Basketball: Playoff brackets released, Riverhead girls No. 3
Section XI unveiled the 2012 basketball playoff brackets Thursday morning. Here are a breakdown of the matchups for local teams.
Girls Basketball
Class AA
Monday, 5 p.m.: No. 3 Riverhead (17-1) vs. No. 19 East Islip (10-8) or No. 14 Patchogue-Medford (9-6)
Riding a 17-game winning streak, the Blue Waves will wait for Friday’s outbracket game between the Redmen and Raiders to find out which team they will play in the opening round of the Class AA playoffs. The Blue Waves received a favorable seed in No. 3, which allows them to bypass No. 1 Sachem East until the county finals.
The Blue Waves have the opportunity to play two home games. The semifinals and finals would then switch to Farmingdale State College.
The Blue Waves beat East Islip twice in league play this season. They did not face Patchogue-Medford, a League I school.
If the Blue Waves advance to the quarterfinals they would face either No. 6 Ward Melville or No. 11 Kings Park. Lindenhurst is the No. 2 seed.
Class A
Saturday, 4 p.m.: No. 4 Shoreham-Wading River (11-7) vs. No. 5 Islip (11-7)
The Wildcats earned a home playoff game, the first of a doubleheader at SWR High School Saturday with the boys. The Wildcats closed out the season by winning four of five. The one loss came against John Glenn, the No. 1 seed in the bracket. The Knights have a bye into the semifinals, so if the Wildcats win they will travel to Glenn Wednesday.
Shoreham did not play Islip in the regular season.
Boys Basketball
Class AA
Friday, 5 p.m.: No. 19 Riverhead (8-10) at No. 14 West Babylon (10-8)
The Riverhead boys just squeaked into the playoffs after winning their final game of the regular season Tuesday at Centereach. The Blue Waves will play an outbracket game at West Babylon, a team that played in the county finals last year against Half Hollow Hills West. The Blue Waves will need a win to move and play the No. 3 seed, Deer Park Saturday.
Class A
Saturday, 6:30 p.m.: No. 4 Shoreham-Wading River (11-7) vs. No. 5 East Hampton (8-9)
The Wildcats will face the Bonackers for the third time this season as the rekindle their league rivalry. The teams played Feb. 7 and the Wildcats won in a blowout, 76-34. The first matchup in early January was much closer and the Bonackers won by a point.
The Wildcats have been on a tremendous roll, winning six straight games to close out the league season. If the Wildcats win they would advance to play No. 1 Harborfields, one of the top teams on Long Island. That game would be 5 p.m. Tuesday.
