Chief it was Drugs and gang violence not economic collapse that killed New Haven Basketball. I suspect Bridgeport was simalar. Warren Harding had produced a great number of stars in the 1970-1980’s
The Dixwell Ave courts were legendary. Waterbury kids like Tony Hanson and Jim Abromitis would drive down to play BB .
It was a school got BB
But when your afraid to get shot playing BB is a low priority.
My wife worked with a guy from New Haven ,that had his family sleep on the floor to avoid stray bullets.
The irony of the cocaine war of the 1990’s it made UConn or rather Storrs more attractive to City Kids than had previously been the case.