The buzz has been building the last week or so and it’s time to let it be known: A lot of coaches think Briarcliff will win it all.

For the first time all year — kind of like those news organization polls during this primary season — public opinion says the Bears are the favorites, not Magnus, not Irvington, and certainly not Woodlands. This is a shift. For much of the year, people I’ve spoken to have liked Magnus, not only because of its experience winning championships but because the Falcons have the best player on the court in almost all occasions. Now birdies tell me Briarcliff just has too much talent. Tonight I even heard they looked good in a scrimmage against Mount Vernon this weekend.

Anyway, that doesn’t mean a thing. (I’m also just about done with scrimmages, which don’t mean a thing either…but that’s for another blog.) It’s time to play the games, and they are certainly interesting semifinals. Section 1’s best vs. the Big Bad Bears today and Magnus-Irvington Round 3 tomorrow.

These are the semis we’ve all waited for:

No. 2 Briarcliff (20-1) vs. No. 3 Woodlands (17-3)
When: Today, 6:15 p.m.
Where: County Center
Winner goes to…: Class B championship game, Saturday at 5 p.m.
Last title: Briarcliff, 1997; Woodlands, 1979
Coaches: Don Hamlin, Briarcliff; Siobhan McDermott, Woodlands
Head 2 Head: Yes, Briarcliff won 85-53 in Dec.
Leading scorers: Briarcliff — Shelby Coon, 13.3; Woodlands — Porsha Postell, 27.9 PPG
Key players: Briarcliff — Shelby Coon (6-1), Sr., C; Maggie Blair (5-11), Jr., G/F; Taylor Pescetti (5-3), Jr., G. Woodlands — Porsha Postell (5-9), Jr., G; Monique Tilford (5-7), Sr., G; Marshell Hooper (5-8), Sr., F.
When Briarcliff has the ball: They do most things well. They like to run and get easy baskets. They can shoot in the halfcourt, especially Pescetti, who has a fearless trigger. They can go inside to Coon, who’s among the better rebounders in Section 1. Or they can slash, especially Blair, who is tall and skilled. To win, the Bears must share the ball and do a lot of all those things because Woodlands will score. Last time, Coon destroyed the Falcons inside, scoring a career-high 33 points.
When Woodlands has the ball: Hide the children. The Falcons can be downright scary. Postell can create — and make — shots unlike any player in Section 1. She has two certain somethings you can’t teach, like the ability to finish and an abundance of guts. Tilford is similar in that regard, but she tires easily. How she holds up on the big court is key. If the two stars are doubled, they will find open players and whether it’s Hooper or Brittany Bradwell or Champrece Dowdrige, they can finish if left alone.
On defense: Briarcliff did a terrific job last time on Postell, who was held to 19 points. The Bears can’t count on that again. I obviously didn’t see the game, but Postell can go for anywhere from 25 to 40 points on a given night. Instead, look for Briarcliff to focus on getting back on defense and forcing turnovers by players not wearing No. 1. … Woodlands can be beaten on the run because the players do not get back on defense routinely. This is especially true in the second half. However, when the Falcons buckle down on a given possession they can cause havoc with their speed.
What will decide the game: Transition defnese. Both teams must play it well to win, because both like to run. Hamlin knows this. He also knows his team can’t underestimate Woodlands because of its offensive talent. In some situations, I could see a team falling into the trap of overconfidence. If Briarcliff can avoid that (and I think it will), it has too much balance and depth. The Bears will just score more easy baskets.

