Familiar foes Ossining, Long Island Lutheran lead the way. Also watch out for South Shore, St. Anthony's and Cicero-North Syracuse in the New York girls basketball #MaxPrepsFab5.
Video: TOC girls basketball - Ossining
See all the fun and celebration last season, as the Army National Guard honored Ossining's girls.2016-17 New York preseason girls basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard
1. Ossining
Head coach: Dan Ricci
2015-16 record: 26-2
Ossining will try to be the first varsity girls basketball in New York State Public High School Athletic Association history to win five straight titles this season under 26th-year coach Dan Ricci, who won his 400th career game in 2015-16, leading the Pride to its first Federation title with a 64-54 win over Long Island Lutheran. Ossining has won seven Section 1 championships during Ricci's tenure. This season's squad has two returning All-Tournament players who are still just sophomores in 5-foot-11 shooting guard/wing
Aubrey Griffin (the daughter of former NBA player Adrian Griffin) and center/power forward
Kailah Harris, as well as a star senior who's returned to the program.
Andra Espinoza-Hunter, a 5-9 UConn-bound small forward, is back with the Pride after spending the last three years at the Blair Academy in New Jersey. She had played for Ossining's varsity team as both a seventh- and eighth-grader.
See the MaxPreps New York girls basketball computer rankings presented by the Army National Guard2. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville)
Head coach: Rich Slater
2015-16 record: 21-6
The Crusaders made it all the way to the Federation Class AA title game, where they fell to Ossining 64-54, ending their string of three straight titles. The loss was an especially bitter pill for Long Island Lutheran to swallow, considering it led by 19 points after the third quarter. But this season's squad has a good shot at making it back to that big stage, led by junior guard
Grace Stone, classmate
Aleya Corretjer and sophomore
Jaida Patrick. LuHi also welcomes Cicero-North Syracuse transfer
Amani Free, a 6-foot junior wing forward, who is staying with relatives on Long Island.
See the MaxPreps New York girls basketball stat leaders3. South Shore (Brooklyn)
Head coach: Anwar Gladden
2015-16 record: 23-5
The two-time defending PSAL city champs look poised for a three-peat in 2017, a year after advancing to the Federation semifinals, where they fell to Ossining. A strong group of five seniors includes talented 5-7 guard
Tsahai Corbie and 6-1 forward
Selena Philoxy.
See the MaxPreps New York girls basketball photos
4. St. Anthony's (Melville)
Head coach: Ken Parham
2016 record: 25-4
The Friars downed Monsignor Scanlan 57-43 to win their second CHSAA Class AA title in the last three years. Though that squad was led by five Division I commits, there's plenty of firepower returning in 2016-17, including a trio of returning sophomore guards:
Toni Kinard,
Aisha Smith and
Sydney Taylor.
See the MaxPreps New York girls basketball playoff brackets
5. Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero)
Head coach: Eric Smith
2016 record: 23-1
Cicero-North Syracuse seeks to fight its way to a state title this season.
File photo by William Pine
Cicero-North Syracuse found itself in the No. 2 spot in the state rankings most of the last season, behind only eventual state and Federation champ Ossining. But this year's squad, minus eight seniors, may find it challenging to repeat that feat in 2016-17. But winning has become a habit for the Northstars. It's a habit the team's promising group of newcomers hopes to continue.
