WATERBURY– The TWT Sports Desk is bringing Game Night in the Brass City back for another season of NVL high school boys basketball, and the road to the championship begins with eight teams earning a spot in our official preseason Great Eight rankings.
The countdown to tipoff follows a championship summer in which the Holy Cross Crusaders defeated Naugatuck to capture a Summer League Championship.
Now, with the high school season approaching, the TWT Sports Desk is ready to turn its attention to the matchups, players and programs that will shape another competitive season of NVL basketball.
TWT Sports Desk Preseason Great Eight
Our official preseason rankings feature eight programs to watch as the season gets underway:
- Holy Cross Crusaders
- Wilby Wildcats
- Crosby Bulldogs
- Naugatuck Greyhounds
- Ansonia Chargers
- Waterbury Career Academy Spartans
- St. Paul Falcons
- Woodland Hawks
Holy Cross enters the season at No. 1, while Wilby and Crosby round out the top three. Naugatuck follows at No. 4, with Ansonia, Waterbury Career Academy, St. Paul and Woodland completing the preseason rankings.
These eight programs headline the return of Game Night in the Brass City, our season-long spotlight on NVL boys basketball.
Opening Night: Holy Cross at Crosby
The season’s opening Game Night in the Brass City matchup is set for December 18, when the No. 1 Holy Cross Crusaders travel to face the No. 3 Crosby Bulldogs.
It’s an early-season meeting between two programs ranked among the NVL’s preseason elite. Holy Cross will begin the year with the No. 1 ranking, but Crosby will have an opportunity to make an immediate statement on its home floor.
With both teams featured in the Great Eight, the December 18 matchup will be an early test in a season expected to deliver plenty of compelling basketball.
December Matchups to Close Out 2026
The opening stretch of Game Night in the Brass City continues with two additional matchups before the calendar turns to 2027.
December 23: (3) Crosby at (2) Wilby
The Crosby Bulldogs will return to the spotlight when they visit the Wilby Wildcats in a matchup featuring two of the top three teams in our preseason rankings. With Wilby at No. 2 and Crosby at No. 3, this contest will be one to watch as the season progresses.
December 30: Wolcott at Kennedy
The year concludes with unranked teams Wolcott visiting the Kennedy Eagles on December 30. The matchup adds another local intra-town rivalry-style atmosphere to the December schedule as teams continue working to establish themselves early in the season.
More NVL Basketball Coverage Is on the Way
The preseason Great Eight rankings are only the beginning.
The TWT Sports Desk will release the complete Game Night in the Brass City schedule, our top players to watch, preseason award winners and additional coverage of NVL high school boys basketball.
From established contenders to emerging talent, the goal is to bring Waterbury-area basketball fans closer to the teams and players competing throughout the season.
The rankings are official, the matchups are taking shape, and the countdown to tipoff has begun.
Stay tuned to The Waterbury Times for more from the TWT Sports Desk and Game Night in the Brass City.
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