It's time revisit the Girls Basketball leagues and conferences and see where we stand with just a couple weeks to go before sectionals. Let's crown some league champions. Without further adieu, the State of the Section.
Girls CHVL
With Waterford dispatching Heatly last night this league is officially wrapped up. Waterford has had an outstanding season within the CHVL and you can't take that away from them, but the question remains how they will fare against the larger C schools from the Wasaren, WAC, Colonial and Adirondack. It really is one of the more competitive brackets in the whole section and though I don't believe Waterford will come out on top, they are the CHVL's best chance for a sectional title. Heatly has an outside shot in the D bracket, but Fort Edward has been doing to the Adirondack League what Waterford has been doing to the CHVL.
Girls Adirondack
I'm looking forward to the rematch of Fort Edward and Fort Ann to see if the gap has closed any. Fort Ann played Argyle really well and Argyle played Fort Edward well, but Fort Edward blew the doors off Fort Ann the first time. I've been noticing a lot of scores varying a great deal from the first time teams played so we'll see if it can happen again. That game will decide the East, while Lake George is in control in the West. Their three losses were to the top three teams in the East so they should be in good shape to take the West crown. All three of the East teams will be competing for the D sectional title against Heatly from the CHVL, while Lake George is the Adirondack's best chance to navigate it's way through the C bracket.
Girls WAC
Berne-Knox and Fort Plain have already clinched their respective divisions in the WAC and I'm interested to see how they compete against each other. It will be another indication of how the C bracket may turn out. As you might imagine, they are also the biggest contenders for sectionals from the WAC.
Girls Wasaren
Hoosic Valley and Tamarac are currently tied atop the standings with a loss apiece, each to each other and I don't see this changing (unless we can get them to play again). Hoosick Falls is holding up the second spot, but having to get through Hoosic Valley in sectionals mostly eliminates them from contention. Both Hoosic Valley and Tamarac could be #1 seeds when the committee puts out the brackets and both are legitimate threats to take the crown.
Girls Patroon
Maple Hill just clinched the Patroon title last night beating Taconic Hills so even if they have their consecutive league win streak broken, they still hold the crown. Everyone can now start looking to sectionals where I've failed to even mention Maple Hill in the C bracket thus far. Did I forget to mention their only loss was to Mohonasen and they've already beaten Berne-Knox? Taconic Hills is also a threat in the B bracket and I expect them to put up a fight before bowing out.
Girls Colonial
Holy Names and Watervliet have each clinched their respective divisions. The rest of the year will be a warm up for sectionals. The Colonial Council is interesting because they have A's, B's and C's and contenders in each bracket. Holy Names will be a #1 or #2 seed, same thing for Watervliet. Mechanicville is the best C, but it's a tough road for them in that bracket as they'll probably be on the road in the first and second rounds.
Girls Independent
Albany Leadership only has two wins on the season and they won't be a threat in sectionals, but I again want to thank them for playing Section 2 teams. At least we know where they stand.
Girls Foothills
There are currently five teams with 4 losses in the league. This thing is still way up in the air. The one qualifier is that Queensbury's loss to Glens Falls was in non-league action during a holiday tournament so technically they only have 3 league losses. They are also the only team to have won all of the games they have played against the teams remaining on their schedule. The second qualifier is that those wins were by an average of 3 points. I'm not counting anyone out at this point to take the league title. Unfortunately that parity probably means none of them are overwhelming threats to win sectionals especially given their competition once the tournament starts.
Girls Big 10
Albany hasn't clinched yet, but chances are pretty good they will, but it won't be a cake walk. They beat Troy handily without their top scorer and will meet in the last game of the season with, presumably, the title or a share of the title on the line. They also have to get through Catholic Central who is currently in third. It doesn't seem likely they will lose both of these games let alone one, but even if they did, Amsterdam is their other remaining game and they won that meeting by 50 the first time around, so they are at the very least the #2 in the Big 10. Either way, Albany is the best shot the Big 10 has at dethroning the Suburban from sectional dominance. I've seen some top 5's with Holy Names ahead of Troy, but I have to think a 2 or 3 loss Big 10 school whose only losses are to the top two AA schools (one of which was only by 2 points) is better or at least equal to an undefeated Colonial team. I think these two will meet in the final and it will be a great game.
Girls Suburban
No disrespecting Averill Park with that last comment as they are currently tied with Colonie for second in the Suburban South and the biggest and legitimate threat to Troy and Holy Names. In the AA's no one has clinched yet, but Shaker and Bethlehem have solid leads with Shen and Colonie trailing respectively. You would have to see a tremendous meltdown and/or a fantastic run from someone to change the standings at this point. That also isn't to say that the second place teams are out of the sectional running either. They are all extremely competitive and it's another packed bracket with up to 6 teams that could potentially make a run.
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