Curtis’ Ayo Adedapo could be a handful for Goldstein. (An Rong Xu)
NYPost.com’s PSAL girls basketball beat writer breaks down the Class A quarterfinals, set for Thursday at the home sites of higher seeds.
SCHEDULE
4:30 p.m. – No. 6 Bryant @ No. 3 Baruch College Campus
5 p.m. – No. 5 Brooklyn Collegiate @ No. 4 Tottenville
5 p.m. – No. 7 Curtis @ No. 2 Goldstein
5:30 p.m. – No. 1 Wings vs. No. 8 Bronx Science @ Mott Hall
No. 6 Bryant Owls
Head coach: Jimmy Exarhos
Record: 16-0
Player to watch: Yarmese Jones
No. 3 Baruch College Campus Blue Devils
Head coach: Jessenia Marrero
Record: 20-1
Player to watch: Ismeta Kolenovic
Outlook: Bryant has proven its detractors wrong, advancing to the final eight after an impressive win over New Dorp last week. The Owls are led by athletic point guard Yarmese Jones, who averages a triple double, and first-year senior Morniquie Murphy. Bryant could have a significant size advantage with Murphy, Jones, Patricia Badea and Diana Radoncic.
Baruch, like Bryant, is perennially underrated. The Blue Devils, who won the ‘A’ title two years ago, never look like much. They never have size and are never extremely athletic. But Marrero has proven herself to be a very good coach and her players will run through a brick wall for her. Ismeta Kolenovic and Destiny Freeman are the main holdovers from the title team and big games will be needed from each.
No. 4 Tottenville Pirates
Head coach: Cathy Morano
Record: 23-3
Player to watch: Victoria McFarland
No. 5 Brooklyn Collegiate Lions
Head coach: Juan Franco
Record: 22-7
Player to watch: Emonni Cropper
Outlook: Tottenville has quietly had a great season on Staten Island, but don’t cross the Verrazano Bridge enough to gain more notoriety. If the Pirates did, they might have been the top seed. Instead, they’ll get a very tough game against Brooklyn Collegiate in the quarterfinals. Tottenville cannot run with the Lions; it must be the disciplined, halfcourt team it has been all year. Victoria McFarland will need to come up big – she’s the only player on the team that can match the Brooklyn Collegiate players athletically.
The bad news for Tottenville is Emonni Cropper is finally getting her legs under her after missing most of the season with a knee injury. When Cropper is on, she’s one of the best – if not the best – player in the ‘A’ league. It isn’t just her either. Stephanie Portis has been doing it all year and Jasmine Jones and Victoria Thomas are warriors. Watch out for freshman Tajzhane Dopson as well. The spindly youngster can nail 3-pointers. Either way, Brooklyn Collegiate wants in the ‘AA’ next season – good for the Lions.
No. 2 Goldstein Dolphins
Head coach: Adrian Bucchalter
Record: 20-2
Player to watch: Brittany McDonough
No. 10 Curtis Warriors
Head coach: Lorna Gilly
Record: 17-8
Player to watch: Ayo Adedapo
Outlook: This game arguably could have been a semifinal or a final. Goldstein, last year’s ‘B’ champ, has all the tools to get upstate, led by sharpshooting point guard Brittany McDonough, hard-nosed senior Chrissy McKeever and pure scorer Nora Elbassiony. The Dolphins also have a bunch of players like Danielle Bonsignore and Danielle Natoli willing to do the dirty work. Coach Adrian Buchhalter loves to press and run out zones all day.
This is a tough matchup for Curtis this early on, but the seeding was skewed. The Warriors have one of the most underrated seniors in the city in Ayo Adedapo, a tough, strong combo guard who does a little bit of everything. Dana Gildea can shoot the lights out and Danielle Santucci has been brolic on the boards this season. If Veronica Chea can shoot the way she did in the second round, it could be a long night for Goldstein.
No. 1 Wings Academy Wings
Head coach: Juan Gonzalez
Record: 22-2
Player to watch: Aquillin Hayes
No. 8 Bronx Science Wolverines
Head coach: Bob Gregory
Record: 19-2
Player to watch: Christine Pavia
Outlook: Wings already owns a 22-point win over its borough rival this season and coach Juan Gonzalez’ team will go into this game as the biggest favorite in the quarterfinals. That shouldn’t be a surprise since the Wings are the top seed and have the most talent, on paper, in the ‘A’ league. Guard Aquillin Hayes has Division I interest and 6-foot-2 forward Rykema Stone is heading to New Haven. Wings is long, athletic and deep. It could have been a ‘AA’ contender this season.
Bronx Science is playing winning basketball now, as a wild win over Taft in the first round and a solid performance against Brooklyn Tech in the second round would attest. It has beaten athletic teams before, like Hillcrest in the PSAL ‘A’ Girls Basketball Showcase. But Wings is a different animal. The Wolverines are going to need to run their offense to perfection and Christine Pavia will need a big day. A few 3-pointers wouldn’t hurt.
