Sports Notebook: League Titles Up for Grabs This Week in I-B, I-C, I-D
Haldane vs. PV to Decide League Champ; Somers Still Atop I-D
Just as we suspected they would, the battle for league titles are coming down to the wire this week. With just one week of the regular season left to play, the title contenders have little to no wiggle room left if they want to fly a league flag at the end of the coming week.
The big dipper on the docket this week is right here in Putnam County where visiting Class C state-ranked (No.13) HALDANE will attempt to go through Class B host PUTNAM VALLEY for the League I-C title this Friday night in the place my momma and dada call home. If Coach Joe Virgadamo’s Blue Devils (10-5) win, they snag the league flag outright, but if Coach Mike McDonnell’s Tigers (11-4) can avenge their 58-56 loss last Sunday (Jan. 25th), the Tigers and Blue Devils will share the league title.
On the slide, PV hotshot Ryan Basso should be within range of becoming the first 1,000-point scorer in boys’ school history, putting himself up there in rarified air with all-time girls’ leading scorer Kristi Dini, the only 1,000-point scorer in PV history, boy or girl. After dropping a school record 50 points and 10 assists on host Pawling in a 96-45 drubbing last Saturday, Basso found himself 83 points shy of 1,000 with regular-season games against Briarcliff (today), North Salem and Haldane left, and at least one playoff game remaining, in an effort to hit the milestone in just three seasons.
Basso will go down in PV history as its most prolific scorer, surpassing the scoring accomplishments of former greats like Zach Coleman, Jelani Bell-Isaac and Nicky Ivezic, who held the school record with 36 points in a game. All that remains for Basso is an unprecedented third-straight trip to the Westchester County Center and the Section 1 Class B Final 4, something he and fellow senior Zack Nolan would be the first to do.
Friday night at 7:00 p.m. PV vs. Haldane: Be there of be square.
CROTON-HARMON did its part to provide awareness to the Barry Fixler Foundation and Hoops for Warriors in its inaugural Hoops for Heroes Night. Peekskill beat Croton 55-51 with improving Peekskill playing a big second quarter while building a 32-19 lead. Croton rallied in the spirit of the night and down 53-51, Teejay Searight’s left corner jumper came up a bit short. Peekskill’s young and sassy CJ Redd then hit two free throws to ice the game for Peekskill, the last of his game-high 21 points. Searight finished 16 points and seven assists for the Tigers, who are now 10-5 overall and can clinch no worse than a tie for the League III-B title, with wins over Valhalla and Westlake, assuming Briarcliff wins the rest of their league games also.
SOMERS was close to locking down the League I-D title before falling 52-48 at Fox Lane on Friday, but the Tuskers are still on the verge of clinching a share should they win out against Brewster, John Jay and Greeley this week. If Somers wins out and Yorktown can knock off Fox Lane, the Tuskers would take the crown outright, but the Foxes (7-2 in league) aren’t going away easy and would salvage a share of the I-D flag with a win over the Huskers.
The League I-B title shows three teams in serious contention, including LAKELAND (5-2), PANAS (5-2) and HEN HUD (4-2). The good news is they play each other this week and the spoils could be determined on the court this Friday when Lakeland hosts Hen Hud and Panas hosts Lakeland Wednesday. Peekskill can play spoiler and become Lakeland’s best friend by taking out Panas and Hen Hud this week.
Here’s a glimpse at bracketology-inspired poll that means nada.
Putnam/NWE Fab Five Hoops Poll
No.1 SOMERS – Coach DiCintio’s Class A Tuskers (13-2, 5-2), ranked No.17 in NYS, beat a good Harrison club 41-38 despite scoring just three fourth-quarter points. Somers G Anthony Maestri scored nine of his team-high 14 pts in the third to earn MVP honors at the Coaches vs. Cancer event in Brewster. Senior Matt Maloney added 12. The good news is this club’s defensive intensity rarely, if ever, wavers, and when they finally put their best foot forward they will be a tough out for anyone in the tournament with their current No.2 seed.
