We have officially entered 2019, and it’s time to take a look at where the local hoop teams stand as the games resume on Wednesday.
Boys basketball
Sacred Heart (5-1) suffered its first loss of the season, albeit to a non-state foe in Our Saviour Lutheran from New York, on Saturday night. The Hearts were defeated 82-73 in the first-ever Mustapha Heron Skills Academy Connecticut vs. New York High School Basketball Showcase at Crosby High School. Sacred Heart is led by the dynamic duo of Omar Rowe and Jamaal Waters, who had 33 points apiece in the loss. The rest of the Hearts scored a total of seven points in that game, though. Sacred Heart hosts St. Paul on Wednesday night before doing the same against city foe Crosby on Friday.
Holy Cross seems to be back on track (3-1) with wins in its last two games over Woodland and Kennedy. The Crusaders play at Derby on Wednesday before playing contests against Wilby (Friday), Crosby (1/8), Sacred Heart (1/10), Wolcott (1/14) and Waterbury Career Academy (1/16). Welcome to the NVL, where it’s a battle on most nights.
Wolcott (3-1) suffered its first loss of the season, 76-47 to Greenwich in the championship game of the Bristol Central Holiday Tournament on Saturday. The Eagles faced an opponent they would have never seen otherwise, and it was a learning experience. Wolcott plays three straight home games, starting Wednesday against Oxford. The Eagles host Seymour on Friday and Torrington next Tuesday.
Bristol Eastern (3-2) feasted on a pair of NVL teams, Watertown and Derby, over the holiday break to get over .500. The Lancers host Hall on Wednesday and play at Avon on Saturday afternoon.
Crosby (2-2) faces a wicked upcoming schedule with games against Torrington on Wednesday, Sacred Heart on Friday, then Holy Cross (1/8) and Kennedy (1/10). The Bulldog losses came back-to-back against East Hartford and WCA.
Kennedy and WCA are each 2-2. The Eagles play Seymour on Wednesday before matching up with the Spartans on Friday. WCA faces a good non-league test Wednesday when it plays Weaver. Chase Collegiate (2-2) resumes play on Jan. 9 at the Watkinson School.
St. Paul (2-3) faces Sacred Heart and Torrington in a pair of tough NVL tests this week. Wilby (1-2) takes on Naugatuck and Holy Cross. Kaynor Tech (1-2) defeated Cheney Tech last Friday after losing its first two games of the young season. Bristol Central (1-4) claimed its first win of the season, 46-40 over South Windsor, on Saturday in the consolation game of the Bristol Central Holiday Tournament.
Girls basketball
A showdown looms in the NVL on Wednesday night. St. Paul (5-2) hosts Sacred Heart (4-1) at 7 p.m. inside the Rev. Brian Monnerat Gymnasium. The Falcons look to rebound after losing both games in Fairfield Warde’s holiday tournament. The only blemish for the defending NVL champion Hearts came against undefeated Watertown in their second game of the season.
The next opponent for Sacred Heart this week is Crosby (3-2), and those teams meet on Friday at Crosby. Chase Collegiate (3-3) resumes play on Jan. 11 at the Forman School.
Holy Cross (2-3) can get over .500 with wins over Derby and Wilby this week after it started the season 0-3. WCA (2-4) grabbed a win over Crosby last Thursday after two straight losses. Wolcott (2-4) hopes to rebound following two losses in the John Rossi Memorial Tournament at WHS.
Bristol Eastern (2-4) won a game in the News-Times Tip-Off Classic in Danbury, and it looks to get closer to .500 this week against Farmington (Wednesday) and East Lyme (Saturday). Both of those games are on the road.
Kaynor Tech (1-3) beat Goodwin Tech last Friday for its first win of the season. Wilby (1-3), Kennedy (1-4) and Bristol Central (1-6) are both looking to improve following tough starts to the season.
