The 2026 Preview contains:

-Commentary
– What’s New
– League Changes
– Player Movement
– Returning 2025 All-Centercourt Players
– 25 More Players to watch in 2026
– Teams sorted by league
-Coaching Changes
– Classification Changes
– Preseason Top 10 Lg & Small
– Predictions

Commentary

Following the crazy lockdown of 2020, basketball was the first sport to re-emerge without warning in an immediate and shortened season.  Players & coaches had little time to respond.  League and sectional titles suddenly weren’t so easy to predict.  It was anyone’s guess as to who the champions would be.  Entering the 2026 season, the immediate favorites don’t jump out like they have in the past.  I began to realize what I’m most excited about in the upcoming campaign is the sense that this season is literally up for grabs.  Everywhere!   Going through the respective leagues and classifications, the slam dunk favorites are few and far between. Instead, it looks like we have a season ahead littered with competitive races throughout WNY.  From the Monsignor Martin Association, to sorting out the Top 10 large and small schools, league & sectional races, and trying to make those winning postseason predictions…I’m finding multiple teams viable in all categories. Of the 10 championship teams from 2025, five of them graduated a Top 25 talent and three of the teams changed classifications.  In the predictions made at the end of the preview, less than half of the league champions from 2025 are predicted to repeat.  Even the team I think will be the top dog in WNY this season, is 0–4 the last two years against the top two contenders in its classification.  Lots to sort out over the next four months in what I expect to be a wildly competitive 2026 campaign.

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What’s New ??

– The playoffs.  Well, actually, the entire Section VI postseason as we’ve always set our watches to has some drastic format changes ahead.

– For starters, the seeding meeting, traditionally held on a Saturday morning ahead of Tuesday Play-in/Round One games, will now be on a Wednesday evening.  The very next day, the playoffs are underway – on a Thursday!  Quarterfinals will already be taking place by Tuesday and exactly one week after the first postseason game in WNY, semifinals are already underway.  It gets better (or worse).

– There are also still quarterfinals taking place on the same days as semifinals.

– Speaking of semifinals, they are still at #BuffState – well except for Class B, who now loses out on the bright lights experience on Grant Street.  Class B now heads to SUNY Fredonia…not only for the semis, but the Section VI Finals as well.  Don’t worry, you can still watch the Class B semifinals in Fredonia – unless there’s a semifinal in Class A2 or Class AA that you’d rather watch at the very same time at #BuffState.

– I realize this is a lot of disappointing news, and there’s more.  No Championship Saturday this season.  Replacing it is several championship games spread out over multiple weeknights…preceded by girls basketball.  In fact, all of the semifinals will also by preceded by girls basketball.

– JCC Friday is now on a Saturday.

– Crossover Tuesday is now the Sunday after JCC Friday.

– From February 24th through March 8th, there are 13 consecutive nights of Section VI postseason boys basketball.

– Next is the addition of the amazing Sub-Regional concept, which first impacts our Class A & Class B this season.  This means in those two classifications only, Section VI will play Section V and rather than the winner advancing to the state final four, they compete in a second regional against the winner of Section IV and the at-large team from Section VIII.

– We host the Far West Regionals at #BuffState this season on Friday, March 13th & Saturday, March 14th.  But if we lose either of the sub-regional games, Section V would then host just the game of the classification(s) they won in the sub-regional.  If I lost you a long time ago, just know that all of this took me a long time to digest & that was with me asking questions.  I still can’t explain (or agree with) the at-large thing.  It’s basically double jeopardy for one team in every classification each year.

– Class AA is one large classification this season crowning one champion rather than a Class AA1 & AA2.

– Some brand new participants in this season’s 8th Annual Centercourt Classic, which returns to St. Joe’s for a third consecutive season.  The three first-time Classic squads are Class AA1 Finalist Orchard Park, the Class B2 champions from Wilson, & the Harlem Brannon led Blue Devils from Ken West, who make the short jaunt to 845 Kenmore Ave.  Mark Friday, January 30th & Saturday, January 31st on your calendars for the seven-game event.

