Pinkney leads the way as East Hartford girls basketball beats Wilton for its first state championship
The East Hartford girls basketball team had never been to a state championship game.
The Hornets didn’t even make it out of the first round of the state tournament in 2020.
The school’s wrestling team won a co-state championship this year, but before that, East Hartford hadn’t won a state title in any sport since 1996.
On Sunday night, the girls basketball team made it two titles in the same year, beating Wilton 54-33 in the Class LL championship game at Mohegan Sun Arena.
“We made history at our school,” senior Shailyn Pinkney said. “That was my goal when I came to East Hartford High School.”
Pinkney, who will play at Seton Hall next year, scored 26 points and had eight rebounds, two assists and two steals to lead the No. 2 Hornets (22-2).
Ashleigh Masterson was the only scorer in double figures (16 points) for 12th seeded Wilton (17-8).
Jon Myette took over as coach at East Hartford this season.
“These girls did an awesome job buying in,” Myette said. “They deserve all the credit. They work hard, and they got it done.”
The score was close throughout the first half and tied at 22 at halftime after Kayla Henry (14 points) hit two free throws with 45 seconds left.
But East Hartford has been a second-half team all year, and Pinkney fired up her teammates in the locker room at halftime.
“I said, ‘Girls, we have to wake up,’” Pinkney said. “I was frustrated. I said, ‘Girls, we cannot be playing around. We have to wake up.’”
Pinkney took over, scoring 11 points in the third quarter, including two 3-pointers. Her second 3 with 4:31 left put the Hornets up, 31-25.
“Man, she completely took over. She found her gap. She found her shot, and she led the way,” Myette said. “Everyone else had to follow, and they did.”
East Hartford outscored Wilton 20-4 in the third quarter and led, 42-26.
“At halftime, we have that talk, and we come out in the third quarter and kill it,” Henry said.
East Hartford wrestling won a co-championship in Class LL with Danbury this year, but before that, East Hartford hadn’t won a state title since the baseball team won the Class LL championship in 1996.
“It means a lot,” Pinkney said. “I’ve been dreaming about this my four years of high school, and my dream came true and I’m happy.”
Lori Riley can be reached at lriley@courant.com.
