Over the last two seasons, the Bristol Central boys basketball team was denied a chance at a CIAC Division II state championship opportunity.

However, the Rams defeated three top-10 squads in the 2021 Central Connecticut Conference Tournament Championship and finished as the state’s No. 1 team in all the scholastic polls.

And Windsor, North and East Catholic all experienced misery during that slew of games as Central never lost last season – going 15-0 overall and were considered, by many,  the uncrowned champs in Connecticut.

Now, it’s time for the Central program to capture that elusive title before a certain 7-foot-2 center makes his way up Interstate-84 to play for the University of Connecticut.

The Rams are once again stacked, with a schedule to match, and Central is looking to win it all come March 2022.

Let’s take a look at the team from Bristol Central:  

BRISTOL CENTRAL BOYS BASKETBALL 

Head Coach: Tim Barrette (15th season) 

Overall Record: In 14 seasons at Central, Barrette carries an all-time record of 172-140. 

Last Season’s Record: 15-0 overall (CCC Tournament Champs) but could not vie for a CIAC Division II state title due to the pandemic. 

Subtractions: Sean Wininger (forward), D’Ante Ross (forward/guard), Elijah Rodriguez (guard), Dominic Amara (forward), Roberto Negron-Cruz (sr, guard), Tre Jones (forward). 

Probable Starters: Donovan Clingan (sr, center), Damion Glasper (sr, guard), Victor Rosa (sr, guard), Carson Rivoira (sr, forward), Steven Alesph (sr, transfer from the closed Sacred Heart, guard).

Key Subs: Aaron Brown (sr), Tre Blair (jr, guard), Julius Powell (jr, center), Jayeson VanBeveran (jr, forward), and Mason Stokes (jr, guard). 

Strengths: Long, athletic, experienced, tall, and talented starting five.

Weaknesses: Lack of varsity experience on the bench

Why Central will be successful: The program has five potential NCAA Division I athletes in its starting line-up. What other program in the state can boast that kind of talent? I’m waiting for your response… 

Relevant Fact: Donovan Clingan is the eighth all-time leading scorer in Bristol boys scholastic history. A full slate of games this season is going to put the big man at the top of the Mum City’s scoring list by the completion of the year.

Irrelevant Fact: In 48 games as a player at Bristol Eastern, head coach Tim Barrette scored 144 points (3.0 ppg). On the flip side, Clingan seemingly scored that many points last season during Central’s 3-0 romp to the CCC Tournament Championship.

Overview: Central is looking to win the CIAC Division II championship, plain and simple.

It’s a pleasure deferred due to the pandemic over the last two seasons and the Rams are finally looking to make those championship dreams a reality with a twenty-plus slate of games. 

“That’s all you can hope that we actually have an opportunity to play in that state tournament,” said Barrette. “These guys have put in the time and effort. It’s been a long four year run for these guys. And that four year run, I hope, can culminate in competing for a state title.”

And Central starts front and center (literally) with UCONN bound Donovan Clingan (27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 5.8 blocks, and 1.2 steals-per-game in 2021).

Over his outstanding career, the 7-foot-2, 260 pound center has scored 1,421 points and collected 1,002 rebounds, looking to become the city’s all-time leading scorer scholastically in both boys and girls play.

Clingan does all the little things it takes to win, approaches the game with a team-first attitude and plays year-round – learning all the tricks of the trade along the way.

Collegiately, the University of Connecticut, Syracuse, Providence, Yale, UMASS, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Maryland, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Iona, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Boston College – and probably countless others – all came calling before he officially signed the dotted line to become a member of the Huskies.

And his game is prime time ready.

Just during the 3-0 jaunt through the CCC postseason last season, Clingan averaged 33.7 points and 26.3 rebounds-per-game – eye-popping numbers against three fantastic programs – two coming on the road in hostile facilities under enormous pressure.

What will the encore look like in 2021-22 for the big man?

“His body has improved,” said Barrette of Clingan. “He’s in good shape. He’s put the time in the weight room. He’s stronger, he’s bigger, and he really can shoot the ball from outside. I think you’ll see an increased amount of activity outside the paint which some people are hoping for because he’s so dominant inside.” 

“At the same time, we’re hoping to showcase his skill set away from the hoop a little more as well.”

Central will have to replace one starter and a major bench component but a critical reinforcement has already arrived.

Senior Sean Wininger (8.2 points-per-game, 15 made 3s) and D’Ante Ross (4.5 ppg) graduated from the program but there’s a talented group of seniors that plan on supporting it’s All-World center on the path to a state championship.

Damion Glasper (9.7 points-per-game, 11 three-pointers), Victor Rosa (4.9 ppg), and Carson Rivoira (6.1 ppg) have all been playing together at the scholastic level for three straight seasons.

Glasper is a quality secondary scorer and helps direct traffic from the guard position.

But he’s capable of a 25-point game and knows all about the pressures on the court.