No.2 YORKTOWN – Coach Downes’ Class A Huskers (10-5, 4-3) made very short work of John Jay CR in a 62-45 stomping of the Indians. Senior stud Mason Dyslin dropped 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds and swatted three blocks for Yorktown. Teammate Nick DeGennaro had 14 points, five rebounds and four steals for a Yorktown team that nobody wants any piece of in the tournament as a potential 10-seed right now.
No.3 HALDANE – Coach Virgadamo’s defending Section 1 Class C champion Blue Devils (11-3, 4-0) are ranked No.13 in NYS, saw 6-5 center Edmund Fitzgerald post a monster double-double with career-high 23 points and 15 rebounds in 55-41 win over Spackekill. Getting this funky premonition that the Blue Devils might be sharing this league title with P.V. before becoming a No.2 seed in Class C, a smidge behind state-ranked (No.4) Hamilton.
No.4 PUTNAM VALLEY – Coach McDonnell’s Class B Tigers (10-5, 3-1) are one of seven Class B teams that are all bunched up on a second tier behind defending Section 1 champion Woodlands, and a win over Haldane would give the Tigers a share of a third-straight league title, which is pretty awesome when you consider where they came from. Tigers are currently a 6-7 seed on the bracket.
No.5 PANAS – Coach Sully’s reigning Section 1 Class A champion Panthers (8-7, 5-2) had a second half to remember against rival Lakeland in a 40-38 win over the Hornets, which was iced when Brandon Collins drained a game-winning trey. It was the first, last and only lead Panas had all night after trailing 26-15 at the half. The split with Hen Hud is an indication of just how balanced this league is; balanced, yes, but not very strong as all but Hen Hud should have to play an outbracket game to get into the field of 16. Still, Panas (current No.19 seed) is in the thick of the league chase with Peekskill (No.24), Lakeland (No.14) and Beacon in the Panthers’ path.
No.5A CROTON – Coach Thom’s Class B Tigers (10-5, 5-1) are right there with Putnam Valley in that cluster of Class B teams chasing Woodlands; would love to see them draw one another in the post season with Croton currently hold a 4-seed.
No.5B HEN HUD – Coach Hirsch’s Class A Sailors (10-3, 4-2) split with Panas, but we’re going to give Panas the nod over the Sailors, a potential 7-seed in the tourney, based on strength of schedule.
HM MAHOPAC – Coach Harter Class AA Indians (6-8, 2-3) are just about to become that team that nobody wants to see in the tourney as a potential No.13 seed after defeating host Brewster, 53-48 in OT, in the Coaches vs. Cancer event. Junior G Christian Donahoe dropped a career-best 26, Chris Esernio added 17 and Dan Foley (9 points, 12 boards) just missed a double-double. If the current seeds hold out we’d be blessed with another Mahopac vs. Fox Lane playoff game, whew! I still see enormous potential here.
HM LAKELAND – Coach Weltman’s Class A Hornets (8-7, 5-2) had bunched together three W’s and had us thinking seriously about a Top 5 spot until they spit the bit and scored just 12 second-half points in a 40-38 loss to Panas at the Gig games. Seriously, with all their athleticism, how does that happen? Mike Morelli had 28 points in an earlier win over Ossining but I just don’t get these Hornets.
HM BREWSTER – Coach Nelly’s Class A Bears (6-9, 2-5) would be looking at a No.21 seed and an outbracket game to crack the field of 16 after losing to Mahopac in OT. This league has the Bears battle-tested and ready for post.
HM CARMEL –Coach Venditto’s Class AA Rams (4-11, 2-5) gave both Class AA powers Arlington and Saunders fits this week in a pair of losses. Ram C Josh Alexander dropped 20 on Saunders and continues to improve day to day for the Rams, who are staring down a potential No.14 seed in tourney, which might grant them a rematch with the same No.3 Saunders club they just gave hell.
HM PEEKSKILL – Coach Turner’s Class A Red Devils (5-10, 3-4) saw CJ Redd and Co. work an impressive win over Croton while essentially becoming the potential No.24-seed nobody wants to see in the first round of the tournament after winning four of last six.