No. 1 Albertus Magnus (20-1) vs. No. 5 Irvington (17-5)
When: Tomorrow, 8 p.m.
Where: County Center
Winner goes to…: Class B championship game, Saturday at 5 p.m.
Last title: Magnus, 2007; Irvington, 1990
Coaches: Joe McGuinness, Magnus; Gina Maher, Irvington
Head 2 Head: Twice, Magnus won 60-43 and 36-34
Leading scorers: Magnus — Alaina Walker, 22.6 PPG; Irvington — Tara Gabelman, 15.9 PPG
Key players: Magnus — Alaina Walker (5-7), Jr., PG; Megan Richards (5-9), Fr., F; Ashley Huber (5-8), Sr., F. Irvington — Tara Gabelman (5-10), So., F; Riley Harrington (5-4), So., PG; Lisa Bucci (5-8), So., G.
When Magnus has the ball: The focus is basically, “Let Walker go to work, and everyone else just chip in.� Lately, freshman Felcia DeLaCruz has been a major contributer. I also liked Richards a lot earlier this season because she wasn’t afraid to play on the block, rebound, and put the ball in the basket. The Falcons also try to work to ball to Lauren Capul and Maura Power for jumpshots.
When Irvington has the ball: The Bulldogs are at their best on the run. They can play very unselfishly, with that tone set by Harrington and Bucci, who both are terrific passers. Gabelman is their best finisher, especially if Gillian Morley (high ankle sprain) is out. She can score on the block, while Gableman is more of an inside-out player. That will change if Morley can’t go. Bucci also is an excellent penetrator and isn’t afraid to shoot from behind the arc.
On defense: Magnus is tough. Although she’s known as a PG and scorer, Walker may be her best on defense. She is not just fast and athletic, she is ridiculously strong, making her a bear to deal with on the ball. Huber is one of the scrappiest players in the area, unafraid to fight for every steal. … Irvington has very athletic guards and great size for a Class B team with Gabelman, Morley and Jasmine Macias. They will probably press some to force turnovers.
What will decide the game: If Walker misses any extended time, the Falcons are in trouble. If she doesn’t, Irvington will have trouble stopping her in the open court. But this game is tough to judge at this point because the status of Morley is uncertain. The Bulldogs have played well without her, but they could use as many people as they can get. They gave Magnus a much better game the second time with Morley in the lineup, so her return would give them a chance to win.

Well, if you were there you know it wasn’t pretty. Even those of you who just caught the score — 39-24 Blind Brook over Tuckahoe — can tell that, so you certainly don’t need to hear it from me.

I have already filed my story, but as I sat here and hastily inhaled my dinner I kept thinking about the same theme: At this point the goal is bigger for the Trojans, namely being a repeat of last year’s Class C championship.

Remember: This team was nearly upset by Hamilton in the semis. We thought it was in trouble in the final, but a few days later it was Haldane that became the upset victim.

“I don’t really care about the score,� the ever-giggly senior Michelle Caley said afterward. “We didn’t play our best, but a win is a win. As long as we’re getting to the championship game — which a couple of years ago our team couldn’t do — that’s amazing for us.�

That quote found its way high up in my story for tomorrow’s paper because Caley was 100 percent right. All that matters to Blind Brook is who wins Saturday’s championship game: the defending champ, Haldane or Valhalla. The rest is pure window dressing.

What I will say, however, is that Manny Martinez wasn’t too happy. He praised his team’s defense (even as players teased his anointing in Sunday’s paper as master strategist), but he knew the Trojans would need a much better all-around effort this weekend to win. “If we play like that on Saturday, we’re not going to beat anybody.

A few players to mention before I wrap up:

— Sam Levine has improved greatly since last season. She’s a much better all-around player, and her 15-point, eight-rebound performance tonight stood out above the crowd.

— Caley, who now handles the ball full-time at PG, continues to show the ability to dribble penetrate, draw a defender and dish the ball to teammates for baskets. With Blind Brook’s size inside, it makes for a great halfcourt offense. You can’t beat those plays to death or Caley will run out of steam by the third quarter, but it does seem like the more the Trojans allow her to drive and dish the better they play on offense.

— I’d never seen Tuckahoe’s Katrina Blackman play before but I had heard a lot about her. Some compared her to Hamilton’s Shereen Lightbourne, who’s one of the best players around.

I don’t know if that’s a fair comparison to Blackman. They look like very different players to me, with Lightbourne more of a dribbler and a shooter and Blackman more apt to get opportunities off steals and drives to the basket. Tonight against Blind Brook she struggled, hitting just 2 of 11 from the field. The Trojans stuck Levine on her, but had weakside help from 6-foot Keren Mikva and the guards. The design sounds simple, but it frustrated Blackman something fierce.

OK, Class B semifinal preview coming tomorrow morning. Until then, enjoy…and please share your thoughts on the Class C field.

Update 10:01: Blind Brook 39, Tuckahoe 24 – Final.

Update 9:47: Blind Brook, 32, Tuckahoe 12. 4:12 left.

Update 9:38: Blind Brook 24, Tuckahoe 9. End of third.

Update 9:27: Blind Brook 18, Tuckahoe 7, 3:37 left in third.

Update 9:05: Blind Brook 16, Tuckahoe 4. Halftime. Defense wins championships.

Update 9:00: Blind Brook 16, Tuckahoe 4, 2:00 left in the first half. Sam Levine has 13 points.

