Jefferson High School (13-1) has made it to and lost in the city finals during each of the last three years. The team is hoping that this year will finally be the year of the Orange Wave. It has an easy bracket which should help, but it could have to go through Wings Academy (17-0) in the semis and Lincoln High School (13-1) in the finals to finally win.

Meanwhile, Lincoln is once again a very serious competitor for the crown. It won’t have an easy path, though, as it will likely have to face Boys and Girls High School (8-6) in the quarterfinals and Cardozo (16-0) in the semis to even get back to the Garden.

PUBLIC SCHOOL BOYS A and B
The top teams out of the A division from Brooklyn are Bedford Academy (14-0), seeded third, and Lafayette Campus (14-0), seeded fourth. Both should go deep into the playoffs — and don’t be surprised to see Bedford Academy in the final. It is a powerhouse in that division that could even compete in AA if it were promoted.

Eagle Academy, another team that could be playing in a level up, is the top seed in the B division after it went a perfect 18-0 this season. It seems doubtful that it will face a serious threat until the semifinals.

PUBLIC SCHOOL GIRLS AA

Will this finally be the year for South Shore (14-1)? Anwar Gladden’s team has lost in the final the last two years and three of the last four. The team will have to beat Francis Lewis (13-3), who defeated it in the finals last year, and Bergtraum (15-1), who beat it the previous two times, to finally win the chip.

Grand Street Campus (10-5) could also surprise people behind a seriously talented roster that includes Shanique Edwards. Typically it has been very tough for any team not named Bergtraum to win the AA, but this year seems more wide open than most years.

PUBLIC SCHOOL GIRLS A and B

Brooklyn’s best chance to take the A division is Canarsie High School (16-0). The Chiefs finished this season 16-0 and looked tough to beat in loses against AA opponents Midwood (10-5) and Medgar Evers Prep (4-11).

Brooklyn has two good chances in the B division as both Millennium High School (15-1) and Brooklyn Community Arts and Media (BCAM) High School (11-3) are coming off great seasons.

CATHOLIC BOYS AA

Xaverian (11-5) are the favorites to win the Catholic High School Athletic Association AA championship out of Brooklyn. The Clippers have some stiff competition, but they already managed to beat Christ the King and Iona Prep, two of its toughest opponents in the playoffs. It has also lost to Cardinal Hayes and St. Raymond so it is possible that any of the top four or five teams could end up crowned champions.

Loughlin (5-11) is also involved, but with such a young team, it will be tough for the Lions to make it out of the semis.

CATHOLIC GIRLS I
Bishop Loughlin is a bit on the young side, but it still managed to put together a tremendous season with a 15-4 record. The problem with having a young team is that it can be inconsistent.  This was shown as the team beat and lost to both Christ the King and Molloy — its two main rivals this season.

Nazareth (5-15) certainly has the talent to make noise in the playoffs, but it has not shown the ability to play to the sum of its parts. The question is whether or not the Lady Kingsmen can finally find the chemistry in the playoffs that it lacked all year.

CATHOLIC GIRLS II

St. Edmund (11-1) was on its way to a perfect season until Bishop Kearney (9-3) beat it during the final game of the year. It’s likely going to come down to those same two teams again. With the two teams so closely matched, it will come down to who wants it more. 

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