By Michael Letendre
UNCASVILLE – What more can be said of the boys basketball team from Bristol Central this year?
It was a tremendous campaign by the squad (28-0, 43 straight victories) and it might be another thirty-two years before we ever see something like that again in the Mum City (if ever).
We’ll wrap up Central’s 2021-22 campaign with some final quotes from the squad as the Rams took the Division II title over Northwest Catholic with its 56-36 victory from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville last Saturday.
*Central head coach Tim Barrette was asked if playing a game in Uncasville earlier in the season (against East Catholic) was of benefit:
Barrette: “We weren’t nervous. My guys were excited to be here, and it was part of the program. I can’t say enough about that.”
*On Barrette’s halftime demeanor in the locker room with Central hanging on to a 22-20 lead against NWC:
Barrette: “Here’s the good thing about seniors. My halftime speech, there was no yelling. There was confidence. We were 0-for-11 from three at one point. We hadn’t shot free throws well. [Donovan Clingan] was 3-for-10 from the field in the first half and we’re winning by two. It could only get better. We continued to play defense. We held them to 20 [points] in the first half. After that, holding them to 16 points in the second half, how do you beat that?”
*Clingan on the excellent job the combination of Victor Rosa and Carson Rivoira did on slowing down Northwest Catholic sharpshooter Matt Curtis (5-of-18 shooting from the field, 15 points)
Clingan: “Victor and Carson did an amazing job on Matt, holding him down to very little points. I just couldn’t be prouder of my guys.”
*Barrette echoing similar praise about Rosa’s job on Curtis:
Barrette: “What I know about Victor is Victor loves a challenge. He walked in the gym today. He was early. I said, ‘Are you ready for the challenge?’ He said, ‘Coach, I can’t wait.’ With that being said, he took one of the best players, best guards in the state of Connecticut and made him work for everything he got. And (Curtis) was tired in the fourth. That’s why all those shots were short because Victor ran him all over the floor.”
*Barrette on the prep work for a game of this magnitude:
Barrette: “Everyone thought it was easy to coach a seven-footer with all these expectations and I just had expectations [of] we can’t lose so the work ethic, I locked myself in a room the other night for seven hours to watch film just to get a better sense even though we played [Northwest] last week. It’s a lot of hard work on my part and their part but it was definitely special.”
*Barrette’s take on having the chance to coach Clingan and what it takes to defend against him:
Barrette: “Once in a lifetime they said but they also say you better not waste it, and we were lucky enough as a coaching staff to not waste it. You’ve got to be able to implement your game plan for thirty-two minutes. I don’t know how you do it because that monster [Clingan] eventually is going to get away.”
*Barrette’s take on the defensive effort against NWC (5-for-26 shooting against Central over second half play):
Barrette: “One of the things we wanted to do tonight was out-tough them. I thought we did that tonight. We made the game physical, we mucked it up and that scoreboard says it enough tonight. We allowed 36 points.”
*And Barrette’s final words about the season and a special senior crew:
Barrette: “How can you not be proud of the guys after that? They’re class citizens. They represent Bristol better than anyone else I’ve ever had and ever coached. I can’t be prouder of the guys.”
And that’s a wrap on the Bristol Central boys basketball team this season: the 2021-22 CIAC Division II champions.