Update 8:44: Blind Book 7, Tuckahoe 2, end of the first quarter. Sam Levine has scored all of Blind Brook’s points. Tuckahoe scored its first points with seven seconds left in the quarter.

Also, I’ve talked to a couple people who will remain nameless. Both said they’ve heard Brittany Shields will play, so I fully expect to see her tomorrow. Now I guess it’s just a matter of whether or not she’s at full strength, right?

Oh, twenty-three? Is that all…

Well, Championship Week has officially arrived, and the Keio boys are the first ones to move on in what was a typically impressive showing by them and their crowd, which is the best pound-for-pound in any sport in Section 1. They just never stop cheering…

Anyway, it’s nice to be back at center court of the County Center, which is a little fuller and a lot more like an arena this winter. The seats behind the basket definitely fill the place out. Hopefully, it will make the far-side basket a little less hellish. Shooters should find the background more forgiving than in the past.

I also wanted to stop in to note that we’ll have a few bloggers helping out this week with live updates. In addition to Jake and I, you’ll hear from Jeff Gold, Alex Myers, and Harold Gutmann, and maybe even a couple others.

We’ll have up-to-the-minute scoring updates, as well as pre and postgame analysis. Hopefully those of you who can’t make it will stick by us.

A little business first: 1) I’m going to leave the Class B preview until tomorrow morning. We need to focus on C for now. Those teams don’t get much coverage during the year and they deserve it today and early tomorrow. 2) You can still make your predictions up until before tonight’s game starts. I know I didn’t leave enough time this morning, so please continue to send them in on the previous post.

OK, I’ll have much, much more when I get to the CC (I should be there around 4), but first here are our bold predictions for the B and C semifinals:

CLASS C SEMIFINALS —

No. 1 Haldane (16-4) vs. No. 4 Valhalla (12-9), 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at the County Center:

Jake says: This game is impossible to predict because of Brittany Shields’ status. If she plays, you have to like Haldane, which was 16-1 with her in the lineup. Even hobbled, she’s such a dominant force that a half-good Shields will be the difference. Not to mention the mental lift the downtrodden Blue Devils would get to see her limp out a la Willis Reed. If she can’t make it, Haldane is in real trouble. It’s 0-3 without her. Valhalla is too good, and knows too well how to keep struggling offensive clubs off the scoreboard. I’ll guess that Shields doesn’t suit up and Valhalla takes advantage. Valhalla 46, Haldane 35

Josh says: In the playoff preview I picked Valhalla to win this game because most of what I heard on the Shields’ front didn’t look good. That has changed the last two weeks. I have no first-hand knowledge, but both Haldane and non-Haldane people say she looks OK. That is enough for me…although it’s not the be-all, end-all. I figure everyone on the Blue Devils will arrive motivated to beat Valhalla for two reasons: 1) the sting of last year’s loss to Blind Brook, which ended Haldane’s run of 14 straight titles, and 2) the perceived disrespect of seeing people (me included) pick Valhalla to win. The Vikings are good, but they aren’t good enough (if Shields is healthy) to overcome all that emotion. Haldane 51, Valhalla 48

No. 2 Blind Brook (15-5) vs. No. 3 Tuckahoe (12-9), 8 p.m. tonight at the County Center:

Jake says: If it wins, Blind Brook will be watching the Haldane game very closely. If Haldane is eliminated, or even if it wins but Shields doesn’t play, the Class C championship door will be wide open. This isn’t the same Trojans team that took the title last year. There’s no Karlyn Adler to lead the way. They’re about balance now, which should serve them well against a good defensive Tuckahoe group. They won’t let a golden opportunity pass them by. Blind Brook 39, Tuckahoe 30

Josh says: The Trojans are the defending champ and feature a lineup with five core players who have returned from that team. They know how to win here. Simply put, Tuckahoe doesn’t. I also don’t like the fact that the Tigers rely so heavily on one player. That seems right up Manny Martinez’s alley. You know he’ll have plenty cooked up for Katrina Blackman, and it’ll require a yeoman effort for her to overcome it. Blind Brook 50, Tuckahoe 32

CLASS B SEMIFINALS —

No. 1 Albertus Magnus (20-1) vs. No. 5 Irvington (17-5), 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the County Center:

Jake says: See my latest blog posting on the Rockland matchups.

