Zach Braziller

Zach Braziller

Thoughts and observations on the PSAL Class AA postseason

March 10, 2010 , ι Zach Braziller

The last two days of rest have afforded me the opportunity to take care of plenty of loose ends not associated with this Web site. I’ve made appointments with my doctor and my dentist. I’ve caught up on sleep. I’ve even begun to formulate plans for the upcoming PSAL baseball season.
	 
I’ve also done a great deal of reflecting on what was a head-spinning PSAL Class AA boys basketball postseason. It ended with No. 2 Boys & Girls – my pick to win it all – shocking top-seeded Cardozo, 55-50, at Madison Square Garden. I’ve thought about the 23 games in 11 days, about next year’s favorites and top players, and much more. Here are a few bullet points I’d like to share:
	 
A.)Last Thursday night I spoke with Elmer Anderson, Boys & Girls' assistant coach, about the Kangaroos’ chances two day later. Much of the conversation, however, focused on the program’s bright future. After a 31-year drought, The High could be celebrating back-to-back title runs. It loses just forward Leroy Isler, meaning sharpshooter Mike Taylor, the championship game MVP, point guard Antione Slaughter, forwards Jeffland Neverson, Anthony Hemingway and Leroy (Truck) Fludd will be a year wiser and more experienced. Plus, the Kangaroos will have the services of talented freshmen guards Teyvon and Wesley Meyers (no relation) plus 6-foot-8 forward William Lynch Benjamin, who missed the season because of health issues. They can be scary good and nationally ranked.
	 
B.) Speaking of Saturday’s celebration, it felt right watching Ruth Lovelace shed tears as she held the PSAL trophy high above her head. She has faced many detractors in 17 years on the Boys & Girls bench, a woman not only surviving but thriving in a man’s world. She deserved every moment after winning her first title and the school’s first since 1979.
	 
C.) I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the PSAL can’t allow this playoff schedule to repeat itself next year. If the Garden won’t change the date, the league will have to find another venue. Playing so many games in such little time is a disservice to the teams. Lincoln was at a severe disadvantage against Wings Academy in the quarterfinals, with just one day of rest as opposed to three. While the snow storm had a lot to do with that, the PSAL gave itself no wiggle room with the schedule. Boys & Girls found a way to beat Cardozo with Isler at far less than 100 percent with a sprained ankle, but had the Kangaroos lost, the lack of rest would’ve been a topic raised.
	 
D.) The PSAL – and the Garden – deserve kudos for expanding the tickets available to 8,000. The numbers were at 5,000 the last two years, fallout from a brawl that broke out in the stands in 2007. The atmosphere for the boys final, the best game since John F. Kennedy knocked off Lincoln in 2004, was electric. My next challenge: 10,000 tickets.
	 
E.)My top five (in order) for next year: Boys & Girls, Lincoln, Cardozo, Wings Academy and Forest Hills. You know what I think of Boys & Girls. Lincoln is loaded as it loses just senior Raymond O’Loughlin. Cardozo and Wings Academy will be young, but extremely talented. Look out for Judges 6-foot-8 freshman Jermaine Lawrence and Wings sophomores Steven Gomez and Ian Vasquez. Lastly, Forest Hills will be a legitimate threat, led by UConn-bound Maurice Harkless and a bevy of juniors.
	 
F.) Transit Tech forward Rhamel Brown left little doubt Manhattan College got a steal. He was phenomenal in the postseason, nearly leading the Express to the title game. He dominated No. 5 Thomas Jefferson and more than held his own against Cardozo big men Ryan Rhoomes and Dwayne Brunson. Had point guard Anthony Prescott avoided foul trouble, Transit Tech may have made it to The World’s Most Famous Arena.
	 
G.)Sixth-seeded South Bronx is an ‘A’ team, but I would be remiss if I don’t touch on Dashawn Joyner, the Phoenix’ senior point guard. He scored 36 points in Sunday’s 68-61 victory over No. 14 Susan Wagner. If you’re a basketball fan, come to Lehman College in The Bronx on Sunday to see Joyner lead South Bronx into the semifinals against No. 18 Brooklyn Tech, and see for yourself. The 5-foot-11 guard does it all. He is an exceptional passer, accurate long-range shooter and lightning in the open court. He averaged a triple-double during the regular season, and the numbers – believe me – are legitimate.
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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Taylor makes legacy at Boys & Girls with memorable performance

March 06, 2010 , ι Zach Braziller

Mike Taylor will forever hold a place in Boys & Girls lore now. No matter what happens from here – whether he wins another title next year, goes on to a major Division I basketball program and a... Read on

Mike Taylor will forever hold a place in Boys & Girls lore now.
	 
No matter what happens from here – whether he wins another title next year, goes on to a major Division I basketball program and a professional career, or never quite reaches his own lofty expectations – the 6-foot-3, pure-shooting guard will always have this day.
	 
The day he ended 31 years of near-misses in Bed Stuy, when he made Ruth Lovelace the first female coach in PSAL history to lead a boys basketball team to a city championship. He scored 25 points, leading the Kangaroos back from an 11-point second quarter deficit, and to their first crown since 1979, over Cardozo, 55-50, at Madison Square Garden Saturday.
	 