– The Niagara Frontier League (NFL) has ditched the two division format used the last few seasons, along with the NFL championship game at the conclusion of the regular season.  The eight-team league will instead return to a two-game, home & away series against the rest of the teams with 14 league contests in total.

– The CCAA leagues of the Southern Tier return intact from last season, however, they’ve undergone yet another name change.  No more East & West leagues I & II.  This season, they will simply be called CCAA I, II, III, & IV.

– The Yale Cup tinkered with the sub divisions slightly, moving three teams around, which is outlined in League Changes below.

– The CHSAA State Championships are hosted in Buffalo this season and because of a new rotating format in place, the Monsignor Martin Association finally gets its opportunity to go straight from the Manhattan Cup Championship to the state title game.  In CHSAA, there are Long Island & NYC champions, along with Buffalo.  This year, NYC battles Long Island in the CHSAA state semifinal for the right to face our champion.

– The View From Centercourt website saw its web host of 15 years go out of business at the end of September.  Lots of work went into rebuilding it a new home and ensuring all old links would still work & content restored without losing too much formatting.  Hopefully you’ll find it as easy to experience as you’ve come to enjoy things in the past.

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League Changes

IPrep:
Yale Cup I  —>  Yale Cup III

Burgard:
Yale Cup II  —>  Yale Cup I

Buffalo Culinary:
Yale Cup III  —>  Yale Cup II

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Player Movement

Key Transfers 

 JJ Shanklin, Sophomore
Cheektowaga –> St. Joe’s
Jake Stuckey, Sophomore
Park –> St. Joe’s
Landon Patterson, Sophomore
St. Mary’s –> St. Joe’s
Elijah Jones, Junior
St. Joe’s –> Canisius
Demario Badger
Bennett –> Canisius
Isaiah Guerrero, Junior
Sweet Home –> Health Sciences
Roger Markham, Senior
Falconer –> Southwestern
Zach Markham, Junior
Falconer –> Southwestern
Aiden Mingo, Sophomore
Ken East –> Timon
Mason Anderson, Sophomore
Lake Shore –> St. Francis
Desean Johnson, Senior
Middle College –> McKinley
Anthony Moore, Senior
Ken East –> McKinley
Patience Niyonzima
Timon –> Burgard

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Returning All-Centercourt Talent

***  A total of 28 players who earned All-Centercourt Top 60 return to the WNY high school hoops scene this season, including 12 of the Top 25 players

Returning First Teamer

Amir Moye – Health Sciences, Senior

* Sophomore Season Stats

19.7 PPG
6.9 APG
5.2 RPG
3.5 SPG

After leading the Falcons to titles in both the Yale Cup & Class AA2 and then picking up his first Division I offer over the summer of 2024, Moye suffered an injury that kept him sidelined for the 2025 Season.  He returns to a Falcons squad that brings back 4 starters  from the overall Section VI Class AA Champion last season and has the program eyeing a run back to states for the first time since 2018.

Returning Second Teamers

Charlie Croff – Lockport, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

17.0 PPG
6.5 RPG
2.9 APG
2.6 SPG

 Already a career 1,000 point scorer, Croff returned the Lions to Section VI championship glory for the first time since 1998 when his father brought a title home to Lockport. The leadership he showed on a senior laden squad last season will be vital as the lone returning starter in 2026.

Tre Paulfrey – Nichols, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

21.8  PPG
5.0 RPG
4.2 APG
2.5 SPG

His fourth varsity season was certainly his finest, as Paulfrey took over the lead-dog reigns at Nichols. He turned in a fantastic season, leading a team of underclassmen to a winning record against a difficult schedule.  Paulfrey has put in the work and with his talents, will have the Vikings ready to compete for the Manhattan Cup in 2026.