Josh says: Irvington can’t play the nobody-thought-we’d-be-here card, but it still won’t have to dig deep for motivation. The Bulldogs’ loss to Magnus in last year’s semifinal was perhaps the most lopsided game of the ‘07 girls draw, with the seasoned Falcons turning it into a non-competitive affair in the first half. Gone from that team are three terrific seniors (Emily Brauer, DeSheha Waring, and Jen Canale), replacing them is Alaina Walker, of course, who will face serious pressure. Fans know her situation off the court and understand her importance on it. If she can get through this one, she’ll be fine in the final. But this will be tough, not to mention the fact that Irvington is red hot right now. I don’t think this will be like the last meeting (low scoring), but I do expect an awfully close game. Walker’s play will dictate the outcome, I’m just not sure the Bulldogs will stop her in the final minute or two of a close game. Magnus 58, Irvington 56

No. 2 Briarcliff (20-1) vs. No. 3 Woodlands (17-3), 8 p.m. tomorrow at the County Center:

Jake says: In big games the best player usually decides the outcome. Since Porsha Postell is the best player in almost any game, Woodlands stands a good chance on the big stage. Except this is a horrible matchup for the Falcons. Postell does best when the floor is spaced. She finds seams in the defense for pullups or passes to Monique Tilford. Briarcliff’s big bodies clog the middle, denying her entry to make plays. Just look at the 85-53 win over Woodlands in December. Although that game was a long time ago, 32 points is a lot to make up. Briarcliff 71, Woodlands 54

Josh says: Against my better judgment to side with him, Jake is right — 32 points is an awful lot to make up. Were this any other team I’d say it’s strictly impossible. I mean really, what team outside of Briarcliff can really score 85 poitns?…Uh, actually Woodlands can. … I mention there names all the time, but Porsha Postell and Monique Tilford really are something. They have gotten more help of late as the team’s confidence has swelled, namely from Brittany Bradwell in the backcourt and Marshell “Moneyâ€? Hooper inside. Because of all that firepower, I think the Falcons will not only hang close but maybe even carry a lead into halftime. Seriously. I just don’t like how they close games…ultimately, Briarcliff will expose that vulnerability. The Bears have too many talented players, and I expect Shelby Coon (career-high 33 points last time) to have a field day. Briarcliff 72, Woodlands 64

So we’ve had some winners so far. Baller and Sam both turned in terrific guest blogs, filling in admirably to add a fan’s perspective. But now it is Championship Week. Time for everyone to get their predicting shoes on…

Today is the beginning of the seven best days of the basketball season. So Jake and I will break it down like this:

Today, your picks for the B and C semis must be in by noon. Then I will post our picks for the four games.

On Thursday morning you’ll have to send over the AA and A semi picks, and then we’ll post ours that afternoon.

Obviously, the deadlines for the championship games will be Saturday morning.

I’ll have my Class B semifinal previews later this afternoon, as well as our picks. And we’ll have plenty on Blind Brook-Tuckahoe, and other various thoughts.

Big day of blogging ahead, so I hope everyone checks in regularly throughout the day and night. I’ll be here all day, everyday, from now through Sunday night.

Just as Irvington and Nanuet knew each other well, Irvington and Albertus are very familiar from their league battles. Though Albertus won both, the last was a 36-34 squeaker. Only Pearl River came that close to knocking off the Falcons, who never lost to a sectional team. In fact no one but Pearl River and Irvington even came within 11 points of Albertus. Wow. If that doesn’t scare Irvington nothing will. Not to mention their ugly defeat at Albertus’s hands in last season’s semifinal. Still the Bulldogs are brimming with confidence after their fourth-quarter comeback against Nanuet. Gillian Morley’s status is a huge question mark. They need their best interior scorer on the floor. Even with her though, I think Albertus hasn’t shown enough cracks to make me think it’ll fall. Albertus 52, Irvington 43

Historically, the Class C field lacked the requisite County Center drama. Sure, there have been some great ones — the ‘04 Haldane-Dobbs final may ring a bell — but the post-championship ceremony was forever a rite of March for Haldane. No so anymore. Blind Brook made the impossible possible.

Keeping with that theme, here’s the preview of two semifinals, at least one of which does not have a victor already penciled in the final.