“I feel like I’m on top of the world,” he said. “We’re the best team in the city. ... I guess I am going down in history now.”
	 
Taylor had 19 in the second half and 11 in the fourth quarter. He made long jump shots – his forte – scored off the dribble and finished off drives to the basket. He blocked shots, grabbed offensive rebounds and played stellar defense. He hit three 3-pointers and made 8-of-13 free throws.
	 
Most of all, he was the best player on the court, clutch when he needed to be. He was patient in the first half, scoring just six points, and aggressive when the opportunity presented itself.
	 
Boys & Girls has produced some of the best products the city has ever seen, from Lenny Wilkens to Pearl Washington to Connie Hawks. Taylor is right there with them, a heroic figure now that he has done what so many before him couldn’t. He arrived at Boys & Girls three years ago with plenty of hype, one of the top eighth-graders in the city.
	 
He has responded each step of the way, with a JV title as a freshman, leading the varsity to the semifinals last year and now ending over three decades of disappointment on Saturday.
	 
“He has to get credit for getting it done,” Lovelace said. “When you mention the great players [out of Boys & Girls] like Pearl Washington, you got to mention Mike Taylor.”
	 
There was a time during the regular season when some critics – yours truly included – wondered what was wrong with the sharp-shooting guard.
	 
He answered them all in the playoffs, scoring at least 22 points in each playoff victory, getting better each step of the way, not just in terms of scoring, but his patience, persistence and poise. He personally took care of Wings Academy in the semifinals, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers at one point, including a four-point play, one longer than the next. Against Cardozo in the second half, he picked up where he left off, confidently burying the Judges with an avalanche of shots.
	 
“He played like the Mike Taylor he’s supposed to play like,” point guard and close friend Antione Slaughter said. “After today, I don’t want to hear anybody doubt him.”
	 
There is no telling what the future has in store for Taylor. On paper, Boys & Girls is one of a handful of favorites next year. Taylor has plenty of high-profile Division I programs to choose from.
	 
He will always have Saturday -- the day he carried a school and a neighborhood to glory.
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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PSAL 'AA' boys final live blog recap

March 06, 2010 , ι Zach Braziller

There are only limited tickets being sold for the PSAL basketball championships at Madison Square Garden. But fear not. The New York Post has you covered.PSAL boys basketball beat writer Zach... Read on

There are only limited tickets being sold for the PSAL basketball championships at Madison Square Garden.
	 
But fear not. The New York Post has you covered.
	 
PSAL boys basketball beat writer Zach Braziller will be giving live updates from courtside of the Class AA championship game between No. 1 Cardozo and No. 2 Boys & Girls, beginning shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Check out his preview stories on the game below:
	 
For Lovelace and others at The High, principal Frank Mickens still around
	 
An in-depth look at the Cardozo Judges
	 
An in-depth look at the Boys & Girls Kangaroos
	 
LIVE BLOG
	 
2:47 p.m. -- Walters goes to the line and makes one. Taylor makes two. Walters the airball and Taylor misses two. Boys wins 55-50. Chants of "You Can't Beat The High."
	 
2:40 p.m. --Brooks fouls Taylor on a 3 and the junior hits two at the line. Cardozo turns it over twice in a row. Isler goes around Brunson and Rhoomes for two. 53-49 Boys 1:08 left.
	 
2:36 p.m. -- Taylor from deep again gives Boys the lead, but Brunson answers with a pretty drive to the basket. 49-49, 3:01 left now. Timeout Cardozo.
	 
2:34 p.m.-- Taylor and Walters trade baskets. Isler goes to the line and shoots an air ball on the first. Chants of "air ball" from the crowd. Isler throws his head band to the bench. Not sure it's the head band, Leroy. He misses the second, too. 45-45. 4:00 left.
	 
2:30 p.m.-- Brunson puts Cardozo on top with just his second field goal. Didn't think Judges could survive an off game from him and win. 5:51 left to decide a champion. 43-41 Cardozo.
	 
2:27 p.m.-- Fludd the spin move for two around Brunson and Neverson hits a turnaround jumper, but Walters responds with a layup. 41-all 6:27 to go.
	 
2:24 p.m.-- Taylor hits two free throws, Walters turns it over and fouls Neverson, who makes two. Chris Gayot called for an offensive foul and Slaughter goes to the line but misses the front end of a 1 and 1. Judges lead down to 39-37 after 3. Taylor leads all scorers with 14 and Rhoomes hads 12 for Cardozo. We're in for a great finish.
	 
2:17 p.m. -- Action has really picked up. Taylor and Slaughter consecutive 3-pointers to get Boys within one, but Mickell answers with a trifecta. What a big shot that was. 37-33 Cardozo 1:05 left in the third.
	 
2:14 p.m.-- Brunson blocks Taylor and Rhoomes scores consecutive baskets inside for Cardozo. Finally, the Judges' bigs make a few plays. Slaughter misses two at the line, but somehow gets the offensive rebounds and Taylor hits the short jumper. It's 34-27 now.
	 
2:11 p.m.-- Game has gotten very sloppy, filled with turnovers. Slaughter finally brings some excitemnt to the game, sprinting downcourt, scoring and drawing the foul. He misses the free throw however. But it's only 30-25 now with 3:27 left. Cardozo calls timeout.
	 
