2025-2026 STAC Basketball Playoffs
Varsity
Semi-finals: Thursday, February 19 at Top Seeds
Girls:
(Central – 8-2, 12-6) Chenango Forks at (West – 11-0, 16-2) Horseheads, 6:00
(Metro – 9-3, 15-3) Maine-Endwell at (East – 10-0, 17-1) Susquehanna Valley, 7:00
Boys:
(East – 10-0, 15-3) Oneonta at (West – 11-0, 18-0) Corning, 6:00
(Metro – 11-1, 13-5) Maine-Endwell at (Central – 12-0, 17-1) Seton, 7:00
STAC Championships: Saturday, February 21 at Corning (Times TBD)
Semi-final Admission: $7 adults, $5 students/children
JV
Semi-finals at Top Seeds
Girls:
(Central – 12-0, 15-1) Waverly 58 – (West – 7-4, 12-5) Horseheads 48
(East – 7-4, 13-4) Norwich at (Metro – 10-0, 13-1) Binghamton, Thursday at 5:30
Boys:
(West – 9-2, 15-2) Ithaca 78 – (East – 10-1, 13-6) Oneonta 50
(Central – 11-1, 14-3) Seton at (Metro – 10-0, 13-0) Binghamton, Thursday at 7:15
STAC Championships (tentative): Tuesday, February 24 at larger enrollments (Times TBD)
*****
Varsity Semi-finals Previews:
GIRLS
STAC Semi-final: Thursday, February 19 at 6:00
(Central – 8-2, 12-6) Chenango Forks at (West – 11-0, 16-2) Horseheads
Chenango Forks:
Offense – 57.6/game
Defense – 46.2/game
Horseheads:
Offense – 55.8/game
Defense – 41.4/game
Two teams that have become very familiar with each other, as this marks the third straight year they’ve met in the STAC Playoffs. Two years ago, it was Forks missing a shot at the buzzer that would’ve won it, as Horseheads held on to win the STAC Championship 44-43. Last year, Forks got some revenge on their home court in the Semi-final, using a 28-9 run to pull away and win 58-43.
Now it’s time for the rubber match, as the scene shifts back to Horseheads (which was where Horseheads won the STAC Championship two years ago, although it was officially a neutral court that was decided on months in advance). The Blue Raiders ran the table in STAC league play at 11-0. Their only two losses were in non-league action against teams out of Section IV in St. Mary’s of Lancaster and Shenendehowa. Currently, they’re on five-game winning streak, which included a home win over Johnson City and road win over Binghamton. In their last game, a 53-46 win over Canisteo-Greenwood, Maddie Ribble scored nearly half the points with 25 on 4 3’s. In the road victory at Binghamton, Sam Bonnell dropped 23 with 3 3’s. It’s a very well-balanced team that moves the ball and involves the whole offense. Plus, they’ve loaded their schedule with tough competition to prepare for games like this.
Chenango Forks started the season off a bit uncharacteristically, as their record sat at 3-4 after an early January home loss to Elmira (albeit without their star Maggie Warpus that game, who sat out). However, a closer look at that early-season schedule reveals quite the competition they lined up, as they lost to Valley View and Cold Springs Harbor in tournaments, and to a resurgent Norwich on the road, who are currently 14-2. After the Elmira loss, they found their groove and went on a 9-2 run, with their only losses to two of the best in the state, Marcellus and Susquehanna Valley, by a combined five points. Oregon State commit Warpus is as true of a go-to player as you’ll find, as she can score at all three levels (inside, mid-range, 3-point). What probably doesn’t get enough attention is how she is a willing (and really good) passer as well, as she’ll often grab defensive rebounds, then immediately fire long outlet passes to her teammates for fast break opportunities. On the receiving end of those feeds are players like Mari Pourby and Jordyn Ericksen-Hrehor, who regularly put up double-digits as well.
STAC Semi-final: Thursday, February 19 at 7:00
(Metro – 9-3, 15-3) Maine-Endwell at (East – 10-0, 17-1) Susquehanna Valley
Maine-Endwell:
Offense – 63.5/game
Defense – 41.8/game
Susquehanna Valley:
Offense – 59.3/game
Defense – 42.1/game
For the 4th straight year, Susquehanna Valley finds themselves in the STAC Semi-finals. But for the first time in this run, they earned the top seed between the Central and East divisions and get a home game. The Sabers have one blemish this year – an early January road loss to Marcellus 50-48. The current Class B state rankings? Marcellus #1, SV #2. That’s just one indication of how loaded and competitive the Sabers are this year. Since that game, they’ve gone 12-0, including home wins over Hornell (the #3 ranked team) and Chenango Forks, and a road win in Corning. They also swept Norwich, which are the Purple Tornado’s only two losses. The Kariam sisters combine to do it all, as freshman Ava (guard) and senior Ella (forward) can beat you in many different ways. Ava’s 15 points led Sabers in the win over Chenango Forks, and Ella’s 17 paced their win over Hornell. Amanat Dhillon and Olivia Hughes are scoring threats as well.
