After the slowest week of the basketball season comes the most exciting: the city playoffs are finally here. By this time next week, Class AA will be down to four and Class A and B down to eight apiece.
It’s a week when dreams are made and broken, contenders are shown to be pretenders or vice versa. Get ready for all the action below:
1. Thomas Jefferson (22-6) (Last week: 1)
It’s been a memorable year in East New York, full of surprises and clutch performances. It will mean nothing if the Orange Wave can’t get to the Garden. They have a relatively easy road and after winning Brooklyn AA and the Brooklyn borough crown, shouldn’t get tripped up. Of course, winning it all as the favorite is never easy – the top seeds each of the last two years fell short.
Next: Robeson, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 29, 5 p.m.)
2. Boys & Girls (20-6) (2)
The Kangaroos hope Wednesday is the beginning of their road to a three-peat. Gompers won’t be easy as the Panthers do have Class AA’s leading scorer in junior guard Carlos Galan. And if Boys High gets by them, Brooklyn AA rival South Shore will likely be waiting in the quarterfinals. Yes, the boys from Bed Stuy have a tough road to hoe.
Next: Gompers, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 29, 5 p.m.)
3. Lincoln (17-9) (3)
The lone team in our top 10 in action this week, Lincoln received a sudden jolt of confidence after nearly knocking off national powerhouse St. Anthony in Isaiah Whitehead’s return from a left ankle sprain. The Railsplitters fell, 51-45, against the third-ranked team in the country, but were poised, smart and outstanding on the defensive end. If that type of play continues, they’ll be at the Garden on March 17.
Next: Beach Channel, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 28, 5 p.m.)
4. South Shore (18-8) (4)
The PSAL did the Vikings no favors with their seeding. First off, they are No. 7 – way too low in our estimation – and second they have to host dangerous John F. Kennedy, the Bronx borough champion. Kennedy and South Shore are both quarterfinal quality clubs – only one will reach the final eight however.
Next: No. 9 John F. Kennedy, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 29, 5 p.m.)
5. Wings Academy (24-3) (5)
Wings isn’t happy to see Eagle Academy a third time after needing a furious second half rally to get by the Eagles in the two teams’ last encounter. But, it should be noted, Wings did blow them away by 32 points when it hosted Eagle early in the year. And after falling to John F. Kennedy in the Bronx borough final, the Wings won’t be taking anyone lightly.
Next: Eagle Academy, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 29, 6:30 p.m.)
6. Cardozo (23-6) (8)
We’re still not sure what to think of Cardozo. Ron Naclerio’s Judges beat Kennedy, but get hammered by Bayside. They rout Campus Magnet and struggle against Long Island City. They’re capable of getting all the way to the semifinals – yeah, we said it – or losing Wednesday to Martin Van Buren. They’re unpredictable, yet talented and capable of making some March noise.
Next: Martin Van Buren, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 29, 5 p.m.)
7. Wadleigh (22-6) (7)
Wadleigh is a victim of its geography. Put the Tigers in another division and if they don’t win said division or borough title, they at least acquit themselves well and stay out of the 8-9 game. Instead, they run through Manhattan like a knife through butter and get punished for it.
Next: No. 8 Bayside, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 28, 5 p.m.)
8. Bayside (20-5) (8)
If not for a shocking second-round loss in the Queens borough playoffs to Long Island City, Bayside would be at home instead of at Wadleigh on Tuesday. Getting to the quarterfinals would be a big step for the young Commodores, the co-Queens AA regular season champions who lost in the outbracket round a year ago.
Next: No. 7 Wadleigh, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 28, 5 p.m.)
9. John F. Kennedy (19-9) (9)
This is a typically underrated Kennedy team. It is loaded with shooters, is strong inside and has a few game-changing guards. The only problem for the Knights is they have to go to Canarsie and take on loaded South Shore in the second round – we feel they deserved to be in the 8-9 game at worst.
Next: No. 4 South Shore, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 29, 5 p.m.)
10. Curtis (23-5) (10)
Rest assured, coach Rich Buckheit has been running his kids ragged since their surprising loss to All Hallows. Expect a fast start in Wednesday’s second round matchup with Campus Magnet, an undersized group the Warriors should be able to handle.
Next: Campus Magnet, PSAL Class AA second round (Feb. 29, 5 p.m.)
New: None
Dropped out: None
On the bubble: Eagle Academy (12-15), Transit Tech (11-14), McKee/Staten Island Tech (17-11), Robeson (9-14) and Campus Magnet (16-8)