The GameTimeCT Top 10 Girls Basketball Poll (Jan. 12): ND-Fairfield No. 1; CCC claims four ranked teams

There wasn’t much movement in the poll as the top teams took care of business last week. Stamford and Newtown did flip spots, but otherwise the top 5 was the same.

Notre Dame-Fairfield looked like the No. 1 team in dismantling both of its opponents last week, including Bethel.

The CCC, meanwhile, made some inroads with now four teams ranked in the Top 10. Newington (7-1) and red-hot Glastonbury (7-1), which hasn’t lost since Newington in the season-opener, have replaced Shelton and Trumbull in the poll.

NOTEBOOK: NOTRE DAME-FAIRFIELD EMBRACING NO. 1 RANKING

No. 9 Newington and No. 6 East Catholic meet this week in a big CCC matchup.

Shelton’s only crime was a 53-50 loss on the road at East Haven, but that was enough to exile the Gaels from the Top 10.

WEEK’S FINE PERFORMANCES / GAMES TO WATCH

This week offers several teams in the poll facing other ranked opponents and should give us a clearer picture of where everybody stands.

Pomperaug, just outside the Top 10, has a golden opportunity with games against No. 4 Newtown and No. 1 Notre Dame-Fairfield, this week.

The GameTimeCT Top 10 Girls Basketball Poll

	TEAM (1st place votes)			REC	PTS	LAST	CLASS
	1. NOTRE DAME-FAIRFIELD (17)			6-0	510	1	L
Last week: def. New Fairfield 60-44, Bethel 69-38 This week: vs Stratford, Tue. 7; at Pomperaug, Fri. 7; vs Sacred Heart, Sat. 2 Bottom Line: The Lancers aced their first week as No. 1, with McCollough pouring in 30 to top Maranda Nyborg and Bethel. Some tough SWC games await, especially Friday's showdown with 6-1 Pomperaug.
	2. NEW LONDON			9-1	442	2	LL
Last week: Last Week: def. Waterford 63-37, Woodstock Academy 65-30, Plainfield 72-57. This week: vs South Kingstown (RI), Tue. 6 Bottom Line: Light week ahead for the Whalers, who play Tuesday vs. South Kingstown and get a week off before diving back into ECC play with a quick rematch vs. NFA. NL won the previous meeting 45-39 on Jan. 4.
	3. NORWALK			6-1	416	3	LL
Last week: def. Wilton 61-40, Warde 74-43 This week: vs Staples, Tue. 7; vs Trinity Catholic, Fri. 5. Bottom Line: Jakara Murray-Leach scored 23 points as Norwalk defeated Warde for its sixth-consecutive victory since its season-opening loss to Newtown.
	4. NEWTOWN			6-1	375	5	LL
Last week: def. Weston 59-20, Bunnell 70-37 This week: at Pomperaug, Tue. 7; at Bethel, Thur. 6, vs East Lyme, Sat. 2. Bottom Line: The Nighthawks remained unbeaten in state and this week moved up a spot closer to Norwalk (which they defeated in the season-opener).
	5. STAMFORD			6-0	358	4	LL
Last week: def. Ridgefield 49-42, Ludlowe 37-32 This week: at Greenwich, Tue. 7; at New Canaan, Fri. 7 Bottom Line: Jessica Nelson scored 15 in a tight victory over Ridgefield and then Megan Landsiedel scored all of her 12 points in the second half as the Black Knights held off Ludlowe to stay unbeaten. Yet, they fell one spot in the poll.
	6. EAST CATHOLIC			8-0	357	6	MM
Last week: def. Manchester 57-48, Capital Prep 50-37, Tolland 48-23 This week: vs RHAM, Tue. 6:45; at Newington, Thur. 6:45 Bottom Line: Kayliana Salazar scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, in the Eagles' victory over Tolland to stay unbeaten. A trip to red-hot Newington will be the biggest test of the year, so far.
	7. BERLIN			8-0	247	10	MM
Last week: def. Platt 72-32, Ellington 55-30, Bristol Central 54-34 This week: vs Lewis Mills, Mon. 6:45; at Farmington, Thur. 6:45 Bottom Line: Wynter Yovan scored a career-best 18 points in the Redcoats' victory over Bristol Central and Berlin continued its march up the rankings.
	8. HAND			6-2	204	9	L
Last week: def. Lyman Hall 72-35, Amity 60-35 This week: at Cheshire, Mon. 5:15; at Hillhouse, Wed. 7; vs Sheehan, Fri. 7 Bottom Line: The Tigers have not played a close game since losing back-to-back games, winning four straight. Sara Wohlgemuth has averaged 20 points in the Tigers' four-game win streak.
	9. NEWINGTON			7-1	172	NR	L
Last week: def. New Britain 61-43; Windsor 39-37 This week: at Bulkeley/Weaver, Tue. 6:30; vs East Catholic, Thur. 6:45 Bottom Line: Standout guard Ashanti Frazier scored 12 points, had nine boards and four assists as Newington toppled Windsor 39-37 in OT and launched into the Top 10 with their third straight win and seventh overall.
	10. GLASTONBURY			7-1	167	NR	LL
Last week: def. Avon 49-18; Northwest Catholic 73-64 This week: vs Hall, Mon. 6:45; at NFA, Tue. 7; vs Plainville, Thur. 5:30 Bottom Line: The Tomahawks won their seventh-consecutive game, topping NWC behind 17 points by junior Jillian Margaglione, and make it four CCC teams in the top 10.
Dropped out: Shelton (7), Trumbull (8). Records through Saturday, Jan. 11 First-place votes in parentheses and points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.
Others receiving votes: Bacon Academy (8-0), 156; Shelton (7-1), 149; (7-1), Staples 128; Southington (8-1), 101; Pomperaug (6-1), 94; Trumbull (7-2), 92; Wilbur Cross (6-2), 84; NFA (5-2) 55; Sacred Heart Academy (8-0), 50; EO Smith (6-2), 50; Canton (8-2), 48; East Hampton (7-0), 38; Wethersfield (7-1), 27; Nonnewaug (7-0), 15.
The following voted: Lori Riley, Hartford Courant; Scott Ericson, GametimeCT; Mike Madera, Walter Camp Foundation/New Haven Register; Dave Phillips, Shoreline Newspapers; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin; Tim Jensen, Patch; Scotty Nails RCDS; Brian Medeiros, Canton; Vickie Fulkerson, The New London Day; Fred Williams, Northwestern; Rick Wilson, Waterbury Republican American; Sean Krofssik, Record-Journal; Ryan Chichester, Bristol Press; Rich Zalusky, The Chronicle; Dave Danko, Fairfield Warde; Adam Betz, Journal Inquirer.