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This Section V title contender won a game by 100: Boys basketball teams in NYS rankings

Marquel Slaughter, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
·4 min read

ROCHESTER — Souped up December schedules should pay dividends for Section V teams in February. The latest New York State Sportswriters Association boys basketball rankings rewarded many of those squads.

Zion Parson and his perennial Section V champion East High Eagles have won every game they have played, including a 100-point victory over Early College. Parson chipped in 26 points in that game and teammate Micah Johnson had 25.

Chris Leysath and Aquinas, and Garrett Clar's reigning state champion Victor Blue Devils are examples of teams performing well despite challenging nonleague schedules.

The same goes for Khorie Reaves and Greece Athena's Trojans (6-0), whose unbeaten start has come against a gauntlet of Section V contenders: Pittsford Sutherland, Harley Allendale Columbia, Canandaigua, Monroe and Franklin.

"I feel like everybody has been stepping up," Greece Athena senior Khorie Reaves said. "We're all on the same page. ... We just want to come and win every night."

Greece Athena senior guard Khorie Reaves draws two Monroe defenders, Marcus Freeman and William McKinney, before throwing a cross court pass to the deep corner where teammate Zacarr Johnson then hit an open three point shot in the first quarter during their Section V boys basketball game Monday, Dec. 18, 2023 at James Monroe High School in Rochester.

Section V state-ranked clash: Greece Athena vs Franklin

Greece Athena's 73-67 win at Franklin on Dec. 21 was more than a bout between two of Section V's best players in Khorie Reaves and Terence Thompson. It was a state-ranked clash between two of the area's better teams.

A few hundred attendees who made up the standing-room only crowd witnessed the highly anticipated bout live at Franklin's Dawg Pound. Both teams are revered Section V title contenders. A senior do-it-all point guard, Reaves' double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds helped the Trojans triumph late. Thompson, a towering 6-foot-7 senior center who can score, rebound and defend at a high level, finished with 16 points.

Senior Connor Osier may have had his best game. The 6-foot-5 Houston baseball commit had 17 points and nine rebounds as he went toe-to-toe with Thompson. Osier beat Thompson for offensive boards and blocked his jumper with 1:56 remaining. Athena's Zee Johnson, I'zayah Reaves, I'zick Reaves and Ne'Sean Fowlks fearlessly penetrated that paint against Thompson's shot blocking prowess. Clarence Thompson, Shawn Goins and Kollin McCullough kept Franklin competitive.

"We knew Terence was going to be a problem. We focused on him all week," Osier said. "He's a great player, but we came out here today and outplayed them."

Bookmark this: Section V boys basketball scores for the 2023-24 season

NYSSWA boys basketball rankings through Dec. 24: Section V teams

Ranked Section V boys basketball teams: Class AAA

  • No. 12 Aquinas (7-0).

  • Honorable mention: Fairport (5-2), Franklin (5-3), UPrep (4-3).

Aquinas has already beaten perennial state powers in Buffalo's The Park School and Section III's Christian Brothers Academy, as well as local standouts like Franklin and UPrep.

Ranked Section V boys basketball teams: Class AA

  • No. 6 Greece Athena (6-0), No. 28 Victor (4-1).

  • HM: Canandaigua (4-2), Hilton (4-1), Penfield (4-2), Pittsford Mendon (4-2), Webster Schroeder (5-2).

Victor has won four straight, including wins over Canandaigua and Penfield. The Blue Devils won their state championship ring ceremony game against Churchville-Chili on Dec. 20. Victor dropped its season opener at Section VI's Niagara Falls but is unbeaten against local opponents.

Ranked Section V boys basketball teams: Class A

  • No. 2 East High (7-0), No. 23 Monroe (5-1), No. 28 Newark (6-0).

  • HM: Pittsford Sutherland (3-2), Wayne (6-2).

East High defeated Early College 118-18 on Dec. 4. A gritty and emotional one-point win at Edison Tech was their closest bout so far.

Monroe's William McKinney draws the foul on Athena's Byron Williams as he gets to the rim on a second quarter drive.
Monroe's William McKinney draws the foul on Athena's Byron Williams as he gets to the rim on a second quarter drive.

Ranked Section V boys basketball teams: Class B

  • No. 6 Hornell (7-0), No. 16 Avon (6-0), No. 21 LeRoy (4-1).

  • HM: Attica (5-1), Canisteo-Greenwood (7-1), Greece Odyssey (3-2), Mynderse (4-2).

Hornell's four-point win over Class AAA Corning of Section IV was their closest contest of the season. Avon used a 25-point fourth quarter to hand York its only loss.

Ranked Section V boys basketball teams: Class C

  • No. 2 York (7-1), No. 4 Lyons (6-1), No. 9 Pembroke (3-1), No. 13 Bolivar-Richburg (7-0), No. 19 Batavia Notre Dame (5-0).

  • HM: Byron-Bergen (7-1), Cuba-Rushford (5-2), East Rochester (6-0), Gananda (5-2), Harley Allendale Columbia (6-1), Wheatfield-Chili (3-2).

York defeated the reigning two-time Class D state champion Avoca/Prattsburgh by 29 and Class A's Bishop Kearney by 16.

Ranked Section V boys basketball teams: Class D

  • No. 3 Avoca/Prattsburgh (4-2).

The Titans have many Class C teams on tap. They won at Class C Gananda and dropped a one-point contest to Arkport-Canaseraga before the holiday break.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V boys basketball teams in NY state rankings for 2023-24