CHESHIRE, Conn. – The CIAC will kick-off a weekend of basketball championships with the 2013 Boys and Girls State Basketball Championships Dedication in the Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett room at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center. The Convention Center location has changed from the previously announced Cabaret Theater.
The dedication ceremony on Friday will begin the weekend of basketball at 4 p.m. by honoring six individuals who have made significant contributions to high school basketball in Connecticut. CIAC Associate Executive Director Paul Hoey will receive the 2013 CIAC Boys & Girls Basketball Dedication Award. In addition officials Robert Bernier and Lou Filippetti, coaches Jackie DiNardo and Gregg Hunt, and athletics director Jon Capone will receive the 2013 Merit Awards. The ceremony will run from 4-5:45 in the Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett room at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center and is open to the public. Full bios of the honorees and the complete event program can be viewed on-line at: http://casci.ac/585.
- Dedication Award honoree Paul Hoey has a distinguished 35-plus years as a school administrator and contributor to high school athletics, including his current tenure with the CIAC office where he serves as the liaison to the basketball committees. He has received the Connecticut Association of Athletics Directors (CAAD) distinguished service award, and this spring will receive the Joseph J. Fontana Distinguished Service Award from the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA).
- Official Robert Bernier was honored in 2011 with the prestigious International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO) Life Membership for his 37 years of outstanding service to IAABO and the game of basketball. He remains active with the organization serving as an observer and mentor to young officials.
- Fellow official Lou Filippetti has been a contributor to the profession for fifty years. He has officiated in six CIAC basketball finals during his career and numerous additional tournament games during his storied career.
- Jon Capone has been the Athletic Director for the West Haven Public Schools since 1999 and is accountable for over 900 student-athletes in twenty-one varsity sports as well as interscholastic sports at the middle school level. During his time at West Haven the school has hosted numerous CIAC events at its various facilities, and he was also a recipient of the CIAC Unified Sports Service Award.
- Coach Gregg Hunt compiled more than 340 victories and four seasons of more than 20 wins since his career began in 1983. He served on the CIAC basketball committee for many years and is presently a member of the CHSCA High School All Star Game Committee.
- Coach Jackie DiNardo became the head coach of the Danbury girls program in 1987 and has amassed more than 400 victories during that career. During that time she has been voted Teacher of the Year, Coach of the Year and has been selected as a Hall of Famer.
The dedication ceremony will begin a weekend of tournament titles as four boys and four girls basketball finals will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena beginning Friday night. The eight games will be played in three sessions beginning Friday night. The session and game schedule is as follows, though times may be subject to minor changes:
Session 1, Friday March 15
Game 1: 6 p.m.
Game 2: 8 p.m.
Session 2, Saturday March 16
Game 1: 9:30 a.m.
Game 2: 11:30 a.m.
Game 3: 1:30 p.m.
Session 3, Saturday March 16
Game 1: 4:15 p.m.
Game 2: 6:15 p.m.
Game 3: 8:15 p.m.
The announcement for which championship game will be played at each time slot will be announced Wednesday morning. Separate tickets will be sold for each session, with one ticket good for each of the games in that session. Spectators can buy presale tickets on-line for any session at http://ciacsports.com/site/?p=3337 but fans should wait to purchase on-line tickets until the game schedule is finalized as ticket sales will be for specific sessions.
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