Another conference where the favorite is clear and the contenders aren’t.

Here’s how I see Class B as we enter the season this weekend:

CLASS B
Early favorite: Briarcliff. No shock here. The defending sectional champs return the three best players in the conference—Joe Lombardi, Alex Gulotta and Kyle Beechum—as well as their sixth man, Garth Muratori. Muratori is a great rebounder and defender, Henry Damato gives the Bears the defensive presence in the backcourt who can also handle the ball.
Top contender: Croton-Harmon. The Tigers are so good in the backcourt with Frank DiMaggio and Ryan Sawyer, who played very well in the Empire State Games. Brandon Sileck is about to come into his own as a scorer, and Nick Mainiero will be a factor.
Don’t forget about: Irvington. The Bulldogs have a talented duo in Nick Nedwick and Brittain Purcelle, who’ll combine to averaged over 40 points per game this season. You can’t stop just one of them and expect to win. Irvington bottomed out a little last season after a promising start. The league schedule got to them and could an impact again.
This year’s Nanuet: Albertus Magnus. It will be tough for any team to duplicate what Nanuet did last season but the Falcons have the pieces. They bring back their top three scorers and were dominated by underclassmen last season, led by Flynn McFadden and Pat Fuchs.
Sleeper: Lincoln Hall. Sir Aaron Taylor really came on strong in the second half last season and will be extremely tough for any opponent to matchup with because of his physicality. Lincoln Hall always is a team that improves as the year goes on, so don’t blow the United off if they’re 2-4 at the break.
Super sleeper: Dobbs Ferry. It’s unfair to call Dobbs a ‘Super sleeper’ but I want to get the Eagles in here somewhere. If they were still in Class C, they’d be a clear favorite to win it all. Trevor Saunders and Brandon Brailsford are a solid duo coming over from football. Kevin Dahill and Erik Gormley have really developed.
Team that will improve most by January: Woodlands. Because the Falcons always do. Even with just one player back from last year’s roster, Taj Everly, Woodlands will be a factor, either upsetting somebody in the first round of the playoffs or beating a heavyweight. It’s an annual event.
Going to the County Center: Briarcliff, Lincoln Hall, Croton-Harmon and Dobbs Ferry.
Championship: Briarcliff over Lincoln Hall.

Three bold predictions for the season
1. Briarcliff will lose one game to a Class B opponent.
2. Woodlands will get past the first round of sectionals
3. North Salem will win 15 games and be a Top 5 seed

Preseason all-stars
First team
G: Alex Gulotta, Briarcliff
G: Ryan Sawyer, Croton-Harmon
F: Joe Lombardi, Briarcliff
F: Kyle Beechum, Briarcliff
F: Taj Everly, Woodlands

Second team
G: Trevor Saunders, Dobbs Ferry
G: Brittain Purcelle, Irvington
F: Sir Aaron Taylor, Lincoln Hall
F: Garth Muratori, Briarcliff
F: Marc Miller, North Salem

Breakout team
G: Henry Damato, Briarcliff
G: Flynn McFadden, Albertus Magnus
F: James Dondero, Pleasantville
F: David de la Torre, Bronxville
F: Kevin Dahill, Dobbs Ferry

Continuing out sneak-peek at the basketball season, let’s check out what I believe will be the best conference in Section 1 this season.

CLASS A
Early favorite: Peekskill. The three-time defending state champs have the best team in school history. There, I said it. It’s too early to put these Red Devils in the pantheon of the greats. They have to win it all first, like they did the last two years. But with Mookie Jones, Elliot Watson, and Dequan Brickhouse, and now Ralph Watts in the fold, this team is about as unbeatable by another Class A team as I’ve ever seen.
Top contender: Port Chester. The Rams and Peekskill have met at County Center the last two years and should clash for a third. Six-foot-11 center Jordan Henriquez is getting serious Division I interest. I heard Memphis was recently there to watch him and was impressed. Kafele Carty and Shakeem King return to the frontcourt and Lou Larizza, their sharpshooting guard, is back as well.
Don’t forget about: Spring Valley. The program turns its roster over consistently and always contends. The way that they lost last season, getting upset by Pelham in the quarterfinals, was disappointing. But with the schedule they play—Peekskill and Rice in December—this is a team that’s going to get beat up early and prosper late.
This year’s Pelham: Eastchester. A surprise team that could get in the mix this season could be Eastchester. The Eagles were young last season and nearly upset Spring Valley at home in the first round of the playoffs. Mickey Abbatiello has developed into a steady 20-ppg scorer and Josh Rouse and Aaron Sokol each started last season. A predominantly Class B schedule will help.
Sleeper: Tappan Zee. Always one of the toughest teams to face after the break, the Dutchmen have a nucleus of players back led by Brian Connelly and Ryan Sheridan. This team nearly knocked off Lakeland in last year’s Class A quarterfinal and should get at least that far again.
Super sleeper: Nyack. It’s weird to call the Indians a sleeper. But coming off a rough 3-16 season and the retirement of coach Gary Gray. They were ravaged by injuries and inexperience last season. But they’ve got Brian Jones, Rockland’s best player, back. He alone will put Nyack in the mix.
Team that will improve most by January: Pelham. Losing four starters, including star guard Mark Courtien, will be difficult. But Greg Bratone is improving by the minute and is a polished inside player. Harry Highland, a 6-6 newcomer, will surprise people, as will guard Garrett Johnson, who was injured last last season.
Going to the County Center: Peekskill, Port Chester, Byram Hills, Spring Valley
Championship: Peekskill over Port Chester

