I just got home from the Section 1 girls basketball awards dinner in Peekskill where White Plains senior Liz Flooks was named the recipient of the Isabel Costa Award. Flooks was the last person honored tonight (and received a trophy the size of a 6-year-old), but they also announced all-section, all-section honorable mention, all-state, all-academic, coaches of the year and league MVPs.

The keynote speaker was Marist coach Brian Giorgis. The former Lourdes coach was funny and had a lot of great thoughts to offer on his team’s trip to the Sweet Sixteen.

If anyone has any thoughts on any of the selections or awards, please drop ‘em here. I’ll be back tomorrow, but a big thank you to everyone who complimented me tonight. I appreciate everything that was said.

This popped up on the sportwriters website last night, so you don’t have to wait until after tonight’s dinner to see it. I’ll still pass along the Costa Award winner when I get home.

Here goes with the all-state stuff. You can find the complete lists here.

Lakeland coach Steve Fallo was named the Class A state coach of the year after leading the Hornets to the first state championship in program history and senior Amy Voelkel was the only Section 1 player named first team in her class.

Here are the rest of the all-state players:
Class AA — Flooks and Adams, White Plains (fourth team); Jackie Alemany, Scarsdale (sixth team); Brianna Peterson, North Rockland (eighth team); Angelei Aguirre, White Plains (ninth team); Nadia Duncan, Mount Vernon (11th team); Jacinda Williams, Our Lady of Lourdes (11th team).
Class A — Amy Voelkel, Lakeland (first team); Kaitlyn O’Keefe, Pearl River (second team); Jaki Goldner, Somers (fourth team); Sarah Benischek, Lakeland (fifth team); Kerri Confrey, Pearl River (sixth team); Jessica Harris, Hen Hud (sixth team); Rosemarie Fazio, Lakeland (seventh team); Ally Biordi, Beacon (seventh team).
Class B — Porsha Postell, Woodlands (second team); Christine Kemp, Putnam Valley (fourth team); Jen Canale, Albertus Magnus (fourth team); Kristen DeCandido, Pleasantville (sixth team); Shelby Coon, Briarcliff (sixth team); Nora Skrelji, Hastings (seventh team).
Class C — Brittany Shields, Haldane (second team); Shereen Lightbourne, Hamilton (third team); Karlyn Adler, Blind Brook (third team).

It looks like I’ll be able to make the all-section dinner tomorrow so everyone can rest easy. I have not abandoned you yet.

As I mentioned this morning, I’ll have the Isabel Costa Award-winner and members of the all-state teams tomorrow night when I get home.

I know some of you have asked recently whether or not this blog will continue now that the season has ended. I wondered myself, so I decided to ask.

It appears we will continue here, from now all the way through, until the season begins again next November. Quite frankly, this is something I’m very excited about.

With my many other duties — duties that will no doubt include high school and pro baseball, various golf tournaments and the occasional participation in a round of golf or rec softball game — I will no longer update multiple times a day, nor do so on a regular basis. The updates will be more sporadic, yet that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check in every day.

For instance, this week we’ll have the top 10 most memorable moments of the 2006-07 season, per the request of a reader named Sam. Also, after Wednesday night’s dinner, I’ll post the Isabel Costa Award-winner and names of Section 1 players who were selected All-State.

As for the dinner: I hope to attend in person, but I’m not quite sure I can make it. Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on your point of view and how comfortable you feel about seeing my face on the tube), my very modest TV career began last Thursday afternoon and will continue every day this week as I film feature packages on the top five baseball teams in the LoHud.

In case you haven’t heard, The Journal News has formed a partnership with RNN. Our reporters (including yours truly) will contribute to a two-hour nightly news show called NewsCenter NOW. The show debuted last night and I thought it was an amazing debut. Check the story I linked to above for details.

Wednesday’s journey through the Lower Hudson Valley has me headed to a practice to film one of the packages, so I’m not sure whether I will make it to Peekskill in time for the dinner. I’d like to and will do my best. Regardless, I’ll make sure I pass along the awards that will be announced that night.

Here are some other Sixth Man highlights in the offseason:
1. Top 10 for next season: At some point later this week, I will post my Top 10 for 2007-08. Start your campaigning now.
2. The Westchester/Putnam and Rockland County all-star teams. When the time comes, I’ll let you know who was chosen and how they were voted and/or selected to the team.
3. College updates: If a player commits to a college, or I receive word that someone has been offered and I think it is of interest to you, I’ll pass it along.
4. Empire State Games updates: Barring something unforeseen, like my having the day off (unlikely), this will be the first place you can hear about who was selected for the Hudson Valley ESG team. This should be an exciting year for it, considering the ESG’s are in Westchester. Obviously, I hope to see the team play when the time comes last weekend in July.
5. AAU news: If I hear of anything on the AAU front, I’ll pass it along. This one counts a lot on you, the reader, be it players or coaches, to keep me informed. The more you want me to stay on top of it, the more I will.

There will be plenty more so keep checking in. Although I will be blogging on baseball in the spring, this will always be like my first child; I will not abandon it. I hope you won’t either.

It’s 8:53 a.m., which means: 1. I shouldn’t be awake but I am, and 2. We are about to head home from Saratoga Springs, our lovely headquarters for the weekend in Glens Falls.

The weekend at the Civic Center came to a close last night when Lincoln of Coney Island beat Rice. I know this: Lincoln sophomore Lance Stephenson may be the next big thing — and he is certainly a no-doubter when it comes to making the NBA someday — but he is not someone you root for, at least at this stage. Last night he had the following transgressions: 1. He drove to the basket and literally used his free arm to shove a defender to the floor (no call). 2. Away from the ball, he violently swung an elbow and decked his defender (player control foul…um, yeah). 3. And on another drive to the hoop, when he was doubled because his teammate didn’t vacate the low block and take his defender with him, he took two hands and shoved his own teammate five feet.

