On March 10, 2026, the Lewis Mills High School girls basketball team clinched a decisive victory over Avon, triumphing 58-33 in the CIAC Division III tournament at the Thunderdome in Burlington. This match showcased the grit and determination of both teams, with Lewis Mills emerging as the sixth seed against a determined 22nd-seeded Avon team.
From the outset, Mills demonstrated a commanding presence, establishing a strong 15-2 lead in the first quarter. However, the game wasn’t without its challenges. With star guard Layla Ljubuncic dealing with foul trouble—which saw her pick up her second foul in the final minute of the first quarter—Avon’s coach Drew Faucher took advantage of this moment to implemented a pressing strategy. Despite these difficulties, Mills managed to maintain a lead, although Avon’s relentless effort brought them within four points by halftime, trailing 22-16.
A Strong Comeback
The third quarter saw Lewis Mills regain control, launching into an 11-0 run that pushed their lead to 45-25. Ljubuncic shone brightly throughout the match, leading her team with 22 points, while Caitlyn Putnam contributed 14 points, followed by Jillian Tiso with 10. For Avon, Colleen Mahoney stood out as the top scorer with 16 points, but ultimately, it was not enough to stave off the Mills advance to the state quarterfinals.
Looking forward, Lewis Mills will face No. 3 Suffield in the next round on Thursday at 6 p.m. Suffield previously secured victory over Kolbe Cathedral, winning 56-53. Interestingly, both teams share a couple of common opponents—Suffield managed to defeat Simsbury and Conard, while Mills achieved a split with Simsbury and triumphed over Conard.
Context of the Tournament
This encouraging performance comes amid a competitive landscape in the CIAC tournaments, where divisions have unfolded in stages. Two out of five classes in Division III and V began earlier in the month, with other divisions, such as Division II and IV, ramping up their matches in subsequent days. Most surprising was the fact that just one team from the top 10 seedings fell during this opening day, while the rest pushed through, outlining the competitive nature of high school basketball this season Yahoo Sports reports.
On the whole, the tournament has been rife with surprises. In Division III, notable upsets included No. 19 Kolbe Cathedral beating No. 14 Granby decisively with a score of 63-35, and No. 23 Platt overcoming No. 10 East Lyme with a final score of 49-38. Both Avon and Platt remarkably emerged as the only seeds greater than 20 to advance following the analysis of the matches on the opening day Yahoo Sports.
As the Lewis Mills team gears up for their next challenge against Suffield, fans will be eager to see if they can carry the momentum forward and seize a spot deeper into the tournament. After all, keeping up a good hand in the face of adversity is key, and Mills has certainly shown they can play the game well!