Returning Third Teamers

Elijah Farmer – Jamestown, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

15.4 PPG
10.3 RPG
2.6 APG
1.8 SPG

An aggressive rebounder that is quick to the ball, who added perimeter shooting to his game as a junior, which increased his ability to both slash and create.  Scored a combined 51 points in two games against last year’s #1 & #2 in WNY.

 

Tacari McCray – Olmsted, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

23.3 PPG
5.3 RPG
4.7 SPG
3.6 APG

The City of Buffalo standout senior led the Owls to a league title & a Class B1 Finals appearance after dazzling the crowd at #BuffState with 14 of his game-high 32 points in overtime of a semifinal win in March.

Returning Fourth Teamers

Nahssan Young – Health Sciences, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

12.4 PPG
5.4 APG
3.5 SPG
2.7 RPG

Steadied the backcourt for the Falcons a season ago with great composure, patiently facilitating half court sets and knocking down timely shots, leading the team to a regional appearance in Class AA.

 

Nate Wilemski – Williamsville South, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

13.3 PPG
7.1 RPG
4.2 APG
2.4 SPG

A 5-year varsity talent with a complete skill set who delivered big performances in the most important games last season for South.  His senior year quest will be leading the Billies to a third straight Far West Regional in Class A for the first time in school history.

 

Will Szablewski – St. Mary’s, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

19.4 PPG
7.8 RPG
3.2 BPG
2.8 APG
1.4 SPG

The combination of his size and inside/outside game make him extremely difficult to defend.  Can splash the ‘3’ and rock the rim with the ease.  The MMA’s leader in blocked shots last season had a 35 point career-high at Jamestown that included 14 boards.

Returning Fifth Teamers

Justus Kleitz – Iroquois, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

28.9 PPG
4.5 SPG
4.4 APG
3.6 RPG

A fiercely competitive talent with a lightning-quick shot release.  After a dislocated elbow suffered midseason interrupted a brilliant scoring charge (30.5 ppg through 11 games), the determined Kleitz went to work teaching himself to shoot with his non-dominant hand and returned to drop a 30-piece in the regular season finale and knock down 13 treys in the team’s final three outings.  

 

Aidan Neumann – Wilson, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

21.9 PPG
2.9 RPG
2.8 SPG
2.3 APG

The dynamic athlete who has competed for state titles in soccer & track, led Wilson’s hoops squad to its first sectional title in program history as a junior.  Neumann and the Lakemen enter this season seeking to break through to the Far West Regional for the first time.  

 

Harlem Brannon – Kenmore West, Senior

Junior Season Stats:

17.4 PPG
6.6 RPG
3.9 APG
3.3 SPG

The versatile senior guard does it all for the Blue Devils at both ends, leading the team in scoring, assists, & steals.  Already the school’s all-time leader in steals, Brannon could also become the program’s most productive scorer by season’s end.

 

Derren Brooks – Akron, Junior

Sophomore Season Stats:

12.8 PPG
10.5 RPG
3.4 BPG
1.1 APG

Soft hands, great footwork, and a smooth touch near the basket make Brooks a threat both in the high post and under the basket.  As a sophomore, he led WNY in blocked shots and led the Tigers to a regional appearance in Class B.

 

Returning 2025 Honorable Mentions

Trelin Warrior – Gowanda, Senior
22.7 PPG  / 3.1 RPG / 2.8 SPG / 1.0 APG 

Roger Markham – Southwestern, Senior
21.2 PPG / 4.2 APG / 4.0 RPG / 2.6 SPG 

Greydan Barnwell – Lew-Port, Senior
18.0 PPG / 4.5 RPG / 4.0 APG / 1.5 SPG 

Elijah Greene – Park, Senior
17.1 PPG / 9.9 RPG / 1.7 BPG / 1.6 APG / 1.5 SPG  

Anthony Johnson – Middle College, Senior
16.3 PPG / 6.1 RPG / 4.7 APG / 3.0 SPG / 1.0 BPG 

