H.S. GIRLS’ BASKETBALL RANKINGS

This is the last regular-season edition of the girls’ basketball rankings. Openinground sectional play begins Friday with contests in Class AA and Class A. Saturday, Class B and Class C start with opening-round action. Eighteen area teams were named to this week’s state rankings, topped by a pair of No. 1 choices in Averill Park (Class AA) and Greenwich (Class C).

This is the first season using the sixclassification system for basketball. We are only ranking three teams in Class AAA as there are only six schools in that classification.

Class AAA

1. Shenendehowa (17-3, Last week No. 1):

Concluded its regular-season schedule with a 54-36 loss at No. 10-ranked Roy C. Ketcham.

2. Albany (14-5, LW No. 2): The Falcons forced 23 turnovers for the second time this season against Averill Park, this time dropping a 55-42 decision on the road.

3. Colonie (12-8, LW No. 3): The No. 4 seed will be off until Feb. 20 when it hosts Saratoga Springs in quarterfinal action.

Team to watch: Shaker (13-7)

Class AA

1. Averill Park (20-0, LW No. 1): Senior forward Taylor Holohan led four players in double digits with 17 points and 16 rebounds in a 55-42 victory over Albany.

2. Bethlehem (13-7, LW No. 2): The state’s No. 6-ranked squad built a 19-4 lead in the first quarter Monday against Averill Park before falling 50-44.

3. Columbia (14-6, LW No. 3): The second-seeded Blue Devils await the winner of the opening-round contest between Guilderland and Amsterdam in the quarterfinals.

4. Queensbury (18-2, LW No. 4): Shea Canavan delivered a career-high 31 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and eight steals in a 67-47 win against Saratoga Springs.

5. Niskayuna (9-11, LW No. 5): Olivia O’meally scored a game-high 21 points in a 57-55 setback against Albany.

Team to watch: Ballston Spa (11-9)

Class A

1. CCHS (17-1, LW No. 1): The Crusaders, ranked No. 2 in the state, opened up a 30-8 lead after one quarter Tuesday against Mohonasen and cruised to a 69-44 victory.

2. Holy Names (13-7, LW No. 3): Sophia Bologna poured in 26 points (six 3pointers) Tuesday as the Panthers edged Schalmont 59-58.

3. Schalmont (12-8, LW No. 2): Karissa Antoine closed out her regular season with 27 points in a 55-43 win over Emma Willard and 31 points in a 59-58 loss against Holy Names.

4. Broadalbin-perth (14-5, LW No. 4): Molly Rossum and Camille Calderone each scored 14 points as the Patriots posted a 65-29 victory at Ravena-coeymansselkirk.

5. Glens Falls (14-6, LW No. 5): The sixth-seeded Black Bears will have a remarkable 25-day gap between concluding their Foothills Council schedule until facing third-seeded Broadalbin-perth in the quarterfinals.

Class B

1. Albany Academy for Girls (16-3, LW No. 1):

Bella Vincent tallied 10 points and 10 rebounds on Senior Night in helping lead the Bears to a 65-22 verdict over Ichabod Crane.

2. Greenville (19-1, LW No. 4): The Spartans backed up winning the Patroon Conference regular-season title by defeating Watervliet/heatly 48-21 in the league tournament final at Columbia-greene Community College.

3. Stillwater (16-4, LW No. 3): Miranda Price led the way with 20 points in a 49-23 road win at Whitehall.

4. Mechanicville (15-4, LW No. 2): Finished the regular season with back-toback losses against Greenwich, including a 47-36 setback Monday.

5. Coxsackie-athens (15-4, LW No. 5): The fifth-seeded Riverhawks used 29 points from senior Riley Sitcer to post a 55-52 victory over Maple Hill.

Team to watch: Corinth (18-2)

Class C

1. Greenwich (20-0, LW No. 1): Standout sophomore guard Brooke Kuzmich ranks fourth in Section II scoring at 23.9 points per game.

2. Duanesburg (15-5, LW No. 2): The Eagles secured a third straight WAC Cup title with a 53-35 victory over Northville on Tuesday at Fulton-montgomery Community College.

3. Berne-knox-westerlo (17-3, LW No. 3):

The Bulldogs, paced by 17 points from Katie Stevens, defeated Fonda-fultonville 45-32 in the third-place game of the WAC Cup.

4. Mayfield (11-9, LW No. 4): Cloey Dopp produced a game-high 30 points to lead the Panthers past Bishop Gibbons 64-58.

5. Warrensburg (17-3, LW No. 5):

Hope Sherman scored 18 points and Zailey Baker added 14 points in a 51-28 decision over Hadley-luzerne.

Teams to watch: Cambridge (10-10), Maple Hill (12-7)

Class D

1. Northville (15-2, LW No. 1): The Falcons, ranked No. 3 in the state, will be off until Feb. 27 when they will compete in the semifinals at Averill Park vs. the quarterfinal winner between Saratoga Central Catholic and Salem.

2. Hartford (14-6, LW No. 3): Mckenzie Johnson scored 18 points Monday to help the Tanagers avenge an earlier loss with a 50-48 win against Bishop Gibbons.

3. Bishop Gibbons (12-7, LW No. 2): The third-seeded Golden Knights, winners of the 2023 sectional title, begin pursuit of another championship Tuesday when they entertain sixth-seeded Argyle.

4. Saratoga Central Catholic (7-13, LW No. 4): Sophia Ryan netted 38 points, featuring nine 3-pointers, in a 51-41 victory against Waterford-halfmoon.

5. Salem (8-11, LW No. 5): The Generals enter sectional play having won three of their past four contests.