The Post’s high school staff looks ahead to the most intriguing matchups in boys basketball and girls basketball for the week of March 19 through March 25.
BOYS BASKETBALL
New York State Federation Class B final (Saturday, 5:45 p.m. @ Times Union Center)
Arguably the most interesting of the three classifications, ‘B’ pits four-time defending champion Collegiate against back-to-back PSAL champion Pathways in the semifinals while Nazareth meets Bishop Ludden in the other matchup. Storylines abound, from Collegiate possibly five-peating to Nazareth going for a state title with its girls team also competing in ‘A’ and its school fighting to stay open despite financial problems and dwindling enrollment.
New York State Federation Class A (Saturday, 7 p.m. @ Times Union Center)
The prohibitive favorite, Jamesville-DeWitt, failed to qualify, and so did the team, Tappan Zee, which beat them. That means it should be wide open, with Long Island foes Harborfields and defending champion Long Island Lutheran possibly meeting for the crown. Gritty PSAL champion Brooklyn Collegiate shouldn’t be counted out. The same goes for Iona Prep of the Catholic league, a team many felt was ‘AA’ good this year.
New York State Federation Class AA final (Sunday, 2 p.m. @ Times Union Center)
Whatever happens in Saturday’s semifinal between CHSAA champion St. Raymond and three-time PSAL winner Boys & Girls, Sunday’s championship game against Mount Vernon should be a thriller full of Division I prospects. Mount Vernon won it all last year, beating Christ the King in overtime, and will again have its hands full, either with Rays or Boys High. We can’t think of a better way to end the basketball season.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
New York State Federation Class B final (Saturday, 10:30 a.m. @ Times Union Center)
Defending champion Long Island Lutheran asked to move up to the ‘A,’ but will now try to win a second straight ‘B’ crown, starting with a semifinal game against two-time PSAL Scholars Academy. The young Seagulls are playing for former assistant coach Clare Droesch who is battling stage 4 breast cancer. A rematch with upstate power Irvington is expected, but they will have to get by CHSAA champ Cardinal O’Hara (Buffalo) in the semifinals.
New York State Federation Class A (Saturday, 12:15 p.m. @ Times Union Center)
PSAL champion Curtis waits in the wings until Saturday as CHSAA champion Bishop Loughlin and the NYSPHSAA champion East Rochester clash on Friday. The Bombers beat power Averil Park to earn a trip to Albany. The Lions make the trip with a heavy heart after dedicating the season by former teammate Tayshana (Chicken) Murphy, who was killed on Sept. 11. Curtis, guided by legendary coach Bob Daggett, will try to complete a memorable season after six players transferred in from St. Peter’s.
New York State Federation Class AA final (Sunday, 12 p.m. @ Times Union Center)
The stage is set and the top prize in the state is up for grabs this weekend in Albany. Nazareth will meet Cicero-North Syracuse in a battle of nationally ranked teams with McDonald’s All-Americans, Naz countering C-NS’s UConn-bound Breanna Stewart with Brianna Butler. The winner of that semifinal game Saturday takes on 14-time PSAL champion Murry Bergtraum on Sunday.