That number extended to six total teams from Section VI, but representatives Class AA Jamestown boys, Class B Salamanca boys, Class AAA Niagara Falls boys, Class B Southwestern girls, Class C Frewsburg girls and Class AAA Lancaster girls all suffered a similar fate, losing in the semifinals.

In the championship games, Jamestown’s opponent, Elmont Memorial from Section VIII, was the only team to defeat a Section VI school and go on and win the state title. The Spartans claimed the Class AA state championship with a 51-44 victory over Section III’s West Genesee, making it the program’s second title and first in Class AA.

Cassius Moore earned the Tournament Most Valuable Player honors from Elmont Memorial, while Jamestown’s Dominic Gonzalez, Elmont Memorial’s Osagie Ekhator, Our Lady of Lourdes’ Zach Hart, and West Genesee’s Jordan Cain and Sincere Smith were named to the Class AA All-Tournament team.

West Genesee’s Gary McLane received the Dr. Bob Kana Sportsmanship Award, while Jamestown senior Greg Brumagin was the Red & Green member recognized by NYSPHSAA for his sportsmanship.

Jamestown senior Greg Brumagin received the NYSPHSAA Sportsmanship Award. P-J photo by Steve Garvey

Jamestown’s 2022 semifinal opponent, Green Tech of Section II, which was the runner-up in Class AA that year, became the first Class AAA champion in boys when it defeated Section XI’s Bay Shore on Sunday 79-63. Niagara Falls’ squad was ousted by Bay Shore in the semifinals on Saturday 56-42.

Salamanca’s semifinal opponent, Marcellus of Section III, the top-seed coming into the tournament, was upset by Section II’s Stillwater in the championship game 59-50. Stillwater eliminated the Warriors in the 2022 Class B state semifinals and fell in the championship game, but on Friday the program claimed its first title since 1988 when it beat Section VIII’s Malverne 78-67.

Stillwater’s Jaxon Mueller was named the Class B Tournament MVP, while Salamanca’s Lucus Brown, Stillwater’s Lucas Lilac, Woodlands’ Sebastian Benitez, and Marcellus’ Will Burnett and Mitchell Donegan were named to the All-Tournament team.

Stillwater’s Kaelan Leak received the Dr. Bob Kana Sportsmanship Award, while Salamanca’s Jaxson Ross was the individual from Warriors to receive the NYSPHSAA Sportsmanship Award.

Traveling down the I-87 South from Glens Falls to Troy, Southwestern represented Section VI in Class B girls, but suffered a similar fate to Salamanca. Section II’s Albany Academy for Girls defeated Southwestern 73-32, but could not replicate that result on Saturday, falling to Section III’s Utica Notre Dame 55-51.

In Class C, Frewsburg’s semifinal against Section II’s Duanesburg was much closer, coming down to the wire, but the Bears ultimately fell 54-51. While Frewsburg couldn’t hit the buzzer-beating triple in its semifinal, Duanesburg did hit one against Section IV’s Moravia, but the Eagles needed a 4-point play as the Blue Devils held on for a 46-45 victory.

Saturday’s final capped a historic year for Moravia, claiming its first Section IV title and state championship.

Not only did the same section win the boys and girls Class C championship, but it was also the same school as the Moravia boys matched their female counterparts on Saturday evening with a victory over Section I’s Haldane 41-38.

This year’s Class C final was between both of Randolph’s opponents en route to its championship victory a year ago. The Cardinals defeated Moravia in the 2023 semifinals 50-43 and then held off Haldane in the title game 58-55.

Saturday’s loss is now the second consecutive defeat in the championship for Haldane, while Section X’s Hammond, the team to eliminate Panama in the Class D girls semifinals a year ago, has had the opposite luck. Hammond is the only school to repeat as champions in both boys and girls when it defeated Section II’s Northville 54-34 on Sunday morning.

Coming close to a repeat championship performance was Section I’s Walter Panas in girls, losing its title defense in Class A against Section II’s Catholic Central 64-62.

Then in boys, Avoca-Prattsburgh came up short of a three-peat in Class D boys when it lost in the semifinals to Section III’s Sackets Harbor 58-57. Section II’s North Warren then defeated Sackets Harbor 68-66 in the title game on Sunday morning.

Rounding out the champions in boys is the hometown team as Section II’s Glens Falls defeated Section V’s Wayne 50-37 for the Class A title.

Then in girls, the first ever Class AAA champion was Section IX’s Our Lady of Lourdes defeating Section III’s Liverpool 69-54. Our Lady of Lourdes defeated Section XI’s Walt Whitman 60-51 in the semifinals, while Liverpool crushed the Madison Francis-led Lancaster Legends 77-38 in the semifinals.

Section IX also won the Class AA title as Albertus Magnus defeated Section V’s Hilton 67-50 in Saturday’s championship game.