CIAC Boys Basketball All Century Team

CIAC Boys Basketball All Century Team

CIAC is presenting the 25-player CIAC Boys Basketball All Century Team. The final five names revealed are featured below. Players are listed with their name during their high school career, their graduation year and school. The All Century teams were compiled with input from select past and current coaches, veteran high school basketball writers and others closely associated with Connecticut boys and girls basketball through the decades.

 

Chuck Aleksinas – Wamogo – 1977

  • Tallied 1,916 career points in 3 varsity seasons
  • McDonald’s All-American in 1977
  • Averaged 40.1 points a game while shooting 71 percent, averaged 19 rebounds and five blocks a game senior year with 960 points total
  • 2-time All State selection

John Bagley – Harding – 1979

  • All State honoree in1979
  • Helped team to three championship game appearances
  • Captured state title in 1978

Harold Pressley – St. Bernard – 1982

  • 1982 McDonald’s All American
  • 1st Team Parade Magazine All American
  • 2-time state champion (1981 and 1982)
  • 3-time All State selection

Art Quimby – Bulkeley (New London) – 1951

  • Led team to undefeated record in 1951 winning state and New England championships
  • All State choice in 1951
  • Rebounding force
  • Said to have offers from 74 colleges, Chose UConn where he led the nation in rebounding in 1954

John Williamson – Wilbur Cross – 1970

  • Led nation in scoring 38.7 points per game as a senior
  • 1957 2nd Team Parade All American
  • 2-time state champion (’67 & ’68, runner up in ’69)
  • 2-time All State selection
  • Scored 2,100 career points

Previously released members of All-Century Team

Scott Burrell – Hamden – 1989

  • 2-time All State
  • Finished career with 1,326 points and 1,022 rebounds
  • Senior year: 23.7 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 4.8 blocks per game
  • 1989 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year

Marcus Camby – Hartford Public – 1993

  • Led team to  27-0 record and Class LL State Title in 1993
  • Senior year averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, 8 blocks, and 8 assists per game
  • 1993 Gatorade Player of the Year in Connecticut and 4th team Parade All-American

Rick DiCicco – St. Joseph – 1973

  • 1,666 career points and 1210 career rebounds
  • Single season St. Joseph rebounding record with 433
  • He received All American Recognition during his career
  • All State selection in 1972 and 1973.

Kris Dunn – New London – 2012

  • 2012 Parade Magazine & McDonald’s All American
  • Played in two state title games winning 2011 state championship on undefeated (27-0) team
  • Ranked #1 PG recruit in country by multiple services
  • 3-time All State selection
  • Averaged 31.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in his senior season

Johnny Egan – Weaver – 1957

  • Led team to undefeated season in ’57 that included winning New England Championship at Boston Garden. Scored 36 points in the New England championship game, 32 in the second half and overtime
  • 1957 1st Team Parade Magazine All American
  • 3-time state champion (’54, ’56, ’57).
  • Nicknamed “Space” because of his ability to elevate,
  • 2-time All State

Walter Esdaile – Hillhouse – 1965

  • Star of Hillhouse’s famed “Fabulous Five”, 3-time state champ (’63, ’64, ’65)
  • 3rd Team Parade Magazine All American in 1965
  • 1965 All State selection

Rod Foster – St. Thomas Aquinas – 1979

  • 2-time All State selection
  • Led team to 2 state championship appearances and one state championship (1979)
  • Senior year: averaged 30.2 points per game
  • Named 1979 Adidas All American and 2nd Team Parade Magazine All American
  • Nicknamed “Rocket” for his blazing speed

Mike Gminski – Masuk – 1976

  • 2-time All State
  • Averaged 40.7 points and 20 rebounds in final season at Masuk
  • Graduated in 3 years while scoring more than 1,600 career points

Eddie Griffin – Hartford Public – 1962

  • Led team to back-to-back New England Championships (1961 and 62)
  • 2nd Team Parade Magazine All American in 1962
  • Two-time All New England and All State
  • Earned a state championship in 1962

Tony Hanson – Holy Cross – 1973

  • Named Top high school player in New England in 1973
  • 2-time All State honoree
  • Senior year averages of 22.8 points and 17 rebounds per game

Anthony Harris – Danbury – 1991

  • Averaged 33.4 points per game in his senior season.
  • 1991 Connecticut Gatorade State Player of the Year
  • Played in two state championship games and led team to a title in 1989
  • 2-time Parade Magazine All American and 3-time All State
  • Scored 2,491 career points

Mustapha Heron – Sacred Heart – 2016

  • 2-time Connecticut Player of the Year
  • 3rd Team USA Today Boys Basketball selection in 2016
  • Helped team earn 3-time state championships (’14, ’15 & ’16)
  • Scored career 2,056 points (3 seasons) and averaged 30 points and eight rebounds per game as a senior
  • 3-time All State choice

Dave Hicks – Wilbur Cross – 1961

  • 1,268 career points on deep, talented Wilbur Cross teams that won 3 state championships (‘59, ’60 & ’61)  and the 1960 New England championship
  • 1961 4thTeam Parade All American
  • Once described as “Wilt Chamberlain with moves.” (NH Register October 2012)

Walter Luckett – Kolbe Cathedral – 1972

  • Connecticut boys record 2,691 career points
  • Scored 995 points senior year (39.8 avg)
  • State championship in 1971
  • 3-time All State
  • National High School Player of the Year in 1972
  • Featured on cover of Sports Illustrated before playing a single game at Ohio University

Wes Matthews – Harding – 1977

  • Senior year averaged 30.5 points a game and was the MVP of the prestigious Dapper Dan Classic game in Pittsburgh
  • 4th Team Parade Magazine All American in 1977
  • 2-time All State selection
  • Led team to three state championship appearances and a state title in 1976

Calvin Murphy – Norwalk – 1966

  • Bob Ryan wrote in 1993  “Murphy is the greatest high school player in the history of New England. Period. End of discussion, and that is non-negotiable.”
  • 2-time All American, 3-time All State
  • Helped team win a State Championship 1966
  • 2,192 career points
  • Averaged 25.6 points per game as a sophomore, 31.8 as a junior and 40.3 during his senior year.

Tom Roy – South Windsor – 1971

  • Chosen 1st Team Parade All American in 1971
  • Scored 2,501 career points
  • Captured consecutive state championships in 1970 and 1971
  • 3-time All State choice

Charles Smith – Harding – 1984

  • 1984 McDonald’s All American
  • 1st Team Parade Magazine All American in 1984
  • Captured state championships in 1983 and 1984
  • 2-time All State honoree

Chris Smith – Kolbe Cathedral – 1988

  • 1988 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year
  • 3rd Team Parade Magazine All American.
  • 2-time All State
  • 2 title game appearances with 1 championship (1985)
  • First impact in-state national recruit to choose UConn under Jim Calhoun

Corny Thompson – Middletown – 1978

  • His teams were undefated (76-0) his sophomore, junior and senior seasons
  • 1978 McDonald’s All American
  • 3-time All State (’76, ’77, ’78)
  • 1st Team Parade Magazine All American

Individual statistics along with All State and All-American accolades weighed heavily in the selection and team success and state championships won were also a significant factor. Players who did not graduate from a CIAC member school were not eligible, and the girls All Century team only features players that competed after CIAC began sponsoring girls basketball championships in 1974. Post high school accomplishments (college and pro) were considered only when necessary as a tiebreaker between two similarly accomplished players. When evaluating career scoring totals consideration was given to whether the players competed in an era in which the 3-point shot was in effect which came to Connecticut in the 1987-88 season.

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