Averill Park forwards Katie Hawes, Bridget Carney and Molly Streb will have their hands full with Greece-Arcadia's pair of 6-footers during Friday's New York State Class A semifinal at Hudson Valley Community College. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Averill Park senior Katie Hawes and sophomore Brooke O'Shea will share defensive duties on 6-foot-tall Arcadia forwards Jessica Sexton and Shy Britton, who combined to average nearly 31.3 points and 20 rebounds per game.

"It’s interesting," Averill Park head coach Sean Organ said. "They have some height like Shaker and they have some good guard play like Colonie. I guess that’s the best analogy we can give."

Greece-Arcadia needed overtime to top Grand Island in the western regional final, 62-53. For more on that game, click here to read a story from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

For the Buffalo News' perspective on the game, click here.

For stats, schedule and the roster of the Greece-Arcadia team, click here to see the Section V girls basketball website.

A story on how Hawes and O'Shea are preparing for Arcadia will run in Friday's edition of The Record.

With four Section II teams in the Final Four, it's set to be a special weekend for Capital Region girls basketball. Section II hasn't had a state title winner since 2002 when Voorheesville and Catholic Central both won championships.
Section II sent four teams to the Final Four in 2001 and also sent four in 1992.
Is this year's field just another cycle of talent and luck or does it signal a new era of Section II superiority on the hardcourt?

"I think it's probably just girls basketball in general getting better in Section II," Organ said. "It's the buildup and the commitment of the youth programs, coupled with the AAU programs that are around. You also have a lot of really, really good coaches. Coach Johnson from Watervliet. Coach Strube from Shen. They know what they’re doing. The coach from Maple Hill is doing a fantastic job. I think it’s a combination of everything, but I think Section II girls basketball is improving."

MATCHUP: Averill Park (22-1) faces Section V (Rochester-area) champion Greece-Arcadia (21-2) in a New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A semifinal Friday at 3:15 p.m. at Hudson Valley Community College’s McDonough Athletic Complex in Troy.
TICKETS: $10 general admission, available at the door.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
AVERILL PARK WARRIORS

No., Name, Pos., Yr., Hgt., Ppg.
10, Brittany O’Shea, PG, Sr., 5-8, 6.6
3, Michaela Ottati, SG, Sr., 5-10, 9.1
13, Katie Duma, G, Sr., 5-11, 16.2
25, Brooke O’Shea, F, Soph., 5-9, 7.2
23, Katie Hawes, F, Sr., 5-10, 3.1

GREECE-ARCADIA TITANS

No., Name, Pos., Yr., Hgt., Ppg.
14, Kristen Powers, G, Sr., 5-7, 4.4
12, Ashley Armstrong, G, Sr., 5-4, 11.3
15, Jori Semrau, G/F, Jr., 5-7, 6.2
33, Jessica Sexton, F, Sr., 6-0, 13.3
32, Shy Britton, C, Sr., 6-0, 18.0

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Large school girls basketball schedule

All games at Hudson Valley Community College, Troy
(Tickets $10)
Friday, March 19
Class AA
Sachem East vs. Mount Vernon, 6:15 p.m.
Shenendehowa vs. Fairport, 8 p.m.
Class A
Levittown Division vs. Lakeland, 1:30 p.m.
Averill Park vs. Greece-Arcadia, 3:15 p.m.

Saturday, March 20
New York State championship games at HVCC
Class A, 7 p.m.
Class AA, 8:45 p.m.

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Check back Thursday night at 6 p.m. for a chat on the Final Four basketball teams. I want to hear your opinion on who has a shot this weekend.