2:05 p.m. -- Speaking of Isler, he scores inside, but Walters answers with a jumper. 30-20 Cardozo. It's funny. Brunson and Rhoomes aren't playing well, but the Judges are still comfortably ahead.
	 
1:51 p.m.-- Isler doesn't look to be limping, but he has just three points and hasn't made much of an impact. Cardozo owning the paint and that's why the Judges have control. Boys is shooting just 25 percent from the field while Cardozo is at 57 percent. Rhoomes has six points and six rebounds and Brooks and Walters each have five. Slaughter has six for The High.
	 
1:43 p.m. -- Mickell having some game. Fakes behind-the-back pass and finishes with his left hand. The junior has eight. Gayot adds a runner and Slaughter hits a free throw. At halftime, Cardozo leads 28-18. Very entertaining half.
	 
1:38 p.m.-- Rhoomes crashes the glass again and scores and Mickell hits another triple. With 4:10 left in the half, Cardozo leads 24-15.
	 
1:31 p.m.-- Taylor and Slaughter sink consecutive 3-pointers, bringing The High within 19-15 early in the second quarter.
	 
1:28 p.m.-- Rhoomes with the follow makes it 16-9 Cardozo after one quarter. The Judges' size is creating problems. Boys & Girls hasn't started well, but the Kangaroos have stabilized the game.
	 
1:21 p.m. -- Mickell from deep answers a Fludd slam. Fast pace favors Boys & Girls, but it's 14-5 Cardozo with 2:30 left in the first quarter.
	 
1:17 p.m.-- Brooks a 3-pointer and it's 9-0 Cardozo. Great start for the Judges.
	 
1:12 p.m. -- Cardozo off and running early. Walters and Brunson baskets make it 4-0 early.
	 
1:10 p.m.-- The starters. For Cardozo, it's Ryan Rhoomes and Dwayne Brunson up front and Reynaldo (Junior) Walters, Shelton Mickell and Malcolm Brooks in the backcourt. Boys & Girls goes with guards Antione Slaughter and Mike Taylor and forwards Leroy Isler, Leroy (Truck) Fludd and Jeffland Neverson. Boys & Girls caoch Lovealce is a nice tan suit suit while Cardozo's Ron Naclerio has his customary orange shirt and polyester blue pants. Why change tradition?
	 
1:03 p.m.-- We're three minutes from the tip here. Anticipation is building. It has been announced the games will be televised by MSG Varsity March 11. Not MSG Network, as has been erroneously reported.
	 
12:52 p.m.-- We're live from Madison Square Garden, home of your New York Liberty. The Knicks and St. John's play here, too, or so I've been told. Murry Bergtraum has just celebrated its 12th straight title. Now it's the boys turn, where someone will get its first in a long time. Cardozo and Boys & Girls are on the court warming up and there is 15 minutes on the clock. The Kangaroos have placed a large photo of Frank Mickens, the former coach and principal who passed away last July, on their bench.

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Manhattan nabs another city recruit in Joel Wright

March 03, 2010 , ι Zach Braziller

Manhattan College may not be enjoying a very productive season on the court, but its future looks bright.One week after receiving a verbal commitment from Transit Tech standout Rhamel Brown, coach... Read on

Manhattan College may not be enjoying a very productive season on the court, but its future looks bright.
	 
One week after receiving a verbal commitment from Transit Tech standout Rhamel Brown, coach Barry Rohrssen has locked up former Thomas Jefferson star Joel (Air Jamaica) Wright, multiple sources told The Post.
	 
The 6-foot-5 Wright, who is spending a postgraduate year at CJEOTO Academy in Somerset, N.J., is a 6-foot-5 forward nicknamed for his leaping prowess and electrifying dunks.
	 
He averaged 23 points and 17 rebounds per game for the Orange Wave last year, leading them to the PSAL Class AA semifinals. Wright originally committed to Fordham last year, but decommitted in December when coach Dereck Whittenburg was let go.
	 
He is the fourth member of Manhattan’s recruiting class from New York City, joining Brown, All Hallows guard Mike Alvarado and former Wings Academy guard Kidani Brutus.
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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Final four in PSAL Class AA semis hold plenty of intrigue

March 02, 2010 , ι Zach Braziller

Any way you cut it, this will be an odd PSAL Class AA boys basketball postseason when it is over Saturday afternoon. From the absence of that one standout team and star – ala Lincoln and Lance... Read on

Any way you cut it, this will be an odd PSAL Class AA boys basketball postseason when it is over Saturday afternoon.
	 
From the absence of that one standout team and star – ala Lincoln and Lance Stephenson – to the ridiculously condensed format (11days) to the four teams (No. 1 Cardozo, No. 2 Boys & Girls, No. 3 Wings Academy and No. 12 Transit Tech) left, it has felt somewhat off.
	 
Until a late season run that included their Bronx borough final domination of rival John F. Kennedy, Wings wasn’t expected to be here. Many pegged the top-seeded Judges – yours truly included – as a possible upset victim. Transit Tech finished fourth in Brooklyn AA and never seemed right until just recently.
	 