Dominic Gonzalez – Jamestown, Senior
16.3 PPG / 3.3 RPG / 3.1 APG / 2.5 SPG

Jaleel Flowers – BASCS, Senior
16.0 PPG / 5.1 RPG / 2.0 SPG / 1.7 APG

Mykell Rivera – Olean, Senior
15.5 PPG /  5.8 RPG / 1.8 SPG

Cardell Staples – McKinley, Senior
14.7 PPG / 3.2 SPG / 2.7 RPG / 2.0 APG

Benjamin Gerstung – Akron, Senior
13.6 PPG / 5.9 RPG / 1.8 APG / 0.9 SPG

Zayvion Hawkins – Health Sciences, Senior
12.5 PPG / 4.0 RPG / 3.0 APG / 1.5 SPG

Brody Monaco – Orchard Park, Senior
12.3 PPG / 7.1 RPG / 2.0 SPG / 1.3 APG

Shaun McGrath – Sweet Home, Senior
11.3 PPG / 5.7 RPG / 3.1 APG / 1.1 SPG

Dane Brown – Grand Island, Junior
16.0 PPG / 7.1 RPG / 1.3 BPG / 1.1 APG / 1.1 SPG

JJ Shanklin – St. Joe’s, Sophomore
15.9 PPG / 6.5 RPG / 4.5 APG / 3.4 SPG

Kobe Genco – Eden, Sophomore
14.9 PPG / 5.1 RPG / 4.5 APG / 1.3 SPG

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25 More impact players for 2025
not already mentioned above:

Tre Gayle – Niagara Falls, Senior
Jeson Huff – Timon, Senior
Mitch Masiello – Nichols, Senior
Nolan Hochworter – Hamburg, Senior
Andrew Lindstrom – St. Francis, Senior
Mac Capen – Newfane, Senior
Jerrell Nealy – Medina, Senior
Adam Sarzynski – Amherst, Senior
Aidan DeFazzio – Portville, Senior
Mason McGloin – Depew, Senior
Jack Giancola – North Tonawanda, Senior
Nick Jacobson – Chautauqua Lake, Senior
Jack Cullinan – Canisius, Junior
Brandon Singletary – MST, Junior
Mychael Whitt – Health Sciences, Junior
Dequarius Seaberry – Niagara Falls, Junior
Max Mancabelli – Orchard Park, Junior
Isaiah Guerrero – Health Sciences, Junior
K’Vion Tell – Dunkirk, Junior
Gary Alexander – St. Joe’s, Sophomore
Michael Wylke – Lew-Port, Sophomore
Chris Fagnan – Williamsville North, Sophomore
Jude Gerbec – Holland, Sophomore
Jose Castro – Global Concepts, Sophomore
Carmarii Staples – McKinley, Freshman

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League-by-League
Including the Returning
2025 All-League Talent 

Monsignor Martin Association

CLASS AA

Nichols – Tre Paulfrey 12, Mitch Masiello 12
St. Francis – Andrew Lindstrom 12
Canisius
St. Joe’s
Timon 

CLASS A

The Park School – Elijah Greene – Park 12, Kameron Barge 12
St. Mary’s – Will Szablewski 12
Cardinal O’Hara 

 

Section VI

YALE CUP I

Health Sciences – Zayvion Hawkins 12, Nahsaan Young 12, Joel Ball 12, Mychael Whitt 11
McKinley – Cardell Staples 12, Carmarii Staples 9, Anthony Moore 12
South Park – Abdiel Medina 11, Julius Jackson 12, Justin Boykins 12
Burgard – Muhamed Muhamed 12
Hutch-Tech 

 

YALE CUP II

Middle College – Anthony Johnson 12, Carl Barnes 12, Jaden Clark 12
Olmsted –  Tacari McCray 12,  Jaden Wood 11
MST Seneca –  Brandon Singletary 11, Elijah Lindsey 11
Bennett –  Abdul Habeeb 12
Buffalo Culinary

