For the first time since 2018, the boys’ basketball team has returned to the New York State Sportswriters Association rankings. This also marks the first time the Bears have been ranked as members of the PSAA.
In the season’s inaugural poll released yesterday, the Bears were slotted at #23 in the Class A rankings, representing a new classification. When the Bears were in the public school league (NYSPHSAA), classes were based on population, giving the Bears a Class C designation. In the private school league (NYSAIS), classes are not assigned by population but rather by ability, and when the Bears moved in 2018, they elected to move up to Class B to have access to the New York State Federation Tournament. In July 2022, New York State moved to six classes in basketball and four other sports, introducing a Class AAA and moving all classes up one slot, giving SBS a Class A label.
The Bears are the second-highest ranked PSAA team in Class A, behind only Lawrence Woodmere, who is slotted at #8. The Bears saw the Tigers two weeks ago in a lopsided loss with three starters missing due to injury. The January 9 rematch in Swanson Gymnasium will be a key tilt with significant playoff implications. The Bears’ only other loss came against Iona Prep, the #10 ranked team in Class AAA. The Brook currently stands at 6-2, though their record is listed at 5-2 in the poll, as it only includes games through Dec. 17.
The Bears have five games remaining on their schedule against teams that were listed in the initial NYSSWA poll, including Albany Academy (#7 Class AA), St. Dominic (Honorable Mention Class AA), Holy Trinity (HM Class AA), Lawrence Woodmere (#8 Class A), and Knox (HM Class A).
New York State Class A Rankings
| 1. | Poly Prep | NYSAIS | 6-0 |
| 2. | Rochester East | NYSPHSAA V | 6-0 |
| 3. | Catholic Central | NYSPHSAA II | 3-1 |
| 4. | Monroe | NYSPHSAA V | 5-0 |
| 5. | Benjamin Banneker | PSAL | 7-0 |
| 6. | Amherst | NYSPHSAA VI | 2-1 |
| 7. | Glens Falls | NYSPHSAA II | 5-0 |
| 8. | Lawrence Woodmere | NYSAIS | 6-1 |
| 9. | Pioneer | NYSPHSAA VI | 5-0 |
| 10. | Pearl River | NYSPHSAA I | 4-0 |
| 11. | Westhill | NYSPHSAA III | 4-1 |
| 12. | A. Philip Randolph | PSAL | 5-1 |
| 13. | Chittenango | NYSPHSAA III | 4-2 |
| 14. | Byram Hills | NYSPHSAA I | 4-0 |
| 15. | New Paltz | NYSPHSAA IX | 2-0 |
| 16. | Johnson City | NYSPHSAA IV | 4-0 |
| 17. | Syracuse Institute of Tech. | NYSPHSAA III | 5-0 |
| 18. | Spackenkill | NYSPHSAA IX | 5-0 |
| 19. | South Bronx Prep | PSAL | 4-2 |
| 20. | Nyack | NYSPHSAA I | 1-1 |
| 21. | Owego | NYSPHSAA IV | 5-1 |
| 22. | Fannie Lou Hamer | PSAL | 8-1 |
| 23. | Stony Brook | NYSAIS | 5-2 |
| 24. (tie) | Hackley | NYSAIS | 7-2 |
| 24. (tie) | Riverdale | NYSAIS | 5-1 |
The Bears are back on the floor on Friday against St. Dominic on the opening night of the annual Mariner Holiday Classic hosted by Southampton HS.
stonybrookbears.org 