UPrep and McQuaid will clash in sectionals for the fourth straight year, including the third consecutive time in the sectional final. Here’s the breakdown:
No. 2 seed UPREP GRIFFINS (16-5/Private/Independent) vs. No. 4 seed MCQUAID JESUIT KNIGHTS (16-7/RCAC Upper)
Scoring offense: UPrep (78.1 PPG), McQuaid (75.5 PPG)
Scoring defense: UPrep (64.1 PPG), McQuaid (64.4 PPG)
Current streak: UPrep has won five of six; McQuaid has won eight straight
How they got here: UPrep (No. 18 NYSSWA) defeated No. 10 seed Gates-Chili, 98-63, in the quarterfinals before downing third-seeded Rush-Henrietta, 59-55, in the semis.
McQuaid beat Webster Schroeder by a 71-55 score in the first round. The Knights took down Webster Thomas, 84-68, in the quarterfinals and Victor, 61-60, in the semis.
Last time they met: McQuaid defeated UPrep, 81-75, in last year’s Class AA sectional final.
Players to Watch for UPrep: Melvin Council, Jr. Sr. F/G 25.1 PPG, 1,049 career varsity points; Kayshawn Ross Sr. F/G 17.2 PPG; Na’Zea Fowlks Sr. G 11.9 PPG
McQuaid: Kobe Long Sr. G 23.3 PPG, 1,649 career varsity points; Jermaine Taggart Sr. F/G, 21.4 PPG, 1,420 career varsity points; Keith Warren Jr. G 12.0 PPG
Coaches: Demond Stewart (UPrep), Jack Leasure (McQuaid)
History 101: McQuaid is looking to become the first boys’ basketball team in Section V history to three-peat in the largest classification. UPrep is making its fourth straight sectional final appearance. The Knights have beaten the Griffins in back-to-back sectional finals. UPrep defeated McQuaid in the 2017 Class AA sectional semifinals, 72-53.
What they’re saying: Stewart – “Put it like this. I’ve got four seniors. They’ve got seniors on the team, Kobe (Long) and (Jermaine) Taggart. They don’t want to lose. Nobody wants to lose. We’ll see what happens. I’m just glad my kids made it there.”
Leasure – “It’s a cool opportunity for our guys. Try not to get caught up in that, just prepare for each practice, each game, and hopefully we can play really hard in the next game.”
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Far West Regional against the winner of the Section VI final between Orchard Park and Lancaster.
A 9 p.m. tip off is scheduled Saturday at the Blue Cross Arena.
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