 

YALE CUP III

East – Tendai Furbert 11, Donte Morris 11
Buffalo Arts – Ray Jackson 12, Raquan Hall 12,
Riverside –  Jaheim Foster 12
City Honors – Julius Petti 12
I-Prep – J’Vion Cunningham 12

 

ECIC I

Jamestown –  Elijah Farmer 12, Dom Gonzalez 12,
Orchard Park – Brody Monaco 12, Max Mancabelli 11
Williamsville North – Chris Fagnan 10, Greyson Goehle 11, AJ Weissenburg 12
Lancaster – Ryan Hartwig 11
Clarence
Frontier 

 

ECIC II

Sweet Home –  Shaun McGrath 12, Mekaih Patterson 12
Williamsville South –  Nate Wilemski 12
Hamburg – Nolan Hochworter 12
Amherst – Adam Sarzynski 12
Williamsville East
Starpoint 

 

ECIC III

Iroquois – Justus Kleitz 12, Dom Pasak 12
Pioneer – Isaac Platt 11
Lake Shore – Kyle McNamara 11
West Seneca East – Maxwel Czora 12
Cheektowaga
Lackawanna 

 

ECIC IV

Maryvale – Eric Hayes 12
East Aurora – Ben Ziegler 12, Ben Greco 10
Depew – Kole Szratter 11
Springville – Landon Roy 12
Alden
Tonawanda – Tim Domon 12, Markell Wittman 12
 

ECIC V

Global Concepts – Eric Davis 12, Shawndale Lipscomp 12, Duane Fears 12, Jose Castro 10
Eden – Kobe Genco 10
Tapestry – Jayshen Rodgers 12, Jaylin Coleman 12
Holland – Jude Gerbec 10
JFK – Hayden Jozwiek 12
Cleveland Hill 

 

Niagara Frontier League

Grand Island – Dane Brown 11, Jake Castiglia 11
Kenmore West – Harlem Brannon 12, Avahn Jackson 12
Lew-Port – Greydan Barnwell 12, Michael Wylke 10
Lockport – Charlie Croff 12
North Tonawanda – Jack Giancola 12
Kenmore East
Niagara Wheatfield
CSAT

 

Niagara-Orleans

Akron –  Benjamin Gerstung 12, Blake Gerstung 12, Derren Brooks 11
Wilson –  Aidan Neumann 12, Ryan Hough 12, Shamus George 12
Medina – Jerrell Nealy 12, Christian Moss 12, Preston Woodworth 11
Newfane – Mac Capen 12, Camlo Flowers 12
Albion – Wesley Olles 12, Tyler Cody 12
Barker –  Anthony Taliaferro 11
Roy-Hart

 

CCAA I 

Southwestern – Roger Markham 12, Zach Markham 11
Dunkirk – Kavion Tell 11, Avery Krystofiak 12, Malik McCall 12
Olean – Mykell Rivera 12, Joe Mest 12
Fredonia –  RJ Koopman 12, Colin Luce 12
Salamanca – Payton Bradley 11
Falconer – Max Parmentier 12
Allegany-Limestone

 

CCAA II 

Clymer – Carson White 12, Kameron Einink 12, Roman Wassink 11
Maple Grove – Liam Colburn 12, Aiden Dalhberg 10
Westfield – Lincoln Thomas 12
Chautauqua Lake – Nick Jacobson 12
Sherman – Jacob Ferranto 12
Brocton – Anthony Gatto 12
Panama  

 

CCAA III

Randolph – Kevin McElwain 12, Carter Conley 11
Silver Creek – Simon White 12
Portville – Aiden DeFazio 12
Gowanda – Trelin Warrior 12
Frewsburg
Cassadaga Valley  

 