The only team many expected to be at St. John’s Wednesday was Boys & Girls.
	 
Now that we are down to four, it is an appetizing slate. Whoever is the last team standing at the Garden on Saturday, will have earned the right to be No. 1. And from this reporter’s standpoint, there is no shortage of interesting stories.
	 
Transit Tech would be the lowest seed in years to win it all. Sorry Mike Perazzo, but the Express is the Cinderella story of this playoffs. Nobody had them winning at No. 4 Kennedy or against fifth-seeded Thomas Jefferson outside of their locker room. Perazzo has taken the program a long way, from winning back-to-back ‘A’ titles, to reaching the quarterfinals last year in their first year in ‘AA’ to now making it all the way to St. John’s on Wednesday.
	 
Wings Academy has never been to the finals, let alone won it. Fourth-year coach Billy Turnage is in the running for Coach of the Year honors, having lost his top two scorers – Dashaun Wiggins and Ronald Baker – from a year ago, and molding a group of inexperienced yet hungry and disciplined team-first kids into a well-oiled machine.
	 
Boys & Girls has been among the city’s best the last decade, but the Kangaroos haven’t won a city title since 1979, the last year Frank Mickens, who passed away in July, patrolled the sideline. Mickens became The High’s principal for 20 years and was credited with turning the Bedford Stuyvesant school around. His memory has been a rallying cry around the program.
	 
Then there is Cardozo and Ron Naclerio, one of the hardest-working, although craziest, men in the business. He has won one title, back in 1999. He had Sebastian Telfair and Lincoln on the ropes in 2004, but came up short. The Bayside, Queens school hasn’t gotten back to MSG since.
	 
One of these four will claim the title. Personally, I’m looking forward to crowning a new champion.
	 
Before Wednesday comes, I’d like to reflect on a few observations on what was an incredible busy week in playoff hoops. Excluding Friday’s snow day, I saw nine playoff games in five days. When I wasn’t at a game, my Blackberry was pushed up against my ear, talking with a coach.
	 
A)If the Garden is going to give the PSAL a drop-dead date so early in March for their boys and girls Class AA finals, the league should look elsewhere, a notion several coaches told me they would be in favor of. I understand it’s tradition and the kids love to play there, but the playoffs need to be spread out next year. Granted, the snowstorm that pelted the area didn’t help, but even playing the quarterfinals two days after the second round is a bit much. Lincoln was at such a disadvantage against Wings Academy, with no rest as compared to three days. Who knows what would’ve happened had they played a day or two later.
	 
B) Forest Hills was eliminated by Curtis on Thursday, but Maurice Harkless’ 29-point performance merits a mention. After a so-so regular season, he was phenomenal. The UConn-bound forward skied for eye-popping dunks and hit three consecutive 3-pointers to lead the Rangers back from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit. With Harkless back in the fold next year, along with about 10 fellow juniors, Forest Hills will be one of the top teams in the city next year. Heck, he looked ready for the Big East in that loss.
	 
C)How do you explain Thomas Jefferson exploding for 96 points Saturday in a win over Thomas Edison and just 53 the next day in a loss to Transit Tech? Is it merely the level of opponent? Jefferson did score 201 points in two wins over the defensively absent Inventors and the Express does play outstanding defense with Rhamel Brown, the human eraser, protecting the rim. Or maybe it was just the case of the consistently inconsistent Orange Wave?
	 
D) Speaking of Edison, if I’m a mid-major Division I coach, I’d take a flier on small forward Ede Egharevba. The 6-foot-6 wing has so much untapped potential, it’s scary. He can use either hand, has limitless range, athleticism like a guard and hops for days. He will be a star somewhere.
	 
E)They may not win Coach of the Year honors, but I’d let Curtis’ Rich Buckheit and Perazzo of Transit Tech coach my kid, if – and when – the time comes. (Blogger's note: I was a pitcher, not a basketball player – as I’m sure many can tell – so if I do have a son, he may be born with a glove on his hand instead of a basketball in it). The two down-to-earth guys give it their all day in and day out, always get the most out of their kids, and diminish their teams’ collective weaknesses.
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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PSAL gets it right -- for the most part -- a day later

February 17, 2010 , ι By Zach Braziller

The PSAL boys basketball seeding committee released its Class AA bracket a day later than planned, but the final result is well thought out, accurate and fair. The second round promises to be chock... Read on

The PSAL boys basketball seeding committee released its Class AA bracket a day later than planned, but the final result is well thought out, accurate and fair.
	 
The second round promises to be chock full of interesting matchups; I counted six out of eight, on paper at least. As for the quarterfinals, if the higher seeds all advance, those are all toss-ups. That’s in part because of the season’s unpredictable nature, but the committee also managed to create intriguing pairings.
	 
The previous problems – leaving No. 11 McKee/Staten Island Tech out and having borough foes meet before the quarterfinals – were fixed in a Tuesday morning conference call.
	 
