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Class C

   Friday's semifinal pairings: Syracuse Academy of Science (Sec. 3) vs. Greenwich (Sec. 2), 5 p.m. Friends Academy (Sec. 8) vs. International Prep at Grover Cleveland (Sec. 6)

   Saturday's championship game: 7:15 p.m. tipoff.

   What's next: Season complete.

   Academy of Science (20-2): Coach Onur Gokce fields a tremendously balanced team when it comes to scoring the ball. Five-foot-9 Dakeem McLain (16.2) and 6-7 senior Ahmet Tunali (15.5) lead the way, followed by Jamon Haddon (13.7), 6-3 Kaleel Johnson (13.2), 6-2 DeOndray Tape (7.5) and 6-3 Joshua Guins (6.5). ... Moravia was the state's final unbeaten Class C squad and proved no match in a 66-45 loss to the Atoms in the quarterfinals. McLain, a junior, finished with 20 points and Tunali chipped in with 16. ... A 51-48 game vs. Onondaga in sectionals was the only win with a margin of victory under 12 points this winter. ... The program is only five years old.

   Greenwich (19-4): Five-foot-7 junior guard Joe Estramonte scored a career-high 41 points (15 in a three-minute stretch and 22 overall in the fourth quarter) as the Witches rolled past Brushton-Moira 66-49 in a state quarterfinal in Troy over the weekend. Greenwich trailed 44-43 entering the fourth quarter. ... Estramante averages 17.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He's followed in scoring by 5-8 junior Jason Flynn (10.9), 6-5 senior Ryan McFee (10.1) and guard Josh May (7.6). ... Flynn and May are equally likely to hit from long distance, averaging a combined 3.5 a game. ... With just two seniors on the roster, Greenwich may be a year away from putting it all together despite a ton of varsity experience. ... Averaging only 58 points a game for Duke Beck, but holding opponents to 40.7.

   Friends Academy (15-4): Yet another team with lots of balance as Travis Hefele (son of coach Steve Hefele) is the leading scorer at just under 15 points a game, No. 2 scorer Tommy Costa (40 treys) acts as the perimeter threat and Kellan Sehring is the inside muscle. ... Marc Godlis sparkled in the quarterfinals vs. top-seeded Tuckahoe, scoring 25 points in a 49-44 victory. ... Beat Port Jefferson 54-47 for the right to represent Long Island in the quarterfinals. ... As an L.I. small school, went three weeks between games before resuming its postseason March 9 vs. Port Jefferson.

   I-Prep at Grover Cleveland (19-3): The Presidents wore the label of "Glens Falls-bound" all season and haven't disappointed. ... Chris Holland, a 6-1 senior, creates all sorts of trouble by driving and dishing. He was only 4-for-12 in a 62-50 win over East Rochester in the quarterfinals but went to the line 15 times and finished with 16 points and nine assists. Perimeter specialist Kenny Pringle, Dartwon Brooks, 6-5 Kadeem Hillman and Maurice Cheatom will also go 30 minutes a night as the roster is thin beyond the first six.

   The pick: SAS vs. Greenwich could go either way, and the survivor will be respectable in the final. I like how I-Prep challenged itself during the season even with an ugly loss or two on the resume. Look for Section 6 to bring home its third Class C crown in four years (Maple Grove in '08 and OTC Middle College in '10).

Class D

   Friday's semifinal pairings: New York Mills (Sec. 3) vs. Chateaugay (Sec. 10), 10 a.m. Coleman Catholic (Sec. 9) vs. Charles G. Finney (Sec. 5), 11:45 a.m.

   Saturday's championship game: 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

   What's next: Season complete.

   New York Mills (22-0): The Marauders have pounded opponents by an average of 33.8 points a game. The

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margin won't last this weekend, but the winning might. ... Led in scoring by 6-9 junior Matt Welch (19.8) and 6-5 all-state senior Fred Russ (16.1). Jeff Albright (5.0), a 6-4 senior, helps form an imposing front court. Understandably, 3-point shots are just a rumor to the New York Mills offense. ... Russ averages 8.8 rebounds and Welch 8-4, and Russ clocks in at 3.9 assists per contest for Mike Adey. ... The 1982 Marauders were the first of six Section 3 teams to win the state Class D championship. ... Three-time defending Section 3 champs and 44-1 since the start of last season. Russ helped Richfield Springs to a sectional title as a freshman.

   Chateaugay (22-1): Junior Michael Boyea and senior Ian Henderson led the team in scoring at 14.2 and 12.0 points a game, respectively. The 5-10 Henderson has made 54 3-pointers. ... The team averages 60.8 points a game and the 77-51 win over Germantown in the quarterfinals was the Bulldogs' highest output of the season. Germantown had eliminated Chateaugay from the 2010 tournament. ... The loss was to Class A Massena during the sectional interclass playoffs. ... Chateaugay (2008) is the only Section 10 team to win a state basketball title since play began in 1978. ... Coached by Ron Boyea.

   Coleman Catholic (12-10): Lost to Maple Grove 43-38 in the NYSPHSAA championship game last season in its first appearance in a final since 1984. ... Key players include 6-4 center Chris Chatelain, Ben Mesuda and point guard Donnie Timbrouck. ... Coleman Catholic was the No. 4 seed -- in a four-school tournament -- in the Section 9 playoffs but reeled in its fifth straight championship after ending the regular season on a five-game losing streak. Beat Livingston Manor 58-37 in the Section 9 championship game. ... Beat Biondi Center 50-45 in the quarterfinals by limited Dayvon Felder (23.2 ppg) to 10 points.

   Charles G. Finney (21-2): Losses were to Class AA Greece Athena by 11 and Class A Batavia by 3. Beat numerous larger schools throughout the year. ... Willing and able to play at a deliberate pace, but will turn the game into a track meet if necessary. ... Jamell Johnson, a senior guard, averages 23 ppg. Classmate Joe Drummond is the other key cog. He logged 22 points and 19 rebounds to beat Pine Valley 59-39 (including a 22-0 run in the first half) in the quarterfinals. ... Soph Dan Drummond has 10 points, 10 rebounds vs. Pine Valley for coach Joe Marchand. ... Team is the poster child for revamping sectional and state policies on classifications for private schools -- unreasonably shoved into Class D last year, allowed to slip down to D this year.

   The pick: I've had people tell me all season that Finney will win it, and I've been agreeable to the point that I'll go against my belief that fast guys slow down in back-to-backs but tall guys don't shrink. Falcons over New York Mills in a thriller.

Still to come

   I'll be back Friday to preview the Class AA and A tournaments, which get underway Saturday.