Leading off today: The PSAL has relented and will let its basketball champions play in a made-for-TV national tournament at the end of the conclusion, The New York Daily News reported.

   Sources told the paper that Boys & Girls (boys) and Murry Bergtraum (girls) will compete in the National High School Invitational in North Bethesda, Md., The tournament, sponsored by ESPN RISE, begins March 31. Eight boys teams and five girls squads from a handful of participating states are invited.

   Boys & Girls opens the single-elimination tournament March 31 vs. Winter Park, Fla.. Bergtraum plays Hollywood, Fla., Christian on April 1. Both games will be broadcast on ESPNU.

   "This a great thing for the PSAL and we're happy to be playing," Bergtraum coach Ed Grezinky told the paper.

   Boys & Girls and Bergtraum will be competing in the Federation tournament this weekend in Albany.

   Is this the end for Rice? The board of directors at traditional CHSAA basketball power Rice High is working to raise millions of dollars to finance a five-year plan to keep the Harlem school's doors open, The Daily News reported Thursday.

   As is the case at many private schools following the 2008 recession, declining enrollment has created a troubling financial picture at Rice, which has produced a line of outstanding players including Dean Meminger, Felipe Lopez and Kemba Walker. Without a plan to stabilize its finances, the school could soon be history.

   "Rice has been struggling over the past decade, but every year we seem to pull through," Stephen Fitzgerald, Rice's chairman, told the paper. "But this year feels a little different."

   Fitzgerald said the school is scheduled to move to another Harlem location later this year. He said the school might go go-ed as one way to boost enrollment at Rice, which has 218 students this year.

   National basketball award: Northport girls coach Rich Castellano has been selected the Russell Athletic/

Winter season bonus links Federation tourney: Schedule, results Boys hoops: Road to Glens Falls, your all-purpose destination Boys hoops: Sectional tourney scores and NYSPHSAA brackets Girls hoops: NYSPHSAA brackets

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WBCA National High School Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, Newsday reported.

   Castellano, who was inducted into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame two years ago, has won 545 games in 32 seasons at Northport, which has won 25 league titles, and 11 Section 11 championships. His Tigers have reached the state finals twice.

   A deserved honor: Wes Leonard, the 16-year-old who died minutes after making a game-winning shot to keep his Michigan high school basketball team unbeaten earlier this month, was voted onto the Associated Press Class C all-state team.

   Leonard's heroics in overtime had improved Fenneville's record to 20-0 on the eve of the state tournament. The story and the teams ensuing run to a district championship made national news. The 6-2 junior averaged about 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

   Extra points: South Shore girls basketball guard Tatiana Wilson committed to St. Bonaventure on Thursday, The New York Post reported. She is the team's first Division I commitment in at least a decade.