CCAA IV

Forestville – Jacob Anders 11, William Duliba 11, Manny Sanchez 11, Blake Waterman 12, Jack Spengler 12
Ellicottville – Blake Smith 11, Rylan Benjamin 11, Dominic Polino 11
Franklinville – Eli Shenk 12
North Collins – Walter Ebersole 12
Cattaraugus-Little Valley – Tucker Barrick 11, Owen Wright 12, Bransen Grabel 12
Pine Valley – Cam Slade 12, James Greene 11
West Valley

 

Independent Teams

Niagara Falls
BASCS
West Seneca West
Maritime

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New Coaches (13)

Park – Joe Jones
BASCS – Matthew Helm
Roy-Hart – Connor Brooks
Burgard – Phillip Butler
Buffalo Arts – John Augustine
West Seneca East – Jeffery Stones
Cleveland Hill – Evin Harris
Tonawanda – Peter Florczak
Falconer – Cordell O’Brien
Panama – Josh Nelson
Portville – Dylan Burton
Brocton – Darnell Pritchard
Franklinville – Allan Dunlap

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Classification Changes (18)  

1 Team moves from
Class AA to Class AAA:
Health Sciences

1 Team moves from
Class A1 to Class AA:
Amherst

1 Team moves from
Class AA to ClassA1:
Starpoint

2 Teams move from
Class B1 to Class A2:
Fredonia

1 Team moves from
Class A2 to Class B1:
Springville
Bennett

4 Teams move from
Class B2 to Class B1:
Salamanca
Roy-Hart
JFK
Riverside

3 Teams move from
Class B1 to Class B2:
Akron
Newfane
Cleveland Hill

1 Team moves from
Class C to Class B2:
Randolph

3 Teams moves from
Class B2 to Class C:
Wilson
Silver Creek
Portville

1 Team moves from
Class C to Class D:
Franklinville

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Preseason Rankings

**  8 of the 10 teams that appeared in the 2025 Preseason Large School Rankings were Top 10 teams when the season ended and I was 7 of 10 predicting Top 10 small schools in 2025

Large Schools

1. Health Sciences
2. Nichols
3. Canisius
4. St. Joe’s
5. Jamestown
6. Niagara Falls
7. Timon
8. Orchard Park
9. McKinley
10. Grand Island

Small Schools

1.Akron
2. Olmsted
3. Southwestern
4. Middle College
5. Wilson
6. MST
7. Global Concepts
8. Medina
9. Newfane
10. Randolph

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Predictions

* The 2025 Preview correctly predicted just 8 of the 15 league champions last season.  Not my best work, so here goes nothing…

MMA – Nichols
Yale Cup I – Health Sciences
Yale Cup II – Olmsted
Yale Cup III – East
ECIC I – Jamestown
ECIC II – Williamsville South
ECIC III – Iroquois
ECIC IV – East Aurora
ECIC V – Global Concepts
NFL – Grand Island
N-O – Akron
CCAA I – Southwestern
CCAA II – Chautauqua Lake
CCAA III – Randolph
CCAA IV – Ellicottville

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* Another flop…I was 5 of 10 predicting these end-of-year champions in the 2025 Preview.  Like I was shooting with my back to the basket!

Manhattan Cup
Final Two:
Canisius & Nichols
** Nichols **

Class AAA
Final Two:
Health Sciences
Jamestown
** Health Sciences **

Class AA
Final Four:
Orchard Park
Lockport
Williamsville North
McKinley
** Orchard Park **

Class A1  
Final Four:
Lew-Port
Grand Island
Williamsville South
South Park
** Grand Island **

Class A2
Final Four:
Olean
Lackawanna
BASCS
Iroquois
** BASCS **

Class B1
Final Four:
Medina
Southwestern
Middle College
Olmsted
** Southwestern **

Class B2 
Final Four:
Akron
Newfane
MST
Randolph
** Akron **

Class C
Final Four:
Wilson
Chautauqua Lake
Global Concepts
Ellicottville
** Wilson **

Class D
Final Four: 
Pine Valley
Clymer
Sherman
Forestville
** Forestville **

 

-🏀centercourt🏀