Defending champion Trumbull facing plenty of challengers
Girls basketball has been one of the most competitive sports in the FCIAC in recent years and the 2018-19 season should be no different.
Defending champion Trumbull lost some key players, but returns enough to be considered a favorite once again.
Teams like Norwalk, Trinity and Staples are ready to step up and contend while perennial contenders Ridgefield, Stamford and Warde cannot be counted out.
That is not even mentioning a Danbury team ready to get back in the mix, a Ludlowe squad that has been knocking on the door and is ready to enter and St. Joseph, which could certainly wind up in the final eight in the FCIAC playoffs.
The league brings back five players from the first and second team AllFCIAC squads, but three of those players were also named All-State last season.
To say the talent level in the FCIAC is high is an understatement with four players making the GametimeCT Top 25 players in the state to watch this winter.
5 TEAMS TO WATCH
Trumbull: When you are back-to-back FCIAC champions you are a team to watch, even if you took big graduation losses. The Eagles are the team to beat in the league as they reload more often than they rebuild. Sophomores Cassie Barbato and Allison Palmieri are back after contributing as freshmen and will be joined by Meghan Lesko, Kelly O’Leary and a deep bench full of players looking to make their mark. Norwalk: The Bears are ready for their moment in the spotlight. With an AllState guard in Ashley Wilson and a talented, deep team around her, Norwalk believes it can make a run at both the FCIAC and Class LL titles. Talent-wise, few teams matchup with Norwalk this season. Staples: Elle Fair was All-State and All-FCIAC a season ago and may be the
best pure athlete in the league. The Wreckers lost junior Arianna Gerig to an ACL injury, but still return sophomore center Marley Lopez and Abby Carter as they hope to make deep runs in the FCIAC and Class LL playoffs.
Ridgefield: The Tigers might be a year away with a roster loaded with talented juniors and sophomores. Then again, they might be ready to compete and win this season as many of those players saw significant minutes last season as Ridgefield only graduated one senior starter.
Trinity Catholic: It has been a while since Trinity routinely played for league championships, but this may be the group to lead them back to the promised land. Iyanna Lops, Caitlyn Scott and Kaya Nowlin will pace the Crusaders who crawled back into relevancy last season and are looking to make the next leap this time around.
5 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Susana Almeida, Danbury: The senior point guard is hoping to lead a resurgent Hatters team back to the FCIAC playoffs. Almeida can handle the ball, get to the hoop and score from outside.
Elle Fair, Staples: Senior was an All-State and AllFCIAC first-team pick last season. Quick guard can beat defenders off the dribble or pop from the outside. Averaged 14 points per game last season.
Megan Landsiedel, Stamford: Junior guard averaged 7.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.6 steals last season.
Iyanna Lops, Trinity Catholic: Senior guard averaged 17 points 15 rebounds and 5 blocks average last season. Signed to play D-1 at Cal-Bakersfield
Ashley Wilson, Norwalk: 5-foot-6 senior guard was an All-State and All-FCIAC first team selection last season. Can handle the ball and score from anywhere on the court.
5 GAMES TO WATCH
Trinity Catholic at Stamford, Dec. 14: Stamford has run girls hoops in the city the last few seasons but Trinity is primed to take back its place on top of the heap.
Ludlowe at Danbury, Dec. 19: Two teams with FCIAC playoff hopes meet up before the new year as an early measuring stick for both. Staples at Ridgefield, Feb. 5: Both teams are deep with talent and aspire to be playing meaningful games come the end of February.
Greenwich at Warde, Feb. 11: Both teams are perennially in contention for FCIAC playoff spots and this late-season matchup could very well be for a place among the final eight.
Trumbull at Norwalk, Feb. 11: The two favorites entering the season do not meet until the second-tolast game of the season when both should be firing on all cylinders.