League Champs Crowned at White Plains, Peekskill, Mahopac, Yorktown

Westlake Wins 1st League Title since 1991; Put Valley, Haldane Share Honors

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

And there you have it: A finalized Section 1 regular season full of league champions, including Examiner area squads White Plains (10-0, League I-D), Westlake (7-3, League III-A), Putnam Valley/Haldane (7-1, share League III-D), plus Yorktown (8-0, League II-E), Peekskill (8-0, League II-D), and Mahopac (10-0, League I-A), who are the top three seeds, respectively, in the upcoming Class AA playoffs.

Congrats to all on a splendid regular season, and good luck as we embark upon the postseason and a potential run to the Final 4 at the fabled Westchester County Center, the Mecca of Section 1 hoops.

The final week of action was fast and furious. Let’s have a look.

As of press time, the official seeds were not released, so we, like everybody else, are going off the great Kevin Devaney’s projections.

CLASS AA

State-ranked (No.14) MAHOPAC hosted unranked SOMERS in what Tusker Coach James Loughran called the final leg of a three-game gauntlet as 2023 sectional runner-up Somers wrapped up its regular season against three of the toughest teams around, including the host Wolf Pac, which they more handled in a stunning 59-44 triumph; host YORKTOWN, which humbled the Tuskers, 65-41; and Class A heavyweight Byram Hills, which had the Tuskers on the ropes until they got off and survived a 45-43 nailbiter to open the week.

“We call this ‘The Gauntlet Week’,” Somers rookie Coach James Loughran said. “People thought it was crazy to end the season with three hard teams, but to be tested three straight times will reveal our character.”

As the dearly departed singer/songwriter Meat Loaf oft-proclaimed: Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad #JustGoogleIt, youngsters.

Somers, which earned the No.5 in the playoffs, proved to be a tough matchup for anyone in Saturday’s takeover of Mahopac where the Tuskers shook up the Class AA seedings, which, as of press time, had the top five shaking out as such: No.1 Yorktown, No.2 Peekskill, No.3 Mahopac, No.4 Suffern and No.5 Somers.

“Going 2-1 against that competition was a solid week for us,” Loughran said. “I mean, when I say that Yorktown night was hard for me, I’m not kidding: Not because we got beat in every aspect of that game, but because of how unprepared I was and how much lack of preparation I gave my  kids. It was unfair for them. I was embarrassed of myself. I spent nearly two hours in an empty office back at Somers that night, being hard on myself. Look, Yorktown is loaded. In all aspects of the game. That’s why they are number one. I know every single one of those boys, love them all, just the lack of effort from us was painful.

“But, we spent time on Mahopac and how we can try and defend two of the toughest bigs in this class in Liam Scanlon and Daniel Dadvukaj. How can we contain them? Mac Sullivan and Jacob Hauser did a phenomenal job holding those guys to what they did. I couldn’t be more proud of the effort from everyone. The kids deserved this win.”

Pac took a 10-5 lead with 2:17 left in the first and led 12-8 after one. Sullivan went old-school three with an and-1 for a 15-14 Somers lead at 5:20 of the second.Mahopac’s John Kearney tied it 22-all with 2:002 before the half and Dedvukaj responded in kind for a 24-22 Mahopac lead, which Cohen put an end to with a 3-ball to end the half with a 25-24 Tusker lead.

Somers came out of the break glowing, Cohen opening up a 30-26 lead at 5:20 of the third. Hauser extended to 32-26 and Brady Leitner piled on at 3:350 for a 34-26 Somers lead. The game was getting away from Mahopac when Hauser hit two from the line for a 10-point cushion, 36-26. Scanlon provided a glimmer of hope when he closed out the third for a Mahopac bucket, trimming the deficit to 42-37.

However, Sullivan’s and-1 sequence spotted Somers a 47-37 lead early in the fourth. Mahopac scored four-straight points to cut the deficit to 47-41, but Andrew Violante, who was super-clutch down the stretch, hit a pair of 3’s for a 53-42 lead and the Tuskers cruised from there.

