First of all, I have to start with some unfortunate news. I’m headed out tomorrow morning on a ski trip to Utah that was planned months and months ago and I won’t be around for a week. Some start, huh? I know. I know. Trust me, I want to be one of the thousands squeezing my tail into New Ro on Saturday but previous plans will intercede.
Esteemed colleague Rick Carpiniello will be on hand Saturday for the tripleheader. Carp will be around next week as well to cover some games, including the pivotal Spring Valley-Tappan Zee game on Monday.
Beginning Monday, you can e-mail all your basketball and football news to Carp at rcarpini@lohud.com or to my sports editor at smayer@lohud.com. I’ll be back in time for MV-New Ro II, plus all the seeding news for the Section 1 tournaments, which are fast approaching.
Until then, chew on my first set of rankings:
Top 10
1. Iona Prep (12-3), Last week: 1 — Until New Ro beats a team on the level of Newburgh, Mount Vernon hits a groove or Poughkeepsie earns a big win (Saturday?), the Gaels get the nod. They not only defeated NFA, but Stepinac, Mount, Peekskill, etc. Also, after what happened last season, it makes sense that New Ro must beat its intercity rival to earn this spot.
2. New Rochelle (13-1), Last week: 2 — Judgment time for the Huguenots, who play Mount Vernon, Mamaroneck, Iona Prep and Mount Vernon in its next four games.
3. Mount Vernon (9-4), Last week: 3 — The Knights are difficult to rank because they face so many unknowns. Last week’s win over Cardozo was solid, but is New Ro the team to beat in Class AA this year? We will see.
4. Poughkeepsie (11-0), Last week: 4 — As I said on Wednesday’s show, watch out for Peekskill, Pioneers. The Red Devils improve down the stretch and appear to have started the process already. This will prove a test for Poughkeepsie, but it may very well be up to it.
5. North Rockland (13-2), Last week: 5 — The Red Raiders are lying in the weeds after an impressive performance at the Slam Dunk. Will a lack of competition hurt them come playoff time?
6. Mount St. Michael (14-2), Last week: 6 — The Mount beat Stepinac last week but barely. A couple more baskets the other way and the bottom half of the top 10 is thrown out of whack.
7. Peekskill (9-4), Last week: 7 — I know some of you questioned Peekskill at No. 7 last week. But let’s be truthful: Who below the Red Devils is definitely better? They have won eight straight, including last week’s first of two vs. Ossining.
8. Woodlands (12-2), Last week: NR — Is Woodlands surging? It sure seems that way. The Falcons handed Port Chester its first loss, which is how they vaulted into the rankings.
9. Spring Valley (12-1), Last week: 8 — It’s tough to suggest a 12-win team with just one blemish must pick it up, but that applies to the Tigers, who scraped by in a bunch of games before they were finally beat by Pearl River.
T10. Port Chester (11-1), Last week: 9; Pleasantville (14-0), Last week: 10 — Lets see these two decide it on the court. Watch it here LIVE tonight at 7 on LoHud.com.
Small-school rankings:
1. Woodlands: See above.
2. Pleasantville: Sorry, Panther fans. Right now it appears Woodlands is on a better run, but you can prove otherwise tonight.
3. Salesian: In just 10 days, the Eagles picked up four more wins, including one over Blessed Sacrament.
4. Briarcliff: Winners of six of seven. A rematch with rival Pleasantville looms next week.
5. Valhalla: As I said on Wednesday’s show, Dan Annunziata is due to get his cast off today so the Vikings will soon return to full strength. With their point guard, they could easily have just one loss, having dropped games to Pleasantville and Briarcliff by a point.
Conference rankings:
Class AA
1. New Rochelle
2. Mount Vernon
3. Poughkeepsie
4. North Rockland
5. Ossining
Class A (this is a tough one)
1. Peekskill
2. Spring Valley
3. Port Chester
4. Pelham
5. Sleepy Hollow
Class B
1. Woodlands
2. Pleasantville
3. Briarcliff
4. Dobbs Ferry
5. Nanuet
Class C
1. Valhalla
2. Blind Brook
3. Hawthorne-Cedar Knolls
4. Children’s Village
5. Tuckahoe
Catholic/Private
1. Iona Prep
2. Mount St. Michael
3. Stepinac
4. Salesian
5. Blessed Sacrament
Be kind!
130 Comments
observation,
I wasn’t saying they are going to upset anybody all I was saying was that its possible with their talent. I agree they have been way to inconsistent and this year isn’t going to be their year with Pville and Woodlands and Briarcliff probably battling it out for the Gold Ball. And it’s true that they may not have beaten anyone who is going to contend for a title this year but they did lose to Spring Valley at the buzzer who is supposedly the strongest contender to Peekskill in A and lost to North Rockland by only 4 who is a top 4 team in AA in a game that the referees bailed out North Rockland. I don’t really know what the expect from Albertus from here on out. They got trounced by South earlier today after coming off a big win against TZ on Friday. I don’t see them as a team thats going to be one and done in the playoffs but I dont see them going much further than that.