Maine-Endwell is back in the STAC Playoffs for the first time since 2022 when they lost to Elmira in the Championship. After winning their Tip-Off Tournament, they suffered a home setback to Horseheads, but then bounced back to get quality wins over Elmira, Corning, and swept all three games in the Texas Bank Holiday Classic. Following a road loss in Johnson City, they emphatically bounced back by winning eight straight, including an 84-41 thrashing of JC at home, highlighted by Bre Butler’s 34 points. However, they are coming off a road loss to Union-Endicott, who played inspired basketball on their senior night. Still, there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about their progress this season. 8th grader Harper Eagan is already putting up big numbers on varsity, with her 21 points helping clinch the STAC Metro division in a win over Vestal. Kaylee Hurba, a Division 1 softball commit to East Tennessee, pairs with other threats like Tessa L’Amoreaux and Kiki Neal to give the Spartans plenty of firepower.
BOYS
STAC Semi-final: Thursday, February 19 at 6:00
(East – 10-0, 15-3) Oneonta at (West – 11-0, 18-0) Corning
Oneonta:
Offense – 64.0/game
Defense – 53.2/game
Corning:
Offense – 83.9/game
Defense – 58.5/game
In the only game that’s a rematch from the regular season, Oneonta will travel to Corning. These teams met on January 30, as Corning took an early 28-14 lead after a quarter and cruised to an 83-68 win. Nolyn Proudfoot had 27, Kyler Stevenson 22, and Carter Proudfoot 20. Brady Carr countered with 18 for Oneonta.
Oneonta is back in the STAC Playoffs for the 4th consecutive year, and all four years they’ve hit the road to start. It’s been some mixed results, but they did nearly pull off the upset against Johnson City two years ago with a narrow 62-59 defeat. The Wildcats then went on to beat Seton to win the STAC Championship. This year, they started off the season red hot at 11-0, with quality wins over Windsor (twice), Chenango Valley, and Norwich. They then hit a little bit of a rough patch by dropping three of their next four as the competition really heated up with road losses to Cooperstown, Seton, and Corning. They’ve figured it out since then by winning three straight, including great road wins over Waverly and Norwich. Carr was sensational in the Norwich win with 27 points. Britten Zeh is another big threat with the ball, as he recently went over the 1,000-point mark with a 28-point effort in turning away Susquehanna Valley at home. Maddox Imperato is another impressive athlete, as he had 15 in a win over Chenango Forks. They may have taken their lumps in the first Corning game, but now they are familiar with that court and the trip out there. As the underdog against the undefeated team, they need to stay calm and loose, let it fly, and keep it close into the 4th quarter to put all of the pressure on the home team.
Corning enters this game at a flawless 18-0, as they are beating their opponents by just over 25 points per game. They started off the season with a 40-point win over Wayland/Cohocton and haven’t looked back since. Perhaps their two most impressive wins this season were road wins in hostile environments over Binghamton (81-64) and Maine-Endwell (85-72). In the Binghamton win, Nolyn Proudfoot had 32 and Kohl Hogue 24. Proudfoot upped the ante with 38 in the win over M-E with 5 3’s. Kyler Stevenson had 17 and older brother Carter Proudfoot had 13. The younger Proudfoot has made his fair share of headlines this year, as just when you think he’s reached his peak, he tops himself again. After dropping a school-record 42 points in a 98-72 victory over Ithaca, he then went nuts a few days later in scoring 50 in a 97-78 win over Canisteo-Greenwood, eclipsing the 1,500-point mark in the process. Whoa! There’s plenty of other talent on this team, though, as it’s far from a one-man show. The Hawks can’t think too far ahead, but if they do hold serve in the Semi-final, they are guaranteed another home game in the STAC Championship, as the neutral court this year is in Corning.
STAC Semi-final: Thursday, February 19 at 7:00
(Metro – 11-1, 13-5) Maine-Endwell at (Central – 12-0, 17-1) Seton
Maine-Endwell:
Offense – 65.3/game
Defense – 56.8/game
Seton:
Offense – 80.3/game
Defense – 42.2/game
In a rematch of last season’s Section IV Class A Championship, Maine-Endwell will take on Seton. On that day, it was Seton who got the win 70-57 behind 22 points from Allan Eagles. The year before, the teams met in the Class A Semi-finals, and the Spartans pulled off a massive road win 74-72, using that momentum to go all the way to the State Semi-final.
