By D.M.Livingston|TWT Sports Desk|Published Feb 19, 2026

Waterbury- The bracket is set and the road to the NVL championship begins. With a mix of red-hot teams, questionable seeding, and dangerous lower seeds, this year’s tournament has all the ingredients for drama.

Here’s the TWT Sports Desk breakdown and predictions for the NVL Tournament:

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🎟️ PLAY-IN ROUND

(10) Watertown at (7) Crosby

Crosby enters this matchup fresh off a Senior Night win over Watertown, giving the Bulldogs a recent edge and confidence heading into the postseason.

But don’t let the 10-seed fool you — Watertown has played at a much higher caliber than their ranking suggests. This is the type of matchup where Crosby cannot afford to be comfortable.

👉 In our view, a Watertown win would not be an upset.

🔮 Prediction: Crosby 67, Watertown 61

2026 NVL Basketball Team Awards: Best Teams, Defense, Chemistry & More in the Naugatuck Valley League

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(9) Ansonia at (8) Torrington

This is a classic example of where power points don’t tell the full story.

Ansonia made a massive leap this season after winning just 3 games last year, making their 9-seed road placement feel questionable.

Torrington, meanwhile, started 7–1 before finishing 3–9, leaving their season hanging in the balance. This home game is a chance to reset and survive.

🔮 Prediction: Ansonia 59, Torrington 55

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🏀 QUARTERFINALS (SATURDAY)

(1) Woodland & (2) Wilby

Both top seeds await their opponents and enter the tournament as favorites to reach the semifinals.

TWT SPORTS DESK 1st Annual NVL Boys Basketball Awards — Official Nominees 2025-26

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(3) Holy Cross vs (6) WCA

This is a championship-level matchup in the quarterfinal round.

WCA enters as the hottest team in the NVL, winning 8 of their last 9 games to close the season and storm into the tournament. They also benefit from bypassing the play-in round, giving them added rest and preparation.

Holy Cross, one of the league’s most consistent programs, now has to open the tournament against a team peaking at the right time.

👉 Simply put — this is a brutal draw for Holy Cross.

🔮 Prediction: WCA 73, Holy Cross 69

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(4) St. Paul vs (5) Naugatuck

This matchup highlights why many believe the NVL point system needs reevaluation.

St. Paul’s 4-seed does not match their full-season performance, including two losses to 9-seed Ansonia.

Naugatuck at 5 may be slightly high, but it’s defensible based on competitiveness and schedule strength.

Bottom line: this feels like a game where the lower seed may actually be the more complete team.

🔮 Prediction: Naugatuck 65, St. Paul 52

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FINAL TAKE

This year’s NVL Tournament is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory:

• Lower seeds like Watertown and Ansonia are dangerous
• WCA enters as the hottest team in the field
• Seeding debates will only intensify as results unfold

One thing is certain: expect upsets, intensity, and a playoff atmosphere from the opening tip.

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Stay with The Waterbury Times Sports Desk for full game coverage, highlights, and postgame reaction throughout the NVL Tournament.

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