Player of the Year: Kameron Ritter

School: CBA Class: Senior Position: Guard/Forward Height: 6-foot-3

Notable: Kam Ritter was not the area’s highest scoring player, nor was he particularly dominant at any one aspect of the game. Still, when the Christian Brothers Academy senior wanted to carry four of his teammates on his back, he did it like none other from the Capital Region in 2010.
A versatile slashing-type guard, Ritter was equally dangerous on the perimeter or in slicing through a defense on his way to the rim. The 2009-10 Big 10 Conference Most Valuable Player, Ritter guided the Brothers to an eighth consecutive Section II large school title game appearance and their third berth in the New York State Class AA Final Four since the 2003-04 season.
Ritter earned the Section II Class AA tournament and the state tournament’s MVP honors as CBA won its first Class AA state title in school history and advanced to the Federation Tournament of Champions. Although the Brothers fell in the Federation semifinals, the 2009-10 campaign went down as the finest in CBA history, thanks in large part to Ritter’s veteran leadership and fearless nature with the basketball.Ritter is currently undecided on his college choice, but is looking at a number of Division I schools.

Coach of the Year: Dave Doemel

School: Christian Brothers Academy
Notable: It was no surprise when the Brothers appeared in a Section II title game for the eighth consecutive season, but Christian Brothers Academy head coach Dave Doemel turned heads with his tactical brilliance during his team’s postseason run.
CBA soundly defeated a rangy Cicero-North Syracuse in the regional finals, setting up a meeting with defending state champion Newburgh, which returned all five starters, in the New York State Class AA semifinals. The Brothers won that game by 19 points and used a matchup zone defense rather than their usual man-to-man set against Half Hollow Hills West’s University of Tennessee recruit Tobias Harris, New York State’s 2010 Mr. Basketball, in an 18-point victory in the state championship game.
Under Doemel’s watch, the Brothers won 24 games and lost only once, which tied for the most wins in a single season in school history. Doemel will carry 199 career victories into the 2010-11 regular season. He certainly shares the credit with assistant coaches Dave Doemel, Jr., Mick Doemel, Rob Groelz and David Ryan.
Despite nearly a decade of Section II dominance, the Brothers entered the New York State Final Four as an underdog. Thanks, however, to Doemel’s strategic gambles, CBA made its mark on the biggest stage of all.

The Record’s 2009-10 All-Area boys basketball team

First Team

Dominic Prinzo

School: Maple Hill Height: 5-foot-9 Class: Senior Position: Point Guard

Notable: As a junior, Prinzo was a valuable backup behind starting senior guards Jaime Schultz and Trent Tibbitts, and sparked a number of postseason rallies en route to a spot in the New York State Class C Championship Game. As a senior, Prinzo brought the Wildcats back to the Empire State’s ultimate game, this time as the starter. While Maple Hill fell one game short of a state title for the second consecutive season, Prinzo averaged eight points per game and as the team’s assist machine was invaluable in setting up teammates Sean Danaher, Chris Despart, David Briggs and Jake Jasiewicz for easy buckets.

Galal Cancer

School: Christian Brothers Academy Height: 6-foot-2 Class: Junior Position: Point Guard

Notable: On a team packed with veteran talent, Cancer provided a steady presence in the backcourt on both ends of the floor. He averaged 11.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and was one of the most ferocious players in the area at getting to the rim for layups or cleaning up on the boards. His defensive presence helped the Brothers clinch the 2009-10 New York State Class AA championship, the first such title for CBA in school history. A Section II Class AA All-Tournament and New York State Class AA All-Tournament selection, Cancer will be one of the top returning players in Section II in the fall. Cancer was named a first team Big 10 Conference All-Star for his regular season exploits.

