High school basketball/CIAC finals roundup
Class LL boys
Fairfield Prep 51, Westhill 50
Rich Kelly made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 54 seconds left in the game, and the Jesuits survived a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer by Westhill to win the program's third CIAC state title and end two years of frustration.
Top-seeded Prep (26-2) had lost in the previous two LL finals. It was unbeaten last season and led Bridgeport Central by 19 points in the second quarter of last year's final, but lost in the final minute, 76-73.
Tommy Nolan had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Jesuits, Pat Harding scored 13 and Kelly finished with 12.
C.J. Donaldson and Tyrell Alexander both had 14 points and five rebounds for the second-seeded Vikings (25-2), the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference champion.
Jeremiah Livingston missed 6 of 7 shots and scored 12 for Westhill. He averaged a team-high 24.1 points.
Kelly made his 3-pointer for the lead and followed with two free throws with 40 seconds remaining to push the Jesuits ahead, 51-48.
A Donaldson layup seconds later cut the Vikings' deficit to a point. Nolan missed a 3-pointer, and Vashon Natteal couldn't convert on an open 3-pointer from the right corner.
The first day's attendance was 10,610.
Class M boys
Andre Lyons (23 points, 11 rebounds) was one of four Beavers to score in double figures as they snapped their two-game losing streak in the finals.
It was the eighth state title for top-seeded Weaver (27-2). Chalyn Martin had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Beavers and Jaecee Martin added 13 points, five assists and four steals. KeAndre Fair also scored 12. Jordan Pettway scored 17 and Jake Heaton 15 for the No. 6 Lancers (21-7).
Colin Burke made the first of two free throws to give ND a 44-37 lead with less than two minutes left in the third quarter before Weaver dropped the Lancers with a 22-4 run.
Class LL girls
Erin Cunningham made four 3-pointers and finished with 33 points, 19 rebounds and two blocks as the second-seeded Warriors overwhelmed the smaller Bobcats to win the program's first state title in its first appearance.
Erica Meyer had 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks for Wilton (25-2). Amy McConnell scored 12 and Alexandra Goslin 10 for top-seeded South Windsor (27-2).
Wilton outrebounded the Bobcats 55-24. It also shot 50 percent to South Windsor's 28.8.
Class M girls
Bridget Sharnick had 16 points, eight rebounds and five steals as St. Joseph won its second state title.
Jacqueline Jozefick made all 8 of her free throws for 10 points with 11 rebounds for the 11th-seeded Cadets (19-7). Caitlin Sharnick added eight rebounds and eight assists. Mya Villard had 10 points and 14 rebounds and reserve Emma Belcourt had 16 points and five rebounds for No. 4 Cromwell (23-5). Nicole Rojas added 13 points.
Class S girls
Morgan Sanson had 13 points and seven rebounds for Thomaston (23-3) and Julia Quinn had 12 points and six rebounds. Casey Carangelo added 15 rebounds.
Sophomore Emily Briggs had 18 points, 10 rebounds and four steals for the top-seeded Warriors (22-5).
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