The Albany High School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams are ready to start the playoffs next week after completing terrific regular seasons.
The boys’ team heads into the Section 2 Class AA postseason celebrating its first Suburban Council Gray Division championship since Albany High joined the league in the 2015-16 school year.
The Falcons (14-6 overall, 11-3 Suburban) are led by dynamic senior guard Isaiah Austin (pictured), who is averaging 24 points a game – third-best in the entire Capital Region – and closing in on 1,000 career points. He would be the first member of the Albany High boys’ team to reach that mark in 19 years.
Albany High is seeded fifth in Class AA and opens the playoffs with a first-round home game against No. 12 Guilderland (9-9) on Tuesday. Game time at Albany High is 6 p.m. The Falcons won at Guilderland during the regular season, 83-61 on Jan. 18.
If the Falcons advance, they face the Shenendehowa (No. 4)/Schenectady (No. 13) winner on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 1:30 p.m. at Hudson Valley Community College.
The girls’ team finished second behind Averill Park in the Suburban Gray Division during the regular season with a 14-6 overall record, 9-4 in the league. Ranked No. 26 in the state, the Falcons are led by a pari of juniors, Me'Challe Cancer (16 points per game) and Shonyae Edmonds (14 ppg).
Cancer is 40 points away from joining the 1,000-point club. She would be the first member of the girls' team to achieve that milestone in nine years.
Albany High is seeded third in the section and opens the playoffs with a quarterfinal game against No. 6 Bethlehem on Thursday, Feb. 24 at Shaker High School. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
Albany High won at Bethlehem during the regular season, 53-38 on Jan. 11. Bethlehem was ranked No. 13 in the state at the time. Albany High closed the regular season with eight wins in nine games, including a 53-45 win over Colonie, which was ranked No. 10 in the state at the time.
If Albany High advances, the Shaker (No. 2 seed)/Saratoga (No. 7 seed) winner awaits in the semifinals on Thursday, March 3 at Hudson Valley. Game time will be 6 p.m. Shaker, ranked No. 23 in the state, is the only team to beat Albany High since the first week of January.
Good luck to all of our student-athletes!
