division I bracket were allowed to move down to Division II. Those schools opting to do so were Fairfield Warde, New Britain and Windsor. All three qualified for the tournament: Fairfield Warde is seeded third, Windsor is seeded eighth and New Britain is seeded 30th.
MARCHING BACK TO MOHEGAN?
St. Bernard has already played at the Mohegan Sun Arena this season: back on Dec. 19 against Hand and this past Wednesday against New London in the ECC Division I tournament final. The Saints won both games, the latter clinching an undefeated mark in the ECC. St. Bernard would desperately like to play a third time at the Sun — especially after falling one game short last year in the Division III semifinals to Hand. Behind Cedric Simillien and Tyson Wheeler Jr., the top-seeded Saints are the favorite to do so.
ONLY ONE PLAYDOWN GAME
Of the five postseason brackets, only Division II exceeded the 32 spots. East Hartford is the No. 33. seed and facess No. 32 Simsbury in an All-CCC matchup. The winner earns the right to travel to Uncasville to face top seed St. Bernard.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Riley Fox, Conard, Jr., G: Fox is a Division I prospect, one of the top players in the state’s best conference. He scored 28 points — including the game-winning putback at the buzzer, to lift Conard over Northwest Catholic on the road in the CCC tournament. Farmington, Conard’s first-round opponent, fared well against Fox in its regular-season meeting.
Quintin Floyd, Windsor, Jr,, G: The Warriors struggled without Floyd, the point guard, when he was out in the middle of the season with an injury. With Floyd, Windsor is among the favorites to win this bracket, even as the No. 8 seed.
Chase Geremia, Hand, So., G: Started for the Division III state champions last year. So this underclassmen has already played in plenty of big games and is hoping to lead the Tigers on another state tournament run.
Anthony Parker, Xavier, Sr., G: Has had a half-dozen 30-point games and a 42-point effort against Hamden for the Falcons.
Elijah Parker, Holy Cross, So., G: Was one of the NVL’s top players as a freshman. Has averaged over 20 points per game despite defenses curtailed to try to slow him down.
Jack Plesser, Fairfield Warde, Sr. G: The biggest reason why Warde was able to have a 13-game winning streak in the FCIAC, including a victory over Danbury.
SEEDED UPSETS: No. 21 Crosby over No. 12 Southington, No. 19 Hand over No. 14 Newtown and No. 22 Stamford over No. 11 SMSA in the opening round.
MORELLI’S FINAL FOUR PICKS:
No. 1 St. Bernard, No. 5 Xavier, No. 7 Staples and No. 3 Fairfield Warde
CHAMPIONSHIP: St. Bernard over Warde
DIVISION III STORYLINES ALL HAIL THE WARHAWKS
Bloomfield may be in Division III, but the team has proven it can play with anyone. The Warhawks closed out the regular season on a 16-game winning streak. Bloomfield made a run to the Division IV state title last year. Sadly, Bloomfield head coach Kevin Moses died of cancer in September. Brooks Sayles, the former Northwest Catholic and Villanova standout, took over and has the Warhawks as the prohibitive favorite to go back to back, albeit in different divisions.
IT’S THE LAW
Jamie Anderson knows that playing the likes of Notre Dame-West Haven twice and Hillhouse three times will prepare you for just about anything once the state tournament begins. Anderson is Law’s head coach. The Lawmen won 17 regular-season games to earn the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye, then went on to reach the SCC tournament semifinals for the first time ever. Is a deep run in the offing in March?
NVL’S FINEST
Winning the NVL regular season is no easy feat. WCA (Waterbury Career) was able to accomplish that for the first time. Behind Sonny Pierce and Zaire Lott among others, WCA also won the league tournament title over Kennedy. Now WCA tries to win its first state championship as the No. 2 seed here.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Yianni Baribeau, Killingly, Sr., F: Another player who seemingly gets a double-double every single night. Helped lead Killingly to the ECC Division II championship final.
John Neider, Law, Sr., G: You may recognize the name from last fall: Neider was not only a GameTimeCT all-stater, he was the Gatorade Player of the Year for football. He can score in multiple ways for the Lawmen on the basketball court, too.
Anthony Nimani, Platt, Sr., G: The school’s all-time leading scorer has not only changed the culture of the program, Nimani has also led the Panthers to an all-time great season. Reaching the CCC tournament semifinals is no easy task.
Devan Williams, New London, So., G: Had his share of 30-point games in the earlier part of the season. The ECC regular season and the run to the ECC Division I final prepared him and the Whalers for March.
