Behind 21 points from Freddie Wilson, Hillhouse beats Cross for the second time, this one 67-58 at Cross High Saturday. That's 14 straight wins for the Academics
The most interesting part of the game was Hillhouse coach Renard Sutton benching Wilson for a period, along with two other starters. You can read why here
Hillhouse has small guards like Dana Griffen, Andre Anderson, Drew Crudup and Bobby Bynum that will press the daylights out of teams, create turnovers and lead to baskets in transition. Hillhouse has to - Cross outrebounded them by 20 Saturday, so attacking the basket is not Hillhouse's strong suit.
The lack of height could hurt Hillhouse in its quest for the Class LL state championship. Missing 10 free throws in the fourth quarter is something the team won't overcome in March either. But Wilson is the X factor and when he gets in a zone, look out.
As for Cross, the team is good enough to make some noise in the postseason. Any team with the tandem of Gerald McClease and Alex Conaway would.
But the Govs simply don't fare well against pressure defenses. Unforced turnovers has been a factor in each of their four losses. If they can value the ball better, they will be fine.
That needs to start as soon as Tuesday when Cross plays undefeated Career

As of 10:30 am, the Hillhouse at Wilbur Cross game scheduled for noon is on. It is the only game scheduled involving a top 10 team (Hillhouse is ranked fifth).

There are only three lraces eft as Hillhouse has wrapped up yet another Hammonasset Division crown.

One could be decided tonight. Lyman Hall has already clinched a tie for Housatonic Division title. If the Trojans can avenge their only division loss against Amity, they will clinch.

The other two divisions won't be decided until next Tuesday. Xavier can clinch the Quinnipiac outright by winning at Notre Dame-West Haven. A loss and a win by Fairfield Prep over West Haven makes it a tie. But in essence, Prep is the division champ with its two wins over Xavier, which would mean a higher seed in the league tournament.

Its Career vs. Wilbur Cross to decide the Oronoque Division. Even if Career somehow loses one of its next two division games to East Haven and Branford on Friday or Saturday, a win gives it the title. If the Governors win, they share the crown.

It didn't look pretty, but St. Joseph survived against McMahon 58-52 Thursday to move to 11-1.
They turned the ball over plenty of times, some of them unforced.
Timajh Parker was the only member of the Cadets to finish in double figures (28 points), a lot of those on putbacks and from the free-throw line.
But the key is sevent-ranked St. Joes survived when it was not clicking on all cylinders. McMahon is a formidable opponent, once ranked in the Register Top 10. The Senators blew a double-digit first-half lead with some mindless turnovers, which continued into the second half.
But they did not go away. Better yet, St. Joes did not put them away. Seven straight missed free throws in the final 3 minutes tells that tale.
Parker is a force in the paint. He had a key blocked shot and a late tip-in to help the Cadets escape. Parker can't do it all by himself if the Cadets want to be Class LL state champions.
Being that careless with the basketball and missing that many free throws will cost you in March. It always does.

Each Thursday the Register will take a look at a former state standout, who is now playing in college.



Player: Joe Trapani

College: Boston College

Year: Senior

Height: 6-8

Position: Forward

High school: Hand (Two-time Register All-Area MVP 2004-06)

Current stats: 14.6 ppg, 35.1 percent from 3-point range, 7.4 rpg, 36 assists, 13 steals, 29.7 min

Of Note: Trapani, Boston College's second-leading scorer, transferred from Vermont following the end of his freshman season (2006-07), then sat out one season due to NCAA Division I transfer rules.

For more on Trapani, click here

Ansonia at St. Paul highlights a small schedule on Thursday.
St. Paul currently leads the NVL Brass Division, but Ansonia still has a shot to win the division title with a win Thursday night. In other NVL action, undefeated Holy Cross visits Woodland.
In the FCIAC, we have a matinee as seventh-ranked St. Joseph visits McMahon at 4 p.m. Interesting league battle in Stamford as Trinity Catholic takes on Westhill.

Fifth-ranked Hillhouse at Foran is one of just a few games on the SCC schedule.

The CIAC decided today to allow winter sports teams to use Sundays to complete regular season games for the rest of the season.

Read the story here

High school teams keep missing games and practice time with each snowstorm that hits the state. How much time do they have left to make games up. Read about it here. http://bit.ly/fdDwsV

How ironic that the best player on Hillhouse and Wilbur Cross surpassed the 1,000-point barrier on the same day.
That was exactly what happened Monday night as Hillhouse point guard Freddie Wilson and Cross swingman Gerald McClease did so against North Haven and Hand, respectively.

The two seniors will square off against one another one final time - at least during the regular season - on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Wilbur Cross High. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday but has already been moved due to the impending icestorm.

Here is the complete list:



BOYS’ BASKETBALL

SCC Oronoque

Career at Branford, ppd. to Saturday, 5 p.m.

Shoreline

North Branford at Old Saybrook, ppd., TBA

Hyde at Old Lyme, ppd. to Thursday, 7 p.m.

Haddam-Killingworth at Cromwell, ppd. to Monday, 7 p.m.

Valley Regional at Hale-Ray, ppd. to Feb. 9, 7 p.m.

Coginchaug at Westbrook, ppd. to Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m.

Morgan at East Hampton, ppd. to Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

NVL

Ansonia at St. Paul, ppd.to Thursday, 7 p.m.

Watertown at Seymour, ppd. to Thursday, 7 p.m.

Derby at Woodland, ppd. to Wednesday, 7 p.m.

SWC

Bunnell at Oxford, ppd. to Monday, 7 p.m.

Notre Dame-Fairfield at Stratford, ppd. to Feb. 10, 7 p.m.

Preps

Hopkins at Hamden Hall, ppd., TBA

The Southern Connecticut Conference is on a three-game schedule this week - weather permitting of course. Those games begin tonight, higlighted by Hamden at Xavier, Notre Dame-West Haven at West Haven and Cheshire at Sheehan.
The other scheduled games are Wednesday and Friday. Highlighting Wednesday's games is the second matchup between Hillhouse and Wilbur Cross at 6 p.m. at the New Haven Athletic Center.

With a snow/ice storm expected for Tuesday and Wednesday, keep checking here for the latest postponements and follow me on twitter at both @nhrboyshoops and @jmorelli44.