By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – One of the weirdest sights to see on the CIAC website this year was the bracket line-up for Division I boys basketball.
When the bracket came out a short few days ago, the Division I set-up saw all 16 teams in the fray earn a first round bye.
Since all the state tournament setups are made for thirty-two teams, all the byes were not any type of surprise in Division I.
And that meant top ranked East Catholic – last year’s Division I winner – earned a first round bye as well as last rated Westhill.
Westhill, by the way, went 0-20 overall and could be the first ever team in Connecticut scholastic history to earn a bye in state tournament play without ever having won a regular season game.
We’re in strange times with the CIAC allowing something like that but the rules state that every team in Division I automatically qualifies for postseason play regardless of record.
Due to the limited number of squads, all the programs in Division I earned a couple extra days to get ready for second round competition.
And that includes the boys program over at Bristol Central, ranked 15th in the final Division I standings, after going 6-14 during a grueling regular season.
Frankly, did any squad in Connecticut have a more difficult slate of games than the Rams did this year?
And what’s the reward for Central in second round play?
How about another date against Northwest Catholic, the Division II runner up from one short season ago.
That’s not exactly the team Central head coach Tim Barrette wanted to battle in the second (or quarterfinal or semifinal) round of postseason play.
After only playing Northwest once over his stint as coach at BCHS, his squads have played the Lions four times over the past 26 games.
That includes last season’s Division II championship tilt, a game the Rams won 56-36, while earning the win in the CCC Tournament title bout over the Lions as well (63-56).
But that was last season.
In the Rams’ only bout against the Lions this year, Northwest defeated Central by an 80-43 final back on January 24 in Bristol.
But NWC might be a bit on the angry side, even after compiling an excellent 18-3 record and seizing the second seed in the Division I mix.
Ranked second in the CCC Tournament this year, Northwest was ‘upset’ by Riley Fox and No. 15 Conard by a 57-55 final – an unusually early exit by the Lions.
The first round matchup between Central and Northwest takes place on Wednesday night, March 8 in West Hartford.
Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.
Central has the tools to hang in against Northwest but it’s going to be a tall order as head coach John Mirabello is one of the best mentors in the state.
The Lions can employ a frontline that boasts giants of 6-foot-9, 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-8 which includes sophomore standout Badara Diakite and junior captain London Jamison.
Guards Gianni Mirabello and senior Tanner Ostop will also cause havoc offensively as Northwest is stacked from top to bottom.
Central, after breaking its nine-game losing streak with its 59-52 win at Bristol Eastern to end the regular season, has been preparing for this challenge but the two teams truly know one another very well.
Senior Jayeson VanBeveren is extremely familiar with Northwest over his battles against the program, entering the postseason contest with a 12.9 points-per-game scoring average and is always a double-double threat that can and will block shots while dropping in hoops from deep.
Sophomore guard Carmelo Thompson (10.1 ppg) can light it up when the offense is flowing and Mikey McMahon (7.3 ppg) – Central’s leading three-point shooter with 28 makes – will provide scoring support as well.
Joey Pikiell (6.2 ppg, 26 threes) is also a three-point threat while pesky Mike Allan (4.4 ppg) will nab his share of steals.
Mason Stokes (4.4 ppg) has played some big minutes over the past two years for the Rams and expect a little extra defense out of Aiden Lopez (2.4 ppg) and senior speedster Tre Blair (1.4 ppg).
If Central can get its vaunted high-low offense in gear at Northwest, the program from Bristol should have some early success in the game.
Hopefully, that can last all thirty-two minutes against the Lions but that’s asking a lot from Central and every team in the state in that situation.
But the Lions will be up for this second round showdown and knocking out the defending Division II champs is probably something on Northwest’s bucket list.
Here’s how the Division I bracket breaks down this year:
CIAC Boys Basketball – DIVISION I
FIRST ROUND – Monday (all teams earned a bye)
*No. 1 East Catholic – Bye
*No. 16 Westhill – Bye
*No. 8 Wilbur Cross – Bye
*No. 9 Fairfield Prep – Bye
*No. 4 Ridgefield – Bye
*No. 13 Naugatuck – Bye
*No. 5 Danbury – Bye
*No. 12 Norwich Free Academy – Bye
*No. 2 Northwest Catholic – Bye
*No. 15 Bristol Central – Bye
*No. 7 Kolbe Cathedral – Bye
*No. 10 Hillhouse – Bye
*No. 3 Notre Dame-West Haven – Bye
*No. 14 West Haven – Bye
*No. 6 Notre Dame-Fairfield – Bye
*No. 11 Wilton – Bye
SECOND ROUND
*No. 16 Westhill (0-20) at No. 1 East Catholic (19-1), 3/8, 6:30 pm
*No. 9 Fairfield Prep (16-4) at No. 8 Wilbur Cross (16-4), 3/8, 6:30 pm *No. 13 Naugatuck (10-10) at No. 4 Ridgefield (18-2), 3/8, 6:30 pm
*No. 12 Norwich Free Academy (10-10) at No. 5 Danbury (18-2), 3/8, 6:30 pm
*No. 15 Bristol Central (6-14) at No. 2 Northwest Catholic (18-2), 3/8, 6:30 pm
*No. 10 Hillhouse (14-6) at No. 7 Kolbe Cathedral (18-2), 3/8, 6:30 pm *No. 14 West Haven (7-13) at No. 3 Notre Dame-West Haven (18-2), 3/8, 6:30 pm
*No. 11 Wilton (14-6) at No. 6 Notre Dame-Fairfield (18-2), 3/8, 6:30 pm
Quarterfinal Round – March 10
*Westhill/East Catholic winner vs. Fairfield Prep/Wilbur Cross winner, 3/10, 7:00 pm
*Naugatuck/Ridgefield winner vs. Norwich Free Academy/Danbury winner, 3/10, 7 pm
*Bristol Central/Northwest Catholic winner vs. Hillhouse/Kolbe Cathedral winner, 3/10, 7:00 pm
*West Haven/Notre Dame-West Haven winner vs. Wilton/Notre Dame-Fairfield winner, 3/10, 7 pm.
Semifinal Round
*March 14 (TBA)
Finals
*March 18 or March 19 from Mohegan Sun Arena
