(It's that time of year again – High School basketball sectionals / Photo by Dave DeLuca)

 

The Section VI postseason begins tonight with first round games, and the winners move on to participate in the pre-quarterfinal games played on Wednesday.  Friday night is when the action really kicks up, as 32 quarterfinal games will decide which teams move on to Buffalo State and JCC for the semifinals. 

 

Below I take a look at some of the best matchups we could potentially see in the pre-quarterfinals, quarterfinals, semifinals, and even the championship games, along with sleepers, some winning streaks, and predictions.

 

** Please note that many of the games below are based on my predictions of who will win in prior rounds 

 

Teams who opted out of sectionals:

– Falconer

– Cattaraugus Little Valley

 

Most exciting bracket

Class A2

 

Sleepers for each bracket:

Class AA – Kenmore West

Class A1 – Williamsville East

Class A2 – Lew-Port

Class B1 – East Aurora

Class B2 – Emerson

Class C1 – Chautauqua Lake

Class C2 – Global Concepts

Class D – Maple Grove

 

 

Top 10 Pre-Quarterfinal Games (Wednesday, 2/25)

10. Niagara Wheatfield @ Clarence

9. Orchard Park @ Kenmore West

8. Akron vs. CSAT

7. Buffalo Science @ Olmsted

6. Southwestern vs. East

5. Bennett @ Buffalo Arts

4. JFK @ Lackawanna

3. Maryvale @ City Honors

2. DaVinci vs. Emerson 

1. Riverside @ West Seneca East

 

Top 10 Quarterfinal Games (Friday, 2/27) 

10. Williamsville East @ Sweet Home

9. Lockport @ Lancaster

8. Frontier @ Niagara Falls

7. Maryvale @ Depew

6. East Aurora @ Albion

5. Maple Grove @ Sherman

4. Kenmore West @ Williamsville North

3. Emerson @ Wilson

2. East vs. Health Sciences *at Nichols

1. Lew-Port @ Cheektowaga

 

Most Exciting Potential Semifinals

6. Tapestry vs. Salamanca

5. East/Health Sciences vs. Cleveland Hill

4. Niagara Falls vs. Williamsville North

3. Starpoint vs. Olean

2. Lew-Port/Cheektowaga vs. Amherst

1. McKinley vs. Williamsville South

 

Most Exciting Potential Championship Games

5. Class AA Final

4. Class B2 Final

3. Class C1 Final

2. Class D Final

1. Class A2 Final

 

Win Streaks heading into sectionals

Sherman 19 

Health Sciences 12 

Fredonia 11 

Silver Creek 10

Cleveland Hill 8 

Cheektowaga 8

McKinley 7

Amherst 7

Jamestown 6

 

Predictions

Class AA – Jamestown

Class A1 – McKinley

Class A2 – Amherst

Class B1 – Depew

Class B2 – Fredonia

Class C1 – Silver Creek

Class C2 – Middle College

Class D – Sherman

 

-centercourt