Syracuse, N.Y. — There wasn’t much movement among top teams in boys basketball this week, but two new teams do find themselves on top of their respective classes.
Central Valley Academy (10-1, Class A) and Hamilton (10-2; Class C) are up to No. 1 in this week’s poll. Both teams have not lost a game since mid-December and now have the top spot in their class.
We’ve asked area media professionals who cover high school sports to participate in a weekly boys basketball poll.
There will be six rankings: AAA, AA, A, B, C, D.
We reward five points for a first-place vote, four points for a second-place vote, etc. From now until the end of the season, boys basketball polls will be published on Tuesdays.
The voters
Rocco Carbone, freelance sports photographer
Lindsay Kramer, high school sports reporter for syracuse.com
Kenny Lacy Jr., high school sports reporter for syracuse.com
James McClendon, high school sports reporter/editor for syracuse.com
Pat Spadafore, high school sports producer for syracuse.com
Ryan Storie, co-host of Players Only
Class AAA
1. Cicero-North Syracuse (11-1)
Last week: 1
2. Liverpool (10-2)
Last week: 2
3. Rome Free Academy (8-2)
Last week: 3
4. Bishop Ludden (7-4)
Last week: 5
5. Utica Proctor (8-3)
Last week: 4
Dropped out: None
Others receiving votes: Baldwinsville (8-3)
Class AA
1. West Genesee (9-2)
Last week: 1
2. Fulton (8-2)
Last week: 2
3. Nottingham (9-5)
Last week: 5
4. Syracuse Academy of Science (5-3)
Last week: 3
5. Watertown (7-4)
Last week: 4
Dropped out: None
Others receiving votes: Bishop Grimes (7-5)
Class A
1. Central Valley Academy (10-1)
Last week: 2
2. Jamesville-DeWitt (8-2)
Last week: 1
3. Westhill (9-2)
Last week: 4
4. Camden (10-2)
Last week: 3
5. Chittenango (9-4)
Last week: Not ranked
Dropped out: No. 5 ITC (8-4)
Others receiving votes: ITC (8-4)
Class B
1. Marcellus (13-1)
Last week: 1
T-2. Herkimer (7-3)
Last week: 2
T-2. Little Falls (7-2)
Last week: 3
4. Clinton (9-4)
Last week: Not ranked
T-5. Sauquoit Valley (7-6)
Last week: 5
T-5. Phoenix (7-4)
Last week: Not ranked
T-5. Skaneateles (7-3)
Last week: Not ranked
Dropped out: No. 4 Lowville (5-3)
Others receiving votes: Lowville (5-3)
Class C
1. Hamilton (10-2)
Last week: 2
2. West Canada Valley (10-4)
Last week: 1
3. Waterville (9-3)
Last week: 3
4. Sandy Creek (8-2)
Last week: Not ranked
5. Frankfort-Schuyler (10-2)
Last week: 4
Dropped out: No. 5 Port Byron (9-3)
Others receiving votes: Fabius-Pompey (8-4), Weedsport (8-4)
Class D
1. Sackets Harbor (12-1)
Last week: 1
2. Faith Heritage (10-1)
Last week: 2
3. McGraw (8-2)
Last week: 4
4. Copenhagen (8-4)
Last week: 3
5. Madison (7-4)
Last week: 5
Dropped out: None
Others receiving votes: LaFargeville (8-4), New York Mills (8-4)
Comments
Rocco Carbone: Cicero-North Syracuse picks up a statement non-league win over Niagara Falls to stay atop Class AAA. Bishop Ludden faces CBA in their annual rivalry game on Friday. Baldwinsville hosts Jamesville-Dewitt on Tuesday as both teams enter the game with eight wins on the season. Keep an eye on Chittenango as the Bears travel to Westhill on Tuesday.
Lindsay Kramer: Cicero-North Syracuse is coming off a monster win over fellow state-ranked foe Niagara Falls, but it gets no easier for the Northstars as they return to Section III play. The Northstars visit AA contender Fulton on Tuesday and try to fend off AAA challenger RFA on Jan. 23. In Class B, Marcellus continues to roll along and is unbeaten in its class, but Phoenix is a threat to ruin that perfect mark in a Friday matchup. Herkimer and Little Falls loom right behind the Mustangs in that class, and those two Center State Conference rivals try to settle their issues with a contest on Friday. And in Class C, high-flying Hamilton is heading toward a big date against Waterville, a team that is right behind the Emerald Knights in the chase for divisional bragging rights, on Jan. 23.
Kenny Lacy Jr.: While C-NS and Liverpool have been jostling at the top of AAA all season, RFA has sneakily been right behind the two and continues to impress. The Black Knights’ only losses this season have come against rival Utica Proctor and state-ranked Monsignor Scanlan. RFA has a matchup with C-NS next week and both teams will have a chance to make their claim as the top team in the class.
James McClendon: The biggest matchup of the week for me is the one between Baldwinsville and Nottingham on Friday night. The Bulldogs have defeated the Bees in three of their last five matchups, and Nottingham is currently on a four-game win streak. It will be interesting to see which of these teams will be able to come away with a win and move up a bit in their respective classes.
Pat Spadafore: Some big tests await our top two teams in Class D this week. No. 1 Sackets Harbor (12-1) travels to LaFargeville and No. 2 Faith Heritage (10-1) hosts Tully on Wednesday. Could a loss by either team, or both, propel No. 3 Copenhagen (8-4) to the top spot? After the Knights take on Lyme on Wednesday, a trip to Sandy Creek awaits on Monday.
Ryan Storie: Unsurprisingly, all the attention has been on Sackets Harbor when looking at Class D. This attention is definitely deserved. The Patriots have dropped just one of their 13 games, an out-of-section loss against Duanesburg. However, Faith Heritage has been just as consistent this season. Led by standout underclassman Westin Retzos, the Saints have also won all but one of their games. Jack Marziale’s court vision has unlocked the potential of this offense, with Landon Bregou anchoring the defensive side. It was previously thought that there was a wide gap between Sackets Harbor and the rest of Class D; instead, the gap is between the top two and everyone else.
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