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Class C
Avon vs. Oyster Bay
Avon (Section 5, 25-1) — Vying for its first NYSPHSAA championship . . . Ranked No. 1 by the NYSSWA since the start of the season . . . Starts an all-senior front court that averages 6-4, 215 pounds, with a 6-5 junior usually the first player off the bench. Forward Matt Phillips is hitting 44 percent of his three-pointers . . . Senior guard Dan Banach (21 points and five assists) in the quarterfinals) runs the show . . . Outscored Randolph by 40-24 in the paint on Saturday thanks to a 40-23 rebounding advantage. Held Randolph to 19-for-53 shooting but did not run hard with the rebounds, netting just eight fast-break points . . . Only loss was a non-leaguer to Class B semifinalist Bishop Kearney as coach Rob Fries beefed up the February schedule.
Oyster Bay (Section 8, 13-8) — Gunning for its first NYSPHSAA trophy on the heels of its first-ever Long Island championship and first sectional title in seven years . . . The Baymen posted a 60-58 win vs. Port Jefferson in the L.I. title game last week, riding a Bryan Van Cott jumper with five seconds left and surviving a running one-hander by John Nielsen that rimmed out at the buzzer . . . C.J. Durrant (18 first-half points, 21 overall) and Brett Restrepo (22) led the offense against Valhalla in the quarterfinals and Kevin Wilva was solid down the stretch in that 68-62 win.
Maple Hill vs. Onondaga
Maple Hill (Section 2, 25-1) — You're not going to win states without first having won sectionals, which the Wildcats did for the first time since 1958. Their next game was a 60-42 win in a post-sectional state qualifier against Canajoharie, which hadn't won a sectional title since '61 . . . Senior guard Trent Tibbitts averages 15.5 points a game . . . The only loss came to a 7-14 Greenville squad, 54-52, on Feb. 4.
Onondaga (Section 3, 17-9) — Chasing its first NYSPHSAA championship following a wild postseason that began as a No. 9 seed (11-9 record) in the sectional tournament and included three victories that avenged regular-season losses (Pulaski, Tully and Westmoreland) . . . Features balanced scoring led by Ted Zabel (13.0 ppg), Brad Emerson (9.9), Zach Holbrook (9.8), Chris Cota (9.0) and Taylor Bassett (7.6) . . . The Tigers have five sectional championships since 2001 . . . Lost four of six games during a 12-day stretch in mid-January . . . Broke to a 15-8 lead vs. Oxford in the quarterfinals, survived two rallies and held on for a 44-37 win.
Class D
Greenport vs. Maple Grove
Greenport (Section 11, 21-2) — Playing for its first state championship . . . Led by Ryan Creighton, Long Island's all-time leading scorer with 2,741 points including half of Greenport's output in a 72-59 victory vs. Coleman Catholic over the weekend. Creighton nailed four first-half three-pointers. For good measure, he also had 12 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks while playing all 32 minutes . . . The Porters knocked off Section 11 Class C champ Port Jefferson and Class B winner Center Moriches in the Suffolk County tournament before losing to East Hampton in the small-school final . . . Forward Wally Sorenson 16 points and six assists in Greenport's third consecutive win vs. Coleman Catholic . . . The team went just 5-for-14 from the line vs. Coleman . . . Creighton, who hasn't gotten any meaningful college Division I attention thus far, is 44 points behind Sebastian Telfair for No. 2 on the state career list. Lance Stephenson is at 2,908 entering the PSAL final.
Maple Grove (Section 6, 21-3) — Won Class C for its second hoops title a year ago and also coming off a Class D football championship last fall . . . Ranked No. 1 by the NYSSWA since the start of the season . . . 6-2 junior football QB/basketball guard Chris Secky has 1,532 career points . . . Shot 29-for-58 from the field in the quarterfinals (including 65.5 percent in the first half) against previously