Matt Miner

School: Shenendehowa Height: 6-foot-2 Class: Senior Position: Guard

Notable: The Suburban Council’s Most Valuable Player guided the Plainsmen to a flawless (16-0) North Division title and also carried Shen to the Section II Class AA title game against CBA. It was Shen’s first appearance in a Section II title game since the 1995-96 season. Miner, who averaged 19.0 points and seven rebounds per game, will compete for Division II St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas this fall. St. Edward’s is coached by former Hudson Valley Community College head man and Watervliet High star Andre Cook.

Sajae Pryor

School: Lansingburgh Height: 6-foot-3 Class: Junior Position: Guard/Forward

Notable: Upon the graduation of Haneef Scott a season ago, Pryor became Lansingburgh’s offensive wizard at the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign. He averaged 13.4 points, nine rebounds and three blocks per game as the Knights won a second consecutive Colonial Council regular season title (Lansingburgh tied with Watervliet at 12-2 in the standings but the Knights won both head-to-head matchups) and advanced to a Sectional title game for the first time since 1967. Pryor, who was always a threat to dunk or shoot a three-pointer, also earned first team All-Colonial Council honors and was a first team All-City pick by The Record.

Kevin McMahon

School: Hoosick Falls Height: 6-foot-6 Class: Senior Position: Forward

Notable: The Wasaren League’s Most Valuable Player in both his junior and senior seasons, McMahon was a dangerous forward with inside and outside skills during his career at Hoosick Falls. McMahon carried his team to league titles both of those years and played in the Section II Class C title game in 2010. McMahon averaged 16.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game during the 2009-10 season. He holds all Hoosick Falls blocks records (game, season, career) and scored his 1,000th point during his senior season, finishing with 1,055 for his career.

--
Player of the Year
Name, School, Class, Pos., Ppg.
Kam Ritter, CBA, Sr., G/F, 15.2

First Team
Dominic Prinzo, Maple Hill, Sr., PG, 8.0
Galal Cancer, CBA, Jr., PG, 11.5
Matt Miner, Shenendehowa, Sr., SG, 19.0
Sajae Pryor, Lansingburgh, Jr., G/F, 13.4
Kevin McMahon, Hoosick Falls, Sr., F, 16.2

Second Team
Devonte Gleason, Watervliet, Jr., PG, 14.7
Kyle Pallozzi, Hoosic Valley, Sr., SG, 17.2
Chris Despart, Maple Hill, Sr., G, 12.6
Mike Murray, La Salle, Sr., F, 17.2
Sean Danaher, Maple Hill, Sr., C, 13.0

Third Team
Alex Lilac, Hoosick Falls, Soph., PG, 10.8
Max Weaver, CBA, Jr., SG, 12.4
Chris Britt, Rensselaer, Sr., SG, 18.4
Jerel Scott, Bishop Maginn, Sr., F, 15.6
Tyler Hammett, Lansingburgh, Sr., C, 11.6


Honorable Mention
Amari Gaddy, Jr., and Jeremic Bennett, Sr., Albany High Nolan Hart, Sr., and David Benoks, Jr., Albany Academy Kevin Rocco, Sr., Averill Park Shavar Fields, Sr., and John Scurry, Sr., Bishop Maginn Zach Morton, Sr., Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Will Bromirski, Soph., and Luca D’Auito, Sr., Cambridge Kevin Wilkes, Sr., Catholic Central Josh LeMay, Sr., Cohoes Mike Branche, Sr., Colonie Nick Keefe, Sr., Columbia Ryan Ochs, Sr., Guilderland Kevin White, Jr., Hoosic Valley Salaam Knight, Jr., Lansingburgh Marquis Campbell, Sr., La Salle Austin Bateman, Sr., Schuylerville Chris Bodgan, Sr., and Chris Hooks, Sr., Shaker Jose Reyes, Jr., and Dan Lee, Sr., Shenendehowa, Javion Ogunyemmi, Frosh., Troy High Ethan Mackey, Voorheesville Matt Berthiaume, Soph., Waterford-Halfmoon Kevin Pontore, Sr., Griffin Kelly, Soph., and Nick Durocher, Sr., Watervliet.