The Lohud Girls Basketball Blog

Now that all the favorites won out in the Slam Dunk semifinals, we have the dream matchups that we want. It doesn’t get much better than Ossining-Peekskill and Irvington-Briarcliff. So how about some predictions?

Ossining is No. 1 in my power rankings. Peekskill is No. 2. This will determine No. 1 for at least the next few weeks.

Peekskill is incredibly deep and balanced. Everyone plays smart and everyone plays D. Ossining is young but has one transcendent player. Who wins, the superstar or the super team? Ossining beat Peekskill twice last year but in one game the Red Devils had a 17-point lead.

I asked Jazmin Garcia and Tasia Nolan what they planned to do about Saniya Chong if they faced her at Slam Dunk. They said they could hold her to half her season average if they played their regular defense. That would be 16 points. Having watched her score 40 in 27 minutes vs Baldwin, all I can say is, good luck.

Irvington and Briarcliff are also Top 10 teams despite being in Class B. Barring an upset in February this will most likely be the Class B championship. I’m glad we get a look in December.

If either team wins a close one it won’t have many long term implications. A six-point game could easily go the other way next time. But I’m curious to see if either one wins by 15-plus. If someone’s going to you figure it’d be Irvington, which has looked fantastic at times. But I expect Briarcliff to keep it reasonable.

I’m still under the weather and unfortunately won’t be there to watch these great games, but Josh Thomson and Rick Carpiniello will have it handled.

If you want bragging rights, throw up a prediction in the comments section. I’ll give it a shot.

Championship predictions
Ossining 61, Peekskill 55
Irvington 59, Briarcliff 48

Consolation predictions
Mount Vernon 56, Baldwin 54
White Plains 48, Kennedy 33