January 17 2002

     No East Catholic-Manchester girls basketball team has won a league title since the program started in 1976.
     That could change this season. East is 13-0 overall and 8-0 with a two-game lead in the Northwest Conference. But coach Nick Economopoulos isn't quite ready to hang a championship banner - those are reserved for East teams that have won state titles. First, he wants that elusive league championship.
     "[East athletic director] Tom Malin gave me a chance when nobody else was willing to. I told Tom I'd give him a five-year commitment. Here we are in the sixth season already," said Economopoulos, who was 371-101 in 20 seasons at Lyman Hall-Wallingford, where his teams won Class L titles in 1985 and '86. After the 1993-94 season, his contract was not renewed.
     At East, Economopoulos has a 79-49 record, hitting double figures in wins each of the six seasons. This comes after a stretch of nine sub-.500 years (1984-92) for the Eagles.
     A big reason for their success has been the play of Shamika Jackson. The 6-foot sophomore guard was rated No. 6 in The Courant's preseason Top 25 and has lived up to the billing.
     "Shamika stirs the broth," Economopoulos said. "We moved her to point guard this season. She is such an unselfish player. I've talked to her about stepping it up, but she so very much wants everybody to be involved in the offense. If she's not scoring or the opponents take away the three-point shot, she'll usually find the open player for the dump-down pass."
     Jackson is averaging 14 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists. She also has 30 steals and 30 blocks. In a 52-31 victory over Middletown on Tuesday, Jackson hit the triple-double: 12 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
     Guards Erin Grzysiewicz and Sara Spak and center Marissa Ferguson provide the senior leadership. Junior Maggie Fitzgerald leads the team with 41 steals and has 25 assists. Then there are East's long-range shooters - juniors Elise Paternostro and Cathleen Devanney. East has made 68 of 213 three-point attempts. Devanney leads the way with 28; Paternostro has 17.
     "If teams give us the three, we'll take it," said Economopoulos, 52, who is still hobbled by double knee replacement surgery last spring. "But we also have Shamika and we let her orchestrate. Copyright 2002, Hartford Courant
     Webmaster Note: East Catholic went on to a 19-1 regular season, winning their first league championship, then followed that up by winning their League Tournament and also the Class M State Championship! They finished 4th in the ESPN/Starters final poll with a season record of 25-1!