“I kept telling them all year, ‘all it takes is one big win’, and we couldn’t find one for the most part in big games,” Loughran said. “Today, on the road at Mahopac, which I know first-hand how hard it is to win there, they got theirs.”

Sullivan (14 points, 10 boards, 2 steals) was superb defensively. Cohen (13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists), Violante (13 points, 6 boards), Hauser (6 points, 5 boards), Leitner (5 points, 5 steals, 4 assists) and Phil Santore (5 points) were all clutch for the Tuskers.

Kearney finished with a career-high 24 points to lead Mahopac, which posted the finest regular season (18-2) in school history, according to previous coaches and an assortment of other sources.

Somers also discovered just how tough Yorktown is when the state-ranked No.12) Huskers rolled to a 65-43 win when Huskers Brandon Montero (22 points, 8 rebounds), Kaden Gonzalez (15 points) and Billy Feeks (12 points) guided the Huskers to their finest regular season in school history (18-2).

In the Yorktown/Somers game, Montero picked up his second personal foul with the score tied at 9-all with 2:57 left in the first, which is how the first ended.Violante hit a sweet turnaround for an 11-9 Somers lead and when Vio struck again for a 3, his eight point off a hot start, Somers held a five-point lead. A Feeks 3, his 37th of the season, made it 14-12 Somers at 6:52 of the second. A Montero put-back gave Yorktown a 15-14 lead at 6:02 of the second, a lead it would never relinquish.

Gonzalez scored in the paint for a 17-15 Husker lead. Somers had won five of the last six against the Huskers coming in, but Montero struck at the right elbow, 19-15 before a Gonzo 3 spotted Yorktown a 22-15 lead at 4:00, his 33rd trifecta of the year.

Violante hit two at the line, 22-17, and then drew two more at the stripe after being fouled. He hit both, 22-19. Montero scored from Duffy, 26-19, at :53 before the half. Feeks then hit two at the line, 28-19, which is how the half ended.

The flood gates started to open when Gonzo hit his third 3 of the night for a 31-19 lead out of the break. Gonzo scored again from Price on the break, 33-19, 6:54 of the third. Cohen stopped the bleeding, 33-21, but Montero answered, 35-21. Montero then dunked for a 37-22 lead and then went to the line for two and hit both for a 39-22 lead. Montero took the game over, scoring again to cap a 26-9 run and a 41-24 lead at 3)00 of the third. A Cohen 3 cut the Yorktown lead to 43-30 at 2:26. But a Costello and-1 hoop put Yorktown up 46-32. Costello then scored again, 48-32, from Montero to end the third. A Feeks put-back made it 50-36 and the Huskers cruised from there.

Yorktown owned BREWSTER earlier in the week, taking a 73-56 decision behind Feeks (15 points), Montero (13 points, 10 rebounds, 6 steals), Gonzalez (12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds) and Troy Diaz (10 points). The Bears fell to 5-15 and earned the No.19 seed and seek an outbracket win to crack the field of 16.

Somers toughed out the win over state-ranked Class A (No.26) BYRAM HILLS. Somers led the Bobcats, 11-7, at the end of the first quarter. Phil Santore extended to 13-9 early second. A Zach Efobi slam at 5:10 trimmed the Byram deficit to two, 13-11. Cohen scored at 4:15 of the second for a 16-11 lead. Violante hit two at the line, 19-13, and Somers extended to a 21-13 halftime lead.

Byram cuts the deficit three, 23-20, at 6:14 of the third. Efobi added another monster slam, 23-22, Somers at 5:50 of the third.

A Tyson Repa banker at 4:50 gave Byram a 24-23 lead. He then followed with another hoop at 4:15 for a 26-23 lead.

Byram’s Max Miller hit an impressive runner for a 29-23 lead, but the Tuskers came marching back behind a Violante 3, which tied it at 30, and a put-back by Chris Spano spotted Somers a 32-30 lead heading into the fourth. A Mac Sullivan and-1 hoop gave Somers a 35-32 lead with 7:20 to go in the fourth. Kevin Kendall of Byram banked home a 3 at 6:30 for a 35-all tie before Efobi scored off a strong put-back for a 37-35 lead at 4:51 to go.

