New York State boys basketball rankings were just released.
Local teams making the cut are listed below.

AA
7. Bishop Maginn
14. CBA

A
13. Albany Academy

B
14. Ichabod Crane
20 (tie) Fonda-Fultonville

C
2. Schenectady Christian
8. Cambridge
19. Rensselaer

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Notable about this week's rankings: After losing to Mohonasen at the Kirvin Cup, Bishop Gibbons dropped out of the A rankings.

Rankings could shake up after Maginn plays number 15 White Plains and Albany Academy plays number 1 Peekskill on Sunday, January 20th at Siena College. It is a Coaches vs. Cancer event and games times are 4 and 6 p.m.

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Friday's best bets.
Jody Rogalo, Lansingburgh's senior forward, is a Watervliet transfer (Photo - JS Carras, The Record)

7th Ave in Lansingburgh is the place to be on Friday the 4th.
Watervliet crosses the Hudson to take on Lansingburgh in a critical Colonial Council matchup.
A few blocks north, Bishop Gibbons takes on CCHS in another game with playoff implications.

I have a feeling that of these four teams, the two that win will make a run in their respective conferences.

Watervliet got a test in their tournament with Broadalbin-Perth and Cambridge, and held their own against the Indians in a loss. On the other hand, 'Burgh has a talented team that could easily be 6-0, right next to Academy, if it weren't for two last-second heart breakers to Voorheesville and Mechanicville.

The CCHS/Gibbons game could come down to the last minute or either team could win by double-digits. Both have been streaky and I honestly have no predicition on that one.

In the Suburban, Guilderland travels to Saratoga and Averill Park heads to Mohonasen.
Cohoes faces a must-win against Voorheesville if they want to stay with the pack in the crowded Colonial.
Further out, Tamarac heads to Cambridge to take on Shea Bromirski and the 8th ranked Indians.

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If you have any gripes with my picks or feel there is something else I should be covering, email me at troyrecordsports AT gmail DOT com.
If you include your name (full first and last initial) and hometown, I will run a best-of mailbag post every few days.

I'm interested in your opinions about how these crowded conferences (except the top dog) like the Big 10 and the Colonial will shake out over the next month and a half. Predictions and prognostications welcome.

- Will Montgomery