By D.M.Livingston|TWTSportsDesk|Published Jan 31 2026

Waterbury-For the first time in four years, the Waterbury Career Academy Spartans find themselves in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory.

As of January 31, the three-time defending NVL champions have not yet qualified for the CIAC State Tournament—a shocking reality for a program that has defined dominance in the league, highlighted by a 2023 State Championship and a four-year run at the top of the NVL food chain.

WCA enters the most important week of its season at 4–9, staring down a brutal two-game road stretch that will determine whether this season is revived—or remembered as the one that slipped away.

NVL HighSchool Basketball-Will Woodland Run the Table?

First up is a Saturday Afternoon makeup trip to undefeated Woodland (13–0), a team that just delivered a statement win by beating Holy Cross—The Waterbury Times’ No. 3 ranked team—by 20 points. Woodland has been relentless, disciplined, and confident all season, and the Spartans will need their most complete performance of the year just to stay within striking distance.

Then, on Tuesday, WCA heads straight into the fire again—this time against Holy Cross, their heated Division I rival, in a road environment that rarely shows mercy.

The math is simple:

• 0–2 likely delivers a death blow to WCA’s postseason hopes.
• A split keeps the door cracked open, with winnable Tier 3 matchups remaining on the schedule.
• 2–0? That flips the entire season on its head and sets up one of the most dramatic turnarounds the NVL has seen in years.

To make that happen, seniors A. Turner and M. Weaver must shift fully into playoff mode—urgency, leadership, and execution from opening tip to final horn. A. Rodriguez and E. Blaise will need to be at full strength, physically and mentally, for the Spartans to survive this stretch.

And then there’s the wild card.

Is this the moment for freshman J. Robinson to announce himself?

Robinson flashed serious upside in WCA’s win over Wolcott, pouring in 18 points off the bench and providing a size and energy element the Spartans have been searching for all season. His continued development—and willingness to play beyond his years—could be the X-factor that changes WCA’s trajectory.

Waterbury Highschool Basketball- Young Kennedy Eagles Searching for Growth as Oxford Comes to Town

Dynasties aren’t judged only by how they dominate—but by how they respond when tested.

The next four days will tell the tale.

Stay linked for more NVL coverage

Waterbury High School Sports News