Both Career and Wilbur Cross won Class L state tournament games against Tuesday night against Hand and Fairfield Ludlowe, respectively.

Hyde lost its opening round Class M game to Notre Dame-Fairfield. Hillhouse opens Class LL tournament play today against Manchester.

So Fairfield Prep coach Leo Redgate did something I've never seen happen: play his substitutes in a tournament semifinal game for nearly a quarter. It almost cost the Jesuits.
Prep was down 15-0 before Paschal Chukwu, Ryan Murphy and Tom Nolan re-entered the game with 1:23 left in the first quarter; Prep was down to Wilbur Cross 17-1 at the end of the quarter.
Then Prep made its slow climb to what ended up being a 68-59 win and a spot in tonight's SCC championship game against Hillhouse featuring the best two teams in the league all year long and the top two teams in the Register Top 10 poll.
So did Leo Redgate do the right thing? He did by those seniors who obviously mean a lot to him to play them in such a big spot. He would've been second-guessed by everyone from now until the end of time - not that he cares - if Prep lost.
"Even if we lost the game, I don;t think it would have been the most horrible thing to happen to the Fairfield Prep basketball program," he said. "I would go to the mat with any of these guys and if we lost because of it, then so be it. If they are going to fire me, they can fire me."
And since he said he wasn't trying to discipline the trio of starters - he said as much after the game - then I guess we have to take him at his word. But he indirectly took a shot at the SCC tournament.
Because by pulling off this stunt, he basically is using the league tournament as a practice for the state tournament. Most coaches would tell you the same thing, that the state tournament carries more weight than the league tournament, and they would all be correct.
Would Redgate do this in the Class LL tournament? I doubt it. He knows that loss would be his last for the season. By doing it in this tournament, he still has the bigger one ahead of him.
So, in my opinion, doing what he did not only was a nice thing to do for those seniors, it also belittled the importance of the SCC tournament. You can make the argument he made a mockery of it.
I wonder what others are thinking today about it. Let me hear from you (jmorelli@nhregister.com, @nhrJoeMorelli on Twitter).

But this reflects even worse on Cross. The Jesuits outplayed the Governors, but those who were there will not only remember Redgate starting his subs for almost seven minutes, but also how Cross couldn't make Prep pay for it.
Josh Fleming did all he could to get Cross over the top - he finished with a game-high 33 points. But no one else had more than 11. And the Governors failed to impose their collective will on what is a much better basketball team than Cross is.
Yes the game was called tightly by the veteran group of officials Pat Paulson, Mike Gambardella and Mike Scanlon. And it's clear Cross coach Kevin Walton was frustrated with how it was officiated.
“I think our kids made enough plays to win this game, and that is where the game should be decided, with the kids," Walton said afterwards.
But the officials didn't shoot 10 of 22 from the line - Cross did. And the refs didn't let Nolan and Murphy cut down the lane for multiple baskets in the second half, either.

This was one of the more bizarre games - and exciting for a lot of reasons - I have ever seen in 20 years of covering high school sports. I wonder what the SCC championship game will bring.

The holiday itself may be over but we have some Christmas tournaments this week that are worth checking out, none better than the Northeast Catholic Classic at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.


Three of last year's state champions - St. Joseph (Class LL), New London (Class L) and Trinity Catholic (Class M), along with New York powerhouse Archbishop Molloy, are in a round-robin tournament beginning Tuesday at 6. Trinity faces New London, followed by Archbishop Molloy vs. St. Joseph at 8. On Wednesday, Molloy faces Trinity Catholic at 6, followed by St. Joseph vs. New London.

Masuk hosts Shelton in its own Christmas Tournament at 7 Tuesday. That game is preceded by Norwalk vs. Bunnell at 5:15. The consolation and championship finals are at the same times in Monroe Thursday.

In the Branford Holiday Festival Tuesday, the hosts face Hewlett (N.Y.) at 6, followed by Hand vs. East Lyme at 7:45. On Thursday, Hand takes on Hewlett at 6, followed by Branford and East Lyme at 7:45.

In the Candy Cane Classic at Woodland Tuesday, the hosts face Ansonia at 7, preceded by Amity vs. Oxford at 5. The consolation and championship are Wednesday at the same times.

In the Kohs Holiday Classic, East Hartford faces Glastonbury at 5:30 p.m., followed by Valley Regional at Xavier at 7:15. The consolation and championship are at the same times on Wednesday.

