Who are the best teams in Section 1?
That will be decided between the lines over the next couple of weeks, but we can speculate. Here’s a quick breakdown of each bracket from lohud boys basketball writer Mike Dougherty.
If you like pace, follow Class AAA where all of the contenders play best when the game is fast and furious. If you’re into playoff upsets, keep an eye on Class AA where several capable dark horses are lurking. If you believe defense wins championships, watch Class A where four teams have a habit of scrambling opponents.
Enjoy the show.
Class AAA
Best early-round matchup: No. 5 New Rochelle at No. 4 Arlington
The upset-minded team nobody wants to play: No. 3 North Rockland
Easiest draw: No. 1 Mamaroneck
Tough luck draw: No. 2 Mount Vernon
Potential bracket breaker: No. 5 New Rochelle
Tournament MVP candidates: Brandon Burrell, Sr., PG, Mamaroneck; Ehan Ilyas, Sr., G, North Rockland; Will Plunkett, Sr., F, Mamaroneck; Aaron Rodriguez, Sr., PG, North Rockland; Byrce Seward, Jr., G, New Rochelle; Kaiden Tyler, Jr., PG, Mount Vernon; Zion Watkins, Sr., G, Mount Vernon.
Who’s going to the County Center: No. 1 Mamaroneck; No. 2 Mount Vernon; No. 3 North Rockland; No. 5 New Rochelle.
And the winner is: Mamaroneck has been the best team in Section 1 from the jump, but we’ve seen the Tigers come unglued in the semifinals in 2024 and 2025. So what’s different? Burrell and Plunkett are seniors and legacy talents who are tired of hearing about what this program hasn’t done.
Class AA
Best early-round matchup: No. 10 Harrison at No. 7 Mahopac
The upset-minded team nobody wants to play: No. 7 Mahopac
Easiest draw: No. 2 Yorktown
Tough luck draw: No. 5 Rye
Potential bracket breaker: No. 6 Poughkeepsie
Tournament MVP candidates: Rotimi Esiso, Sr., F, Clarkstown North; Carson Miller, Sr., G, Rye; Connor Morhardt, Sr., G, Yorktown; Jake Pampolina, Sr., G, Suffern; Jake Sheehy, Sr., F, Greeley; Henry Shoemaker, Sr., F, Rye; Paul Velez, Sr., G, Suffern; Colin Worden, Sr., PG, Yorktown.
Who’s going to the County Center: No. 1 Suffern; No. 5 Rye; No. 2 Yorktown; No. 3 Clarkstown North.
And the winner is: Suffern is the one team in a very deep field with a balanced lineup. Pampolina is the only starter who has to fill up the scorebook each game and he’s excelled under that pressure. And players like Arthur Mpesha, Kobe Thornton, Jaiden Clemente and Velez are the best supporting cast a record-setter could ask for.
Class A
Best early-round matchup: No. 10 Bronxville at No. 7 Pleasantville
The upset-minded team nobody wants to play: No. 5 Nanuet
Easiest draw: No. 2 Byram Hills
Tough luck draw: No. 4 Westlake
Potential bracket breaker: No. 11 Albertus Magnus
Tournament MVP candidates: Boris Berthomieus, Sr., G, Nanuet; Ryan Houston, Jr., PG, Pearl River; Marcus Jackette, Sr., G, Westlake; Kevin Kendall, Sr., G, Byram Hills; Isaiah Leveille, Sr., F, Tappan Zee; Brendan Orr, Jr., F, Pearl River; Jack Piccione, Sr., PG, Tappan Zee; Ben Wolf, Jr., F, Byram Hills.
Who’s going to the County Center: No. 1 Tappan Zee; No. 5 Nanuet; No. 2 Byram Hills; No. 3 Pearl River.
And the winner is: Tappan Zee reshuffled this season but has more than enough playoff experience. The Dutchmen control the pace of play better than any team in the section and force opponents to set up outside their well-scouted comfort zones.
Class B
Best early-round matchup: No. 10 Haldane at No. 7 Putnam Valley
The upset-minded team nobody wants to play: No. 3 Hastings
Easiest draw: No. 1 Woodlands
Tough luck draw: No. 2 Dobbs Ferry
Potential bracket breaker: No. 7 Putnam Valley
Tournament MVP candidates: Sebastian Benitez, Sr., F, Woodlands; Anthony Ficarrotta, Sr., G, Dobbs Ferry; Dylan Heilakka, Sr., G, Hastings; Sean McKenney, Sr., F, Woodlands; Davey Ryan, Sr., F, Rye Neck; Tyler Taerstein, Sr., F, Blind Brook; Aaron Woodberry, Sr., PG, Woodlands.
Who’s going to the County Center: No. 1 Woodlands; No. 5 Blind Brook; No. 2 Dobbs Ferry; No. 3 Hastings.
And the winner is: Woodlands is buckets ahead of the competition here. The contenders have all celebrated some impressive wins, but none of them have played with the kind of consistency needed to win a gold ball. The Falcons, though, are not as good as they were a year ago and have to play like a team with something to prove.
Class C
There are only three teams in the Class C bracket and only Tuckahoe and North Salem have been competitive this season.
Tournament MVP candidates: Jack Bamford, Sr., C, Tuckahoe; Bryce Bryant, So., G, North Salem; Max Cotrone, Sr., G, North Salem; Luca Del Conte, Jr., F, Tuckahoe.
Who’s going to the County Center: No. 1 Tuckahoe; No. 4 Keio; No. 3 Children’s Village; No. 2 North Salem.
And the winner is: Tuckahoe came back with all kinds of talent and experience, then struggled to climb above .500. It’s the schedule. The Tigers essentially played up and the dividends came late in the season with wins over quality teams like North Salem and Hastings.
Class D
Greenburgh/North Castle is the lone Section 1 team in Class D.
Mike Dougherty covers high school basketball for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Breaking down the Section 1 boys basketball tournament brackets
Reporting by Mike Dougherty, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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