Upstate Section IV Playoff Breakdown
Section 4, a relatively small section, especially in the larger classes, has already played its opening round games. Now, with many of the quarterfinal, semifinal, and even championship games set, we’ll take a look at what teams' seasons remain alive and in contention for a trip to the State Tournament.
Class AAA
With only three teams in Class AAA, it was Nolyn Proudfoot and Corning-Painted Post who came away with the automatic bye to the championship round. Ithaca and Elmira matched up over the weekend in which Ithaca took control and saw out the game 77-62. Now, Ithaca is set to take on 19-1 Corning on March 6th at Watkins Glen for all the marbles. It will be Ithaca’s first sectional title appearance since 2018. Corning will be looking to repeat in the class. Ithaca is a young team, but it certainly features some young prospects, including Sophomore guard Israel Mack, who delivered in the win over Elmira. Nolyn Proudfoot is essentially a household name among High School Basketball fans and spectators in the state, but the Hawks are deep, well-coached, and have an array of producing outlets, including Nolyn’s brother Carter, and Plattsburgh commit Kyler Stevenson.
Players to watch: Nolyn Proudfoot (Corning), Kyler Stevenson (Corning / Plattsburgh), Carter Proudfoot (Corning), Israel Mack (Ithaca), Jasmir Robbins (Ithaca), Vaughn Bailey (Ithaca)
Class AA
Only three teams get the opportunity in Class AA as well, with two-seeded Binghamton knocking off Union Endicott over the weekend 72-57, punching their ticket to a sectional championship battle with 19-1 Seton Catholic. Binghamton, last season's State Champion, got strong production from junior Jahlon Cook in the semi-final win. Cook finished with 26 and a number of highlight plays at the rim for the Patriots. Seton Catholic won the Class A title last year, and look primed to do the same in AA play. The championship will take place Sunday, March 8th. I look forward to the contrast of styles here, typical in the Battle of Bing. STAC Champs Seton took it handily last time the two teams met, but this heated rivalry will take a step further with the lights shining brightest and some silverware on the line. I’ll be excited to see if Binghamton’s athleticism can cause some chaos, or if scholarship-level prospect Allan Eagles can do what he’s done all season and lead Seton to a comfortable margin.
Players to watch: Allan Eagles (Seton), Brian Dempsey (Seton / Maryville), Malik Wimberly (Seton), Liam Kozel Jr. (Seton), Shawn Remplet (Binghamton), Jahlon Cook (Binghamton), Eli Johnson (Binghamton), Zahir Marshall (Binghamton), Cashawn Fleming (Binghamton)
Class A
The semifinals are set in Class A after Chenango Valley (5) upset Norwich (4) 72-59. Now, Chenango Valley will take on Maine Endwell, the number one overall seed in the class. The other semifinal will feature 14-6 Waverly (3), and 15-4 Oneonta (2). These games are slated for Wednesday, March 4th. Maine Endwell gets the #1 seed after finishing atop the STAC Metro at 11-1. The Maine Endwell backcourt will continue to lead the way - Marco Konrad and Preston Ocker. Two of the top players in the section. Chenango Valley got 29 from Jayden Jannotti (Alfred State LAX), but aren’t just reliant on one guy. Declan Clark and Johnny Paske are more than capable players - and Sophomore Alikhan Murat has been the leading producer for much of the season. A versatile player coaches will soon know. In the other game, Waverly sniper Hogan Shaw will look to lead his team past Oneonta’s own duo in Brady Carr and Britten Zeh. The Yellow Jackets are deep though, and will be a lot to handle, as they were earlier in the month when they defeated Waverly by 12. We should be in store for a physical rematch here.
Players to watch: Marco Konrad (Maine Endwell), Preston Ocker (Maine Endwell), Brady Carr (Oneonta), Britten Zeh (Oneonta), Hogan Shaw (Waverly), Alikhan Murat (CV)
Class B
The Class B semis will feature #1 Lansing vs. #4 Watkins Glen and #2 Susquehanna Valley taking on #3 Windsor. Lansing is 13-7 after defeating Newark Valley in the quarterfinals, while 14-6 Watkins Glen needed two overtime periods to escape fifth-seeded Chenango Forks. Susquehanna Valley and Windsor are familiar STAC East foes, and on February 11th, Susquehanna Valley took down the Black Knights 54-42. Nico Soriano is a talented, athletic wing for 11-10 Windsor. This should be an entertaining end to the season, with all four teams here separated by just three wins and several entertaining matchups already accounted for between them.
Players to watch: Zayden Davis (Lansing), Jackson Tarbert (Lansing), Aiden Vooris (Lansing), Carter Birtch (SV), Alex Leudemann (SV), Nico Soriano (Windsor), Patrick Finn (Windsor), Jude Santos (Watkins Glen), Chris Simiele (Watkins Glen), Jaydon Scholtisek (Watkins Glen)
Class C
It’s all chalk through the 12-team Class C tournament with the semifinals on deck and scheduled to be played March 4th. 19-3 Union Springs (4) plays top seeded Elmira Notre Dame while the two/three seed matchup features 15-6 Trumansburg and 18-3 Delhi. On paper and based on record this final four should prove to be fun to watch. Each team had played a compelling quarterfinal game except for Trumansburg, who cruised to victory. Elmira Notre Dame was pushed to the brink by Marathon (8), holding on to win 55-50. Senior Max O’Connor has led Elmira Notre Dame all season and will have his hands full against Nevin Brown, Rocco Testa, and Union Springs. Additionally, Notre Dame had beaten Trumansburg twice in the regular season before they fell to the Blue Raiders in the IAC Large School Championship game 59-45. Arlo Peake went for 22 in the win. Prior to that, in the regular season finale, Trumansburg thumped Lansing, Class B’s number one overall seed. All four teams here are ranked in the latest NYSSWA poll, with Union Springs #6, Delhi #10, Notre Dame #16, and Trumansburg #17Goes to show you that this will be an unpredictable last few days in Class C.
Players to watch: Max O’Connor (ND), Skoon Jenkins (ND), Mike Sutryk (ND), Teddy Kelsh (Delhi), Lucas Nealis (Delhi), Arlo Peake (Trumansburg), Dafydd Williams (Trumansburg), Nevin Brown (Union Springs), Rocco Testa (Union Springs)
Class D
A bigger Class D bracket also sees us moving onto the semifinals, where again, we’re all chalk to this point. 19-2 Morris sits as the number one overall seed set to take on #4 Schenevus (15-6), while second-seeded Edmeston (18-3) will face #3 and 17-4 South Kortright/Andes. Just like Class C, our final four participants here all find themselves ranked in the top 20 of NYSSWA’s March 3rd poll. Edmeston, ranked the highest of the punch in that poll at #8, had recently taken down Morris 72-49 in the Tri-Valley League championship. However, Morris holds onto the one seed here and will face Schenevus - another Tri-Valley foe. South Kortright/Andes is the only non-Tri-Valley League team here, and will look to carry the momentum after knocking off Worcester in the quarterfinal round.
Players to watch: Ryan Murphy (Morris), Braymon Clark (Edmeston), Gavin Zinger (Edmeston), Parker Popp (SK-A), AJ Osborne (Schenevus), Ethan Reed (Schenevus)
Nolyn Proudfoot
Arlo Peake
Kyler Stevenson