A rematch looms in Fairfield Prep's tournament final on Friday between Prep and Notre Dame-Fairfield that was quite a game a year ago. That will be at Fairfield University at 8 p.m. if the favorites can prevail.

Then there is Thursday's Vanguard Classic at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. The schedule is as follows: West Haven vs.Hamden, 11:45 a.m.; Hyde vs. Kolbe Cathedral, 1:30 p.m.; Hillhouse vs. Harding, 3 p.m.; Hillhouse vs. Career (girls), 5 p.m.; Career vs. Stratford, 7 p.m.; and Wilbur Cross vs. Crosby, 8:45 p.m.

The Vanguard Classic, originally scheduled for Wilbur Cross High on Dec. 29, looks to be moving to the Floyd Little Athletic Center, according to tournament organizer Michael Jefferson.
The reason? He is expecting more people than Cross can hold. Witht the six games on tap, you can understand why.
For $10, here is what you can watch that day (times approximate):
Hamden vs. West Haven, 11:45 a.m. - Hamden currently 3-0
Hyde vs. Kolbe Cathedral, 1:15 p.m. - Both teams currently undefeated
Harding vs. Hillhouse, 3 p.m. - Hillhouse currently 4-0
Career vs. Hillhouse girls, 4:30 p.m. - Hillhouse undefeated and ranked No. 1
Career vs. Stratford, 6 p.m.
Wilbur Cross vs. Crosby, 7:45 p.m. - more than likely, this game will not start until well after 8 p.m.

We knew from Saturday's win over New London that the Academics would be better defensively. Tuesday's win over Wilbur Cross only emphasized that fact.
Once the Academics put on the full-court pressure - midway through the third quarter - it began to wear down the Governors a little. And the Acs made their free throws down the stretch to - 10 straight once Cross committed its seventh team foul - to seal the 47-40 win. Guard Andre Anderson had eight of those free throws.
That defense and good free-throw shooting overshadowed what was another lackluster offensive performance by both teams - which seems to be the norm in this Elm City rivalry. Both teams combined to shoot 3-of-22 from the floor.
With the three-guard rotation of Anderson, Rich Bronson and Bobby Bynum, the Academics have options who can shoot it and break you down in isolation.
For Cross, it looks to be just Kyle Holmes right now - 20 points against Hillhouse. He will need help in the big games if the Govs want to be as good - if not better - than last season.
The rematch is Feb. 1.

Two games into the SCC season...what have we learned?

a) Amity is 2-0 and may be better than we thought
b) North Haven is 2-0, already halfway to last year's win total. We knew they would be better, but how much?
c) Hamden is 2-0, but the jury is still out.
d) Branford as expected is 2-0
e) Wilbur Cross and Hillhouse are 2-0. Both have games later today at the Doc Hurley in Hartford against New London and Bulkeley, respectively. Then they both play each other next Tuesday. Still way too early for these two Elm City rivals to play but, that is what the SCC schedule says, so be at the Floyd Little Athletic Center at 6.

those SCC teams that are 0-2 have some work to do to try and get into good position by the time the calendar turns to 2012... IN JUST TWO WEEKS!!!!

In other news...
In addition to Career losing to Hillhouse, Crosby was the only other top 10 team to lose. Wilby hammered Crosby 86-59 Friday night. Wilby looks to have returned to power in the NVL.

We will know a little more after today's games at Doc Hurley. Stay tuned...

Wilbur Cross swept its season series with Branford, winning at home 51-47. The Govs are tied with Career atop the SCC Oronoque, but Career can control its own destiny to win it thanks to their win at Cross last Saturday.
Notre Dame takes a two-game lead in the SCC Quinnipiac thanks to Hamden beating Xavier at home.
Sheehan remained undefeated in the SCC Housatonic by pasting Shelton at home.

Score of the night: St. Joseph 110, Bassick 54. The Cadets are starting to warm up.

Check out tonight's scores at www.nhregister.com/boyshoops

Wilbur Cross rebounded from its loss to New Britain Monday by winning at Sheehan 69-64. Five days ago, Sheehan won at Cross 80-70.
Amity won its first game of the season, edging Foran 56-55, Hamden edged Career, Law beat West Haven on the road, Notre Dame hammered East Haven and Morgan beat North Branford.
No. 4 Stratford trailed by 15 heading into the final quarter at Newtown, yet rallied to win by three.
Check out the scores later at:
www.newhavenregister/com/boyshoops