Connecticut

Alyssa Thomas personifies ‘gritty’ culture for Connecticut Sun as veteran squad chases WNBA championship

Published

2 years ago

May 12, 2024

Alyssa Thomas personifies ‘gritty’ culture for Connecticut Sun as veteran squad chases WNBA championship

UNCASVILLE — On the morning of Game 2 in the 2023 WNBA Semifinals series between the Connecticut Sun and the New York Liberty, Breanna Stewart was crowned league MVP for the second time in her career.

Stewart learned the news at the Liberty’s pregame shootaround, embraced by her teammates as she tearfully watched a video on the Jumbotron at Barclays Center in Brooklyn chronicling her first season with New York.

There would be no such celebration for the Sun locker room when they learned Alyssa Thomas had not received the league’s highest honor despite setting a WNBA record with six triple-doubles in 2023. The superstar forward averaged 15.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists — all career highs — and became the first player in league history to log more than 600 points, 300 rebounds and 300 assists in a single season.

For Thomas, the disappointment was particularly stinging because it felt so familiar. Connecticut went on to lose 84-77 in Game 2 and was eliminated by the Liberty in a 3-1 series.

“I think I’m used to it. I think I’ve been snubbed so many times in my career that it’s a normal feeling for me,” Thomas said with a slight smile and a shake of her head after the Game 2 loss. “It is what it is. We keep going.”

Last season’s MVP race was one of the closest ever between Thomas, Stewart and Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson. Thomas didn’t even lose the award outright: She received more first-place votes (23) than either Stewart (20) or Wilson (17) but finished second in the final tally because of Stewart’s 23 second-place votes to her 12.

Wilson went on to win WNBA Finals MVP after leading the Aces to back-to-back titles, and she was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 for the second consecutive season. Both years, Thomas was her runner up.

Thomas has spent her entire career with the Sun since she was drafted No. 4 overall in 2014, and the team has reached at least the second round of the WNBA Playoffs every year since her first All-Star season in 2017. Through two coaching changes and a revolving door of starters over 11 years, Thomas has anchored one of the league’s most consistent teams with only a single All-WNBA first team selection to show for it.

“I think a lot of people think (2023) was a fluke. They think that it’s a season I can’t repeat or something that was lucky,” Thomas said. “But that’s been my game my whole entire life, and I plan on continuing to push the limits and do it my way.”

Connecticut’s franchise culture is personified by the chip on Thomas’s shoulder, and second-year head coach Stephanie White knows the Sun’s path to an elusive first WNBA championship runs through its unsung star.

“She’s someone who has such a high basketball IQ. She’s got a great understanding. She understands people’s tendencies and strengths and weaknesses,” White said. “Being able to bounce things off of her, being able to challenge her to help us get to another level … I think it’s now how can she elevate everybody else around her?”

‘She just makes you want to do more’

In an era when super teams and flashy young talent are dominating the narratives in the WNBA, Connecticut has taken an opposite strategy to team construction. The Sun are entering their fifth season with the same front court core of Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones, and there won’t be a single true rookie on the initial 2024 roster.

“(Veterans) that are undervalued have a chip on their shoulder. They want to win. Basketball is No. 1 outside of their families,” general manager Darius Taylor said. “We always take a look at that, because we understand we’re in a smaller market, so some of the free agents we went after get wooed away to a bigger market … I think from a culture standpoint, this a gritty team that’s always going to play hard, that teams hate playing against.”

Connecticut’s offseason signings weren’t high profile, but all aligned perfectly with the scrappiness that defines the squad. Tiffany Mitchell spent most of 2023 playing out of position for an injury-riddled Minnesota Lynx team and never hit her stride after seven previous seasons with the Indiana Fever. Rachel Banham came from the Lynx as a free agent to rejoin the team that drafted her with the No. 4 pick in 2017. Astou Ndour-Fall has been out of the WNBA since 2021 playing overseas, and Moriah Jefferson was traded by the Mercury despite rebounding from years of battling injuries with the most complete season of her career in 2023.

“They’re all players that have been underestimated in this league,” Thomas said. “I think that’s the kind of players we get in Connecticut — I don’t want to say castaways, but I don’t think people understand how to use their talents. When they come here, we bring the best out of them.”

Bringing out the best in them starts with White, who is ramping up the creativity and complexity of her position-less offense in her second season. Thomas has played a fundamental role in shaping the system as one of the most versatile, cerebral forwards in the league.

“We see things at the same level, and I think we have that capability just to bounce ideas off each other,” Thomas said. “She’ll come to me and ask like ‘We want a back door play, what are you thinking?’ I’ll process and tell her, and we’ll go with it. Her bringing in this offense has just allowed me to be me and play my game … It gives me a lot more freedom.”

