When New London met Norwich Free Academy for the first time this season (Dec. 22), the Whalers won handily 53-37, backed by an unyielding defense.

That's why New London coach Holly Misto was less than thrilled in meeting No. 2 when the Whalers gave up 35 points to NFA in the first half. Misto called the first-half defensive effort “unacceptable.” NFA won that one 59-51, knocking New London from the state's top ranking and earning a share of the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I regular-season title.

“I don't think they expected it from us,” NFA coach Bill Scarlata said.

Scarlata fully expects part three to be the toughest meeting between the teams yet. Top-seeded NFA (18-4) meets No. 2 New London (20-2) in the championship game of the ECC Division I girls' basketball tournament at 7:30 Wednesday night at NFA. In the ECC Division II championship, No. 2 St. Bernard (17-5) plays No. 4 Woodstock Academy (14-8) at 5:30 p.m., also at NFA.

New London is ranked third in the most recent GameTimeCT/New Haven Register Top 10 state poll. NFA, now with 14 straight wins, is seventh.

“They're going to come at us,” said Scarlata, whose team is bidding for its sixth straight championship. “It'll be a tough game for us. (New London is) bigger, stronger, faster.”

NFA scored a season-high 70 points in an ECC semifinal victory over Bacon Academy, getting 41 points and seven 3-point field goals from senior Hailey Conley. New London, meanwhile, cracked down on defense in its semifinal against Waterford, holding the Lancers without a field goal for a span of 8 minutes, 3 seconds during the third and fourth quarters and winning 51-39.

“My assistants (Arianna Dolock and Missy Parker) were the ones who talked me into going into our zone press in the second half,” Misto said of the Waterford game. “I was arguing with them.

“… Our goal is to win the ECC championship. (NFA and Bacon, the two possible opponents at that time) are both really good teams; I think we're ready.”

Both of Wednesday's finalists will compete in the Class LL state tournament (the CIAC releases its pairings on Wednesday).

Scarlata was reminded that at one point this season he told a friend he was unsure whether NFA could find eight wins on its schedule to even qualify for the state tournament.

“We were 1-3. I'm telling you. Coming off horrible losses,” Scarlata said. “We got a little lucky this year. We played E.O. Smith without one of their best players and RHAM and Ridgefield had to drive all that way to play at our place. Our team progressed.

“At the beginning we had only two scorers. In the last two weeks, we've gotten Kayley (Ericson) to throw in some points. Jaida (Davis) to throw in some points. … It makes us harder to guard.”

Likewise, New London got balanced scoring against Waterford, with 10 points each from India Pagan and Rosie Nicholson and nine from Leilani McClellan. The Whalers had eight players score, five of them with five or more points.

“I'll take that any day,” Misto said.

“It's really special,” NFA's Conley said of reaching the final in each season of her career. “We have a lot of experience doing it. The seniors don't know what it's like not to be in the final. It's just a matter of who's going to execute.”

Of playing New London?

Said Conley: “It's always a close game. We wouldn't have it any other way.”

St. Bernard, meanwhile, earned a chance to play for the first-ever ECC Division II final with a 33-24 semifinal win over Lyman Memorial. Briana Beverly scored 14 points and St. Bernard all-time leading scorer Caitlyn Dittman added 15 rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots.

v.fulkerson@theday.com