The Bristol Central boys basketball team had a magical 2021-2022 season, one that ended with a 28-0 record, a Division II state championship, and a No. 1 ranking the GameTimeCT top 10 poll.
Tim Barrette, head coach of the Rams, was one of the coaches of the Connecticut team that played in the 59th Bridgeport J.C.C. Schoolboy/Schoolgirl Classic at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull. One of his players was Donovan Clingan, the two-time Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year. Clingan led Connecticut with 21 points, but they lost, 99-89, to New Jersey.
Barrette took time after the game to reflect on Clingan’s career, and the terrific run Central has had over the past two seasons:
About Donovan Clingan:
“A pleasure. Wonderful, every adjective you would want to do to describe it. We’re really, really close, closer than most player-coach relationships. Because of that, it was a special four years, and he’s definitely going to be missed.”
“He plays through more contact than any other kid I’ve seen the past 30 years. With that said, he kept his head about it, matured as he got older, and he’s the face of Connecticut high school basketball.”
About Clingan playing at UConn:
“It means I’ll be at a lot of UConn games. Obviously, staying close to home is great. He has a close family, as you see here. it’s definitely an advantage for him to be able to see his family once in a while, but at the same time be far enough away and thrive up at UConn.”
“His skillset is much better than people give him credit (for). He ended up with (21 points) versus the best players from state of New Jersey. He can play at that level. A lot of people question if he can play at that level, but he’s only going to get better up at UConn.”
About winning the state championship:
“There was a lot of pressure on us. There was a lot of relief. We were supposed to win. Isn’t that what everybody said? We won every game, we have a 43-game win streak to end the season, and we haven’t lost in almost three years. By the time we start, we will have not been beaten in 34 months. That’s unbelievable.”
About Steve Alseph Jr., who played at Sacred Heart High:
“He is a bulldog on the ball. As I said in another paper, he was my engine. Steve did a phenomenal job leading this team. He leads by example more than being a vocal leader, and kids thrive off his energy.”
About how the team banded together over the past two years:
“We spaced the floor well, but we understood our roles. I think that’s the biggest difference. We understood our roles.”
About completing the run to a state championship:
“There was a lot of pressure on us. There was a lot of relief. We were supposed to win. Isn’t that what everybody said? We won every game, we have a 43-game win streak to end the season, and we haven’t lost in almost three years. By the time we start, we will have not been beaten in 34 months. That’s unbelievable.”
VIDEO: Here are my highlights of Clingan from Sunday’s game.
GALLERY: Here are my photos of Clingan from Sunday’s game.
Photo caption: Bristol Central’s Donovan Clingan, left, listens to instructions from Tim Barrette, his high school coach (gesturing with hands), during the 59th Bridgeport J.C.C. Schoolboy/Schoolgirl Classic on Sunday at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull. Both were part of a Connecticut all-star team that took on New Jersey. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69)
