The weekly look at the New York City metro area's PSAL, CHSAA and AIS schools for the New York State Sportswriters Association is compiled by Mike Libert:
Class AA
1- St. Francis Prep (13-1)- The Terriers ascend to the top spot after the loss on Friday night by Cardinal Hayes. While St. Francis Prep may not get the kind of national recognition that Hayes or even Archbishop Stepinac gets, they are definitely in the conversation with those teams as proven by their blowout wins this past week against St. Raymond, Xaverian, and Holy Cross, winning all three by at least 18 points, with Latiek Briscoe going off for 30 points in the Battle of the Boulevard game against Holy Cross on Sunday, a 76-60 win for the Terriers. This week here will begin with St. Francis Prep going to Iona Prep on Tuesday, then it will be a home date on Friday with Archbishop Molloy, before what may be the game of the year on Sunday at home when the Terriers host Cardinal Hayes in a massive showdown.
2- Cardinal Hayes (16-1)- Friday night had everything you would want to offer as before the snowstorm hit the Cardinals went to White Plains to square of with Archbishop Stepinac in a game with major rankings implications both locally and nationally. It was a two possession game either way for pretty much all of the first three quarters before things started to go Stepinac's way in what would be a 67-56 loss for Hayes, their first of the season. Hayes did rebound quickly coming back on Sunday afternoon and dominating Bishop Loughlin in Brooklyn 102-74 as Ian Jackson led the offensive barrage for the Cardinals. It's just a one game week here for Cardinal Hayes but it's a massive one as the Cardinals will head to Queens on Sunday to take on St. Francis Prep in a battle for #1.
3- South Shore (17-2)- Tuesday saw a big battle for the Vikings as they took on Eagle Academy II with the Eagles playing some of their best basketball of the season coming in. It still proved to be no problem for South Shore as Kyrone Alexander led four players in double figures for he Vikings as they ended up coasting to a 75-50 victory. That was one of two big wins for South Shore on the week as on Sunday the cruised past James Monroe as well in the Ryan Preston Memorial Classic. Looking pretty close to unbeatable against PSAL competition, South Shore will look to keep it going this week when they go to Eagle II on Thursday for a rematch in a game that could see South Shore possibly challenged for once against a PSAL team.
4- Thomas Jefferson (11-8)- With Anthony Isaac again coming up huge with 28 points and 16 rebounds it was Jefferson who found a way when they agin went to Staten Island, this time at Curtis, and found a way to get an 81-79 victory over the Warriors. Since a scuffle in the third quarter against Boys & Girls on the road that caused a double forfeit on January 6th, the Orange Wave are 6-0 and have been playing some great basketball that they will hope continue the rest of the way. Tuesday here will see Jefferson go to Canarsie before they go on the road again on Thursday to face off with Brooklyn Collegiate in what will close out Brooklyn AA regular season play for the Orange Wave.
5- Susan Wagner (20-1)- Getting 18 points from Adrian Kopec and 17 from Xavier Barrow allowed the Falcons to easily cruise past Tottenville on Friday 96-52. It was a solid win for Wagner, but their bigger win came on Sunday afternoon at the Ryan Preston Memorial Classic against John Bowne. Bowne had been winners of 5 in a row and were looking strong coming in, it the Falcons defense really were on their game as they may not have had the best offensive performance, but the defense carried the way to a 46-38 win to solidify themselves again as a PSAL title contender. Susan Wagner's last PSAL regular season game will come on Friday night when they host New Dorp to close out things before playoff time.
6- Eagle Academy II (12-4)- Is Eagle II ready for the big time is the question that still has to be presented as they seem to do everything right against lesser levels of competition in the Brooklyn AA, but they struggled to a 75-50 loss to South Shore this past week to go along with their loss two week ago to Thomas Jefferson. Eagle has the talent as displayed this past week when they got a double-double from Jaquel Morris in the win over the Railsplitters, but it's putting everything together in the big moment that will define if the Eagles are ready to compete for a AA City Championship. Two games wait Eagle II this week, both of which will be at home, when they host Brooklyn Collegiate on Tuesday and then South Shore in a big one on Thursday.
