Tourneys & Playoffs

Connecticut Basketball Conference Tournament/Playoffs (NCAA & NIT Brackets)

 

Our post-season is referred to as our "Conference Tournament" which begins March 5th-8th (opening round games) and runs for two weekends, ending the weekend of March 13-15th, 2026 (Final Four & Championship Games).  (Notably, the New England Championships are the following weekend in Rhode Island.) 

 

All teams qualify for this single-elimination tournament. 

 

Teams that finish the regular season with a winning record are placed in an "NCAA Bracket" with all the other teams that finish above .500.  Teams that finish below .500 are placed in an "NIT Bracket" and battle for the NIT crown.

 

As to playoff seeding:

  1. Seeding Methodology. 
    1. The League will generate brackets and seed teams in a matter that is in the best interests of the League, always accounting for team and gym availability.
    2. Each team shall be assigned a seed based upon their won/loss record.
    3. The first tie breaker is head-to-head competition.  The second tie-breaker is fewest points allowed.
    4. The two worst teams in each bracket typically play one another in a “play in” game.
    5. The winner of the “play-in” game will feed into the top half of the bracket, i.e. the side of the bracket that has the number 1 seed. 
    6. To the extent that a bracket requires first-round Byes to issue, said Byes shall issue in accordance with the bracket's seeding, i.e. the No. 1 seed receives the first bye, the No. 2 seed receives the second by and so forth.
    7. The League reserves the authority to adjust any bracket in a manner that is necessary to account for gym limitations, conflicts or to otherwise promote the best interests of the League. 
  2. Playing At Home
    1. If you are the higher seed, we will accommodate your request to play at home IF you have gym slots before the playoffs commence.  Please note, this is only for opening round/opening weekend games
    2. All Final Four & Championship games (contests played on the second weekend) will be played at a neutral site.  (This change has been made to enable the League to see each bracket.) 
  3.  Small & Large Brackets
    1. The League reserves the authority to separate NCAA brackets into Small (Class S/M) and Large (Class L/LL) brackets.

 

Connecticut Basketball Pre-Season and In-Season Tourneys

Connecticut Basketball sponsors three to four pre-season and in season tournaments:

  • Pre-Season Turkey Shoot (the Saturday and Sunday following Thanksgiving).
  • In-Season Hang-Over-The-Rim New Years Day Tourney (New Years Day)
  • In-Season MLK Day Classic (MLK Day) 

All Connecticut Basketball tournaments are qualifiers for the New England Championships in Tiverton, Rhode Island on March 14th-16th.  (Note, there are only two ways to qualify for the New England Championships: (i) Advance to your Championship Game in the our League's Conference Playoffs (see below); or (ii) Advance to your Championship Game in one of our Tournaments.

 

The format for all of our pre-season and in-season tournaments are the same as a high school or college holiday tournament:​

  1. Teams are placed in four team brackets.
  2. Like a Holiday-Style high school tourney, the winners of the first two games play each other in the Championship game.  The two losing teams play each other in the Consolation game.
  3. Most brackets particularly for those teams that are traveling long distances will be played on the same day in a two to three and a half hour time-period.  Stated another way, you PLAY (for 75 mins)--SIT (for 75 mins) --AND PLAY (for 75 mins).

The fee for the two games is $225 

 

Games will be played at Vale Co-Op (Berlin) and Connecticut Sports Center (Woodbridge). 

 

As with all Connecticut Basketball travel play: all players from any Club or team must be from the same town and grade appropriate.

 

You can register at https://www.ctbball.org/teams/default.asp?

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