It’s 10:45 p.m. and I’m already home and changed into a hoodie and my adidas pants. I’m comfortable but tired and already looking forward to tomorrow. Apparently nobody liked my shirt today so maybe I should just rock the pajamas tomorrow, although I don’t think my bosses would appreciate that. Perhaps I should head to my closet and decide on another outfit. (Nah, I don’t think so.)

I also had three different people say they thought about bringing me food today. It was sweet, but kinda made me wonder if I should stop lamenting about my hunger. In fact, I’m probably better off skipping the occasional lunch or dinner.

OK, obviously today was quite eventful, as two of our four champions were crowned. One was a major upset, the other anything but.

First up was the Class C championship, where Haldane’s streak of 14 straight gold balls was brought to an end by Blind Brook, which won in surprisingly easy fashion 57-39.

If you were shocked to see the score (and so was I), then just imagine how Blind Brook felt. “Read what the hero, MVP Karlyn Adler, had to say in my story,”:http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070303/UPDATE/703030422/-1/SPORTS0274 or you can check the audio clip of her from after the game. She was surprised, too.

The most stunning thing, of course, was that Blind Brook had lost to Haldane twice during the regular season. You wouldn’t have known that today, as the Trojans took control 15-2 and never really looked back. In fact, as I scoured through my notebook as I wrote my story, I searched and searched but couldn’t really find a moment in the game where the Blue Devils made Blind Brook sweat.

The Trojans defense was tremendous. Brittany Shields, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds, was definitely frustrated. She always seemed to face an extra body or an extra hand on her moves to the basket and, as one trusted observer said, she seemed to take every shot an extra foot or two away from the rim than normal. I didn’t think Blind Brook could make her uncomfortable but it did.

Shields was limping badly after the game ended, and she had to sit down when I interviewed her because she had a large bag of ice taped to her bare ankle and foot. She seemed to think that she may have reaggrevated the injury during the game, perhaps even hurt it worse, but she said it didn’t start hurting until the fourth quarter when the game was long decided.

As you’ll read, Adler scored a career-high 31 points, including 10 of them on 10-for-10 free throws in the final 2:41 of the fourth quarter. She was awesome, and really helped the Trojans redeem themselves and then some after Wednesday’s close call with Hamilton.

But it wasn’t just Adler. Blind Brook’s defense not only slowed Shields, it also didn’t allow Haldane’s shooters to break loose. The Blue Devils were 1 for 8 from 3.

Also, the ball-handling and dribble penetration of Sabrina Stockel and Michelle Caley kept the offense running smoothly, and the combination of Sam Levine and Keren Mivka chipped in underneath the basket.

Here is the Class C all-tournament team:
Karlyn Adler, Blind Brook (MVP)
Sabrina Stockel, Blind Brook
Brittany Shields, Haldane
Kylie McConville, Haldane
Carey Hickey, Dobbs Ferry
Shereen Lightbourne, Hamilton

Blind Brook next faces Section 9’s Millbrook on Wednesday afternoon at SUNY New Paltz. Millbrook, as someone indicated on here “is no longer coached by Ken Thomas, who stepped down late in the season as you can briefly read here.”:http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070303/SPORTS/703030357/-1/SPORTS20A

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The other game, I hate to say, wasn’t quite as riveting. Albertus Magnus is just so good, so solid, almost like the Spurs or the Pistons, that it just sucks the life out of the whole engagement.

What the Falcons are doing, of course, is playing winning basketball. They play great defense and execute well on offense. I’ve written that here many, many times, but it’s so true.

They actually slipped up for a time tonight, and watched a 17-point lead dwindle to four on back-to-back baskets by Put Valley’s Jylan Mayo, but the Falcons recovered. Emily Brauer hit a crucial 3 midway through the fourth quarter that quieted the Tigers rally. Magnus then moved on the win its second gold ball in three years, 49-36.

My story has not been posted online yet, “but you’ll be able to read it soon on our County Center hoops page.”:http://LoHud.com/countycenterhoops You can also find audio of MVP Jen Canale here on the blog.

Of note: Magnus finished the season 14-0 vs. Class B opponents. Putnam Valley was 2-5, but went 14-3 since then.

OK, here’s the Class B all-tournament team:
Jen Canale, Albertus Magnus (MVP)
Emily Brauer, Albertus Magnus
Desheha Waring, Albertus Magnus
Christine Kemp, Putnam Valley
Kim Kastuk, Putnam Valley
Shelby Coon, Briarcliff

It’s time for me to run. My girlfriend is getting cranky. I’m pretty sure she’s starting to hate girls basketball.

I’ll be back tomorrow…