Simsbury, Lewis Mills and Northwest Catholic are looking championships Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Three area basketball teams hope to win state championships on Saturday at the CIAC finals at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville.
The No. 2 Lewis Mills boys basketball team will be seeking their first championship since 1996 when they face No. 5 Bunnell-Stratford in the CIAC Division III title game on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
At 3 p.m., the No. 2 Northwest Catholic girls basketball team will be looking to win consecutive state titles for the first time when they challenge No. 5 Sheehan-Wallingford in the Class MM championship game.
At 6:15 p.m., No. 2 Simsbury girls basketball will be playing in the state final for the first time in team history. The Trojans will be facing No. 1 Holy Cross, which won a state championship just two years ago in 2022 with a win over Bacon Academy. Simsbury and Holy Cross are both defensive-minded teams that used their defensive skills to advance to the championship game.
The schedule of games is as follows:
Saturday, March 16 (Session 1)
10 a.m. Class M Girls Windham vs. St. Paul
12:30 p.m. Div. III Boys Bunnell vs. Lewis Mills
3 p.m. Class MM Sheehan vs. Northwest Catholic
Saturday March 16 (Session 2)
6:15 p.m. Class L Girls Simsbury vs. Holy Cross
8:15 p.m. Div. II Boys West Haven vs. Windsor
Sunday, March 17 (Session 3)
10 a.m. Div. IV Boys Cheney Tech vs. Innovation
12:30 p.m. Class S Girls Somers vs. Thomaston
3 p.m. Div. V Boys Coventry vs. Old Lyme
Sunday, March 17 (Session 4)
6:15 p.m. Class LL Girls Hamden vs. Sacred Heart Acad.
8:15 p.m. Div. I Boys Notre Dame-WH vs. St. Bernard
Championship capsules
BOYS BASKETBALL
CIAC Division III championship
No. 2 Lewis Mills (19-5) vs. No. 5 Bunnell-Stratford (20-6)
Tip: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena
Tickets: $10 per session, general admission. Game is part of session 1. Buy online or at the arena box office
On the air: NFHS network (subscription required)
Coaches: Ryan Raponey (Lewis Mills), Dannie Powell (Sheehan)
Championship game appearances: Lewis Mills 1-1, Bunnell 1-0
Most recent title game: Mills 1996, Bunnell 2015
Most recent championships: Mills won Class S title in 1996 over Portland, 52-49; Bunnell won Class L title in 2015 over Naugatuck, 72-61
Of note: Defense is the key for Mills, who have won 14 of their last 15 games only dropping a 48-46 loss to Conard in the CCC Tournament. Mills won their first division title in the CCC this winter, claiming the CCC South crown with a 7-0 record. This is Mills’ fifth year in the CCC. The Bulldogs eliminated NCCC champion SMSA in the semifinals
GIRLS BASKETBALL
CIAC Class L championship
No. 2 Simsbury (22-4) vs. No. 1 Holy Cross (24-2)
Tip: Saturday, 6:15 p.m.
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena
Tickets: $10 per session, general admission. Game is part of session 2. Buy online or at the arena box office
On the air: NFHS network (subscription required)
Coaches: Sam Zullo (Simsbury), Frank Lombardo (Holy Cross)
Championship game appearances: Simsbury 0-0, Holy Cross 2-4
Most recent title appearances: Holy Cross 2022 , Simsbury, first appearance
Most recent championships: Holy Cross beat Bacon Academy in 2022 for Class M title
Of note: This is Simsbury’s first state championship game appearance. Simsbury’s Olivia Jarvis was the starting goalie for the Trojans, who won the Class L title in girls soccer in November. … Amanda and Alexa Gallagher’s grandfather, Jim, played at Simsbury High and helped the Trojan boys basketball team win the CIAC Class S championship in 1952.
CIAC Class MM championship
No 2 Northwest Catholic (23-5) vs. No. 5 Sheehan-Wallingford (21-6)
Tip: Saturday, 3 p.m.
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena
Tickets: $10 per session, general admission. Game is part of session 1. Buy online or at the arena box office
On the air: NFHS network (subscription required)
Coaches: Allison Connors (NWC), Michael Busillo (Sheehan)
Championship game appearances: NWC 4-6, Sheehan 1-2
Most recent appearance: NWC 2023, Sheehan 2019
Most recent titles: NWC won Class S title in 2023 with a 74-65 win over Kolbe Cathedral; Sheehan won Class L title in 1976 over Ledyard, 61-45
Of note: NW Catholic is looking to win back-to-back state titles for the first time. The Lions advanced to the finals of the CCC Tournament before losing to Windsor. Sheehan has played a tough schedule this year to Class LL finalists Hamden (3 times) and Sacred Heart Academy (twice) along with one loss to Newington, a Class LL semifinalist. NWC’s starting guard Lily Pare is from Avon.
