Bridgeport Central finishes season
on top of boys basketball poll
March 22, 2010
By JOE MORELLI
Journal Register News Service
The Bridgeport Central boys basketball team may have ended up with a blemish on its record, but it wasn’t nearly enough to prevent the Hilltoppers from finishing at No. 1.
The Hilltoppers won the Class LL state championship Saturday to finish 27-1 and the near-unanimous choice as the top team in the final New Haven Register Top 10 poll of the season. Central defeated Hillhouse 78-66 before 8,244 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
“I’ve never had a bunch like them,” said Bridgeport Central coach Barry McLeod, who was a New Haven Register Class L All-State pick at Notre Dame-Fairfield in 1972. “No matter what people threw at them, they answered every bell and never panicked.”
The only loss the Hilltoppers suffered did not come on the court. The school self-reported a violation for using an ineligible player at the end of a blowout win against Staples in the season opener.
Central finished with 14 of the 16 first-place votes and 476 points. The Hilltoppers had been No. 1 since late January.
Stratford, which defeated New London for the Class L title, had the other two first-place votes and finished second with 448 points. Hyde, the Class S champ, finished 27-0 and third in the poll (404), its highest position ever.
This is the first time Central has finished No. 1. The Hilltoppers finished fourth the last time they won Class LL in 2003, and there was no New Haven Register poll when Central won the crown in 1975, when it ended Wilbur Cross’ three-year run with a last-second shot at the Coliseum in New Haven.
Hillhouse finished fourth (372) and New London (350) rounded out the top five.
“They didn't play like they were feeling pressure,” McLeod said. “They allowed themselves to be coached, and I will miss the heck out of them.”
The State Top 10 (Courant)
1. BRIDGEPORT CENTRAL (27-1): Previous rating: 1.
The Hilltoppers showed its pedigree in the tournament with wins over West Haven, Torrington, New Britain, Sacred Heart and Hillhouse in the title game 78-66.
2. STRATFORD (27-0): Previous: 2.
Took care of Pomperaug, Avon and Wilbur Cross and culminated second title season in the last three years with comeback 51-47 victory over New London.
3. HYDE (27-0): Previous: 3.
Howling Wolves capped their first undefeated season with 70-58 win over Prince Tech.
4. SHEEHAN (21-6). Previous: not rated.
Late-season spurt culminated with greatest victory in program's history, a 72-61 upset over Bloomfield in finale.
5. NEW LONDON (25-2): Previous: 4.
Defeated Weaver by two points, Branford by 23 and Bristol Eastern by 20 before losing to Stratford.
6. HILLHOUSE (24-4): Previous: 7.
Downed Simsbury, Trumbull, Windsor and St. Joseph before it committed 22 turnovers, including five in the last 3:23, in loss to Bridgeport Central.
7. BLOOMFIELD (26-3): Previous: 5.
Magical season ended in frustration against Sheehan.
8. ST. JOSEPH (23-4): Previous: 6
Defeated Glastonbury, Crosby and East Hartford and lost to Hillhouse 59-47 in a LL semifinal.
9. SACRED HEART (22-5). Previous: 9.
Its LL run concluded with 68-46 semifinal loss to Bridgeport Central.
10. BRISTOL EASTERN (20-4): Previous: not rated.
Late surge, including a 79-78 win over Northwest Catholic, put the Lancers in a L semifinal where it lost to New London.
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