CIAC girls basketball tournament preview
|
CLASS LL STORYLINES SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE
Both No. 1 Hamden and No. 2 Ludlowe enter the Class LL tournament undefeated. The last FCIAC team to go unbeaten and win a state title was Norwalk in 2019. The only SCC team to do the same was Guilford in 2001 when it won Class L. This is the first time since 2005 (Manchester and Mercy) that two teams enter the CIAC Class LL tournament with no losses. Manchester won the 2005 tournament, but Mercy was knocked out in the semifinals by Windsor. Ludlowe is led by six seniors and has more size than any team in the field. Hamden is junior-heavy and can get out and run. Both teams are capable of playing lockdown defense. A final between the two unbeatens would be a contrast in styles and a huge event at Mohegan Sun.
CCC BACK FOR MORE
East Hartford was the first CCC team since New Britain in 2007 to win Class LL last season. The top teams in the CCC beat up on each other this season, while also fairing well against FCIAC, SWC and SCC teams when they met. No. 4 Glastonbury and No. 5 Newington would have to go through each other to reach the semifinals and the same goes for East Hartford, Conard and New Britain. No. 8 Enfield in the top of the draw would likely have to beat West Haven and Hamden from the SCC to advance to the semifinals.
TOP PLAYERS Amani Abuhatab, West Haven, Sr. F:
Abuhatab is a double-double machine and has been a GameTimeCT All-State First Team pick as a sophomore and junior.
Alana Philpotts, Hamden, Jr. G:
Along with her sister, Leah, the Philpotts form one of the best 1-2 punches in the state. She can drive to the basket, shoot from outside and plays smothering defense.
Alyssa Rossignol, Enfield, Sr. G: The Niagara-bound guard is one of the state’s most versatile players at 5-foot-10 with the ability to score outside and go to the basket.
Kaleigh Sommers, Ludlowe, Sr. G: Perhaps the best athlete in the state, Sommers’ length on the perimeter makes her a matchup nightmare for defenses and creates trouble for opposing guards when she defends. Sommers was injured in the FCIAC championship and did not play in the second half.
Lauren Thompson, SHA, Sr. G: If Thompson is knocking down 3-pointers, then things are going right for SHA. The All-SCC guard can heat up and when she does, SHA is hard to beat.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 20 Southington over No. 13 Trumbull
No. 19 NFA over No. 14 Amity
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: Hamden, Newington, Ludlowe, SHA
CHAMPIONSHIP: Hamden
CLASS L STORYLINES THE GANG’S ALL HERE
With Holy Cross moving up from M where they were state champions, St. Joseph moving up from MM where they were state runners-up and defending Class L champion Notre Dame-Fairfield all in the field, some will be wishing they had all been together last season. In the GameTimeCT Poll, Holy Cross is No. 4 and St. Joseph is No. 10. E.O. Smith is here as well, ranked No. 5 in the poll. Simsbury lost All-State guard Lauren Sabia to injury midway through the season but rallied to win the CCC tournament and could make a run in this tournament as well.
TOP PLAYERS Amanda Gallagher, Simsbury, Jr. F:
When All-State guard Lauren Sabia went down, Gallagher stepped up and has been leading a group of determined Trojans.
Erin Lovett, St. Joseph, Jr. F: The holdover from last year’s state final run can score inside the paint with anyone, averaging a double-double this season.
Jaylice Rosario, Hillhouse, Sr. F: The transfer from Maloney and former standout at Wilbur Cross will be a difference maker for Hillhouse with her ability to dominate a game inside.
Claudia Schneider, Pomperaug, Sr. F: One of the state’s best players, the 6-foot forward was a McDonald’s All-American nominee.
Mya Zaccagnini, Holy Cross, Sr. G: One of the state MVP contenders, Zaccagnini scored her 1,000th career point in last year’s state championship win. Zaccagnini was injured in the NVL semifinals and did not play in the championship game.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 17 Hillhouse over No. 16 Notre Dame-Fairfield
No. 18 Masuk over No. 15 Woodstock
SCOTT’S PICKS FINAL FOUR: North Haven, Simsbury, Holy Cross, St. Joseph
CHAMPIONSHIP: Holy Cross over North Haven
CLASS MM STORYLINES SCC VS ECC
No disrespect to the other conferences represented, but teams from the SCC and ECC will likely decide Class MM. Hand may have to get through Ledyard to reach the semifinals; Mercy and Foran could tangle in another quarterfinal as could New London and Sheehan. The middle of the bracket with Ellington from the NCCC as the No. 2 seed is the one spot another conference could break through but there too, Killingly and Branford lurk as lower seeds from the SCC and ECC.
