Unbeaten Norwalk, a team in every sense of the word, finishes No. 1

For the first time since 2000, the Norwalk girls basketball team is the No. 1-ranked team in the final GameTimeCT poll of the season.

Bear coach Ricky Fuller does not think his 2019 undefeated state champions could beat the Norwalk team that finished unbeaten in 2000.

Fuller, who was an assistant coach on that 2000 team, says that is part of what makes the 2019 team so remarkable.

There are no superstars, but the players are a team in every sense of the word.

Every night a different player stepped up, be it one of the starting five or the fourth girl off the bench.

“Twenty-eight and oh. I was lucky enough to be a part of the last 28-0 as an assistant coach. Now here, this team could not beat that team, but this team is very special,” Fuller said. “It is very difficult to have the target on your back all year and still win a state championship. I have to give all the credit to them.”

On the final play in the championship game it was reserve guard junior Anaijah Morgan dribble-penetrating and dishing to senior center Naeva Rene, who scored the winning basket.

In the semifinals against Hamden, it was Belinda Hunte leading the team in scoring, and in the quarterfinals it was sophomore Jakara Murray-Leach sinking two free throws with .5 seconds left, winning the game over Mercy.

“All year we relied on different players on our team to do different things and come through. It’s a special group of kids,” Fuller said. “Night in and night out it could have been any of them and tonight was (Rene’s) night to make that basket.”

Ashley Wilson and Sanaa Boyd will graduate as state champions after four years playing varsity basketball.

“I’ve been waiting for this for four years and now that it’s happened, I’m super happy,” Wilson said. “We were lacking the energy and not playing as well as I’d like. We knew in the second half we had to pick everything up. When Naeva (Rene) got that ball in, I just ran to my teammates and we all hugged.”

The Bears were truly a team deserving of the championship and a team in every sense of the word.

Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Norwalk players celebrates after winning their Class LL quarterfinal game against Mercy on March 7.