I’m not making up or embellishing any of this. So keep an eye on Stephenson. He’s a phenom to watch for more reasons than one.

And that’s a wrap. Enjoy your Sunday…

I really thought Rush-Henrietta had a chance, but the Section 5 champ was pounded by Murry Bergtraum, 47-33.

I know it was just 14 points, but Bergtraum jumped ahead 10 early and pretty much led by that much or more throughout.

It was a pretty lackluster game overall, with Bergtraum’s defense being the deciding factor. I don’t know for certain, but I think they actually did a flat out double team on Shenise Johnson of Rush-Henrietta, a player many of you are probably familiar with. Now I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a double team like that, but it worked. Johnson was “held” to 13 points and 16 rebounds, and she committed nine turnovers.

Erica Morrow, an all-american headed to Syracuse, had 17 points. Shakeya Leary had 17 boards.

And with that, the girls basketball season in New York state is officially over. If you want to watch the Class AA final, it will be on tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. on MSG.

Adding to his growing legacy, Peekskill’s Mookie Jones just beat the buzzer with a 3 from the left corner to give his team a 44-42 victory in the Class A championship over Cardinal Hayes. Incredible play – a staggered double screen to get Mookie open in the corner – and Mookie did the rest.

Here’s some Saturday afternoon reading.

Carp has not been a fan of the Federation tourney for a while, but after Lakeland lost yesterday he gave a bunch of reasons why. I have to say, I totally agree with him. Too cold, too many empty seats, too many unworthy participants.

During one of the Class B semifinals yesterday afternoon, Kevin and I found two of the many empty seats and I told him my idea for how to fix this tournament. I would take the following teams: CHSAA Class AA and A; publics Class AA and A; PSAL Class AA and A; and independent school champion. One team would get a bye each year.

The teams would then be seeded 1 thru 7 and play three rounds, with the winner then being able to claim, boys or girls, that it is the best in the state. No questions asked.

Now, we’ve obviously spent time debating whether or not this is the right venue for such a tournament. I think it’s perfect for the boys tournament, where more teams come from Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, but it’s not ideal for the Federation, or whatever my new tournament will be named. As we pointed out yesterday, Lakeland HS is the closest school of those participating in the boys and girls brackets. Thought that isn’t always the case, the majority of teams are generally from the City and its suburbs. So sorry upstate hoops fans; I think it’s time to move this thing to the City.

A possible venue, thanks to a discussion I just had with someone who would know, is St. John’s. 6,000 seats, plenty of parking and access to public transportation, albeit not the best transportation. The Garden probably wouldn’t be interested because it requires a three-day commitment. Outside of St. John’s, Hofstra, Fordham and Iona are the next best bets, although St. John’s is definitely the best suited of the group.

Any suggestions as to how to make this better?

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Here’s a story from the Post Star on Kennedy, the only team in Glens Falls that is a champion of nothing.

And if you haven’t read the Lakeland side of things, here’s a game story from my favorite writer.
Also, colleague Harold Gutmann recounts what was a historic day for Sarah Benischek.

We just were given a release at press row that said Christ the King senior Lorin Dixon was named New York state’s Miss Basketball by the Basketball Coaches Association of NY.

Dixon is the second straight CTK player chosen Miss Basketball. Former teammate Tina Charles, who is a freshman at UConn, where Dixon will play next season.

Dixon averaged 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.8 steals per game for the Royals, who were upset by St. John the Baptist in the catholic school state championship last week.

CTK has had some legacy with its Miss Basketball picks, a list that includes Chamique Holdsclaw, Sue Bird, Careem Gay, Charles and Dixon.

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In other news, Notre Dame of Staten Island (CHSAA) beat Jefferson (PSAL, A champion) in the Class B final 46-26. And earlier today, in the Class A final, Mary Louis Academy of Queens (CHSAA) beat Kennedy (PSAL, not a champion) 51-44.

OK, more later. Right now I’m watching the Blessed Sacrament-Malverne Class B boys final. A little sidebar action for The Sixth Man…

you realize you don’t know. I say that because the two best LoHud teams that came here — Lakeland and the Mount Vernon boys — were both sent home from Glens Falls in a span of seven hours. And the two that moved on were Blessed Sacrament and Peekskill, the much less heralded but perhaps less tested, at least on this stage and on this night.

So you know what that shows? The Federation tournament is all about who you play and when you play them. Both Lakeland and Mount Vernon faced tough, tough teams tonight that were among the best in the state.

On the girls side, Kennedy probably ranks with anyone outside of Murry Bergtraum, Rush-Henrietta and maybe one or two catholic schools. We can debate anything you want — whether or not the Federation system is fair or how tough a schedule the Hornets faced — but I’ll tell you this: Lakeland proved it was the best Class A team in the state today. This game, a 47-44 loss, was further proof of how good the Hornets were, even in defeat.

Everyone here had questioned whether or not they could play a close game. I had coaches and fans wonder aloud if they were prepared to beat Pearl River, but they did just that. Then, the same people wondered if Lakeland could come from behind. Well, after being behind all game today and coming back to take a lead in the fourth quarter, I’d say that was proven as well.

In Class B action tonight, Jefferson of the PSAL and Notre Dame of the CHSAA won and both advanced to the championship tomorrow. You have to think Lakeland would’ve beat Jefferson (the PSAL’s real Class A champ) had that been the matchup, so it may be only the PSAL’s new system that prevented the Hornets from finishing the season 29-0 — or at least prevented them from having the chance to.