FILLING THE VOID
With defending champion SHA up in Class LL and runner-up St. Joseph in Class L, MM is open for business, and in just its second year hosting a final, is guaranteed a new champion. The division is full of former champions in multiple classes. New London has won titles at Class LL, L and M; Mercy has won in LL and L and Ellington has won in M and S.
TOP PLAYERS
Nalyce Dudley, New London, Sr. G: Dudley is in the running for state MVP and has carried a New London squad with just seven players on the roster. She can do it all and the Whalers will need her to do just that.
Sophie Hedge, Mercy, Sr. F:
Hedge can take over games anytime she is on the floor with her ability to hit 3s, drive to the hoop and drop mid-range jumpers.
Natalie Lucas, Hand, Sr, G: The 6-foot guard creates matchup problems on the perimeter and uses her length as a weapon on defense.
Maddie Topa, Northwestern, So. G: Topa closed the season with 13-straight games scoring 20 points or more. She lit up the Berkshire League and is ready for the rest of the state.
Sarah West, RHAM, Sr. F: West is one of the state’s best defensive players, a tenacious rebounder and can score in the paint.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 17 Ledyard over No. 16 Brookfield
No. 26 Branford over No. 7 Wolcott
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: Hand, Mercy, Ellington, New London
CHAMPIONSHIP: Mercy over New London
CLASS M STORYLINES SHORELINE STORY
East Hampton and Valley were semifinalists in Class M last season, but Valley has not won a CIAC title since 1999 and East Hampton has not taken a top spot since 1980. Bacon was the team that knocked off East Hampton last season and though they lost some talent to graduation, still pose a threat to halt the Shoreline party. The other Shoreline teams with shots are Coginchaug, which won Class S in 2018, and Cromwell, which won Class M in 2019, 2016 and 2015. Immaculate will have something to say about all of this, having moved up from Class S where it was a semifinalist last season and entering the tournament with seven seniors on the roster.
TOP PLAYERS Colleen Blackman, Immaculate, Sr. G:
Immaculate has one of the state’s most balanced offenses, but as a 5-foot-10 guard Blackman has proven to be difficult to contain.
Sophie Mates, Canton, Sr. F: The 6-foot-3 Mates can take over games inside and could help the No. 22 seed to a Cinderella run.
Marissa Nudd, Bacon, Sr. F: The Southern Connecticut State commit can do work inside and has been scoring at a high rate all season.
Liana Salamone, East Hampton, So. G: Salamone was CHSCA All-State as a freshman and has done nothing but get better this season, leading the Bellringers to a top seed.
Mikayla Walton, Oxford, Sr. G: Walton is Oxford’s all-time leading scorer and would love to end her career with a few state tournament wins.
SEEDED UPSETS
No. 20 Stonington over No. 13 Wilcox Tech
No. 22 Canton over No. 11 Woodland
SCOTT’S PICKS
FINAL FOUR: East Hampton, Coginchaug, Immaculate, Valley Regional
CHAMPIONSHIP: Immaculate over East Hampton
CLASS S STORYLINES
THOMASTON THE TANK ENGINE
Thomaston has played in the Class S championship game six times since 2013, winning three titles. Those runs to the Sun all came under coach Bob McMahon who stepped down after last season. Brian Mozelak is the new man at the helm and the Golden Bears have not missed a beat, going 19-3 and reaching the Berkshire League championship. Thomaston is the No. 2 seed in Class S and will certainly have challengers in No. 8 Coventry, the team Thomaston beat in the championship game last season, No. 1 seeded Bolton (21-1) and No. 3 Somers. Also lurking as the No. 16 seed is Kolbe Cathedral (10-10) out of the SWC. Kolbe did not make the SWC Tournament, but is another school of choice playing in Class S and has shown flashes of playing well in stretches this season.
TOP PLAYERS
Urielle Afoakwa-Abrokwa, East Catholic, Fr. F: Few players burst on the scene like Afoakwa-Abrokwa, busting out for big game after big game in the CCC.
Emily Arel, Gilbert, So. G: A quick guard who can blow past defenders on the dribble or score from the outside. She recently reached the 1,000 point mark.
Nicole Decker, Thomaston, Jr. G: Decker helped Thomaston to a state title a season ago and is back playing even better this season as one of the Berkshire League’s top scorers.
Emma Diehl, Bolton, Jr. G: Bolton can beat you in a lot of ways but when Diehl was going, they were unbeatable in the NCCC.
Charlotte Jordan, Coventry, Sr. G: The point guard is a two-time CSHCA All-State selection and should make it a third time this season after another stellar campaign.
SEEDED UPSETS No. 24 East Windsor over No. 9 Ellis Tech
SCOTT’S PICKS FINAL FOUR: Bolton, Gilbert, Thomaston, Somers CHAMPIONSHIP: Bolton over Thomaston