Santore banked one home to tie it at 37-all. Repa made it 41-37, spinning and winning off a sweet move. A Byram steal gave them possession and a four-point lead with 2:32 to play.

An ugly Byram possession led to two at the line for Sullivan with 1:16 left. He hit one to trim the lead to three. Miller scored off another sweet move and Byram led 43-38. Sullivan went back to the line for Somers with 39.8 left and hit both, 43-40, Byram. A turnover off inbound by Byram killed the Bobcats as Somers G Nate Cohen drained a deep 3-bomb to tie it. Somers won it at the line after a stop and two free throws from Matt D’Ippolito for the final margin with 2.1 left.

Byram missed a half court shot at buzzer.

Violante led the Tuskers (16 points,5 rebounds,4 assists) while Sullivan (12 points),

Cohen (5 points, 5 boards, 5 assists) and Santore (4 points) all chipped in.

“Byram is a team you’ll see at the County Center in Class A,” Somers Coach James Loughran said of the Bobcats (14-6).We fought. We said to them at the end of the game, there was never a sight of kids hanging their heads down, or people turning on one another. You put us in that position a month ago, it may have been a different story.

“These kids continue to grow together, it’s special,” Loughran added. “Keep saying it to these guys, we are in control of our own destiny. How the story goes and how we write it, is on us. In all seriousness, it was a game of fight. I can’t stress enough how many people continue to overlook the fight of these guys. After last year and their magical run, these guys who were a part of it, deserve their respect and that’s all I’ve been wanting for them.”

Efobi led the Bobcats with 16 points, 15 boards and five blocks before he went off in Byram’s 85-42 win over Yokers, delivering a school record seven dunks while totaling 17 points and snagging 17 boards. Repa scored 33 points (4 off his career high) to go with 14 rebounds, and G Chris Amenedo returned from injury to score 11 points in just 12 minutes #ShotInTheArm.

“The Somers loss was rough, way too similar to the Yorktown loss, and both were on me,” Byram Coach Ted Repa said. “When you have a lead with under a minute, you have to be able to manage the clock better. Hopefully, we can learn from those heartbreakers, because that’s two games we let slip away. Obviously, our opponents making big-time plays down the stretch is a big part of it, and those are two excellent teams, but we had some opportunities to limit those moments and we didn’t capitalize, so the losses sting even more.

Coach Repa knows his team has high expectations as they enter the Class A playoffs as the No.4 seed, possibly facing No.13 Putnam Valley in the opening round.

“Efobi has been unreal,” Coach Repa said. “He is averaging 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks on the season, and what might be most impressive is his defense. Not only does he protect the rim, but he can also get out and guard the perimeter. A special talent that’s only getting better. Tyson’s been scoring a bunch lately, and what’s nice is that he’s not just settling for long 3s as much, but attacking the rim instead. He’s had to shoulder a lot for this team, especially with all the injuries of late, but he’s really doing a great job, and defensively he has been outstanding.”

MAHOPAC got up 12-4 in the early going against rival host CARMEL Thursday and held on for a 53-45 win to clinch the league title. The Wolf Pac led 14-6 at the end of one. A Joey Loughlin 3 for Carmel cut it to 16-9 at 5:45 of the second and Mahopac led 26-18 at the half.

Carmel came out of the break and cut it to 26-20, but a Connor Ferrieri 3 made it 29-20 at 6:00. Ram G Aiden White cut it to 29-23 but was answered by Devukaj, 31-23, before the Wolf Pac opened up a 36-23 advantage. It looked like a runaway win for Mahopac, but Carmel, under first-year Coach Joe Loughlin, never quit.