Now these two tangle again on Seton’s home court. M-E has played one of the most unique and competitive non-league schedules you’ll see. They played three games in the Texas Bank Holiday Classic (1-2) and then three more in the Alaska Airlines Classic (1-2). All of those games made the Spartans more than battle tested against STAC competition, as they won their last five straight since returning home. That includes solid home wins over Binghamton and Ithaca. After beating Binghamton on a last-second 3-ball by Preston Ocker on January 10, Marco Konrad’s 26 points led the way in another win over the Patriots on January 30. Konrad has really impressed as of late, as he was named to the All-Tournament team in Alaska with 69 points in three games, tops among all scorers. In their last win over Union-Endicott to clinch the STAC Metro, Konrad had 31 and Ocker 29. If there’s one team that won’t be intimidated by a road environment, it’s the Spartans.
Seton Catholic boasts one of the most complete starting lineups in STAC, Section IV, and (time will tell) the state. Simply put, they are bludgeoning teams by 38 points a game, and only been seriously tested in one game this season. That one game was a home loss in December to Bishop Ludden-Grimes (the now combined schools of the former Bishop Ludden and Bishop Grimes) 83-71, despite the efforts from Eagles (28 points) and Brian Dempsey (21 points). Other than that, it’s been one blowout win after another. They won the “Battle of Bing” 64-43 over Binghamton on December 17, led by Malik Wimberly’s 18. They defeated East champion Oneonta 81-39 on January 24. In their last game, they turned a slim 30-29 halftime lead into a 67-47 road win at Elmira. The leading scorer that game was Liam Kozel with 24. While Eagles and Dempsey are consistently the top two in scoring, this is a lineup that can all put up big numbers. They are nearly unstoppable in the open court, as once they force a miss on the defensive end, it becomes a track meet to the other side. M-E will need to find a way to limit those fast break points if they want to give themselves a chance for the road upset.
Girls Previous Champions:
2024-2025: Chenango Forks d. Johnson City 38-27
2023-2024: Horseheads d. Chenango Forks 44-43
2022-2023: Horseheads d. Johnson City 54-42
2021-2022: Elmira d. Maine-Endwell 58-54
2020-2021: (No game due to Covid-19)
2019-2020: Elmira d. Oneonta 74-44
2018-2019: Norwich d. Owego 74-39
2017-2018: Susquehanna Valley d. Elmira 66-45
2016-2017: Seton d. Elmira 72-57
2015-2016: Binghamton d. Elmira 60-47
2014-2015: Binghamton d. Horseheads 58-44
2013-2014: Horseheads d. Owego 59-26
2012-2013: Oneonta d. Horseheads 57-56 (OT)
2011-2012: Binghamton d. Oneonta 51-50
2010-2011: Binghamton d. Oneonta 66-33
2009-2010: Binghamton d. Horseheads 50-40
2008-2009: Oneonta d. Seton 42-34
2007-2008: Seton d. Horseheads 49-40
2006-2007: Corning West d. Seton 51-46
2005-2006: Ithaca d. Elmira Free Academy 61-56
2004-2005: Union-Endicott d. Corning East 46-32
2003-2004: Johnson City d. Whitney Point 60-56
2002-2003: Owego d. Horseheads 58-51
2001-2002: Whitney Point d. Owego 41-28
2000-2001: Norwich d. Vestal 49-39
1999-2000: Corning East d. Norwich 47-37
1998-1999: Vestal d. Ithaca 62-44
1997-1998: Maine-Endwell d. Norwich 59-50 (OT)
1996-1997: Vestal d. Maine-Endwell 58-33
1995-1996: Chenango Valley d. Ithaca 44-34
1994-1995: Maine-Endwell d. Vestal 64-59 (2 OT)
1993-1994: Binghamton d. Chenango Valley 50-26
1992-1993: Binghamton d. Union-Endicott 42-36
1991-1992: Union-Endicott d. Binghamton 51-43
1990-1991: Chenango Forks d. Chenango Valley 52-42
1989-1990: Union-Endicott d. Chenango Forks 48-28
1988-1989: Vestal d. Union-Endicott 49-39
1987-1988: Vestal d. Chenango Valley 47-37
1986-1987: Binghamton d. Maine-Endwell 37-34