1. Cardozo
	 
2. Boys & Girls
	 
3. Wings Academy
	 
4. Thomas Jefferson
	 
5. John F. Kennedy
	 
6. Lincoln
	 
7. Wadleigh
	 
8. Forest Hills
	 
9. Curtis
	 
10. Robeson
	 
11. McKee/Staten Island Tech
	 
12. Transit Tech
	 
13. Eagle Academy
	 
14. Martin Van Buren
	 
15. Beach Channel
	 
16. Gompers
	 
17. West 50th Street Campus
	 
18. Monroe
	 
19. South Shore
	 
20. Thomas Edison
	 
21. Manhattan Center
	 
22. Campus Magnet
	 
23. Lehman
	 
24. Thurgood Marshall Academy
	 
I have just three second-guesses.
	 
First, I would’ve given No. 2 Boys & Girls the top seed. The Kangaroos won Brooklyn AA, without a doubt the best in the city, and prevailed in their borough tournament. Although No. 1 Cardozo beat The High in the PSAL Mid-Winter Classic, the Judges lost as many league games – two – in a far weaker division.
	 
Secondly, Curtis deserved a bye and a home game. The Warriors had No. 3 Wings Academy and No. 12 Transit Tech on the ropes, beat No. 10 Robeson and Catholic power Holy Cross. Where is No. 8 Forest Hills’ quality victories? No. 14 Martin Van Buren – at home, no less – is the best.
	 
Thirdly, how does No. 24 Thurgood Marshall Academy get a worse seed than No. 21 Manhattan Center? The Panthers won a game in the boroughs -- Manhattan Center was the lone 'AA' team to fall to an 'A' foe -- and prevailed in both regular-season meetings.
	 
Below are just a few more of my observations:
	 
A)Ruth Lovelace should be smiling tonight. The Kangaroos have a kind draw. The first opponent – No. 15 Beach Channel/No. 18 Monroe – doesn’t scare me. Whether it is No. 10 Robeson or seventh-seeded Wadleigh in the quarterfinals, Boys & Girls has beaten those foes a combined four times. The clubs I wouldn’t want to see if I’m Lovelace – Cardozo, No. 4 Thomas Jefferson and No. 9 Curtis – are on the other side of the bracket.
	 
B)Has there ever been a better 20th seed than Thomas Edison? Forwards Stephen Nwaukoni and Ede Ehgarevba are Division I players, fellow senior Josh Gray will be after prep school, and junior guards Cavon Baker and Kris Owens are difference-makers. The Inventors had a rocky regular season, but did beat Cardozo on the road and took No. 6 Lincoln to overtime in Coney Island. If I’m No. 13 Eagle Academy, I’m worried. Ditto, Jefferson.
	 
C)My sleeper is No. 9 Curtis. The Warriors are big, physical, disciplined and talented. I can see them getting past Forest Hills and possibly Cardozo to the semifinals. The forward trio of James Timmins, Bryan Hockaday and Quentin Tate will be a tough matchup for the Rangers and nobody does a better job from the bench than Rich Buckheit. Point guard Jonathan Annan is vastly underrated, sophomore wing DeShawn Richmond is explosive and Curtis has proven it can play with the best the city has to offer. Staten Island is overlooked. I wouldn’t be surprised to see MSIT reach the quarterfinals, either. Curtis won the ‘A’ city title last March; this year the Warriors make serious noise in ‘AA.’
	 
D) Would anyone out there mind another Lincoln-Boys & Girls showdown in the semifinals? My hand is down. It’s very possible. Would be fun to see.
	 
E) Who am I picking for the Garden? Throw the top 12 teams in a hat, shake it up and blindly pick two. Seriously. My final four is Boys & Girls, Thomas Jefferson, Curtis and Wings Academy with the Orange Wave and Kangaroos meeting at MSG to decide a city champion. The High claims its first title in 31 years, the season after former coach and principal Frank Mickens passes away.
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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PSAL releases pairings for Class A, B boys basketball playoffs

February 15, 2010 , ι By ZACH BRAZILLER

The PSAL seeding committee released its brackets for the Class A and B boys basketball playoffs, which will begin next week. Here they are: Class A 1. George Westinghouse2. Francis Lewis3. Franklin D... Read on

The PSAL seeding committee released its brackets for the Class A and B boys basketball playoffs, which will begin next week.
	 
Here they are:
	 
Class A
	 
1. George Westinghouse
	 
2. Francis Lewis
	 
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
	 
4. Bedford Academy
	 
5. Grand Street Campus
	 
6. South Bronx
	 
7. Martin Luther King Jr.
	 
8. Brooklyn Collegiate
	 
9. Benjamin Banneker
	 
10. Alfred E. Smith
	 
11. Newtown
	 
12. Midwood
	 
13. Taft Educational Campus
	 
14. Susan Wagner
	 
15. Murry Bergtraum
	 
16. Hunter College HS
	 
17. Springfield Gardens
	 
18. Brooklyn Tech
	 
19. HS of Environmental Studies
	 
20. John Bowne
	 
21. Bayard Rustin
	 
22. Art & Design
	 
23. Norman Thomas
	 
24. Richmond Hill
	 
25. Dewitt Clinton
	 
26. Tottenville
	 
27. Long Island City
	 
28. Far Rockaway
	 
29. Grover Clevelend
	 
30. Prospect Heights
	 
31. New Utrecht
	 
32. Fort Hamilton
	 
33. Bronx HS of Science
	 
34. Automotive
	 
35. Evander Childs
	 
36. A. Philip Randolph
	 
37. Christopher Columbus
	 
38. Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy
	 
39. Bread & Roses
	 
40. George Washington
	 
41. Richard Green
	 
Eight of the top seeds went as I expected – just not in the order I anticipated.
	 