White hit two at the line to trim the deficit to 37-27 before a Danny Koch bucket made it 39-37. Jair Johnson of Carmel made an and-1 to make it 39-30 at :40 of the third. Carmel nailed another 3, 39-33, early in the fourth. Mahopac led 41-34 at 5:23 of the fourth when Dedvukaj’s hoop provided some cushion, 43-34, with  just over 5:00 to go.

Scanlon at the line, 4:02, hits one, 44-37. A Carmel three by Jair Johnson (9 points) cut the deficit to 44-40 at 3:30 when Scanlon went back to line. 3:06 for one free throw made, 45-40. A White 3 had Mahopac shaking in their boots for a second, 45-43, 2:45. But Ferrieri went to the line to hit two, 47-43. Dedvukaj got hit with a tech foul, which could have been costly, but after White hit two free throws to make it 47-45, Carmel could not convert on the possession and Scanlon, at 1:44, powered two points home and-1 for a 50-45 lead. A costly Carmel turnover off the inbound led to two free throws by Ferrieri at 1:00 for a 52-45 lead, and sophomore Matt Reilly sank one more at the stripe with 13.3 left for the final margin.

“We grinded that out, it was ugly,” Mahopac Coach Matt Calabro admitted.

Dedvukaj (18 points), Scanlon (12) and Koch (9) led the Wolf Pac while Teddy Galbraith (11 rebounds) and White (12) kept the Rams (6-14), the No.17 seed in Class AA, in business.

“We’re getting there,” Carmel Coach Loughlin said. “The bench has really stepped up in the absence of Joey (Loughlin, who will be back for playoffs) and King (Mercer, who is done for the season). Jair Johnson hit the two big 3s late to get us back in it, and White has been steady throughout.”

The Rams will take on No.X in Wednesday’s outbracket, seeking to crack the field off 16 and bust open a bracket with an opening-round upset.

Mahopac also posted a 59-52 Senior Night win over John Jay EF on a night when Koch nailed a 3 off consistently good ball movement, providing Mahopac a 27-19 lead at the break before Connor Ferrieri’s fourth 3 of the game put Pac up 34-22 at 5:14.

State-ranked (No.17) Class AA PEEKSKILL has dazzled us this season, turning a decade of frustration on a dime with an unforeseeable 19-1 season, including wins over HEN HUD (74-56) and WALTER PANAS (82-36) last week.

Against Hen Hud, a Jeremy Heady 3 gave Hen Hud an 8-4 lead with just under 4:00 to play in the first, which the Sailors extended to 10-4 and the 15-9 at 2:55 of the first, Before we knew it, a Heady 3 gave the Sailors (13-7) a 23-11 lead, which they took into second quarter. Hne Hud took a 26-13 midway through third and then 28-18 with 4:00 left in the second.

It was 29-21 after a strong Chavis and-1, and Wamack answered with a 3, 32-21. Wamack scored at 1:24 in the second for a 34-21 lead. Hiltsley scored just before the half to put Hen Hud up 36-26.

The third quarter belonged to Peekskill, who closed the gap to 40-34 with Chavis at the line, followed by a steal and assist at 5:00 of the third.

Peekskill tied it at 42-all at 3:40 of the third. Connor Prokopiak gave Hen Hud its last lead, 44-42. Red Devil Isaiah Crawford hit two at the line at 2:29 of the third to tie it at 44.

If Peekskill’s basketball IQ raises to the level of its athleticism this squad can make a run; otherwise shot selection could be an issue at the County Center. A Jones 3 gave Peeksill a 47-44 lead it would not relinquish before he was fouled behind the arc and hit all three free throws for a 50-44 lead. Peekskill then took a 54-46 lead headed into the fourth.

Thames broke the huddle and dunked to open the fourth and bury the Sailors, 56-46. Thames went again off a put-back for a 58-46 with 6:09 to go. A sweet backdoor cut to Prokopiak saw the Sailors cut the deficit to 58-48, but Chavis answered with a 3, nothing but net, 61-48 at 5:20. Chavis then scored from Thames, a gorgeous, cutting look, 63-48 game, set, match!

