High School Basketball Title Game Previews: "The Run For The Sun"

Tim Jensen
Updated ·6 min read

MONTVILLE, CT — Over a 36-hour stretch beginning in mid-morning Saturday, 20 high school boys and girls basketball teams from across Connecticut will converge on Mohegan Sun Arena to partake in state championship games. By around 10 p.m. Sunday, 10 of those teams will have emerged victorious in "The Run For the Sun," while the other 10 will be trying to stifle their disappointment and begin thinking, "Maybe next year."

State championship games are being played for the first time since 2019. The postseason was canceled just after opening in 2020 due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and continued health and safety concerns caused tournaments to not be scheduled last year.

Of the 2019 champions, only the East Catholic boys have a chance to "repeat." Six of the 10 No. 1 seeds and a half-dozen No. 2 seeds remain in competition. One new division - girls Class MM - will be contested for the first time.

Two teams are making their first-ever appearance in a state title game, while four others seek their first championships. The longest drought for schools with previous titles belongs to Windham, whose boys team will attempt to capture its first state crown since 1941.

Five games are scheduled each day, with start times ranging from 10 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. Tickets are available here for all four sessions, and will also be available at the arena box office.

Here is complete information about each championship matchup, including title game histories and links to team rosters and season records. It is arranged chronologically according to game time.

SATURDAY, MARCH 19

Boys Div. V
10 a.m.

No. 2 SMSA Tigers vs. No. 8 Windham Whippets
Regular season: SMSA 16-4; WIN 14-6

The road to the finals:

  • SMSA: 1st round bye; d. University 64-58; d. Achievement First 74-70 (OT); d. Capital Prep 78-71

  • WIN: d. Bacon Academy 61-48; d. Stafford 57-53; d. Portland 51-49; d. Windsor Locks 53-50

Title game record: SMSA 0-0; WIN 1-0
Last state championship: SMSA none; WIN 1941
Rosters

Girls Class S
12:30 p.m.

No. 1 Thomaston Golden Bears vs. No. 3 Coventry Patriots
Regular season: THOM 17-3; COV 15-5

The road to the finals:

  • THOM: 1st round bye; d. Coginchaug 50-28; d. Gilbert 43-25; d. Bolton 48-42

  • COV: 1st round bye; d. Lyman Memorial 63-30; d. Housatonic Regional 40-25; d. Immaculate 39-36

Title game record: THOM 3-5; COV 1-3
Last state championship: THOM 2015; COV 1988
Rosters

Boys Div. III
3 p.m.

No. 1 Kolbe Cathedral Cougars vs. No. 3 Daniel Hand Tigers
Regular season: KOL 17-2; DH 17-3

The road to the finals:

  • KOL: 1st round bye; d. Ansonia 56-48; d. Berlin 41-35; d. Kennedy 61-55

  • DH: 1st round bye; d. East Lyme 54-40; d. New London 64-38; d. St. Bernard 76-65

Title game record: KOL 5-5; DH 0-2
Last state championship: KOL 2018; DH none
Rosters

Girls Class L
6:15 p.m.

No. 1 Newington Nor'easters vs. No. 3 Notre Dame-Fairfield Lancers
Regular season: NEW 19-1; ND 16-3

The road to the finals:

  • NEW: 1st round bye; d. Bristol Central 68-31; d. Guilford 54-45; d. E.O. Smith 35-34

  • ND: 1st round bye; d. North Haven 59-17; d. Pomperaug 57-41; d. Simsbury 39-28

Title game record: NEW 0-1; ND 0-6
Last state championship: NEW none; ND none
Rosters

Boys Division II
8:15 p.m.

No. 1 Bristol Central Rams vs. No. 2 Northwest Catholic Lions
Regular season: BC 20-0; NWC 19-1

The road to the finals:

  • BC: 1st round bye; d. Amistad 65-38; d. Waterford 70-48; d. Wilton 54-52 (OT)

  • NWC: 1st round bye; d. Greenwich 72-45; d. Crosby 101-63; d. Conard 62-35

Title game record: BC 1-1; NWC 6-5
Last state championship: BC 1990; NWC 2003
Rosters

SUNDAY, MARCH 20

Girls Class M
10 a.m.

No. 1 Holy Cross Crusaders vs. No. 2 Bacon Academy Bobcats
Regular season: HC 20-0; BAC 18-2

The road to the finals:

  • HC: 1st round bye; d. Watertown 83-60; d. New Fairfield 62-50; d. Valley Regional 57-50

  • BAC: 1st round bye; d. Griswold 77-34; d. Cromwell 45-29; d. East Hampton 30-26

Title game record: HC 1-4; BAC 2-4
Last state championship: HC 2007; BAC 2012
Rosters

Boys Div. IV
12:30 p.m.

No. 4 Granby Bears vs. No. 6 Bloomfield Warhawks
Regular season: GRA 16-4; BLO 16-4

The road to the finals:

  • GRA: 1st round bye; d. Cheney Tech 61-58; d. Ellington 58-49; d. Cromwell 59-48

  • BLO: 1st round bye; d. Bethel 76-52; d. Branford 74-55; d. Morgan 76-67

Title game record: GRA 1-1; BLO 5-7
Last state championship: GRA 2013; BLO 2008
Rosters

Girls Class MM
3 p.m.

No. 1 Sacred Heart Academy Sharks vs. No. 2 St. Joseph Cadets
Regular season: SHA 19-1; STJ 18-2

The road to the finals:

  • SHA: 1st round bye; d. Kolbe Cathedral 53-39; d. Berlin 34-29; d. St. Paul 50-18

  • STJ: 1st round bye; d. Suffield 77-35; d. Ledyard 67-58; d. Daniel Hand 68-54

Title game record: SHA 2-1; STJ 2-1
Last state championship: SHA 1993; STJ 2015
Rosters

Girls Class LL
6:15 p.m.

No. 2 East Hartford Hornets vs. No. 12 Wilton Warriors
Regular season: EH 18-2; WIL 13-7

The road to the finals:

  • EH: 1st round bye; d. Glastonbury 44-32; d. New London 61-47; d. Middletown 67-38

  • WIL: d. Trumbull 48-30; d. Fairfield Ludlowe 41-37 (OT); d. Hillhouse 44-34; d. Enfield 48-37

Title game record: EH 0-0; WIL 1-0
Last state championship: EH none; WIL 2015
Rosters

Boys Div. I
8:15 p.m.

No. 2 Notre Dame-West Haven Green Knights vs. No. 8 East Catholic Eagles
Regular season: ND 19-1; EC 15-5

The road to the finals:

  • ND: 1st round bye; d. Danbury 83-53; d. Notre Dame-Fairfield 77-47; d. Windsor 60-57

  • EC: 1st round bye; d. Farmington 57-46; d. Wilbur Cross 73-63; d. Fairfield Prep 47-40

Title game record: ND 0-3; EC 6-7
Last state championship: ND none; EC 2019
Rosters

This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch