Five things to know about high school basketball

1 All 12 Section II champions survived the opening round of regional play and 11 of those teams are set to compete in state quarterfinal play Saturday at four different locations throughout the state. There are four contests being played at Hudson Valley Community College, four at Clinton Community College, two at SUNY Potsdam and one at Onondaga Community College. Catholic Central (22-1), the No. 2-ranked Class A girls’ team in the state, edged No. 3ranked Indian River 50-45 Wednesday and returns to action Friday at Saranac High School vs. Section VII champion Beekmantown (11-11). 2 There are two state quarterfinal contests being played Saturday that are rematches from meetings in which area teams lost the first encounter. Class AA champion Niskayuna (19-4) takes on Section III champion West Genesee (21-2) on Saturday at HVCC. The Wildcats have won 17 straight games, including a 72-62 verdict over Niskayuna on Jan. 27. In Class D, North Warren (19-4) ended its regular-season schedule with a 55-53 setback against Schroon Lake (15-7) — the same foe it takes on Saturday night at Clinton Community College. 3 Nine area squads enter action ranked higher in the state polls than their opponent. The boys’ teams are split 3-3 with Glens Falls (No. 1 in Class A), Stillwater (No. 2 in Class B) and North Warren (No. 6 in Class D) ranked higher than their opposition. All but one of the Section II girls’ teams, Class AAA champion Colonie, enjoy the higher state ranking. 4 There are seven area programs left that have already captured at least one state championship. Green Tech (2014, Class AA), Niskayuna (1978, Class AA), Glens Falls (2019, Class B) and Stillwater (1988, Class C) are the boys’ basketball state champions. Colonie (2001, Class A), Averill Park (2010 and 2022, Class A) and Catholic Central (2002, Class A) have won girls’ championships previously. 5

Glens Falls defeated Catholic Central 58-52 to earn the Section II Class A boys’ basketball title. A year ago, CCHS beat the Black Bears in the Class B sectional final and went on to reach, but lose, the state championship game against Westhill. Saturday at HVCC, Glens Falls (24-0) has the chance to defeat Westhill (21-2) to earn a berth in the state final four.