7- Curtis (16-3)- It was something of an up and down week for the Warriors who got 32 points from Qadir Martin on Friday, but still fell in a heartbreaker at home to Brooklyn AA power Thomas Jefferson 81-79. The good thing for Curtis was they didn't have to sit on that one for too long as the Warriors played again on Sunday at the Ryan Preston Memorial Classic where they would defeat Forest Hills 49-45 in a defensive, hard fought contest with Curtis gritting out a tough one. A pair of league contests to close out the season are up next with Curtis hosting Tottenville on Thursday and CSI/McCown on Friday, before hitting the road on Sunday for a tough and tricky non-league matchup against Wings Academy.
8- St. Raymond (10-6)- When you have four games in a week and go 3-1 you have to consider that a very strong week. That's the situation the Ravens are in as they went on the road and defeated Xaverian, Iona Prep, and Archbishop Molloy, all in games that were decided by single digits with St. Ray's, behind Isaiah Philbert, finding ways to pull wins out in all three. The loss was a 66-43 defeat at home against St. Francis Prep in a game that saw the Ravens struggle early, and never really allowed them to get back into things. Three more road games await this week with it starting off on Tuesday at Mount St. Michael, then on Friday it's a big trip to Archbishop Stepinac, before closing the week on Sunday going to Msgr. Scanlan.
9- Eagle Academy (13-6)- As big of a win as you could have if you are Eagle, they went on the road on Sunday and took down their archrivals from Wings Academy 58-49. Jaden Zimmerman had 18 points to lead Eagle in the win as they are now pushed into the conversation of teams who could make a lot of noise moving forward here in February. Coming off that win it's two games to close out the Bronx AA league campaign as Eagle Academy first will host Adlai Stevenson on Wednesday before taking on Wings again, this time on Thursday with the winner claiming the Bronx AA regular season crown.
10- Campus Magnet (14-3)- Since opening up the season 1-3 it's been quite the remarkable turnaround for the Bulldogs who have reeled off 11 straight and are now firmly in the mix of best teams in the PSAL for the first time in a dozen years. On Sunday Campus Magnet played at Barclays Center in a league matchup with August Martin, and it was no contest from the start as Leverson Tulien once again was a major force inside with 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 70-45 win for the Bulldogs. Monday here will have Campus Magnet go out of league for a road game at WHEELS, before coming back to league play to close out the regular season at home on Thursday for August Martin again, before going to Francis Lewis on Friday to finish things out.
11- Wings Academy (17-3)- After dominating Manhattan Center on Friday 88-48 behind the dominating interior play of Mohamed Kante, it was the big matchup with Wings taking on Eagle Academy on Sunday afternoon. Always a good one between these two rivals, Wings couldn't get much going from the perimeter as the Eagle defense stifled them in what would be a 58-49 loss for the longtime Bronx AA power. Two games await this week to finish the regular season as Wings will go to Eagle Academy on Thursday in part two of their battle for the Bronx AA league title and then on Sunday it will be a home non-league matchup with a very good Curtis squad.
12- Msgr. Scanlan (11-5)- It was something of a statement game for the Crusaders on Friday night when they played host to Christ the King. Most expected a tough back and forth affair but this one proved to be all Scanlan from the start as Nasir Rodriguez had 19 points, one of three Crusaders who a made it to double figures as they ultimately would cruise past the Royals, 80-64. That result has near everyone talking with the Crusaders hoping to back up that result this week when they host another major local power in Stepinac on Tuesday. After that it is a Thursday road date at Mount St. Michael, before coming back home on Sunday to face off with St. Raymond.
13- Francis Lewis (12-5)- One of the biggest weeks of the year for the Patriots who now have themselves right in the mix again for at the very least best in Queens. On Monday of this past week Francis Lewis went to Brooklyn and knocked off Brooklyn Collegiate in a thriller 62-61. It was a really big statement for the Patriots who had been languishing a bit, but that win seems to have propelled them as they would the next day knock off Forest Hills on the road 50-32. It's a nice time to be playing some strong basketball as the regular season will finish this week for the Patriots when they go to Queens H.S. of Teaching on Thursday before hosting Campus Magnet to close out the week.
14- Christ the King (10-6)- Not the week that the Royals wanted as they went to Msgr. Scanlan on Friday and fell 80-64. Sunday then saw another defeated for Christ the King as this time they went to Brooklyn and lost to Xaverian for the second time this season 70-66. Brandon Williams was a bright spot this past week, as he has been for much of the season to date with Christ the King hoping these two performances were just bumps in the road and not a precursor to the rest of the season. Three games come up here this week for Christ the King as they will first host Holy Cross in what should be an easy one on Tuesday before going to Bishop Loughlin on Friday, and then hosting Nazareth in a non-league contest on Saturday afternoon in Middle Village.