George Westinghouse at No. 1 is a surprise. I’m not saying the Warriors, who finished tied atop Brooklyn A West with Grand Street Campus, didn’t deserve this lofty perch. They have reached the ‘A’ final the last two years, and had arguably the toughest non-league schedule in the city with losses to Boys & Girls, Thomas Jefferson and Robeson.
	 
Clearly, the seeding committee felt Brooklyn A West was the best division in the city, although I would argue in favor of Brooklyn A East. I had Bedford Academy, who was given the fourth seed, on top for several factors: the Panthers have the best 1-2 punch in the ‘A’ in forward Anthony Mason Jr. and point guard Brent Jones, they nearly upset Lincoln in the Brooklyn borough quarterfinals and the second-place team in Brooklyn A East, Brooklyn Collegiate, is one of the hottest teams in the city, winners of nine straight.
	 
I had no problem with Francis Lewis at No. 2 or FDR at No. 3. Grand Street placed fifth is high, if you ask me. How do the Wolves merit a higher position than No. 6 South Bronx, which went undefeated in Bronx A East, and beat Queens AA squad Bayside and Brooklyn AA West power Banneker, the ninth seed.
	 
My final note in on No. 15 Murry Bergtraum, the Manhattan A Southwest champion which was the only ‘A’ team to win a game in the borough playoffs. Manhattan is traditionally weak, but the Blazers deserved better by finishing strong and making noise in the boros
	 
On the whole, the seeding committee did a fine job and the brackets seem to be balanced and promise plenty of entertaining matchups.
	 
CLASS B
	 
1. FDA Academy III
	 
2. Brooklyn College Academy
	 
3. Queens HS of Teaching
	 
4. Bushwick Campus
	 
5. HS for Construction
	 
6. Eleanor Roosevelt
	 
7. Fannie Lou Hamer
	 
8. Pathways College Prep
	 
9. BCAM
	 
10. East NY Family Academy
	 
11. Medger Evars
	 
12. East Harlem Pride
	 
13. HS for Graphic Communications
	 
14. Coalition for Social Change
	 
15. School of the Future
	 
16. HS for Information & Network Technology
	 
17. East Side Community
	 
18. Clara Barton
	 
19. Banana Kelly
	 
20. Townsend Harris
	 
21. EBC Bushwick
	 
22. EBC East New York
	 
23. Millenium
	 
24. HS of Applied Communications
	 
25. Bard Early College
	 
26. Cobblle Hill
	 
27. Manhattan Village Academy
	 
28. Brooklyn Studio
	 
29. HS for Leadership & Public Service
	 
30. Bronx Academy of Letters
	 
31. University Neighborhood
	 
32. Jacqueline K. Onassis
	 
33. HS Law Enforcement & Public Safety
	 
34. Academy of American Studies
	 
35. HS for Heath Professions
	 
36. Robert F. Kennedy
	 
37. Life Sciences Secondary
	 
38. Newcomers
	 
39. Pace
	 
40. Lab Museum United
	 
41. Chelsea
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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PSAL Class AA and A boys basketball mock seeding

February 15, 2010 , ι By Zach Braziller

After two days of wall-to-wall basketball – some of it wildly entertaining, some of it very tough to watch – I figured I could bang out my mock seeding quickly on the train. Boy, was I wrong.
	 
I must’ve gone through my entire notebook, crossing off one name after another, putting one team a spot higher, then another one lower. By the end of my one-hour trip, I was back where I started.
	 
I finally settled on a workable list hours later.
	 
Yes, I am happy to let the seeding committee have at this one. Without further ado, here are my pairings.
	 
1. Boys & Girls
	 
2. Cardozo
	 
3. Wings Academy
	 
4. Thomas Jefferson
	 
5. John F. Kennedy
	 
6. Wadleigh
	 
7. Lincoln
	 
8. Curtis
	 
9. Robeson
	 
10. Forest Hills
	 
11. McKee/Staten Island Tech
	 
12. Eagle Academy
	 
13. West 50th Street Campus
	 
14. Martin Van Buren
	 
15. Transit Tech
	 
16. Beach Channel
	 
17. James Monroe
	 
18. Thomas Edison
	 
19. South Shore
	 
20. James Monroe
	 
21. Gompers
	 
22. Campus Magnet
	 
23. Manhattan Center
	 
We start with Boys & Girls at the top. Yes, No. 2 Cardozo beat the Kangaroos head-to-head in the PSAL Mid-Winter Classic, but The High won Brooklyn AA, without a doubt the best division in the city, and won its borough tournament. Third is Wings, which put on an impressive display Sunday, smoking John F. Kennedy, 78-58. Thomas Jefferson is fourth despite its loss in the borough final to Boys & Girls. The Orange Wave played an impeccable schedule and finished second in Brooklyn AA.
	 