A Jack Hiltsley 3 cut the deficit to 63-51 with 3:41 to play but it was too little too late for the Sailors as the Red Devils notched their first league title since 2009. A Chavis 3 made it 68-51 to seal the deal.

“The team we have is as tough as they come,” Hen Hud Coach Jordan Hirsch said. “They play with heart, energy, passion, and connectivity. We came out strong and to Peekskill’s credit, they withstood our run in the first half and showed their athleticism and skill in the second half. They have a lot of dynamic scorers and apply a lot of pressure defensively. Coach Searight has them playing with a lot of belief and it showed.

“As for our guys, this game was a great opportunity to learn and improve from,” Hirsch added. “We have a group of young men that won’t back down from a challenge and a difficult loss won’t deter them from chasing their team goals going forward.”

Wamack finished with 16 points and 10 boards to lead the Sailors while Heady went for 10 points, eight boards and three assists. Hiltsley (12 points, 2 assists) and Prokopiak (11 points, 5 boards, 2 assists) provided a third and fourth double-digit scorer but it wasn’t enough to offset the Red Devils, including Chavis (27 points), Jones (17 points), Thames (12) and Travis Brown (12).

The Sailors (13-7) finished the regular season with a 58-42 win over visiting North Salem Friday when Wamack (21 points), Hiltsley (16 points), Prokipiak (12 points) and Heady (9 points) all came up strong.

In Peekskill’s rout of Panas, Thames scored off the opening tap, then followed with a put-back, 4-0. Isaiah Wallace answered with a 3 for Panas, Chavis and Thames scored off consecutive steals for an 11-3 lead, and the writing was on the wall when Chavis scored again at 5:30 for a 13-3 lead.

Thames scored from Chavis, 15-6, before Thames scored from Jones, 17-6, and Panas called timeout in an effort to stop Thames from absolutely dominating.

Wallace drilled his second 3, the only thing keeping the Panthers in the game at 19-9. Thames owned this one, scoring again for a 23-11 lead at 1:20. With Dylan Tolbert sidelined for the season, Panas has no inside presence to contain Thames, Peekskill’s version of Charles Barkley. A Zeke Jones slam ended the first quarter with the Red Devils holding a 25-11 edge.

That lead ballooned to 41-11 to open the second quarter, game, set, match! Peekskill extended the lead to 55-17 by the half. Chavis finished with 18 points and Thames put up 16 while Wallace dropped a game-high 23.

CLASS A

Byram Hills is tops among the locals in Class A, having been tested over and over against some of the top AA clubs (see above).

On Senior Night at PLEASANTVILLE Wednesday, the Panthers clung dearly to a 44-41 victory over visiting Rye Neck behind 22 points and 13 boards from senior C Etai Nunberg.

Nunberg scored two at the line for a 31-25 lead followed by Nathan Barretto at the stripe where he hit one, and a tie up off the ensuing rebound went to P’Ville, but a terrible possession led to Rye Neck hoop, 32-27, which is how the third quarter ended.

It was 32-29 after a Rye Neck reverse bucket. Another P’Ville turnover, a slew in recent minutes, led to some sloppy moments the Panthers finally overcame when Nunberg went to the line off his own put-back. He hit one at 6:50 for a 33-31 lead, which he then, at 6:25 off another missed free throw, followed with another Nunberg put-back to make 35-31. A Rye Neck 3 made it 35-34 before P’Ville’s Dermot McSpedon scored at 5:10 to make it 37-34. But at 3:55 another Rye Neck 3 tied it at 37-all. Nunberg answered, again at the rim off another put-back, making it 39-37. McDermot hit one at the line for a 40-37 lead at 2:55 of the fourth.

Rye answered, 40-39, at 2:05. Nunberg at line hit two more for a 42-39 lead but Rye refused to quit and dropped two more. Nunberg was fouled off a put-back attempt at 35.1 and hit one of two free throws for a 43-41 lead. Rye Neck had the ball with :27 left and came out of a timeout to lose possession with 2.4 left. Nunberg was fouled with 1.4 left. He hit the first and purposely clanged the second as time ran out and the Panthers held on.

