These three Section V teams vie for NY boys basketball titles: What to know
Wayne coach Bill Thomson's response was simple when asked how this Eagles team clinched a state final four berth after missing the opportunity in their three previous Section V title runs.
"We didn't have to play Irondequoit," Thomson said with a chuckle, moments after an impressive 58-41 win over Section VI's Williamsville South in regionals March 9 in Buffalo. "I'm just being honest. That's a state title team, and they've had so many."
With a sophomore star in 6-foot-5 guard Cam Blankenberg, could Wayne be in the midst of its own run as the team to beat in Section V Class A? Wayne won Class A2 in 2017 and 2018 but lost to Irondequoit in the region qualifier both years. In 2021, Cam's older brother Mason made the game-winning shot that led the 15-0 Eagles to a Class B2 title, but COVID canceled any postseason games beyond that.
Wayne coaches refer to this season as the "tour of getting things back that they didn't have." East High eliminated the Eagles in three of the previous four postseasons. Wayne avenged those losses by beating East in the section final two weeks ago. Wayne will now make a final four run they believe is three years overdue.
"That's the year that I believed that we could go far," Thomson said about his 2021 team. "Just because Mason Blankenberg, Tyler Reynolds, they were two of the top guards in Section V. Obviously I didn't believe it was going to be this group, but you never know what's going to happen."
There's no time for surprises if Wayne, Lyons and Avoca-Prattsburgh want to leave Glens Falls as New York State Public High School Athletic Association champions. Here's what to know about this weekend's state tournament:
GAME:
Wayne’s Mason Blankenberg hit the game-winning basket with 7.8 left, and the defense did the rest, in their 56-55 win over Batavia in the Section V Class B1 championship game. pic.twitter.com/OEjqbLRia0— Marquel Slaughter🌊 (@MarquelSports) March 13, 2021
NYSPHSAA Championships
The NYSPHSAA semifinals and finals will run Thursday through Sunday at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls. All games will be streamed by the NFHS Network. A monthly pass can be purchased for $11.99.
Friday
Class A boys basketball NY state semifinals
Wayne (23-2, Section V) vs. Friends Academy (20-4, Section VIII), 10:45 a.m.
Maine-Endwell (14-7, Section IV) vs. Glens Falls (25-0, Section II), 9 a.m.
Finals: 5:15 p.m. Saturday.
PJ Ostrowski, who was a freshman on Wayne's 2021 team, is the vocal leader for Eagles. They are riding a 20-game winning streak and haven't lost since Dec. 15, going 14-0 in Finger Lakes East and 22-0 against NYS-based teams. Ostrowski, Blankenberg, Jonah Schichtel, Stephen Habecker and Joshua Warner are key pieces to a defense that haven't allowed more than 51 points in 11 games. The Buffalo News praised Blankenberg's 30-point region final against Williamsville South, calling him the "best overall player" throughout this year's Section VI semifinals, finals, crossover games and NYS regional contests hosted at Buff State. Friends Academy's Josh McKenzie bucket with 3.8 seconds left lifted them to the Long Island title over Southampton.
Class C boys basketball NY state semifinals
Lyons (23-2) vs. Moravia (21-3, Section IV), 8:45 p.m.
Haldane (20-3, Section I) vs. Moriah (21-2, Section VII), 7 p.m.
Finals: 8:45 p.m. Saturday.
One of Section V's most decorated programs with 22 section titles, Lyons will appear in its first final four since 2015. This Lyons iteration avenged a 2023 regionals setback by beating reigning state champion Randolph. Everything revolves around 6-foot-5 sophomore JJ Johnson, an already menacing center averaging around 20 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks who demands triple teams. He has the makings of becoming one of Section V's best players in the near future. Senior point guard Mikey Briggs runs the show while perimeter players Dez Bell and Devyn Williams, Stephen LeBrecht and Jaheim Morris revolves around Johnson.
Coach Dean Schott II's Lions will seek their first NYS finals appearance since 1997 and first state title since 1989, when Schott II played for his father. Abram Wasileski led Moravia's regional win over Section III's Waterville with 31 points.
Saturday
Class D boys basketball NY state semifinals
Avoca-Prattsburgh (14-9) vs. Sackets Harbor (24-1, Section III), 10:45 a.m.
Smithtown Christian (17-4, Section XI) vs. North Warren (20-4, Section II), 9 a.m.
Finals: 3 p.m. Sunday.
Don't let two-time state champion Avoca-Prattsburgh's record fool you. Sure, the Titans won their previous titles with a combined 52-2 record — going 27-0 in 2022-23. This year's club appears to be a problem with towering forwards in Daniel Stilson and Collin Hammond, who makes A-P larger than most Class D programs. Freshman JJ Crowder is a firefly but scored 21 points in regionals. Five-time section champion Macoy Putnam is their do-it-all point guard who's had big games at states in the past. Marcus Castine led Sackets Harbor with 20 points in their section final.
Avoca-Prattsburgh seeks to become the first program to win three state titles since Section III's Jamesville-DeWitt program won four straight NYS Class A crowns from 2008-2011.
— Marquel Slaughter is a journalist for the Democrat and Chronicle, specializing in high school sports. He has been reporter for 14 years. Follow him @MarquelSports on X or on Instagram. You can contact him at mslaughter1@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY state boys basketball tournament: What to know about Section V teams