15- Mount St. Michael (8-5)- Falling to one of the best in NYC isn't something to be too ashamed off as they would fall on Tuesday to Cardinal Hayes 72-51 in a game that had Noah Best score 18 to lead the Mountaineers. Mount St. Michael did respond with a solid non-league home win on Thursday over Dwight School 55-43 in a game that was tight and competitive throughout, but a game that the Mountaineers led from nearly start to finish. Coming up here it will be Mount hosting four games in what will be a busy week starting off with Iona Prep on Monday. After that 24 hours later it will be the Mountaineers hosting St. Raymond on Tuesday, followed by Scanlan and St. Peter's coming in for league matchups on Thursday and Saturday to end the week.
16- Brooklyn Collegiate (10-6)- The mindset for the Lions has to be it can only get better from here as Brooklyn Collegiate lost at home to Francis Lewis in a non-league matchup on Monday, and then fell 57-39 to Boys & Girls on Thursday in a game that saw Zaquan Jones as a big bright spot with 16 points and 19 rebounds for the Lions. A very busy week awaits Brooklyn Collegiate as on Tuesday they will go to Eagle Academy II, and then it will be Thomas Jefferson coming to them on Thursday. Friday will see August Martin coming to Brooklyn for a home non-league game before the Lions play Chester of Pennsylvania on Saturday at the Battle at the Bay Invitational down in Atlantic City, NJ.
Bubble
Archbishop Molloy (6-8)
Canarsie (7-10)
James Monroe (10-6)
John Bowne (13-7)
Xaverian (8-9)
Class A
1- Transit Tech (22-1)- Starting the week with an offensive barrage that led to a 136-74 win over MLK Jr. it was a trip to the Barclays Center and a non-league date on Sunday with Thomas Edison out of Queens. This one proved to be the David Ellington show as he poured in 29 points including draining six threes in what was an 83-59 win for the Express who continue to roll along looking like the dominant team in the PSAL this season in the A Division. There is just one more league game before playoff time begins and that one will take place on Thursday when Transit Tech hits the road to face off with Boerum Hill.
2- Murry Bergtraum (16-1)- For the first time this season in league play the Blazers were tested as they only led by three at the half on Friday when they traveled to Stuyvesant. Cristian Davis would score 16 of his game high 24 points in the second half though as Bergtraum held on for a 78-66 win to keep them perfect in PSAL Class A league play. Thursday will see regular season league play end for the Blazers when they play host to East Harlem Pride as Bergtraum looks to cap off a fantastic league play season.
3- Paul Robeson (18-0)- The road warriors of Robeson made quick work of their one opponent this past week as Anthony Williams had 24 points in what was an easy 82-38 win over Franklin D. Roosevelt. This is a pretty improbable run for the Eagles who haven't played a home game all season long because of issues with the Robeson home gym. To be 18-0 with every game being away from home fans and the home crowd advantage is super impressive. The Eagles will hope that continues to hold up this week as Paul Robeson will go to Frank Macchiarola on Friday in their only game of the week, and final game of the regular season.
4- Fordham Prep (14-4)- Having won a number of big games already this season, the Rams came up big once again on Sunday afternoon as they were able to hold off a late charge and defeat LaSalle Academy 65-60. Tom Whelan was the high man with 23 points for Fordham Prep who now have an impressive overall resume and should go into the playoffs in a few weeks as the favorites in Class A. There will be three games on the docket this week for the Rams who will go to Nazareth on Tuesday before then coming home for games on Thursday and Friday where Fordham Prep will respectively host St. Edmund Prep and Regis.
5- Msgr. Farrell (13-3)- Putting in another strong week were the Lions who wee able to knock off Xavier on the road, and then Nazareth at home, with P.J. Scalisi leading the charge for Farrell whose defensive excellence continues to be the driving force behind their success this season. It will be a busy week here for Farrell who will head to New Jersey on Monday to take on Christian Brothers Academy before going to St. Joseph by the Sea on Wednesday in a massive game for CHSAA standings purposes. Saturday will then have the Lions heading out to Long Island to take on St. Anthony's before coming back to league play on Sunday as Msgr. Farrell will again be on the road this time at Cardinal Spellman.