“The Pville 2000 and 01 teams beat this team by 20? Good luck. Is that the Kyle Jones era? Come on… what type of supporting class did that team have??”
You obviously either never saw them play or really don’t know basketball.
Say What-
Are you agreeing with previous blogger and saying this Pville team would lose by 20 to the 2000 and 01 teams? I guess you are predicting a 42-22 final. If you really think this team would lost by 20 then you obviously have never seen this years team play or really don’t know anything about basketball.
Saw them both many times. The 2000 team’s star was better and the supporting cast was better. They may not have won by 20 but they would have won decisively. Do you think the 2000 team had no supporting cast?
its not our fault, that was broken down properly and you explained yourself very well. Same goes for Sports guy.
To be hoenst, Pleasantville should win the B. Woodlands is wild. IF Pville plays their game they win. Albertus is a year or two away. They will go as Mcginnis and Sayer go.
hey under the stand i dont know where they came from, but they missed the 1st 3 games , if they didnt the would be undefeated
Both The 2000 and 01 teams would dominate this years team inside and on the boards. I have seen all these teams play and Kyl Jones was that good, head an shoulders above anyone on this years team. I would say Nolan is the star and he wouldn’t be able to matchup with Kyl. Then the other four starters would go to the 00 or 01 squads. The 01 and 00 teams also were much deeper and had better benches. Also comparatively look at what the teams have accomplished so far, the teams both 00 and 01 beat to win the gold ball and through out the season were better teams than Pleasantville has played this season.I know its tough to compare competition based on different years but the section they played in was tougher then with the teams like Dobbs, Croton, Hastings, Woodlands, Pelham,and Edgemont back then Pville also played Ossining and Scarsdale on a yearly basis.
Come on? Clearly you didn’t follow those teams too closely back then becuase if you did you would be well aware that it was KYL Jones, not Kyle.
Sammy and Frank-
Let me see if you know anything about Pville Basketball history. Who would win Kyl Jones team or Otis Hill team.
That would be a great game, I have to give the edge to Otis & Co. I was much younger back when Otis was playing and only saw them play a handful of times they had a great squad that year. Speaking from the 00 team they had more depth than the Otis Years but the ultimate factor is that Otis was simply better than Kyl, bigger, stronger, and better. I’d say in a close game, 92 over 00. I’d also take 92 over 01 by a little bit bigger or a margin, and 00 over 01 in a close game.
Thrill, since you’re an expert on Pville basketball, why don’t you tell me the one thing all three teams have in common.
How about four.
Coach Jensen coached all three teams
They all won a Gold Ball
Their studs(Kyl and Otis went onto to very succesfull college careers. Jones at Rose and Hill at Cuse)
both Hill and Jones were 4 years starters, 4 year all-section and all-state, and led teams in scoring and rebounding each year.
As good as Otis was he was actually a better football player. ND, and Cuse were just some of the teams interested in him as a TE.
Otis teammates were also very very good. Cook, Jones, and Depasso all played college basketball. Sanborn played football in college. That is pretty good since at the time they were only a Class C team.
Some would debate exactly how successful Jones’ college career was, relative to his talent. But by “three teams” I was referring to this year’s team as well.
And forget about his abilities as a TE, Otis was as dominant a small school DLineman as this area has ever seen.
not sure??
there is a class b team that is flying under the radar can anyone guess who that may be
irvington , sleepy is class A right?
Most of Otis offers came in to play DE but many did come in for him to play TE as well. Remember seein him play he controlled the whole field from the nose tackle position. Would have been a great player. Back then 5 Star was the big camp to be at and he was in the All-Star game there, there was no ABCD or Nike camps back then.
The 2000 has a few players to go on to play D3 hoops along with Jones. I’m not too sure about Kyl leading the team in rebounds all four years but he definately was Top 5 in the county in scoring.
Ask Delle Bovi who he thinks is better this year or 2000, his Bcliff teams got handeled by Pville a few times that year. Hopefully the three things is they all end with a Gold Ball, hopefully this year team can beat the LI champs.
Thrill what are your takes on a game between these squads?
“Thrill, since you’re an expert on Pville basketball, why don’t you tell me the one thing all three teams have in common.”
I believe that it’s Rich Motko. Player on the Hill teams and coach on the 2000, 2001 and current teams.
no there is another class b team but sleepy is a
what class b team under radar wide open after pleasantville
Lincoln Hall
Greenburgh Academy- they’re amazing- psych
Great call, Matko left with Jensen but came back in 06 I believe. Not sure what year he graduated but he did play with Hill.
Pville Bcliff tomorrow this game is hyped!
there we go, Lincoln Hall x factor
don’t sleep on carmel this year
Hastings at Dobbs Ferry: Thursday, February 4th(tomorrow) 4:30. Going to be an insane game, and is a vital win for both teams. Everyone come if they want to see a competitve game.
Dobbs fans are the best around and will be at their best tomorrow.
tz 12-5..comin off a big win at the valley after a fluke loss to albertus. big shot to make a run in sections, what do you guys think?
How was the loss to Albertus a fluke?
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