CIAC GIRLS BASKETBALL: TOURNAMENT STORYLINES, TOP PLAYERS AND PREDICTIONS
CLASS LL STORYLINES
SUSPENDED ANIMATION: Normally just the defending state champions are riding state-tournament winning streaks, but with the tournaments halted due to COVID-19 in 2020 and no tournaments last season, several teams come in having won their last state games. In Class LL, Staples, Newtown, Hamden and Greenwich; in Class L it was Notre Dame-Fairfield, Windsor, Hand, East Lyme, St. Paul, Wethersfield, Newington and Pomperaug; In MM, which has still not crowded a champion after being added as a division before the 2020 tournaments, Law, Kolbe, Sheehan, New Fairfield, Northwest Catholic, Hillhouse, East Haven and Sacred Heart were alive, though Sacred Heart has since closed. In Class M, Cromwell, Bloomfield, Holy Cross, Canton and Coginchaug were still playing and in Class S, East Hampton, Old Lyme, Windsor Locks, Shepaug, Putnam, Thomaston, Parish Hill and East Windsor had not lost.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT US: With so much attention on the Class MM and L fields this year, some might be overlooking the largest class, but it could be the toughest bracket to win with so many evenly matched teams. Current top-10 teams East Hartford, Ludlowe and New London are among the field but despite being the class made up of the largest schools, not many LL teams were in the top 10 week to week. With no teams in the top five, it is possible and somewhat likely the winner of Class LL will not be ranked as the No. 1 team in the state. When trying to pick a winner here, any of the teams seeded 1 (Enfield) to 14 (Stamford) could make a run to the Sun, making this the most intriguing class top to bottom. An FCIAC team has appeared in four of the past five finals, winning it three times (Wilton 2015, Stamford ’16 and Norwalk ’19).
TOP PLAYERS
Shailyn Pinkney, East Hartford, Sr. G: Pinkney is the reigning GameTimeCT MVP and all she did this season was get better. She is committed to play at Seton Hall.
Amani Abuhatab, West Haven, Jr. F: The SCC Player of the Year built on her All-State season as a sophomore by averaging a double-double this season.
Kaleigh Sommers, Ludlowe, Jr. G: Sommers is an All-American lacrosse player, but was also one of the best basketball players in the FCIAC this season.
Alana Philpotts, Hamden, So. G: Along with her sister, Leah, the Philpotts form one of the best 1-2 punches in the state.
Tyah Pettaway, Middletown, Sr. G: An electric guard who is ready for her moment in the state spotlight.
Jamya Beddoe, New London, Sr. G:
The Whalers’ top scoring threat; if she gets hot from beyond the 3-point line, watch out.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 17 Conard over No. 16 Greenwich
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: Southington, Hamden, New London, Middletown
CHAMPIONSHIP: Hamden over New London
CLASS L STORYLINES
ALL STATE STAND UP: It is rare to have so many returning All-State players and even more rare that most of them call Class L home. GameTimeCT named six underclassmen to the first team last season and four of them are currently in Class L. Aizhanique Mayo of Notre Dame-Fairfield; Lilly Ferguson of Newington; Jaylice Rosario of Maloney and Ciara Collins of Bristol Eastern all came back and played even better as seniors and should again be first-team considerations. Along with the returning all-state players, Class L is overflowing with talent like super sophomore Ayanna Franks of Windsor; All-SCC first-team pick Sophie Hedge and Sara Macary and Kayla Tilus of Notre Dame who were GameTimeCT second- and third-team picks.
COLLISION COURSE: If there’s one game fans have been clamoring for all season it’s Newington, No. 1 in the GameTimeCT Poll, against Notre DameFairfield, currently ranked No. 4. The draw worked out so the teams would not meet until the championship game, should they both advance. It will not be easy for both to get there but if they do, it will be one of the most anticipated games on the girls side in recent memory and should draw a large crowd to the Sun. In the final GameTimeCT poll of the shortened 2021 season, Newington finished No. 1 with Notre Dame finishing second. The winner here would have the inside track to finishing No. 1 overall. In 2020 before the tournaments were stopped, Notre Dame was still alive as the No. 1 seed in Class L and Newington was going as the No. 3 with both teams eyeing each other. It is possible, had here been no pandemic, we could be talking
about these two teams meeting for a third straight season in a state final. We will settle to see them play once at this point.
TOP PLAYERS
Aizhanique Mayo, Notre Dame-Fairfield, Sr. G: The Marquette-bound guard can score from anywhere on the floor and is in the running for being the state’s top player this season.
Lilly Ferguson, Newington, Sr. G: Ferguson will play at UMass after dominating in the CCC the last four years with her quickness off the dribble and outside shooting ability.
Ayanna Franks, Windsor, So. G: Sometimes lost among the talented seniors in the CCC, many in the league believe Franks will eventually outshine them all.
Jaylice Rosario, Maloney, Jr. F: When the GameTimeCT first-team All-State forward arrived in Meriden, the fortunes of the Spartans changed for the better.
Ciara Collins, Bristol Eastern, Sr. F: If Bristol Eastern is going to make a run, it will be on the back of Collins.