1985-1986: Binghamton d. Vestal 40-38
1984-1985: Johnson City d. Binghamton 55-47
1983-1984: Seton d. Binghamton 46-43
1982-1983: Seton d. Union-Endicott 37-36
1981-1982: Union-Endicott d. Owego 69-42
1980-1981: Maine-Endwell d. Seton 45-44
1979-1980: Owego d. Seton 40-39
1978-1979: Maine-Endwell d. Chenango Valley 49-33
1977-1978: Seton d. Maine-Endwell 47-44
1976-1977: Seton d. Owego 57-52
1975-1976: Johnson City d. Maine-Endwell 46-45
1974-1975: Vestal d. Susquehanna Valley 43-41
1973-1974: Johnson City *
1972-1973: Johnson City *
1971-1972: Susquehanna Valley d. Maine-Endwell 42-27
* No championship game; finished 1st in division
Championships by School:
Binghamton: 9
Seton: 6
Johnson City: 5
Vestal: 5
Union-Endicott: 4
Maine-Endwell: 4
Horseheads: 3
Elmira: 2
Norwich: 2
Susquehanna Valley: 2
Oneonta: 2
Owego: 2
Chenango Forks: 2
Corning West: 1
Ithaca: 1
Whitney Point: 1
Corning East: 1
Chenango Valley: 1
Boys Previous Champions:
2024-2025: Binghamton d. Corning 91-49
2023-2024: Johnson City d. Seton 66-60
2022-2023: Ithaca d. Union-Endicott 61-48
2021-2022: Union-Endicott d. Corning 67-66 (2 OT)
2020-2021: (No game due to Covid-19)
2019-2020: Maine-Endwell d. Seton 80-60
2018-2019: Seton d. Owego 60-43
2017-2018: Seton d. Ithaca 64-49
2016-2017: Ithaca d. Binghamton 81-69
2015-2016: Norwich d. Elmira 73-51
2014-2015: Norwich d. Binghamton 57-47
2013-2014: Norwich d. Union-Endicott 85-67
2012-2013: Maine-Endwell d. Norwich 51-46
2011-2012: Binghamton d. Seton 65-41
2010-2011: Johnson City d. Seton 54-47
2009-2010: Seton d. Elmira Southside 62-52
2008-2009: Vestal d. Norwich 54-47
2007-2008: Binghamton d. Oneonta 56-53
2006-2007: Binghamton d. Seton 71-49
2005-2006: Vestal d. Seton 43-41
2004-2005: Seton d. Binghamton 62-52
2003-2004: Maine-Endwell d. Chenango Valley 73-51
2002-2003: Seton d. Norwich 41-35
2001-2002: Oneonta d. Binghamton 52-47
2000-2001: Chenango Valley d. Binghamton 62-58
1999-2000: Binghamton d. Horseheads 67-61
1998-1999: Binghamton d. Maine-Endwell 59-51
1997-1998: Binghamton d. Vestal 42-39
1996-1997: Binghamton d. Vestal 69-62
1995-1996: Binghamton d. Vestal 67-63
1994-1995: Binghamton d. Vestal by 16
1993-1994: Norwich d. Binghamton 68-52
1992-1993: Norwich d. Ithaca 74-62
1991-1992: Chenango Valley d. Maine-Endwell 82-62
1990-1991: Chenango Valley d. Owego 51-49 (2 OT)
1989-1990: Binghamton d. Maine-Endwell 69-58
1988-1989: Union-Endicott d. Binghamton 55-53 (OT)
1987-1988: Owego d. Binghamton 67-62
1986-1987: Binghamton d. Oneonta 62-60
1985-1986: Binghamton d. Oneonta 56-39
1984-1985: Binghamton d. Owego 60-49
1983-1984: Binghamton d. Seton 69-58
1982-1983: Johnson City d. Binghamton 56-54
1981-1982: Binghamton d. Johnson City 57-50
1980-1981: Union-Endicott d. Seton 60-38
1979-1980: Union-Endicott d. Binghamton North 67-56
1978-1979: Union-Endicott d. Susquehanna Valley 68-38
1977-1978: Union-Endicott d. Susquehanna Valley 77-54
1976-1977: Binghamton Central d. Union-Endicott 50-36
1975-1976: Union-Endicott d. Binghamton North 52-50 (OT)
1974-1975: Union-Endicott d. Binghamton Central 52-49 (OT)
1973-1974: Maine-Endwell d. Catholic Central 54-50
1972-1973: (No playoffs) *
1971-1972: Ithaca d. Chenango Valley 81-76
1970-1971: Catholic Central d. Vestal 84-76
1969-1970: Binghamton Central d. Maine-Endwell 88-74
1968-1969: Seton d. Vestal 70-38
1967-1968: Vestal d. Chenango Valley 68-58
1966-1967: Johnson City d. Ithaca 58-47
* Chenango Valley, Ithaca, and Johnson City all finished 13-2. STAC played a 15-game schedule that year, which did not leave room for a playoff to determine a league champion.
Championships by School:
Binghamton: 16
Union-Endicott: 8
Seton: 6
Norwich: 5
Johnson City: 4
Maine-Endwell: 4
Ithaca: 3
Vestal: 3
Chenango Valley: 3
Binghamton Central: 2
Oneonta: 1
Owego: 1
Catholic Central: 1