I had JFK second before Sunday’s poor performance. One loss drops them somewhat, but the Knights’ solid regular season cannot be discounted. They did beat Wadleigh, McKee/Staten Island Tech and Wings. That brings us to Lincoln, the four-time defending champion, at No. 6. The Railsplitters may have finished third in their division, but that was Brooklyn – certainly no ordinary division. Plus, they beat Wings Academy, Jefferson, Boys & Girls, Transit Tech and Robeson.
	 
Personally, I think Curtis deserved to be higher. The physically imposing and disciplined Warriors went undefeated in Staten Island and beat Catholic power Holy Cross. But there isn’t enough competition on the Island to warrant a better spot, especially since Rich Buckheit’s kids lost close games they should’ve won to Transit Tech and Wings.
	 
Nobody helped itself more than Robeson in the borough playoffs. I had Darrel Lucky and Co. in the mid-teens before they upset Transit Tech and had Boys & Girls on the ropes. Forest Hills won’t like the No. 10 seed, yet where is last year’s Queens champion’s quality victories? Sorry, inconsistent Thomas Edison and undersized Martin Van Buren don’t count.
	 
I won’t touch on the rest of my predictions, other than what I expect to be the 15-18 matchup between Transit Tech and Thomas Edison. I’m sure some will be surprised to see these teams here. In fact, one coach asked me if I thought Edison was better than the teams ahead of them. Of course the Inventors are. But seeds are about performance, not talent and potential.
	 
That applies to these two clubs. They can be one and done or get to the Garden. That’s how wide open this postseason is – there is no dominant teams, just a bunch of comparable ones.
	 
We’ve never seen anything quite like it. Get ready for a wild ride.
	 
As for the Class A playoffs, here is my top 10:
	 
1. Bedford Academy
	 
2. South Bronx
	 
3. Francis Lewis
	 
4. George Westinghouse
	 
5. FDR
	 
6. Susan Wagner
	 
7. Brooklyn Collegiate
	 
8. Taft
	 
9. Martin Luther King Jr.
	 
10. Murry Bergtraum
	 
Courtesy of its second straight Brooklyn A East crown, Bedford Academy is again the top seed, just like last year. The Panthers’ only league loss was to No. 7 Brooklyn Collegiate, which is the hottest team going, winners of nine straight. South Bronx went undefeated in Bronx A East, one of the top ‘A’ divisions in the city, and in point guard Dashawn Joyner, have the most dynamic player in the ‘A’ postseason. The Phoenix lost to FDR and Bedford Academy in non-league games, but beat Banneker and Queens AA foe Bayside.
	 
Up next is Francis Lewis and its patient, Princeton-style offense. Perry Dortch has a senior-laden club that should be feared. The Patriots dispatched Bedford Academy and Environmental Studies in non-league action.
	 
Then comes George Westinghouse, which possibly played the toughest non-league schedule in the 'A.' The Warriors lost to Robeson, Boys & Girls, and Thomas Jefferson and blew out Bronx AA James Monroe and two-time CHSAA Class B champion Blessed Sacrament. Rounding out the top five is FDR, the Brooklyn A South champion. The Cougars struggled late in the year, falling to league foes New Utrecht and Fort Hamilton. They, however, are the biggest team in the ‘A,’ led by 6-foot-7 center Valon Djombalic, and will get back talented shooting guard Nasr Alzindani.
	 
Susan Wagner, Brooklyn Collegiate, Taft, Martin Luther King Jr. and Murry Bergtraum complete the top 10.
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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PSAL releases boys basketball borough playoff seeding and matchups

February 06, 2010 , ι By Zach Braziller

After an unpredictable season that bore witness to plenty of upsets, thrilling finishes and standout performances, the PSAL borough playoffs are upon us. It’s time to separate the men from the boys, the contenders from the pretenders, the halves from the have-nots.
	 
There are changes and there are similarities. In The Bronx and Queens, the top two seeds are the same – John F. Kennedy and Wings Academy and Cardozo and Forest Hills, respectively. The top five of Brooklyn – Boys & Girls, Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln, Transit Tech and Robeson – are Identical, although Lincoln is third instead of first. In Manhattan, Wadleigh is once again the favorite, although the challengers – No. 2 West 50th Street Campus and Manhattan Center – aren’t names we’re necessarily used to.
	 
Without further ado, here are the brackets. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday and the semis are Thursday, both at the home gym of the higher seed, with the final on Sunday at Long Island University in Brooklyn.
	 
