Monday, February 22, 2021

FSN FCIAC Boys Basketball Poll (Week 1): RIDGEFIELD is No. 1

 Our first FSN FCIAC boys Basketball poll of the regular season is here! 12 coaches gave their input on who the top 8 teams in the league are after a week and a half of regular season play.

Less than two weeks in, it's very clear that the league has no clear favorite and we will likely see a few upsets come playoff time.

The one team that has remained a constant through our first two polls is No. 1 Ridgefield. The tigers earn the top spot for the second straight week, with Ridgefield now holding No. 1 in both boys and girls basketball. It's still early in the season, but Tiger Hollow looks like it could be adding two more banners this year.

After Ridgefield, every team is all over the place. New Canaan is now number two after barely edging St.Joseph for the slot by just 2 points. Meanwhile, the Cadets hang on to number three by just 4 votes over a surging Staples team who will face some tough tests this week. Wilton remains number five, although they will likely move further up or down after this week, their first full week of competition. Ludlowe seems to be the wild card of the group after playing tough against New Canaan and defeating both Trumbull and Fairfield Warde, but a loss to Danbury prevented the Falcons from moving further up (They will have plenty of opportunities to do that this week with two matchups scheduled against top four teams). Danbury looked terrific against Ludlowe on Tuesday and could move into the top five after they take on Ridgefield, Wilton and New Canaan over their next four games.

The biggest story, however, may be two teams not in the poll, Fairfield Warde and Trumbull. The mustangs received votes for first place in our first poll, but injuries have plagued the team, who didn't receive a single vote this week. Trumbull was also a surprise, failing to win a game this season after losses to both Ludlowe and St.Joseph. Warde should pick up two wins this week against Harding and Darien, but they will face a tough test hosting Wilton on Tuesday. Trumbull will also have a chance to move back into the top 8, facing Darien, Staples and Westhill this week.


Week 2 Preview

Tuesday
Game of the Day - #1 Ridgefield vs. #7 Danbury: The hatters are becoming increasingly relevant in the league's playoff picture, especially after a dominant win over Fairfield Ludlowe last week. An upset for the hatters could put them in the top 5 by the start of next week. Ridgefield faces two big tests to start the week with Danbury and Wilton.

Curious About - #4 Staples vs. #6 Ludlowe: A makeup of a game from last week should be fun for both the boys and girls. Ludlowe has gotten big wins so far over Warde and Trumbull and played respectably against New Canaan while Staples looks for two wins this week against top 8 teams that could propel them into the top 2/3.

Thursday
Game of the Day - #1 Ridgefield vs. #5 Wilton: The Warriors will be thrown right into the fire in their first week of competition, facing four opponents in five days, including two ranked teams. Ridgefield faces another top eight opponent and looks to keep the number one ranking for a third straight week. This game is always a treat, especially when both teams are legit contenders for an FCIAC title.

Curious About - #7 Danbury vs. #2 New Canaan: Second game of a huge week for the Hatters who could potentially looking to snap a losing streak if they fall to Ridgefield on Tuesday. New Canaan moved up to number two this week and will look to earn the top spot in the poll with three games that they should easily win.

Saturday
Game of the Day - #5 Wilton vs. #7 Danbury: All three games for the hatters this week should be paid close attention as the hatters look to prove themselves against three top ranked opponents. As mentioned above, Wilton is back to basketball this week with a grueling schedule. If Wilton can win 2/3 games this week, look for them in the top 3 next poll.

Curious About - #6 Ludlowe vs. #3 St.Joseph: Another big matchup for the Falcons, who could make the jump into the top 5 with a win here. St.Joseph is expected to be one of the final four in the FCIAC playoffs, and this will be an early test of their playoff-preparedness. On their home floor, with a (Small) partisan crowd, look for an upset in Ludlowe's favor.

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