“I thought we had a great start and Rye Neck battled back to tie it at 37, however the team gained its composure and were able to finish the game inside,” Pleasantville Coach Bob Jordan said. “It was a strong outing by Nunberg and Picart, defensively.”

LAKELAND trailed host Ardsley 13-8 after the first quarter of Thursday’s 53-46 non-league victory over a Panther club that came into the game as the No.2 seed in Class A with a 12-5 mark. We warned y’all in this space last week that Lakeland (9-11), which came in as the No.13 seed, was a bracket-buster in the making. The Hornets will enter as the likely No.14 seed.

Sean Perry’s nice lefty scoop cut the deficit to 13-10. John Bartolotta drained a lefty reverse to cut the deficit to 15-12 early in the second. Perry drew a charge and Lakeland cut it to 18-17 off a big man 3 from Logan Crilly. A Grady Leonard 3 gave Lakeland the lead, 20-18, but a defensive lapse allowed Ardsley an and-1, which it converted for a 21-20 lead the Panthers took into the half.

Crilly out of the half gave Lakeland a 24-21 lead. Crilly again for an and-1 attempt at 5:22 was good for a 29-25 lead. Crilly scored again inside at 4:48 for a 31-28 Lakeland lead. Leonard made it 34-30. Ardsley with an easy backdoor cut 34-all. Bartolotta gave Lakeland a 36-34 lead at 1:39 of the third off a nice inside move. Perry made it 38-34 off the break. Lakeland got really sloppy with the ball in the waning seconds of the third and Ardsley closed on 4-0 run to tie it at 38-all heading into the fourth. Leonard drilled a 3, 41-38. Adsley answered and took a 42-41 lead before Leonard went to the glass for a hoop and-1 for a 44-42 lead at 5:50. Bartolotta powered his way to the rack for a 46-42 lead with 5:00 to play. Perry, off a steal, found Crilly for the play of the game, 48-42, with 4:27 left.

Perry, off a filthy move, made for a 50-42, a Lakeland lead. Ardsley answered, 50-44. Ardsley scored again, 50-46, with just over 2:00 to go. Crilly went off glass, 52-46. And then a Crilly steal with 40.2 left.  Leonard went to the line with 24.6 left and hit 1, 53-46, for the final margin #CrillyBeastMode.

CLASS AAA

WHITE PLAINS went into cruise control early in Thursday’s 86-56 romp of visiting Port Chester, taking a 15-3 lead at 5:19 of the first quarter before finishing up the regular season at 19-1 as the top seed in the upcoming playoffs.

Tiger hotshot Logan McCormick (30 points, 6 rebounds) was tough to contain and complementary pieces like Daniel Herzner (11 points, 8 rebounds), Miles Johnson (9 points, 7 assists), Luke Brooks (8 points) and Nick Triolo (7 points, 7 assists) all contributed to an undefeated league championship for the top-seeded Tigers, who posted the finest regular season in school history.

White Planas also managed a 55-39 win over a FOX LANE club that is as battle-tested as they come, heading into the postseason with the No.8 seed at 12-8 overall.

“We are one of the few AA teams that have played a AAA schedule and the top teams in AA,” Fox Lane Coach Mike Tomassi said. “We will be battle tested but need to play a Fox Lane style of ball over the next couple weeks to make a deep run.”

White Plains, which is deep and talented, was led by Johnson (14 points),

Brooks (12 points, 7 rebounds), McCormick (11 points, 10 rebounds),

Triolo (9 points, 5 assists) and Herzner (7 points).

Foxes Arthur Shevick (7 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists), Kevin New (16 points, 6 rebounds), James Minotti (5 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds)kept the Foxes in striking distance against the best team they will see all season.

Fox Lane made short work of Lincoln later in the week in a 55-35 beatdown behind New (13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Minotti (5 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds), Logan Mammola (7 points, 2 assist, 10 rebounds), Shevick (21 points, 2 rebounds) and Evan Mayers (7 points, 1 assists, 3 rebounds).

