PSAL boys' basketball rankings: The 'House is back

By Zachary Braziller
Fiveborosports.com

This weekend certainly didn’t disappoint. There were four semifinal contests in the Class AA and A division; three were classics, the other was pretty
interesting. The ‘B’ will hold its final four pairings tomorrow as the
postseason winds down.

Our rankings are very similar, save for No. 9 George Westinghouse’s return.
Lincoln and John F. Kennedy are still No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. That will
work itself out Saturday at Madison Square Garden when the two perennial powers
meet for the ‘AA’ final.

It’s all here in our latest PSAL boys’ basketball rankings:

1. Lincoln (21-10) (Last week: 1)
Maybe James Padgett’s ankle was really a problem earlier this season, or
maybe he was a slump. At this point, it doesn’t matter. Padgett looks like the
player Maryland recruited, a physical force in the paint who can also beat
defenders with his athleticism. Lincoln might not be here without him.

Next: March 21 vs. No. 2 John F. Kennedy in PSAL Class AA city championship at
Madison Square Garden

2. John F. Kennedy (26-2) (2)
Kennedy’s three playoff victories have not pretty and they have not been
easy. The Knights have occasionally struggled at end of the floor. But they are
one of only two ‘AA’ clubs still standing. That is about the only statistic
that matters right now.

Next: March 21 vs. No. 1 Lincoln in PSAL Class AA city championship at Madison
Square Garden

3. Boys & Girls (21-9) (3)

It’s a shame the Kangaroos’ core seniors Devante Cutler, Anton Dickerson,
Richard Brown III and Tyler Young – players that patiently waited for their
time to come – won’t see the court at Madison Square Garden Saturday
afternoon. Even in defeat, however, the four, particularly Cutler, Dickerson and
Young, were impressive, fighting until the bitter end.

Next: Season complete

4. Thomas Jefferson (20-11) (4)
If Keith Spellman was on the court Sunday afternoon, the Orange Wave still may
be going home. There is no way of knowing if the dynamic guard would’ve willed
Jefferson past No. 1 Kennedy. But at least he would’ve had his chance to get
to the Garden. Instead, the talented senior was helpless as the two teams went
into overtime. What a shame.

Next: Season complete

5. McKee/Staten Island Tech (24-8) (5)
Get used to hearing these two words: Josh Good. After leading the Sea Gulls to
the JV city championship, the sophomore guard made an immediate impression on
the varsity level in three playoff games. He scored 25 points in his debut, then
14 apiece. MSIT doesn’t upset Cardozo without him.

Next: Season complete

6. Transit Tech (18-11) (6)
By next November, the entire landscape of Brooklyn basketball will be
different. No Lance Stephenson. No Keith Spellman. No Lamount Samuell Jr.
Here’s our guarantee: Nobody, and we mean nobody, will want a piece of the
Express, who may return the best forward tandem in the city in Rhamel Brown and
Barry Posey, not to mention the services of emerging sophomore guard Anthony
Prescott.

Next: Season complete

7. Forest Hills (20-10) (7)
The biggest challenge for Ben Chobhaphand, the Rangers’ coach, lies ahead.
Getting to this point – winning the Queens crown, advancing to the ‘AA’
quarterfinals, may not be easy, but it isn’t nearly as difficult as moving
into the city’s elite.

Next: Season complete

8. Wings Academy (20-6) (8)
After such a disappointing finish to the season – Wings bowed out in the
second round of the playoffs for the second straight year – it will be
interesting to see what Billy Turnage’s club looks like next winter.

Next: Season complete

9. George Westinghouse (23-5) (NR)
If the Warriors go on to win the PSAL Class A city championship Sunday
afternoon, linchpins Jerry High, Jai Kellman, Antonio Cannon and Curtis Pierce
will undoubtedly be celebrated at the Brooklyn school as conquering heroes.
Everett Kelley, the first-year coach, should lead the parade. For when
Westinghouse trailed Bedford Academy 14-0 in Saturday’s ‘A’ semifinal, he
made sure his players didn’t change. He remained poised and confident. So did
the Warriors. That, above all else, is why they advanced.

Next: March 22 vs. No. 10 Curtis in PSAL Class A city championship game at LIU



10. Curtis (24-8) (9)
After watching Halil Kanacevic perform back-to-back weekends, we feel, with
complete confidence, he isn’t just the best big man in the ‘A’ division.
He is in the top five when it comes to bigs in the entire city, and that isn’t
just for the PSAL. It includes the Catholic league, too. He can shoot, pass and
post up. He plays defense. He rebounds. Hofstra should be happy.

Next: March 22 vs. No. 9 Curtis in PSAL Class A city championship game at LIU



New: George Westinghouse (23-5)
Dropped out: Bedford Academy (25-4)

On the bubble: Wadleigh (22-8), Cardozo (22-5), Thomas Edison (21-9), Brooklyn
Collegiate (19-7), Newtown (16-10), Bedford Academy (25-4) and South Bronx
(23-6)