BY TWTSports DESK|Published Mar 7, 2026
Waterbury, CT (TWT) — The No. 6 seeded Wilby Wildcats survived a gritty overtime battle Friday afternoon , defeating the No. 27 seeded Bristol Central Rams 66-63 in the first round of the CIAC Division III Boys Basketball Tournament.
After a 14-day layoff following an upset loss to Crosby Bulldogs in the Naugatuck Valley League tournament quarterfinals, Wilby showed early signs of rust before battling back in dramatic fashion.
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The Wildcats entered the postseason ranked No. 6 in Division III and were widely considered one of the top contenders for the NVL title earlier in the season. With junior point guard M. Fox back in the lineup after missing the NVL loss due to personal reasons, Wilby took the floor at full strength—but needed extra time to shake off the layoff.
Slow Start for Wilby
The opening quarter belonged to Bristol Central. The Rams knocked down perimeter shots and controlled the tempo, building a 15-8 lead by the end of the first quarter. Fox accounted for five of Wilby’s eight points, trying to keep the Wildcats within reach.
The Rams continued their momentum in the second quarter, extending the lead to 24-13 behind hot three-point shooting.
Watch the OT Thriller Today! On Waterbury Public School Athletic YouTube Channel
But Wilby responded.
Sophomore Rob High sparked the Wildcats with aggressive defensive pressure, forcing turnovers that led to transition opportunities. Combined with several trips to the free-throw line, Wilby erupted on a 9-0 run, tying the game 24-24 with just under four minutes remaining in the half.
The Wildcats closed the half on a 19-7 run, capped by a buzzer-beating layup from junior S. Garner, giving Wilby a 32-31 halftime lead.
Back-and-Forth Battle in Second Half
The third quarter turned into a shootout.
Bristol Central’s Cody Roy continued his strong night from beyond the arc, drilling multiple three-pointers to keep the Rams ahead. Wilby junior Byron Morillo answered with a three of his own as both teams traded baskets throughout the quarter.
By the end of the third, the Rams reclaimed the lead 46-45, setting up a tense final period.
Wild Finish Sends Game to Overtime
The fourth quarter delivered exactly what fans expect in a win-or-go-home playoff game.
Bristol Central briefly pushed its lead to four early in the quarter, but Morillo responded again from deep to cut the deficit to one. Roy answered with another three-pointer for the Rams, maintaining a narrow edge.
The Rams’ largest lead of the quarter was five points with three minutes remaining, but Morillo struck again from beyond the arc to tie the game 58-58.
After free throws from Bristol Central and an easy Wilby basket, the score stood 60-60 late in regulation.
With 32 seconds remaining, Bristol Central held the ball for the final shot. With just seconds left, Rob High stole the ball and raced the length of the court but missed a heavily contested layup as time expired, sending the game into overtime.
Barnes Takes Over in Overtime
In overtime, it was all Shaolin Barnes.
The Wilby sophomore attacked the rim repeatedly, scoring all six of Wilby’s overtime points on strong drives to the basket. Barnes sealed the game with two clutch free throws with 3.9 seconds remaining, giving the Wildcats the 66-63 victory.
Leading Scorers
Wilby
- M. Fox – 15 points
- B. Morillo – 12 points
- S. Barnes – 10 points
Player of the Game
Shaolin Barnes (Wilby)
The sophomore delivered when it mattered most, scoring all six Wildcats points in overtime and hitting the game-winning free throws.
What’s Next
Wilby advances to the CIAC Division III second round and will host the winner of New Fairfield vs. Lewis Mills on Tuesday night in Waterbury.
The Waterbury Times- Waterbury,CT Local News 
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