Upstate Section II Postseason Breakdown
Sectional hoops is upon us statewide, and while the play-ins and first round matchups may have taken place prior to this article going live - we will still take a look at each bracket across multiple sections one-by-one!
We start in Section 2, where in AAA, CBA will look to continue their perfect season as the number one overall seed - 19-0 to this point. Defending state champion Shaker sits second in bracket play with the same record as the three seed Shen, though one game better in Suburban Council play. The only non-Suburban Council team in the AAA bracket is Will Brown’s Green Tech squad who come in as the four seed set to take on Colonie in the four/five matchup of this 9 team tournament that features one play-in game essentially. Green Tech is 17-3 and will surely be prepared to burst bubbles behind their former American East winning coach. The first game in our AAA tournament will take place Wednesday the 25th as Guilderland (9) visits Saratoga (8) for a crack at JJ Osinski and CBA. A CBA/Green Tech + Shaker/Shen final four would certainly provide maximum entertainment - I will be looking forward to those matchups and the subsequent championship.
Players to watch: JJ Osinski (CBA), JT Vogel (CBA), Marcelin Mukendi (Shaker), Bless Demand (Shaker), Jacob Stewart (Shen), Carter Clay (Green Tech), Qwameik Smith (Green Tech), Richard Wright (Albany), Tyler Witazek (Guilderland / Clarkson)
Amsterdam is slotted #1 in class AA as expected, led by senior Aundray Fowler. Some tasty matchups await in round 2 as Bethlehem (4) will face off against Troy (5). Bethlehem has just recently lost senior point guard Kieran Barnes to injury, but remains talented enough to contend for this title. Troy gets great back court production and boasts enough talent across their lineup to do the same. Daemen commit Brady Olsen and Niskayuna (2) will face-off against the winner of Mohonasen (7) and Ballston Spa (10). One of the surprise teams of the season, Columbia, are the third overall seed and will play either LaSalle (6) or South Glens Falls (11) on the 28th. Worth noting that Niskayuna, Columbia, and Ballston Spa spend their regular seasons playing those AAA schools as members of the Suburban Council. All in all, I truly believe this bracket provides the most depth in regards to which teams could hoist the sectional title plaque.
Players to watch: Aundray Fowler (Amsterdam), CJ Miller (Amsterdam), Brady Olsen (Niskayuna / Daemen), Poem Staten (Niskayuna), Will DiCaprio (Niskayuna), Kieran Poissant (Columbia), Andrew Mocerine (Columbia), Joey Whiting (Bethlehem), Myles Irvis (Bethlehem), Aidan Childs (Bethlehem), Xavjon Arroyo (Troy), Jordan Hood (Troy), Stephen Mulinio (LaSalle), Dante Lane (LaSalle)
I don’t typically like to make predictions or assumptions, but Class A looks chalky. Two talented teams in Hudson and Glens Falls sit comfortably as the one and two seeds with two regular season losses each. Lansingburgh is slotted third, and have hit their stride recently, which could provide momentum heading into a potential matchup with back-to-back State Champions Glens Falls. As I referred to in Class AA - Averill Park is another Suburban Council squad who spend their season playing the sections best. They’re a four seed in this A bracket, but I am a believer in that a strong schedule pays off this time of year. That said, the expectation is that they’ll play a tough Watervliet/Heatly team in round 2 which could prove cause for concern. Of all the potential championship matchups - a Hudson/Glens Falls rematch may provide the most flare.
Players to watch: Keith Robinson (Hudson), Gannon Logue (Hudson), Brady Girard (Glens Falls), Jerome Lewis (Lansingburgh), Tyler Bradley (Averill Park), Johnavin Sapienza (Watervliet/Heatly)
Only one team gets a bye in Class B - and that team is top overall seed Kipp Capital, led by Sectional and State winning head coach DJ Jones. The Trailblazers are 12-5, but have played their best hoops as of late and have challenged themselves as an independent member of the section. They will be challenged most by 15-5 Catskill (2). Johnstown (3), and Fonda (4) both boast impressive records out of the WAC, and Tamarac (5) finished their season atop the Wasaren North. A lot of solid coaching in this bracket could be the difference in contending for the final four here. Though, it helps to have some talent, and I'll be looking at who can play their best here in March.
Players to watch: Indavier Barnes (KIPP), Juelz Mclean (KIPP), Tristan Hendy (Catskill), Kobe Neilsen (Catskill), Riley Wilson (Fonda / Lasell), Jacob Rauf (Greenville)
Class C provides a full 16-team bracket in which reigning State Champions Berne-Knox-Westerlo will be expected to cruise. Coach Andy Wright will be angry with me for presuming that, but Shane Kirker and the Bulldogs have presented too many issues for too many programs regardless of class, evident in their record after year one as an independent program. Their biggest challenges will be 17-3 Duanesburg (2), and Saratoga Catholic (3) - two well coached programs with the players needed to contend. Those two will battle their way through the bottom half of the bracket while BKW will be expecting to face either Cambridge (4) or Fort Plain (5).
Players to watch: Shane Kirker (BKW / Air Force), George Wright (BKW), JJ Reese (Duanesburg), Cody LaFountain (Duanesburg), David Redgrave (Spa Catholic), Bryce Peterson (Spa Catholic), Jasyn Thompson (Spa Catholic), Landon Vangorder (Fort Plain), Ryan Ingber (Greenwich), Mason Wagner (Stillwater), Rocco Schneller (Stillwater)
Lastly, Class D. As mentioned in our midseason report, we expected this to be a two horse race, and that looks to remain the case. North Warren (1) and Northville (2) will be on a collision course to meet in this year's Sectional Title. The Adirondack League champions are back in familiar territory where they last won the Class D state title in 2024. Northville has been a strong program and has fallen short a couple times. They’ll try their luck again in 2026. The good thing for North Warren is that they’ve seen a lot of their Class D competition through league play. Northville will present new blood.
Players to watch: Brodie Rooker (North Warren), Chase Scheidegger (North Warren), Niko Sevastakis (Northville)
Carter Clay
Stephen Mulinio
Riley Wilson
Aundray Fowler