High school basketball playoffs resume Wednesday, and BTPM Local Sports provides previews of the matchups, beginning with an afternoon game for the girls' Section VI Class AA title (see the bracket below). It's just the first of many games to crown champions in several class levels.
Section VI Girls Class AA
(5) Williamsville East Flames vs (3) North Tonawanda Lady Jacks
4:30 PM at Buffalo State University
North Tonawanda (18-3) returns to the title game after falling in the AA Championship last year to Starpoint, who has since moved down to Class A1. The Lady Jacks have never won a Section VI Championship.
The Lady Jacks are not league affiliated, with independence to schedule any team both in and out of WNY throughout the entire season. They took full advantage, facing a handful of private schools from both Buffalo, Rochester, and Pennsylvania. Against second seeded Orchard Park in the semifinal, NT cruised to a 62-40 win.
Williamsville East (21-2; 8-2 ECIC II) seeks their first Sectional title since 2008, and seventh in program history.
During the regular season, the Flames only lost to one team, twice, as their divisional foe Amherst swept the series. On Sunday afternoon, the Flames got their revenge, upsetting top-seeded Tigers with a commanding 76-59 win.
Spotlight Players:
(3) North Tonawanda - Annabelle Day (Senior Guard)
Season Stats: 21 PPG, 7 RPG, 6 APG
(5) Williamsville East - Julie Cruz (Senior Guard)
Season Stats: 28 PPG, 9 RPG, 5 APG
Section VI Girls Class A1
(4) Starpoint Spartans vs (3) Lake Shore Eagles
6:15 PM at Buffalo State University
The two-time defending Sectional Champion Starpoint Spartans (10-11; 5-5 ECIC II) had one of the toughest regular season schedules, given their division includes A1's top seed Amherst and AA Finalist Williamsville East. Moving down from Class AA to A1 this season, the Spartans seek their program's fifth Sectional Title, and third consecutive.
In the semifinal, the Spartans defeated another strong divisional opponent Williamsville South, 60-43, after splitting their regular season meetings with the Billies.
Lake Shore (17-5; 9-3 ECIC III) also comes from a strong division, facing both A2 Finalists (Depew and East Aurora) along with a strong Iroquois team twice each in the regular season. Not having won a Sectional Championship since 2019, Lake Shore is in pursuit of their program's eighth title.
The Eagles have won their last seven games, including their victory in the semifinal over second seeded Lewiston-Porter, 52-46, using a hot shooting start from the field to lead wire-to-wire.
Spotlight Players:
(3) Lake Shore - Chasity LeRoy (Senior Guard)
Season Stats: 21 PPG, 5 RPG, 3 APG
(4) Starpoint - Natalie Prezioso (Senior Guard)
Season Stats: 21 PPG, 3 RPG, 1 APG
Section VI Girls Class A2
(6) East Aurora Blue Devils vs (1) Depew Wildcats
8:00 PM at Buffalo State University
As seen on BTPM's Friday Night Lights in January, two ECIC II opponents will meet for the third time this season, as Depew attempts to take all three against EA. The Wildcats won their two meetings 57-24 and 77-30 respectively.
Depew (19-3; 12-0 ECIC II) dominated one of the strongest divisions in WNY girls hoops this season. With strong guard play and efficient defenders across the board, the Wildcats have won five consecutive games entering the Championship. Their only loss since the calendar flipped to 2026 was to Class AAA Finalist West Seneca in a non-league affair on January 31.
In the semifinal, Depew defeated divisional foe Iroquois, 62-54, clinching a berth to the Section VI Championship Game for the sixth straight season since Head Coach McKenzie Hill took over six years ago. The Wildcats won three of the programs five all time Titles since coach Hill came to Depew.
East Aurora (9-13; 5-7 ECIC II) has had a remarkable postseason, given that this is the youngest team that fifteenth-year Gary Schutrum has had in his tenure. EA deploys two 8th graders (Ella Soroka and Aurora Scharlock) in their starting lineup on a regular basis, with two juniors and one senior.