Rosa is also one of those jack-of-all trades on the hardwood, scoring here and there, canning the occasional three-pointer and playing a strong brand of defense.

And he’s joining Clingan at UCONN but will be suiting up for the football squad in the fall.

And then there is Rivoira, a certifiable bulldog on the court that hits all the high-percentage buckets, plays tremendous defense, can and will rebound, and does all the little things that makes Central the successful program that it is today.

Remember, most of those seniors have been playing together from their elementary school days so the chemistry is already there.

“They know what each other does well on the floor,” said Barrette. “They know where each player is going to be [on the floor]. Including Steve [Alseph] coming into the line-up, who started at Sacred Heart, all five of these guys have one hundred and sixty starts under their belts combined. It’s the most experienced team I’ve ever had, definitely by far.”

“And they played together since they were freshman at the varsity level.”

Alseph was a casualty of Sacred Heart of Waterbury closing but that loss was Central’s gain.

He is an excellent passer and knows how to score in the clutch.

Alseph’s not afraid to hit the floor, will connect on 3s and advances the ball up the floor with lightning speed.

The point guard was a big-time get for the Rams’ already ultra-successful program.

“I think that’s where a lot of people are going to be surprised,” said Barrette of Alseph. “Steve plays the game the right way. He plays extremely hard. He’s a very, very good defender – on the ball defender. One thing I will say, he did a great job in the preseason was getting everyone involved. He doesn’t look for his own [offense] that often. He came to this team and he’s tried to get all the other guys involved in the preseason.”

“He’s done a great job fitting into that [starting] group.”

Others who will factor into the mix includes senior Aaron Brown and juniors Tre Blair, Julius Powell, Jayeson VanBeveran, and Mason Stokes in reserve roles.

That group may not get a ton of minutes but any contribution this collection of athletes can make on a nightly basis will be a big deal.

But if there’s foul trouble or a starter needs a rest, someone from this group must be an immediate contributor.

“My depth is unproven,” said Barrette. “After my starting five, those guys really have zero experience. So I go from five starters with all that experience to a group of guys that have not played at the varsity level. Obviously, there are things that will happen like COVID and sickness and injury and foul trouble that they’re going to have to play. One of the things that makes me a little nervous is that we have a lot of big venues. It’s one thing to play on a Tuesday night at Berlin but it’s another thing to step in the lineup at Mohegan Sun versus East Catholic.”

Barrette and company didn’t exactly pick an easy non-conference slate but the entire team knows what it’s getting into.

And as we all know, there’s never any easy road to a scholastic state title in hoop. 

‘We’re excited for the opportunity,” said Barrette. “One of our focuses this year is to win every day at practice. And if we practice well and get better every day at practice, with our talent and experience, the games will take care of themselves.”

Frankly, COVID has attempted to derail Central’s state title aspirations for the third straight campaign.

But if things don’t get too far out of hand, the Rams are going to put together one heck of a season with an ending that could see the locals win it all.

“My guys deserve to have people see them play,” said Barrette bluntly. “The big venues allows us to have more people because these guys deserve to have people watch them.”

Games to watch this season: This is not your grandmother’s schedule.

Because there won’t be any cupcakes found outside of Central’s carefully crafted CCC South and interdivisional schedules (unless Donovan stops at Harvest Bakery on his way to practice).

And after sweeping the board in 2021, the stakes are at a whole new level for the Bristol Central boys basketball program this winter.

Some of the schedule is certainly different as Central and Bristol Eastern will actually battle in December.

The clash takes place from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium on December 28 at the Bristol Central Holiday Classic.

It’s the earliest BC/BE showdown ever as the first contest between the squads usually commences in late January.

South Windsor and Wolcott also make up the tournament field for the holiday showcase.

But before then, Central opens with a battle against Southington from Trinity College on Saturday at the Ferris Athletic Center.

Two days later, it’s a CCC Tournament Final’s rematch in what could turn into a familiar venue for the Rams.

Central squares off against East Catholic at Mohegan Sun – starting at 8 p.m. in a main event attraction on Monday.

There’s plenty of CCC action to open January, including bouts against Plainville, East Hartford, and Newington before a huge non-conference confrontation against Springfield Central from Blake Arena at Springfield College on January 14.

Contests against Maloney, Enfield, Hartford Public and Platt follows before Central opens February against Wilbur Cross from the Floyd Little Athletic Center on the second of the month.

On February 10, the Rams tangles with Windsor from the XL Center (7:30 p.m.) before Central ends the season on the road at Middletown (February 15), Maloney (February 18), and Eastern (February 21).

Again, this is not a schedule for the weak at heart but it’s a slate that prepares Central for competition in Division II postseason play.

“One of things I talked about with Donovan and his family is if he stayed [at Central], I told him I’d go out there and try to get the best possible schedule that I could,’ said Barrette. “Hearing from a lot of college coaches, most people have not [played at] all those venues in one season that we are going to be able to play at.”