Banham was drafted two years after Thomas and played the first four years of her career with the Sun. When Banham returned to Connecticut as a veteran, she said Thomas hasn’t changed a bit: The star forward is simply an elevated version of the player she has been since the beginning.

“She’s pretty much the exact same. More mature obviously because she’s older, but otherwise she’s the exact same player and exact same person,” Banham said. “She motivates you to go even harder because she’s playing so hard. She pushes the pace, she gets deflections. She just makes you want to do more.”

‘Every year people underestimate us’

Connecticut faces an immediate referendum on its old-school approach in its season opener against the Indiana Fever and No.1 draft pick Caitlin Clark on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun. All five of the Sun’s preseason starters have at least three seasons of experience, which stands in stark contrast to their first opponent. Headlined by the rookie Clark, Indiana’s only starter with more than two years in the league is Katie Lou Samuelson, the former UConn standout, in her first season with the franchise.

The Sun are betting favorites to beat the Fever at -5.5, but the pomp coming to their home court on Tuesday is largely centered around their opponent. ESPN is planning a broadcast at the same scale as the WNBA Finals to chronicle Clark’s first professional game, complete with a WNBA Countdown pregame show and streaming for the first time ever on Disney+.

The story has been the same in Connecticut for as long as White can remember over more than two decades in the league as a player, coach and broadcaster.

“It’s been since I was covering them working in television. There’s always this caution of whether this team is as legit as they were a year ago,” White said. “It was the same way back in 2004 and 2005, and I’m not sure why that is … but I think that’s what allows our team to be successful. They thrive on proving everybody wrong. The edge we play with and the competitiveness allows us to win ball games.”

While the Sun have no real reason to feel like underdogs against a Fever team that went 13-27 last season, Thomas has no trouble finding motivation in the perceived disrespect.

“It’s Connecticut. I feel like every year people underestimate us,” Thomas said with a chuckle. “We have three All-Stars, and yet people don’t pick us to finish in the playoffs. It’s funny to me, but nothing changes for us. We keep the same mentality, and that’s to come in every day and outwork everyone.”

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Child confirmed as Connecticut’s first measles case in 4 years

Published

11 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Child confirmed as Connecticut’s first measles case in 4 years

Health

The child, who is under the age of 10 and unvaccinated, recently traveled internationally, health officials said.

FILE – A measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at the Andrews County Health Department, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. AP Photo/Annie Rice, File

An unvaccinated child in Connecticut has been diagnosed with measles, public health officials confirmed, the state’s first confirmed case of the highly contagious disease since 2021.

The child, who is under the age of 10, lives in Fairfield County, the Connecticut Department of Public Health announced last week. The child had recently travelled internationally before showing symptoms including cough, runny nose, congestion, fever, and eventually a full-body rash.

“The single best way to protect your children and yourself from measles is to be vaccinated,” Connecticut DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, said in a statement. “One dose of measles vaccine is about 93 percent effective, while two doses are about 97 percent effective.”

The United States has seen a record high 1,912 measles cases since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, the CDC reported. As of July 7, this year has also reported the most cases in more than 30 years, according to the International Vaccine Access Center.

Earlier this year, West Texas saw a measles outbreak of hundreds of cases, mostly among unvaccinated children who had to be hospitalized. About one in five unvaccinated people diagnosed with measles are hospitalized, Connecticut DPH said, and the disease can be especially dangerous for children.

“We must ensure we continue to protect those who matter most – children and other vulnerable people – from vaccine preventable illnesses through on-time vaccination,” Juthani said.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his overhaul on the childhood vaccine schedule and doubts on COVID vaccine safety, endorsed the measles vaccine after two children died from measles amid the outbreak in Texas.

“The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine,” Kennedy said in April.

Earlier this year, a Vermont child who had recently traveled internationally was confirmed to have been infected with measles. In March, a man tested positive for measles after traveling on an Amtrak train originating from Boston’s South Station to Washington D.C.

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.

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Final Connecticut High School Football Top 25 Rankings – Dec. 14

Published

23 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Final Connecticut High School Football Top 25 Rankings – Dec. 14

The Connecticut high school football’s CIAC postseason wrapped up with the state championships this past weekend on Saturday.

Finishing in the No. 1 spot in this week’s final Top 25 rankings out of the Constitution State is Avon Old Farms after they defeated The Williston Northampton School, 35-21, in the Drew Gamere Bowl to end their season a few weeks ago. New Canaan sits right behind as they repeated as Class L champs. Which other teams from around Connecticut high school football deserves to be in the final set of Top 25 rankings for the 2025 campaign?

The Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.

Here are the last Connecticut high school football rankings for 2025, according to Massey as of Dec. 14.