The Blue Devils, who have won six titles all time, defeated the third seed, City Honors, on the road in the Quarterfinal. In the semis, EA took down seventh seeded Fredonia, using a fast start and strong finish to emerge victorious, 48-37.
Spotlight Players:
(1) Depew - Olivia Leazott (Senior Guard)
Season Stats: 19 PPG, 9 RPG, 6 APG
(6) East Aurora - Addie Miller (Junior Guard)
Season Stats: 9 PPG, 6 RPG, 2 APG
Section VI Boys Class B1
(5) Medina Mustangs vs (2) Olmsted Owls
6:00 PM at Fredonia State University
The Medina Mustangs (16-6; 6-6 NOL) opened the season as one of the strongest teams in the area, winning their first nine games. However, the Mustangs slipped up to start February, dropping four consecutive league games to Wilson, Albion, Akron and Newfane. Overall, the 2025-26 season was a good one for the Niagara Orleans League, with five of the leagues seven teams finishing the regular season with at least a .500 record in NOL action.
The Mustangs defeated fourth seeded Alden on the road, 53-35, in the Quarterfinal, before galloping past ninth seed Southwestern in the semifinal, 62-52. Medina has won two Sectional Titles in program history, fifty years apart: in 1971 and 2021.
The Olmsted Owls (15-7; 7-1 Yale Cup II) are the lone Buffalo Public School to be represented in a Championship Game this season. The Owls shared the regular season YCII Title with Middle Early College, who they split their two meetings with. Olmsted has lost just one game since January 10, a 62-60 non-league battle with Class AA's eventual second seed Sweet Home on Valentine's Day.
The Owls won a defensive affair against the seventh seed, Salamanca, 49-34 in the Quarterfinal. This past Saturday, Olmsted knocked out Springville, the six seed, with another stellar defensive performance, winning 49-34. Their only Title in program history came in 2016, in Class C.
Spotlight Players:
(2) Olmsted - Tacari McCray (Senior Guard)
Season Stats: 22 PPG, 7 RPG, 6 APG, 5 SPG
(5) Medina - Jerrell Nealy (Senior Guard)
Season Stats: 17 PPG, 8 RPG, 2 APG
Section VI Boys Class B2
(2) Akron Tigers vs (1) Tapestry Thunderhawks
7:45 PM at Fredonia State University
The nightcap on Wednesday is likely the most highly anticipated, with Tapestry and Akron combining for just 5 losses between the two teams all season.
Akron (19-3; 10-2 NOL) has only fallen to divisional opponents Medina (Class B1 Finalist) and Newfane, and at the Centercourt Classic against Monsignor Martin's St. Mary's (Lancaster). Riding a seven-game winning streak, the Tigers are one of just a handful of teams in WNY to have three players averaging 16 points per game.
The defending Class B1 Champion Tigers look to repeat and claim the program's fourth all time blue patch.
Tapestry Charter (20-2; 10-0 ECIC V) was the last remaining unbeaten team in WNY, winning their first eighteen games before falling to AAA's Niagara Falls and Monsignor Martin's Bishop Timon in succession on February 12 and 17 to close the regular season. "The Tap's" bench is incredibly deep, with nine players averaging at least five points per game.
In the B2 Quarterfinal, the Thunderhawks steamrolled ninth seeded Allegany-Limestone 86-48. On Sunday, a two-point halftime deficit to the four seed, MST, sparked a remarkable third quarter, where Tapestry outscored the Wolves 24-4, gliding to a 63-48 victory. The Thunderhawks have two Sectional Champion plaques in their trophy case: from 2015 and 2018.
Spotlight Players:
(1) Tapestry - Jaylin Coleman (Senior Guard 5'10)
Season Stats: 12 PPG, 4 RPG, 2 APG
(2) Akron - Derren Brooks (Junior Forward 6'7)
Season Stats: 19 PPG, 12 RPG, 3 APG, 3 BPG
