The ninth set of state rankings for the 2023 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

Niagara Falls #10

Health Sciences #11

Jamestown #21

 

Class A

Canisius #8

Amherst #17

St. Joe's 30

 

Class B

Timon #3

Lew-Port #10

Salamanca #12

Nichols #18

Allegany-Limestone #26

 

Class C

Randolph #14

Frewsburg #23

 

Class D

Clymer #9

Westfield #20

 

According to the rankings…

 

– We remain on schedule for a final Championship Saturday showdown at Buff State between Falls & Jamestown.  The Red Raiders currently have the top seed locally in Class AA and Falls is projected by the rankings in the state as the team to make it out of Section VI and reach Glens Falls.  The local rankings and state rankings disagree on which team reaches the final, as locally, Health Sciences is ranked ahead of Niagara Falls.

 

– I mentioned last week, no teams from Section V are represented in NYS Class AA.  I had an opportunity to watch Victor play last week when I took a trip east, and from my vantage point, they look like the kind of team that would absolutely present a real challenge to any of our representatives in the Far West Regional.  Deep, balanced, strong around the basket, and a had a floor general.

 

– Canisius wins the Manhattan Cup, but the ranking say that will be the end of the road for them.  Un the CHSAA, there is both a team from Long Island and a team from NYC ranked ahead of the Crusaders, which projects them losing in the state semifinals.

– Amherst losess in the Far West Regional to Rochester East after cruising past the competition in Buffalo. 

– St. Joe’s coach, Gabe Michael, who has several hobbies including card tricks, has made some magic happen for the Marauders.  They crash into the state rankings this week at the coveted #30 spot.

– Timon winning three of the four games they played last week were enough to sway the panel to promote them one spot in NYS Class B to #3, a very solid ranking for a team with zero shot at advancing in that state classification.

 

– Gabe Michael's cape, worn during his most advanced card tricks, came up missing early last week.  It was later recovered on Five Mile Road in Cattaraugus County, raising suspicion that Allegany-Limestone coach Glenn Anderson managed to take possession of Michael’s cape and used it to create a little of his own magic for the Gators, now appearing in the Top 26 of NYS Class B.  Investigation is pending.

 

– Frewsburg's 8-point loss to Randolph last week was enough to cover.  The Bears jump up two spots in NYS Class C to #23.

 

Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings

 

-centercourt