The week ended for the Foxes in a tough loss to Class B heavyweight Woodlands in a 52-44 loss against the state-ranked (No.22) Falcons. New (10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) and Shevick 25 points, 3 rebounds) led the way.

Class AAA OSSINING ended a solid week with a 70-62 loss to Kingston after knocking off HORACE GREELEY, 47-42, to secure the No.6 seed in the upcoming playoffs.

Against Kingston, Ossining was led by Kris Singh (20 points) and Asher Cort (8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 boards). Ossining also won on the road, 47-42, against Greeley when Santos (15 points) and Cort (10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks) did the bulk of the damage for the Pride (12-8).

Greeley went on the crush Port Chester, 73-40, behind Zach Boyriven’s signature performance (20 points, 9 assists, 5 steals). Nick Tasso (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Benji Ricardo (11 points) provided three double-digit scorers for the Quakers (11-9), the likely No.11 seed in Class AA.

CLASS B

WESTLAKE won its third in a row after taking out Blind Brook (63-59) and BRIARCLIFF (52-39) to close out the regular season at 15-5, while securing the No.4 seed in the upcoming playoffs and their first league title since 1991. The bad thing about the No.4 seed for the Wildcats (15-5) is the No.5 seed, Blind Brook, which has won four of  the last five.

Against Briarcliff, Marcus Jackette (14 points), Brayden Lingeza (14 points) and Michael Pagan (10 points) provided the Wildcats with three double-digit scorers to hold off Jordan Kratz and company. The Bears (6-14), who will have an outbracket game as the No.19 seed in Class A in the hopes of making the field of 16, have had a down season by their standards and hope to turn things around in the postseason.

Against Blind Brook, Westlake saw the promise of sophomore Jackette, who dropped a game-high 25 points while seniors CJ Prosperino (14 points) and

Nick Castellano (12 points) had some clutch buckets in a tight game throughout.

CROTON finished the regular season with a 54-45 Senior Night win over Pawling Friday when Gavin Dugan dropped a career-high 20 points and Orlando Gomez went for 25 as the Tigers finished the regular season at 9-11, thus securing the No.7 seed in the Class B playoffs.

Reigning Section 1 Class B champ VALHALLA knocked off Pleasantville 55-50 behind Julian Amorosa (27 points) and Mikaele Martinez (12 points, 12 rebounds) to finish the regular season at 8-12.

CLASS C

HALDANE never gave Pawling a chance in a 61-42 Blue Devil win prior to locking up a share of the League III-D title in a 56-38 drubbing of visiting PUTNAM VALLEY Friday.

Against Put Valley, Matt Nachamkin and Nate Stickle led all scorers with 12 apiece for a share of the sixth-straight straight league title for Haldane, the No.1 seed in Class C, who basically have a free pass to the finals with a looming semifinal matchup against a 1-17 Keio club in the four-team Class C field. The Tuckahoe/Lafell winner awaits in the finals.

Fallou Faye (11 points), Luke Bozsik (8), Ross Esposito (7) and Mike Murray (6) chipped in for the Blue Devils in a fiery triumph against the rival Tigers (10-9), who look like the potential No.13 seed in Class A. PV swingman James Apostolico (11) and Angel Munoz (10) led Put Valley, which di pull a 52-32 win over North Salem on Senior Night earlier in the week, doing so behind Rick Miester and Jack Moriarty (9 apiece), plus another seven from munoz.

Against Pawling, Nachamkin (15 points), Esposito (13) and Murray (13) paced an offense, which is ranked No.4 in NYS and should be doing some advanced scouting on the likes of Section 9’s Millbrook (No.12 in NYS) and Section 4’s Delhi (No.3)/Candor (No.8)/ Morovia (No.9) in the hopes of getting beyond the Tuckahoe/Laffell winner at the Westchester County Center.

ANDY JACOBS / DAVID TABER / GIL McMAHON / TIM COURT PHOTOS