Section II vote will put ND-BG in Class AA

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

The Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons boys’ basketball program is expected to be elevated from Class A to Class AA for the 2009-10 season, following a vote by the Section II classification committee.

The vote by the nine-member committee, which consists of one representative from each Section II league, was postponed Wednesday due to the snowstorm that hit the Capital Region, and will tentatively take place Feb. 11.

The Section II boys’ basketball committee recommended Bishop Gibbons’ move up in class.

“The basketball committee felt the private schools have an advantage over the public schools with transfers coming in,” said Section II boys’ basketball chairman Mike Lilac.

During the 2007-08 school year, the Section II boys’ basketball committee recommended that Bishop Gibbons and Albany Academy be moved from Class A to Class AA. The Section II classification committee chose only to elevate Albany Academy.

“We recommended both Bishop Gibbons and Albany Academy be moved up last year, and voted for Bishop Gibbons to go up again this year,” said Lilac.

Should the vote go through, all five private schools in the Big 10 — Bishop Gibbons, Christian Brothers Academy, Catholic Central, LaSalle, Bishop Maginn — will be playing at the Class AA level in 2009-10.

“I talked to the athletic director [at Bishop Gibbons], and they are not going to appeal moving up,” Lilac said.

Bishop Gibbons won the Section II Class A championship last season, and with standout senior Brian Hamor leading the effort, is expected to be among the contenders for the top prize again at the upcoming tournament.

Bishop Gibbons defeated Albany Academy in the sectional final last season. Prior to that victory, Bishop Gibbons hadn’t won a sectional title since 1994 (Class B).

Pats seek perfection

The Schenectady girls’ basketball team is four wins away from a perfect Big 10 season. The Patriots, 8-0 in the league and 15-1 overall, begin their stretch run tonight at home against Bishop Maginn and Tuesday at home against Amsterdam. Schenectady finishes up at Albany — a team it has beaten three times — and home against Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons.

“They’re all motivated to beat us,” said Schenectady coach Carol Lupo, whose team is ranked No. 12 in the state in Class AA. “We have to be able to handle the pressure and stress people are putting on us.”

Amsterdam went 12-0 in winning each of the last two Big 10 titles. Schenectady rallied from a 17-point deficit and defeated Amsterdam in overtime, 93-92, on Dec. 19 as part of its seven-game winning streak.

Paul reaches 1,000

Northville senior forward Chelsea Paul reached the career 1,000-point mark last week with 18 in a 63-43 non-league loss to Cobleskill-Richmondville.

Paul hit a three-point basket to end the second quarter, boosting her career scoring total to 999, and nailed another three-pointer 11 seconds into the third period to reach to milestone. She joined Heidi Gifford (1,546), Lisa Bailey (1,340) and Jill Gifford (1,194) as Northville’s 1,000-point scorers.

Paul, who upped her career points total to 1,004, also blocked nine shots and took down seven rebounds.

Shen swimmers repeat

Shenendehowa won its second straight team title at the Eastern States/Long Island Invitational Saturday, with Sean Parnett, Shayne Buckley, Troy Nichols and Jake Johnson joining for a victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay to cap the Plainsmen’s performance.

Shenendehowa used its team triumph at the Nassau County Aquatics Center last season as a springboard toward the Section II large-school championship, and the Plainsmen followed that up with the team title at the state meet.

Buckley was first and teammate Mike Bidwell was second in the 200 individual medley Saturday, Johnson took first and second in the 100 free and 50 free, respectively, and Nichols was second in the 500 free.

Frankie Dyer of Shaker placed first in both the 50 free and 500 free, Ian Hogan of Ballston Spa was the highest-scoring diver, Mike Dugan of Mohonasen/Schalmont placed second in the 100 butterfly and Steve Maxwell of Shaker was second in the 100 butterfly.

Soccer players commit

Senior forward Trey Jasenski, who had 25 goals and nine assists for Mohonasen’s first-time state semifinalist soccer team, will continue his athletic and academic career at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Jasenski was selected the Section II Class A Player of the Year, and earned a spot on the all-state first team.

Standouts Kyle Roney of Middleburgh and Tom Klim of Bethlehem have committed to Binghamton, Pat Ryan of Columbia is headed to Virginia Tech and Joe Miner of Shenendehowa will play at Siena.

Phillips honored

Fort Plain baseball coach Craig Phillips was recently honored at the American Baseball Coaches Association national convention in San Diego for his selection as the 2008 Region I Small School Coach of the Year.

Region I includes New York and New England.

Phillips guided his Hilltoppers to their 20th league, seventh Section II and fourth regional championship last spring before losing in the state semifinals. His team won 26 games, and in 2007, the Hilltoppers won a school-record 27 en route to the state Class C championship.

Phillips is Section II’s all-time victory leader with a 598-189 record. He is fifth on the New York state all-time wins list.

Shenendehowa coach Jim Carrese was the featured speaker at the ABCA event. Carrese was named the organization’s Region I Large School Coach of the Year in 2005.

Here and There

– Albany Academy junior guard Jamel Fields — who recently made a verbal commitment to Fairfield University — was tabbed the Coaches vs. Cancer High School Challenge most valuable player after collecting 23 points and 11 rebounds in the Cadets’ 66-62 win over Newburgh Free Academy last weekend at the Times Union Center.

– Academy’s Chris Pelcher was named to the all-tournament team after the Iona-bound senior center registered 20 points and nine rebounds. Bishop Maginn junior guard Taran Buie was another all-tourney pick after his 21-point effort in a 61-56 overtime loss to Boys and Girls. Pelcher, schoolmate Tyler Foster, Jordan Stevens of Saratoga Springs and Mariah Stewart of Bishop Maginn have been nominated for McDonald’s All-America teams. The McDonald’s All-America games will take place April 1 at the University of Miami.