The GameTimeCT Top 10 Girls Basketball Poll (Jan 18): A shuffle, but few changes as season reaches midpoint

Sacred Heart Academy's Carina Ciampi, left, and Sydney Rossacci pursue a loose ball ahead of Amity's Vivian Cain during their girls basketball game at Sacred Heart Academyl in Hamden, Conn. on Saturday, January 8, 2021.
Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

Despite some intriguing results, there weren't a whole bunch of changes as the girls basketball season entered the midpoint of the 2021-22 season.

At the top of the poll as Newington, Notre Dame-Fairfield, Ridgefield and Holy Cross keep chugging along. Ridgefield and Holy Cross each slid up one spot.

Sacred Heart Academy dropped from No. 3 to 5 when they suffered their first loss of the season, 39-36 to Hand, just as the last Top 10 dropped a week ago.

Hand might have moved up, but actually dropped from No. 6 to 7 after a loss at the buzzer to Hamden.

The win Green Dragons catapulted the Green Dragons into the Top 10 with the win. Despite a 62-point win over Tolland, East Hartford dropped out of the poll as voters moved Hamden up and someone had to slide down.

Though this is supposed to be the halfway-point of the season, COVID-19 continues to mess with schedules. For instance, Stafford (4-0) is one of eight teams in the state without a loss but the team has only played four games, compared to unbeaten Southington and RHAM at 9-0 and Newington at 10-0.

Stafford is the only unbeaten team to not pick up any votes in the poll.

GameTimeCT Top 10 Girls Basketball Poll (Jan. 18)

TEAM

REC*

PTS

LAST

CLASS

1. NEWINGTON (14)

10-0

532

Last Week: Def. Berlin 61-32; Hartford Public 66-30.

This Week: at Bloomfield, Tue. 5:15; at Cromwell, Thur. 7; vs Danbury, Sat. 11.

The Bottom Line: Nor’easters get two more tough out-of-conference opponents with Saturday's game vs. Danbury being just their third home game this season.

2. NOTRE DAME-FFLD. (4)

8-2

510

Latest Results: Def. Immaculate 61-38; Naugatuck 68-22.

This Week: at Pomperaug, Tue. 7; vs Masuk, Fri. 7.

The Bottom Line: The Lancers are beating SWC opponents by an average of 32 points a game.

3. RIDGEFIELD

7-1

438

Latest Results: Def Warde 49-42.

This Week: at Trumbull, Tue. 6; vs New Canaan, Thur. 7; vs Simsbury, Sat. 5:30.

The Bottom Line: The Tigers defense has allowed 32 points a game with just two opponents breaking 50 on them.

4. HOLY CROSS

7-0

378

Latest Results: Def. Ansonia 60-19; Kennedy 74-28.

This Week: vs Seymour, Tue. 6:30; vs Windsor, Thur. 7; at Kennedy, Sat. 11:30 a.m.

The Bottom Line: It does not get any tougher on the schedule than this week for the Crusaders.

5. SHA

6-1

352

Latest Results: Lost Hand 39-36; def. Shelton 54-24.

This Week: vs Lauralton Hall, Wed. 7; at West Haven, Fri. 6.

The Bottom Line: Sharks lost to Hand by 3, Hand lost to Hamden by 2, Hamden lost to Sharks by 3. Luckily they all play again.

6. SOUTHINGTON

9-0

323

Latest Results: Def. Glastonbury 38-30; Darien 45-23

This Week: at Wilton, Sat. 6.

The Bottom Line: The Blue Knights are halfway to an unbeaten regular season.

7. HAND

7-2

316

Latest Result: Def. Sacred Heart Academy 39-36; Foran 56-32; Lost Hamden 61-59; def. Hillhouse 67-50.

This Week: at Farmington, Wed. 6:45; at Guilford, Fri. 7.

The Bottom Line: Hand has allowed three opponents to reach 50 points. It is 1-2 in those games.

8. HAMDEN

6-1

277

Latest results: Def. Foran 55-26; Hand 61-49; East Haven 39-25.

This Week: vs Amity, Thur. 7; at Sheehan, Sat. 2.

The Bottom Line: Sophomores Donnarummo, Philpotts and Philpotts leading the young Green Dragons into the Top 10.

9. SIMSBURY

9-1

251

Latest Results: Def. Wethersfield 52-37 Northwest Catholic 54-37.

This Week: at East Catholic, Tue. 6:45; vs Bloomfield, Fri. 6:30; at Ridgefield, Sat. 5:30.

The Bottom Line: Simsbury is winning with defense, only allowing one opponent over 40 points thus far.

10. ST. JOSEPH

6-1

249

Latest results: Def. Warde 50-45; Greenwich 75-43; Bridgeport Central 54-20.

This Week: at New Canaan, Tue. 7; vs Danbury, Thur. 7; vs Bassick, Fri. 4:30.

The Bottom Line: Since opening-night loss, the Cadets have outscored opponents by an average of 27 points a game.

Records through Monday, Jan. 17.

Also receiving votes: East Hartford (8-1), 242; Maloney (7-0), 118; Bacon Academy (8-1), 117; RHAM (9-0), 101; West Haven (6-0), 88; New London (7-3), 79; Enfield (9-1), 63; Ludlowe (6-1), 37; Middletown (7-2), 34; E0 Smith (7-3), 26; Valley Regional (7-0), 21; Trumbull (4-2) 19; Pomperaug (8-3), 11; Mercy (6-2), 8.

The Following Voted: Lori Riley, Hartford Courant; Mike Madera, Walter Camp Foundation/New Haven Register; Vickie Fulkerson, The New London Day; Dave Phillips, Shoreline Newspapers; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Rick Wilson, Waterbury Republican American; Adam Betz, Journal Inquirer; Matt Hornick, Bristol Press Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin; Christopher Saunders WATR 1320 am; Tim Jensen, Patch; Brian Medeiros, Canton; Fred Williams, Northwestern; Sean Krofssik, Record-Journal; Rich Zalusky, The Chronicle; Dave Danko, Fairfield Warde;; Scotty Nails RCDS; Scott Ericson, GameTimeCT. Compiled by Scott Ericson

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