1. Avon Old Farms Beavers

Avon Old Farms (10-0) opened up the Connecticut high school football season by avenging a loss to Brunswick School from last season and have set the tone for the rest of the campaign. The Beavers have a talented offense that’s averaging 40.7 points per game, led by quarterback Matthew Baer, running back Kharon Craig, and offensive tackle Charlie Thom (Notre Dame commitment).

The Beavers have concluded their season play out of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Counci (NEPSAC) when they defeated The Williston Northampton School last week in the Drew Gamere Bowl, 35-21. Avon Old Farms finishes as the No. 1 team in the Connecticut high school football rankings.

2. New Canaan Rams

The defending Class L state champion New Canaan Rams (13-0) have done it once again as they defeated Cheshire, 34-13.

The Rams have won back to back playoff games versus Darien and Weaver with ease, winning by a combined 85-13. New Canaan won its 16th state championship in head coach Lou Marinelli’s legendary career. With the win, New Canaan clinched their fourth undefeated season in program history for the Rams (1968, 1969, 2008, 2025).

New Canaan has used a high-powered offense to cruise past opponents this fall, with quarterback Maddox Hoffman throwing for 1,936 yards and 21 touchdowns. Running back Henry Stein leads the ground game as he’s rushed for 916 yards and seven touchdowns.

3. Choate Rosemary Hall Wild Boars

Choate Rosemary Hall (8-2) saw its 18-game winning streak snapped back in Week 1 when they lost against New Hampshire’s Phillips Exeter Academy in a battle of top-ranked teams in their respective states.

The Wild Boars will finish likely within the Top 5 of the rankings after they ended their 2025 season in exciting fashion as they avenged that defeat by beating Phillips Exeter Academy in the Leon Modeste Bowl in a 44-42 thriller.

In 2024, the Wild Boars had completed their second consecutive perfect season after defeating Brunswick School. They have lost only four games over the last four Connecticut high school football seasons and only allowed only four opponent to score double digits.

The Wild Boars are another prep school that features multiple future Division I players, including Tanner Raymond (Rutgers) and interior offense lineman Will Tellers.

4. St. Thomas More Chancellors

St. Thomas More (1-3) remain steady as the No. 3 team in our latest set of Connecticut high school football rankings after a 50-21 loss to New Jersey’s No. 3 team, Hun School to end their season.

The Chancellors only losses from the 2024 season came against Maryland’s St. Frances Academy, Hun School, and Florida’s IMG Academy, respectively. St. Thomas More doesn’t have anymore scheduled games left on their 2025 slate.

Among the players the Chancellors feature on their roster are four-star edge rusher Alhassan Iddrissu (UCF), cornerback Terron Johnson, running back Malichi Greaves, and linebacker Christian King.

5. Daniel Hand Tigers

The Daniel Hand Tigers (13-1) has dominated in the Class SS playoffs, dominating all three opponents by a combined score of 122-32, after defeating the Killingly Trailblazers, 37-13, on Saturday.

Fueling the Daniel Hand offensive attack is the strong play of senior signal caller Bobby Reh, who has thrown for 2,194 yards and 29 touchdowns to only three mere picks. Junior running back Lucca Boyce leads the ground game with 1,272 yards and 14 touchdowns.

6. St Joseph (8-2)
7. Cheshire Academy (7-3)
8. Windsor (12-1)
9. Brunswick School (6-4)
10. Greenwich (8-2)

11. Newtown (8-2)
12. Killingly (11-1)
13. Fairfield College Preparatory (8-2)
14. Wilton (10-2)
15. The Taft School (5-4)

16. Bunnell (10-3)
17. Kingswood-Oxford School (8-2)
18. Berlin (12-0)
19. The Loomis Chaffee School (3-6)
20. Darien (6-5)

21. Brookfield (8-3)
22. Staples (5-5)
23. Cheshire (8-3)
24. Southington (7-3)
25. Mark T. Sheehan (10-3)

For Connecticut high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Constitution State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Connecticut high school scores and football rankings.

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Central Connecticut State hands Bearcats second straight loss

Published

1 day ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Central Connecticut State hands Bearcats second straight loss

VESTAL, NY (WBNG) — In a second straight doubleheader Saturday following up a Bearcats women’s win, the Bearcats men’s team dropped their second consecutive home game, 84-67 to Central Connecticut State.

In a closely contested matchup early on, the Bearcats stayed in it heading into the break only trailing by seven points.

In the second half, Binghamton brought it to within four points before the Blue Devils pulled away once again and went on an 11-0 run and went up by as much as 20 points.

Darin Smith Jr. finished with a game high, 23 points for the Blue Devils.

The Bearcats were without center, Demetrius Lilley which led to junior forward, Zyier Beverly, having an increased role.

Beverly led Binghamton with 21 points and five rebounds.

After back-to-back losses at home, the Bearcats now go on the road for a three game road stretch starting on Wednesday, Dec. 17 against Pittsburgh at 7p.m.

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