Sophie Hedge, Mercy, Jr. G: Mercy has flown under the radar this season and to some extent, so has Hedge who was just named first-team All-SCC.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 21 Bristol Eastern over No. 12 Bethel; No. 11 Windsor over No. 6 Pomperaug (2nd Round); No. 16 Farmington over No. 7 Maloney (2nd round)
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: Newington, Mercy, Simsbury, Notre Dame
CHAMPIONSHIP: over Newington
Notre Dame-Fairfield
CLASS MM STORYLINES
PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE: It comes up every year and it certainly will again this year. Class MM is the battleground this time around for the private vs. public debate. Three of the top five seeds (Sacred Heart Academy, St. Joseph and St. Paul) are Catholic schools pulling players from multiple towns. They will be up against medium-sized public schools in MM. Daniel Hand, RHAM and Ledyard may be up to the challenge, but some of the other public schools may struggle in MM. St. Joe’s last won a state title in 2015, St. Paul in 2010 and Sacred Heart Academy in 1993. The issue has not been as intrusive to the girls as it has to the boys. Including St. Joe’s title, only three Catholic schools have won girls state titles since 2015, (Mercy in Class LL in 2018 and Trinity Catholic in Class S in 2019.)
TOP PLAYERS Milly Walker, Waterford, Sr. G:
A 1,000-point scorer, Walker has been lighting up the ECC.
Natalyah Williams, Ledyard, Sr. F: Another top ECC scoring threat ready to step onto the state-tournament stage.
Kate Rudini, St. Joseph, Sr. G: At 6 feet, Rudini creates matchup problems for opposing guards and her length is disruptive to shooters at the top of the key.
Rosa Rizzitelli, Sacred Heart Academy, Sr. F: The Sharks come at you in waves, but Rizzitelli has emerged as the straw that stirs the drink.
Sophia Coppola, Hand, Sr. F: If the Tigers want to get back to a state final, Coppola will be the one driving the bus offensively.
Catherine Sollose, Brookfield, So. G: Among the super sophomores around the state, Sollose can hang with any of them and can score on all three levels.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 25 Branford over No. 8 Weaver; No. 18 Suffield over No. 15 Bullard Havens
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: SHA, Waterford, St. Joseph, Hand
CHAMPIONSHIP: St. Joseph over Sacred
Heart Academy
CLASS M STORYLINES
HOLY ROLLERS: The top question in Class M will be whether anyone can knock off the state’s only unbeaten team in Holy Cross. Only two teams (Mercy 55-51 and Torrington 63-61) have been within 20 points of the Crusaders, and that includes Seymour, which lost 83-60 in the regular season and is the No. 6 seed in Class M. This class has serious contenders with the top teams from the Shoreline Conference in Valley Regional, East Hampton and Cromwell as well as ECC DI runner-up Bacon Academy; ECC DII champions Windham and SWC runner-up New Fairfield. We’ll see if any can challenge the Crusaders.
TOP PLAYERS
Kenzie Sirowich, Seymour, Sr. G: One of the five best players in the state, has been scoring north of 25 points a game and scored over 50 twice.
Braeden LeBeau, North Branford, Sr. F: The top scorer in the Shoreline Conference can score inside and out, and at 6 feet creates matchup problems at both ends of the court.
Abby Bradbury, Valley Regional, Jr. G: The talented ball-handler can dish out assists with aplomb, but can also light up the scoreboard herself.
Cayla Howard, Holy Cross, Sr. G: Along with junior Mya Zaccagnini, forms a dangerous combination that teams have not been able to slow down as the Crusaders rolled to an unbeaten regular season.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 17 Plainfield over No. 16 Watertown; No. 13 Windham over No. 4 Abbott Tech
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: Holy Cross, Valley Regional, Bacon Academy, Seymour
CHAMPIONSHIP: Holy Cross over Seymour
CLASS S STORYLINES
CLASS OF THE CLASS: Thomaston and or Canton have appeared in all but one Class S final since 2013. In that time, Thomaston won Class S twice in five championship game appearances while Canton won it all twice in four appearances. The two schools played each other in the final three straight years from 2015-17 with Canton winning twice. Canton also lost in the 2019 championship to Trinity Catholic, which has since closed its doors. In the 2020 tournament suspended due to COVID-19, Canton was still alive in Class M while Thomaston was still playing in Class S. This season, Canton is back in S and could again meet Thomaston in the championship if both can get there.
TOP PLAYERS
Tristin Oberg, Windsor Locks, Sr. F: Has been a double-double machine her whole career and has over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Sophia Mates, Canton, Jr. F: The 6foot-3 junior forms a formidable pair along with high-scoring senior Jenna Cuniowski.
Kristie Zator, Parish Hill, Sr. F: Zator has been lighting up the CRAL for four years and now gets a chance to prove she can do it outside the league.
Emma Sanson, Thomaston, Sr, F: One of the Berkshire League’s top players leads a deep Bears roster.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 24 Shepaug Valley over No. 9 Wolcott Tech; No. 18 Canton over No. 15 Immaculate
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: Thomaston, Bolton, Canton, Coventry
CHAMPIONSHIP: Thomaston over Canton