Jaysean Williams, Bloomfield, So., G: Has really come into his own this season. Scored 52 points in a game. Williams can score in a variety of ways: off the break in transition, from the perimeter, wherever needed.
SEEDED UPSETS: No. 18 Darien over No. 15 Prince Tech in the opening round.
MORELLI’S FINAL FOUR PICKS: No. 1 Bloomfield, No. 4 New London, No. 2 WCA and No. 3 Law
CHAMPIONSHIP: Bloomfield over WCA.
DIVISION IV STORYLINES TAKING THE NEXT STEP?
Cromwell won the Shoreline Championship last season and was the top seed in Division IV. The Panthers were the top seed, received a first-round bye and advanced to the semifinals. There, Cromwell’s Run to the Sun was derailed by Granby. Cromwell advanced to the Shoreline final again and is the top seed again in Division IV with a first-round bye. Will the Panthers take that next step to Mohegan?
LEAVE IT TO THE BEAVERS
Weaver is one of the storied programs for boys basketball. The Beavers have won eight state championships and played in four consecutive state finals from 2013-16. Weaver parted ways with the Central Connecticut Conference, was an independent for a few years before joining the CRAL (Capitol Region Athletic League). The Beavers reached the CRAL semifinals last year and went undefeated in the league this year, winning the tournament title over Classical Magnet. Among its three losses was a close game with sixth-ranked Bloomfield. The Beavers are not a team you want to see in your portion of the bracket.
TOP PLAYERS
Freddie Camp, Northwestern, Sr., G: Also a member of the GameTimeCT all-state football team for the Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic team last fall, Camp is pretty smooth on the court as well. Scored 31 in a game this season.
Caden Drezek, Seymour, Sr., F: Became the ninth player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points.
Eddie Dwake, Morgan, Sr., G: One of the holdovers from last year’s team that advanced to the Shoreline final and Division IV semifinals. Dwake scored 16 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to beat Cromwell on the road in a late regular-season game.
Travis Mangual Jr., Windham, Sr., G: An accomplished athlete in football as well, Mangual hit the game-winning shot in last season’s Division V semifinals, then helped the Whippets win their first state championship in 81 years. Now Windham moves up a class and tries to go back to back.
Carter Nordland, Wamogo, Sr., G: The best player on the Berkshire League champions. Hoping to lead Wamogo to a deep tournament run.
Victor Payne, Cromwell, Jr., G/F: The best player in the Shoreline Conference, Payne can score inside and from the perimeter and will likely lock horns with the opponent’s top offensive threat.
SEEDED UPSETS: No. 10 Seymour over No. 7 Brookfield in second round.
MORELLI’S FINAL FOUR PICKS: No. 9 Windham, No. 5 Weaver, No. 10 Seymour and No. 3 Ellington
CHAMPIONSHIP: Windham defeats Ellington.
DIVISION V STORYLINES LOCKING UP THE OPPOSITION
Everybody knows Danbury was the last team to lose its first game. But do you know the second-to-last team to do so? That’s right, Windsor Locks, which was receiving votes in the GameTimeCT Top 10 poll until losing to Canton on Jan. 24, then a second straight game to Suffield. But Windsor Locks won eight straight after that. The second seed in the NCCC tournament and top seed here, Windsor Locks allowed more than 55 points just twice during the regular season.
TOP PLAYERS
Amari Cruz, Innovation, Jr, F: Fills up the stat sheet for the Ravens, who are attempting to return to the Division V final for the first time since winning the title in 2019.
Mekhi McNeil, O’Brien Tech, Sr., F: Has carried the offensive load for the Condors, scoring more than 30 points on several occasions.
Jeff Medley, Whitney Tech, Sr., F: Standout on both ends of the floor for a team that advanced to the CTC semifinals and could be a tough out in its half of the bracket.
Joe Rusczyk, Portland, Sr., F: Double-double machine and a threat from 3-point range as well.
Aaron Tolve, Old Saybrook, Sr., F: Averaged over 20 points per game and kept the Rams in the Shoreline Conference race against the league heavyweights Portland and Cromwell.
SEEDED UPSETS: No. 19 Nonnewaug over No. 14 Bolton and No. 20 Wolcott over No. 13 East Hampton in the opening round. No. 11 Classical Magnet over No. 6 Shepaug in the second round.
MORELLI’S FINAL FOUR PICKS: No. 1 Windsor Locks, No. 4 Portland, No. 7 HMTCA and No. 3 Innovation
CHAMPIONSHIP: Innovation over Windsor Locks