As expected, the guards dictated tempo and ultimately were the difference-makers in a game that Bingo's claimed 81-72.
Doug Wiggins got it going early, as the Nutmeg Staters rode a pair of first quarter threes and a 15-footer by the explosive lead guard to grab some early momentum. Wiggins matched up with Fisher in the early going, and Sosa with 6'1'' Chauncey Hardy, and each of the headliners took their swipes.
While Wiggins shot it with confidence in the first half, Fisher got to rim reliably with a couple of pretty finishes, as well as sinking a pair of jumpers. Edgar Sosa got in on the action as well, connecting on a few of his own.
There was a bit of one-upsmanship being displayed, and it wasn't until the second half, when Sosa got hot, that Bingo's was able to create some separation. Bingo's carried a 39-38 lead into the half. Wiggins was shouldering the load for Connecticut with 15 points at the break.
In the early going, Sosa did what he does best: make defenders miss. But in the third quarter, he really got things rolling from deep. The Louisville-bound combo strung together a succession of deep balls to help Bingo's take command. All told, he drilled four treys in the third to help his team take a double-digit lead entering the final quarter.
Connecticut would try to mount a final run, but ultimately were worn down by Bingo's talent and depth.
The game never totally devolved into one-on-one match-ups, but Sosa and Wiggins were the headliners on this evening. Sosa's third quarter shooting bender was one of the keys in his team's win, but the ultra-slippery guard also got to the rim with aplomb and made things happen in the open floor.
Wiggins ultimately ran out of gas, but not before wowing the crowd with his explosiveness and smooth delivery. He is an absolute jet in the open floor, rocketing toward the rim, and it's difficult for defenders to pin him down. Wiggins has never shied away from the competition and intensity at IS8, and he played with swagger on Sunday.
Wiggins led all scorers with 28 points, connecting on three three-pointers. Sosa led Bingo's with 23 points. Fisher added 20 points. 6-foot-6, 220 pound power forward Kavon Lytch, a bruising junior from Bronx Regional High School, added 17 points, and 6-foot-5, 170 pound small forward Andy Garcia chipped in with 13.
Hardy collected 16 points in the loss, mostly on winding drives to the rim. IS8 got its first look at Wiggins' soon-to-be running mate at East Hartford High School, David Gibbs. That's a name to file away. The 6-foot-4 small forward out of the class of 2008 recently transferred in to East Hartford, and he brings a presence.
Also impressive was slender 6-foot-6 power forward Kyle Zarotney from Berlin High School in Connecticut. The senior worked diligently in the post, rejecting a number of shots and impressing with his toughness. He's also a baseball standout, and Central Connecticut is among the schools looking at him for both sports.
Matt Hill, the 6-foot-7, 210 pound power forward from Chesire Academy, didn't have a huge impact on this game. Hill has attracted interest from schools like Siena, Canisius, and Manhattan, according to Hargrave.