BROOKLYN
	 
No. 8 George Westinghouse (12-2, Brooklyn A West) @ No. 1 Boys & Girls (12-2, Brooklyn AA)
	 
No. 7 FDR (12-2, Brooklyn A South) @ No. 2 Thomas Jefferson (10-3, Brooklyn AA)
	 
No. 6 Bedford Academy (13-1, Brooklyn A East) @ No. 3 Lincoln (10-4, Brooklyn AA)
	 
No. 5 Robeson (7-7, Brooklyn AA) @ No. 4 Transit Tech (8-6, Brooklyn AA)
	 
BRONX
	 
No. 8 Taft (15-3, Bronx A West) @ No. 1 John F. Kennedy (15-1, Bronx AA)
	 
No. 7 Smith (15-3, Bronx A East) @ No. 2 Wings Academy (14-2, Bronx AA)
	 
No. 6 South Bronx (19-0, Bronx A East) @ No. 3 Eagle Academy (9-7, Bronx AA)
	 
No. 5 Monroe (6-10) @ No. 4 Gompers (8-9, Bronx AA)
	 
MANHATTAN 
	 
No. 8 Hunter College HS (16-2, Manhattan A East) @ No. 1 Wadleigh (13-2, Manhattan AA)
	 
No. 7 Bayard Rustin (11-4, Manhattan A Southwest) @ No. 2 West 50th Street Campus (8-4, Manhattan AA)
	 
No. 6 Murry Bergtraum (11-4, Manhattan A Southwest) @ No. 3 Manhattan Center (6-9, Manhattan AA)
	 
No. 5 Martin Luther King Jr. (14-1, Manhattan A Northwest) @ No. 4 Thurgood Marshall Academy (5-9, Manhattan AA)
	 
QUEENS
	 
No. 8 Springfield Gardens (13-5, Queens A East) @ No. 1 Cardozo (12-2, Queens AA)
	 
No. 7 Newtown (14-4, Queens A West) @ No. 2 Forest Hills (11-3, Queens AA)
	 
No. 6 Francis Lewis (17-2, Queens A West) @ No. 3 Martin Van Buren (9-5, Queens AA)
	 
No. 5 Thomas Edison (8-6, Queens AA) @ No. 4 Beach Channel (8-6, Queens AA)
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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Final week of regular season one to watch in wide-open PSAL

February 01, 2010 , ι Zach Braziller

By 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon, I had settled on my latest PSAL favorite – Queens AA powerhouse Cardozo. The pieces were starting to fit perfectly. The Judges were beating Rice, The Post’s top team in the latest NYC boys basketball rankings, by 19 points in the SNY Invitational final.
	 
An hour later?
	 
Not so much.
	 
Cardozo blew that lead and lost in overtime. The Judges might be the seventh team I was high on, only to sour on shortly thereafter. There’s been Lincoln and Boys & Girls, John F. Kennedy and Wings Academy, Wadleigh and Thomas Jefferson, too.
	 
Such is the story of this PSAL boys basketball season. Call it the Lance Stephenson Hangover. The league is devoid of an odds-on favorite, just a week or so before the borough playoffs begin.
	 
This hasn’t been the case for several years. There isn’t one undefeated team, as far as league play goes, in the city -- another rarity.
	 
This week will tell us a lot about what late February/early March will bring. Three boroughs – Brooklyn, The Bronx and Queens – will decide division champions. I’m sure by next week I’ll be eyeing a different team to be the last one standing at the Garden on March 6.
	 
It starts Tuesday when Lincoln, the four-time champion, visit Boys & Girls. The Railsplitters won the first showdown, back on Dec. 17, but that win came with starter Jeffland Neverson and reserve Jamal Mapp serving a one-game, coach-mandated suspension. Plus, Boys & Girls will have bruising forwards Leroy (Truck) Fludd and Anthony Hemingway for the first time this year, fresh off academic ineligibility.
	 
This game not only decides the division crown, but the victor – if it wins the borough – could very well go on to receive the top seed in the city playoffs.
	 
Right now, I have Wings Academy and John F. Kennedy ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the PSAL. That will change based on Thursday’s showdown. Kennedy has the best 1-2 punch in the city in Jeffrey Short and Naquan Pierce, a duo averaging just over 51 points per game. The Wings have the far deeper team, don’t rely on one or two players for scoring production (which had been the case in recent years) and has matured far quicker than expected.
	 
And that brings us to Queens AA, where Cardozo and Forest Hills will meet on Friday. As far as I’m concerned, the Judges are the biggest question mark. They have the most talent in the PSAL – bar none – have faced the toughest non-league schedule, nearly beating Rice, Christ the King and Bishop Loughlin, and boast a mixture of experienced guards and forwards who can play both ends of the floor.
	 
It seemed to be automatic back in December that Ron Naclerio’s club would roll through Queens undefeated. Yet, it lost at the buzzer to five-win Martin Van Buren and was blitzed by Thomas Edison, both at home. Then there was this weekend, the Judges hitting on all cylinders for seven of eight quarters.
	 
So where does all this leave us?
	 
Basically, where we were in November. Our answers have been few and far between. I’m already scared to think what my mock seeding will look like two weeks from today, let alone how the PSAL seeding committee will determine the pairings.
	 
As Wadleigh coach Mike Crump has told me for months: Throw the seeding out the window. Anybody can beat anybody. There's no such thing as an upset.
	 
It may be unpredictable, and somewhat wacky, but personally, I can’t wait.
	 
zbraziller@nypost.com

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About the Author

ZACH BRAZILLER A co-founder of FiveBoroSports.com, Zach Braziller has covered high-school sports in New York City for six years, beginning with an internship at the New York Sun. A graduate of Drew University, he moved on to serve as the sports editor of the Queens Courier newspaper for five years and also worked for SNY.tv in that time, covering the area’s three local hockey clubs and the New York Giants. Braziller’s work has also appeared in The New York Times and the Houston Chronicle.

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