A look at the No. 1 boys hoops teams
Here are the last nine final No. 1 teams in the GameTimeCT boys basketball poll (note: no final poll was held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the CIAC tournament).
2023-24: Notre DameWest Haven.
The Green Knights claimed their first state championship, defeating St. Bernard-Uncasville in Division I. They were the only undefeated team at 28-0 behind Abdou Toure and Travis Upchurch.
2022-23: East Catholic.
The Eagles went wire to wire, winning Division I for the third consecutive season it was held. They had to come from behind to beat Northwest Catholic in the final behind GameTimeCT MVP James Jones. The Eagles finished 27-1, but undefeated against Connecticut competition.
2021-22: Bristol Central.
The Rams went wire to wire, beating Northwest Catholic in the CIAC Division II championship game after having defeated the Lions in the CCC tournament final. Bristol Central, behind Donovan Clingan, also beat East Catholic, the Division I champion, and won 43 consecutive games dating back to the 2021 season.
2021: Bristol Central. Season was reduced to two months with no CIAC tournaments held due to COVID-19. But league tournaments were held and Bristol Central, led by Clingan, went undefeated and beat, in succession, fourth-ranked Windsor, No. 2 Northwest Catholic and No. 1 East Catholic in overtime on the road in the CCC final. Sacred Heart finished second in its final season — the school closed at the end of the school year.
2019-20: No final poll due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2018-19: East Catholic.
The Eagles defeated their CCC nemesis, Windsor, in the Division I championship game to finish No. 1 at 27-1. East Catholic’s only loss had come at the hands of Windsor in the CCC tournament final.
2017-18: Notre DameFairfield.
The Lancers had lost to Sacred Heart in the previous two CIAC championship games in the Class M and L divisions, respectively. But in the newly-created five-division format, Notre Dame finally turned the tables on the Hearts, winning the Division I title and finishing undefeated at 27-0 behind Tyler Bourne & Co. Sacred Heart finished second.
2016-17: Hillhouse.
The Academics won their second consecutive Class LL state championship behind the group led by Joey Kasperzyk and Byron Breland III. Hillhouse received all but three of the first-place votes. Sacred Heart, the Class L champion, received the other three and placed second.
2015-16: Sacred Heart. The Hearts finished No. 1 for the second consecutive season, this time beating Notre DameFairfield in the Class M final. Sacred Heart went wire to wire for the second straight season, too, in Heron’s final season.
2014-15: Sacred Heart: This was right in the middle of the Mustapha Heron era for the Hearts, who went wire to wire as the No. 1 team, beginning with the December 2014 preseason poll. Sacred Heart had won Class S in March of 2014 and finished fourth in that final poll. The Hearts then defeated Valley Regional for their second consecutive season in Class S.
Bridgeport
The Hilltoppers came from 18 points down (47-29) at halftime of the Class LL championship against previously-undefeated Fairfield Prep, then took the lead by the conclusion of the third quarter. Central finished 27-1 and was the unanimous No. 1 choice.