GIRLS BASKETBALL

CLASS LL NO. 2 MERCY (26-1) VS. NO. 5 HALL (24-4)

When: Saturday, 6:15 p.m.

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville

Internet: NFHS Network (subscription required) Championship game appearances: Mercy is 2-4, last playing, and winning in 2013.. Hall is making its second appearance. The program lost to Lee in the 1977 Class LL final.

Players to watch: Megan DeVille, Mercy: Grabs every rebound she can get her hands on for the Tigers; Oliva

Bonee, Hall: Willing to take the big shot, as seen by the 3-pointer to help Hall advance to the final.

What to look for: Motivated squads for different reasons. Hall in the finals for the first time after a comefrom-behind performance to beat fellow Central Connecticut Conference school Enfield in overtime in the semifinals. The Warriors avenged a loss in the CCC tournament final. After going up against Providence-bound Mary Baskerville three times, the Warriors won’t be intimidated by the Tigers. But Mercy is favored here behind the likes of Bella Santoro and Megan Deville. No one has been able to stop both and most of its wins have been by a decisive margin.

You should know: This is Mercy’s fifth appearance in the Class LL final at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Tigers went to four straight from 2010-13.

CLASS S NO. 9 COGINCHAUG (21-6) VS. NO. 10 SMSA (18-7)

When: Saturday, 10 a.m.

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville

Internet: NFHS Network (subscription required) Championship game appearances: This is SMSA’s first appearance in a state final. Coginchaug is 1-0, beating Capital Prep in the 2012 Class S championship game.

Players to watch: Ginny Benbow, Coginchaug: Can shoot it from deep. SMSA will need to keep an eye on her from beyond the 3-point stripe; Kennedi Joseph, SMSA:

Will be counted on for offense in what could be a lowscoring game.

What to look for: Coginchaug rallied from 11 points down to take down Weaver in the semifinals to reach just its second state final. Ginny Benbow will look to lead the way on offense for the Blue Devils. Their defense is pretty good too. So is SMSA’s, as seen by the 37 points it allowed to NVL tournament champion Sacred Heart in the semifinals in overtime. Coginchaug should be in better shape on offense and that should be enough to take home state title no. 2. You should know: Coginchaug didn’t allow more than 30 points to its first three opponents in this tournament.