The Section Five boys’ basketball AA Final Four is set with games to tipoff Wednesday night at Blue Cross Arena. Winners will meet next Monday again at “The Big House.” Here’s the rundown.
No. 1 seed FAIRPORT (19-1/Monroe County Division 1) vs. No. 5 seed BISHOP KEARNEY (16-6/Private-Independent)
How they got here: Ryan Algier collected 15 points, eight rebounds and six blocks. Cam Keeley added 20 points to go with seven rebounds as Fairport defeated No. 8-seed Edison Tech, 88-56 in the quarter-finals.
Nahziah Carter and Patrick Thomas combined for 10 fourth-quarter points as Bishop Kearney erased a four-point deficit and went on to defeat No. 4-seed Aquinas, 50-48 in Class AA quarter-final action. The Kings opened sectional play with a 94-72 victory over Gates-Chili.
Last time they met: Dan Masino led five in double figures, and Fairport cruised past Bishop Kearney, 74-58 earlier this season. The two teams have met in both of the past two AA semi-finals including last year when Masino, Matt Keegan and Fairport outlasted Bishop Kearney 46-44. Fairport beat BK 62-51 in the 2015 AA semi-final round.
Players to watch for Fairport: Ryan Algier, Stephen Gabel, Cam Keeley, Dan Masino and Matt Muncey.
Players to watch for Bishop Kearney: Nahziah Carter (19 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg), Shykell Brown (12 ppg), Patrick Thomas (11.5 ppg, 9 rpg) and Sheldon Adams (11 ppg).
Trends: Fairport, ranked No. 3 NYS, has won 12 straight. The Red Raiders have lost in the finals the past three seasons. Fairport last won a sectional title in 2007 – their second of back-to-back AAA championships.
Bishop Kearney won five of six to close the regular season, and its only setback during that stretch came as the result of 40-foot shot at the buzzer in a one-point loss to West Genesee (III). The Kings took the 2013 AA1 title, their third championship in as many years. BK has won 13 titles all since 1994.
An 8:15 pm tipoff is scheduled.
No. 3 seed UPREP (17-4/Private-Independent) vs. No. 7 seed McQUAID (16-6/RCAC Division A)
How they got here: Jeenathan Williams scored six of his game-high 27 points in the third quarter as
UPrep took a double-digit lead into the final stanza on their way to a 62-39 victory over Rush-Henrietta in the Class AA quarter-finals. The Griffins, ranked No. 11 NYS, opened the sectionals with a 79-41 victory over Churchville-Chili.
Divine Williams netted 13. Anthony Iglesia and Kobe Long added 11 as McQuaid held off No. 2-seed Victor, 58-49. The Jesuit Knights opened the sectionals with a 94-72 victory over Penfield.
Wednesday will mark the first meeting between the two schools.
Players to watch for UPrep: James Barnes, Jakhi Lucas, Jabez Thomas and Jeenathan Williams.
Players to watch for McQuaid: Isaiah Stewart (19.6 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3 bpg), Anthony Iglesia (13.6 ppg, 5.5 apg), Divine Williams (10.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg), Thomas Jones (8.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Kobe Long (11.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and Cam Wilson (7.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg,
5.7 bpg).
Trends: UPrep won two in a row before losing to Bishop Kearney to end the regular season. The Griffins opened the 2016-17 campaign 7-1 with impressive victories over Liverpool (III) and Niagara Falls (VI). UPrep won the 2013 D1 title.
McQuaid won eight of its last nine regular-season games. The Jesuit Knights took back-to-back Class A titles in 2002 and 2003. McQuaid has won eight Section Five titles.
A 6:30 pm tipoff is scheduled.
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