CIAC State Finals Standouts: Division IV

<p>This year has been an incredibly rewarding one as I tackled my new responsibilities covering the great state of Connecticut and the New Haven area. I’ve made many new friends, seen a lot of new and familiar faces, and most importantly have watched a ton of really great basketball. The season’s worth of work these gentlemen and ladies put into these events culminated in a big time opportunity to capture a state championship in front of a crowd of people at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. With high energy and a packed arena, these games left nothing to be desired.</p> <p>Here are the standouts from the game between Bloomfield and Granby:</p> <p><strong>Howard Simpson, 6-5, 2022, Bloomfield</strong></p> <p>Simpson was the man of the hour in this Division IV matchup. Simpson is a football player at heart, and it shows on the basketball court. With a strength that Granby couldn't handle and a surprising soft touch around the rim, Simpson played like a bully on the block. After Granby's 6-8 big man Ralph Rossi went out early with foul trouble (only played 6 minutes), Simpson went to work on a Granby team that simply wasn't big enough to hang. He had 23 points and 14 rebounds in the big game, leading to a +10 offensive rebounds and +15 total rebound advantage for Bloomfield. He was relentless and continually got to the free throw line when needed, scoring 7 of his points at the stripe. His handle was good enough to get him moving downhill and defensively he served as a high motor anchor that was effective in pushing Granby to the three point line. Simpson's high school basketball career ended on a fantastic performance and a ring to go with it.</p> <p><strong>Cayden Smith, 6-0, 2024, Bloomfield</strong></p> <p>Smith served as a nice yin to a crazy Howard Simpson yang in this game. While Simpson was all muscle on the lower block, Smith served as the brains of the operation at the point guard position. While most teams at the tournament had a rough time getting shots to fall from distance, Smith gave Bloomfield the much needed jolt of perimeter shooting that ultimately put them over Granby in this close game. He knocked down 4 threes en route to a 12 point performance and serving as second scorer for Bloomfield. Smith was also much needed on defense, generating 3 steals that led to some easy Howard Simpson buckets on the other end. Smith is a great young guy who will still need to mature on the smaller parts of the game, but his shooting, length and defensive awareness really catapulted his team to greatness in this important game.</p> <p><strong>Julian Phillips, 5-9, 2022, Granby Memorial</strong></p> <p>I read somewhere doing some research that Julian Phillips was the "Bucket Getter" for this team and cast some doubt to his stature. Boy, was I wrong. Phillips was one of the best scorers I have seen in CT. His lightning quick handle and feet make him an absolute issue going downhill, even with his height working against him. He's got the full bag of tricks ready to go at any moment, leaving big men unsure about when and how to try to stop him around the rim. He nailed 2 threes on 5 attempts, an efficient shooting performance for a Granby team that notably struggled from distance. He has an insane motor and does not give up on the play ever. With 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals, Phillips definitely had one of the tournament's best performances and was the only reason Granby had a shot at this one. </p>