Three bold predictions for the season
1. Peekskill will win the Slam Dunk tournament
2. With so much parity, no team other than Peekskill will win 15 games in the regular season
3. Kennedy and/or Tappan Zee will ruin my predictions and reach the County Center

Preseason all-stars
First team
G: Ralph Watts, Peekskill
G: Mookie Jones, Peekskill
F: Elliot Watson, Peekskill
F: Brian Jones, Nyack
F: Jordan Henriquez, Port Chester

Second team
G: Jamal Little, Spring Valley
G: Eddie McGuinness, Pearl River
F: Eddie O’Connell, Kennedy
F: Jason Mendell, Byram Hills
F: Kafele Carty, Port Chester

Breakout team
G: Adam Mayer, Hen Hud
G: Jamel Lyde, Sleepy Hollow
G: Brian Connolly, Tappan Zee
F: Josh Rouse, Eastchester
F: Greg Bratone, Pelham

Many of you basketball folks are trying to push the good football people out. Sorry, but it’s not going to be that way.

We’ll be easing into basketball this weekend, breaking down each conference. Let’s start at the top:

CLASS AA
Early favorite: Mount Vernon. Real shocker here. The Knights have arguably the best player in the area in 6-8 forward Kevin Jones, who’s part of easily the best tandem around with junior forward Sherrod Wright. Add into two other returning starters in point guard Ketema Brooks and forward Odayne Clarke; plus another regular in Jordan Lessane and the area’s best freshman in Jabarie Hinds, and another sectional title should be coming.
Top contender: White Plains. A Mount Vernon-White Plains repeat in the final seems almost inevitable. Sean Kilpatrick and Rashad James, with this athleticism and versatility, will be a near-impossible matchup for any team in the conference outside of Mount Vernon. The Tigers have good, but inexperienced, post players in Sean Brooks (6-0), Cody Martin (6-4) and Darrell Ward (6-6).
Don’t forget about: Poughkeepsie. I thought about putting Ossining here, with the return of Jeff Ward and the addition of Myles Thomas. But the Pioneers are going to rack up victories in their league and be one of the top four seeds in the Class AA playoffs. Assuming there’s been no significant changes to the roster, Moquan Dickens and Antonio Williams (16.4 ppg) are back.
This year’s Horace Greeley: Scarsdale. If any team can duplicate Greeley’s unexpected rise in the conference from last year, it’s Scarsdale. The Raiders played Stepinac tough in a scrimmage last week and have the guards to contend with anyone. David Zaitz has come into his own as a star. With nine returning seniors, this is a team that has the potential to be a scary matchup come February.
Sleeper: John Jay. It’s hard to call this team a ‘sleeper’ when it has Kevin Drew, who had a stellar summer playing alongside Mookie and Kevin Jones with the Westchester Hawks. Drew, a 6-3 lacrosse star who is hoping to walk-on at Syracuse next season, is a phenomenal scorer, and has a quality shooter in Anthony Iacomini to take some of the pressure off. In a wide-open league, the Indians have a chance at winning 14 games.
Super sleeper: Mamaroneck. The Tigers are young but experienced with juniors Taylor Mondshein and Gabe Yizar returning to the backcourt, and a nice newcomer in 6-4 Chris Valentin, a transfer from the Bronx. They’re in a brutal league with Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle and Scarsdale. But they sure won’t be a pushover in the postseason.
Team that will improve most by January: Lincoln. There’s some good young talent on that roster and the Lancers seem to go through 2-3 year cycles where they can contend.
Going to the County Center: Mount Vernon, White Plains, Poughkeepsie and New Rochelle
Championship: Mount Vernon over White Plains.

Three bold prediction for the season:
1. Kevin Jones will be averaging 30 points per game at some point during the month of January
2. Scarsdale and New Rochelle will split their regular season meetings
3. North Rockland will repeat as league champs

Preseason all-stars
First team
G: Sean Kilpatrick, White Plains
G: Rashad James, White Plains
F: Sherrod Wright, Mount Vernon
F: Antonio Williams, Poughkeepsie
F: Kevin Jones, Mount Vernon

Second team
G: Ketema Brooks, Mount Vernon
G: Markell Rice, New Rochelle
F: Kevin Drew, John Jay
F: David Zaitz, Scarsdale
F: Odayne Clarke, Mount Vernon

Breakout team
G: Jabarie Hinds, Mount Vernon
G: Taylor Mondshein, Mamaroneck
F: Dustin Hogue, Lincoln
F: Sean Brooks, White Plains
F: Ryan Markley, Yorktown