No. 2 BLIND BROOK (15-5) vs. No. 3 TUCKAHOE (12-9)
When: Tomorrow, 8 p.m.
Where: County Center
Winner goes to…: Class C championship game, Saturday at 2 p.m.
Last title: Blind Brook, 2007; Tuckahoe, none
Coaches: Manny Martinez, Blind Brook; Joseph Arcidiacono, Tuckahoe
Head 2 Head: Nope
Leading scorers: Blind Brook — Keren Mikva and Sam Levine, 9.1 PPG; Tuckahoe — Katrina Blackman, 18.3 PPG
Key players: Blind Brook — Mikva (6-0), Sr., C; Levine (5-9), Sr., F; Michelle Caley (5-5), Sr., G; Tuckahoe — Blackman (5-10), Jr., G; Trenna Seney (5-7), Jr., F; Katie Raymond (5-10), Jr., F.
When Blind Brook has the ball: The offense starts with the dribble penetration of Caley, but both Levine and Mikva can both score off the offensive glass. And twins Ali and Justine Matthews and sophomore Samara Meyers are all perimeter threats. Ali Matthews is the best shooter, with 16 3’s made.
When Tuckahoe has the ball: Seney and Raymond are threats, too, but the Tigers rely heavily on Blackman. She is not a natural shooter and often struggles from the free throw line. However, she gets to the stripe as much as anyone in Section 1 because she is such an excellent penetrator. Blackman is very similar to Shereen Lightbourne of Hamilton, who scared the Trojans last year; she’s just not as good a 3-point shooter.
On defense: Both Mikva and Blackman can be game-changers. Mikva is a terrific — and disciplined — shot blocker. Blackman’s an absolute thief, ranking among Section 1’s best at getting steals. Seney, a great all-around athlete, can turn bad passes into points as well.
What will decide the game: Tuckahoe will have to prove it can put the ball in the basket and it will need second and third options to do so. Blackman, in her first appearance at the County Center, will be under great duress. What she does to make her teammates better will go a long way in deciding if there’s an upset in the cards or not.

No. 1 HALDANE (16-4) vs. No. 4 VALHALLA (12-9)
When: Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: County Center
Winner goes to…: Class C championship game, Saturday at 2 p.m.
Last title: Haldane, 2006; Valhalla, 1983
Coaches: Kenny Haskins, Haldane (first year); Eric Brand, Valhalla
Head 2 Head: Haldane, 56-43 on Dec. 12
Leading scorers: Haldane — Brittany Shields, 20.6 PPG; Valhalla — Dana Nucaro, 12.8 PPG
Key players: Haldane — Shields (5-10), Sr., F; Liz Milner (5-10), Fr., G; Emily Marsh (5-4), Sr., G; Avery Zuvic (6-0), Jr., C. Valhalla — Dana Nucaro (5-11), Jr., C; Tori McGuinn (5-7), Jr., G; Tamara Tribble (5-8), So., G; Kayla Haas (5-7), Jr., G.
When Haldane has the ball: Who knows? It all depends on whether Shields plays. She last played on Feb. 4 when she injured her knee against Greeley, but she hasn’t been on the court since. If she plays, everything starts with her. Marsh handles the ball and Milner and senior Avery Zuvic score outside and in, but when the gold ball’s on the line Shields does it all. If Shields can’t play, a lot of the offense will rest on the shoulders of the freshman.
When Valhalla has the ball: Balance, balance and more balance. The four players listed above all average between 8 and 12 PPG. Nucaro is the leader and is always a treat to get a double-double. But the guards will need to step up here because Shields and Zuvic are a solid tandem in the paint and on the glass.
On defense: Marsh is a terrific perimeter defender. She will pressure the ball relentlessly, and it will trigger what the Blue Devils do on defense. Valhalla has a lot of strong athletes, but a key to its defense will be what the Vikings (particularly Nucaro) can do on the glass. Haldane is a strong rebounding team. Valhalla can’t let it dominate on the offensive glass, particularly Shields.
What will decide the game: Whether or not Shields plays and, if she does, what percent she plays at. Let’s face it, she’s one of the best players in Section 1 and a two-time Class C tournament MVP. She proved last year vs. Dobbs Ferry that she can play hurt. If she can’t make it on the floor, Valhalla should be strong enough to beat Haldane unless the Blue Devils’ supporting players rise up.

No, I’m not talking about putting up with Jake. I’m talking about officiating.

As promised, we began to roll out the copy on the eve of Championship Week, and that copy includes a look at one of your favorite subjects:

— Colleague Jeff Gold did a solid job laying out the parameters of how officials are chosen for the games. I made sure I checked this story out right after it came on the website, and I think Jeff did a good job answering questions you’ve asked me in the past.

You can check out the story for yourself here.

— With an assist from Jake, I compiled a list of the teams, players, coaches and fans to look out for this week. I listed all the categories yesterday, but here’s a look at who we chose.