Feb 28 2009
Mike White | Saturday, February 28
Live blog from the WPIAL basketball championships at Duquesne's Palumbo Center
3:05 - This championship stuff isn't just for the girls at North Catholic.
The North Catholic boys won the WPIAL Class AA championship with a 51-44 victory against Jeannette. On Friday night, the girls won the 15th title in school history. It was the first for the boys.
"We've been jealous of the girls," said North Catholic coach Dave Long.
Long has one son and three nephews on the team. On top of that, he has a niece, Lauren Savulchak, who is the leading scorer on the girls' team.
Jesse Long had 17 points for North Catholic and Henry Pwono added 16, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Jordan Hall and Moziah Harris both scored 15 for Jeannette, but Hall was 5 of 22 from the field. He finished 2 of 13 from 3-point range. Jeannette shot only 35 percent (19 of 54) from the field and was 2 of 18 from 3-point range.
* How about Pwono's last two years? He left Central Catholic and transferred to North Catholic as a junior. He missed out on a WPIAL championship last year when Central Catholic won Class AA. But Pwono got his this year.
* Terrelle Pryor was here for the game.
* WPIAL czar Tim O'Malley is busy working on sites for the first round of the PIAA playoffs next Friday and Saturday. Talking to him, it hit me that there is a terrific first-round matchup in Class AAA boys. How about Chartiers Valley against City League champion Perry? That will be Friday, most likely at Allderdice.
2:18 - North Catholic has a 48-43 lead with 57.8 seconds left. The Trojans just turned the ball over again after Joe Long made a great steal on Jordan Hall. Timeout Jeannette. Look for Hall to shoot a 3-pointer.
2:13 - Now North Catholic has the turnover bug. The Trojans have turned it over five of their past six possessions. Jordan Hall just got a steal and fed Dane Vaughn for a layup and Jeannette has sliced the deficit to 46-43 with 2:56 left.
2:08 - Jordan Hall continues to misfire. From the second quarter on, he is 2 of 12 from the field, including 0 of 8 from 3-point range.
2:04 - Jeannette has turned the ball over on three of its first four possessions. North Catholic has taken advantage and opened up a 46-36 lead with 6:31 left in the game. Jeannette called a timeout to try and stop the momentum.
1:57 - After three quarters, North Catholic leads Jeannette, 39-36. Jeannette trailed by one, but North Catholic's Joe Long made a nice steal, drove the length of the court, missed a layup, but Joe Long followed it and scored.
1:48 - Jeannette started the second half with some energy and has jumped to a 30-29 lead.
1:40 - North Catholic leads at halftime, 27-22. Jeannette has 14 turnovers in the first half and North Catholic 12. Jeannette's Jordan Hall hit two of his first three 3-pointers, but was 0 for 4 after that. For the half, he has six points, but is 2 for 9 from the field.
1:28 - Henry Pwono has been a big factor for North Catholic. Jeannette doesn't have an answer for his size. Pwono has 10 points so far.
1:25 - North Catholic holds a 22-20 lead over Jeannette. Jeannette had trouble with turnovers in the first quarter, making eight in the first seven minutes. Jeannette fell behind by 22-14, but is making a comeback.
12:38 - Some coaching news around the WPIAL. Doug Kelly resigned as Franklin Regional's boys' coach after seven seasons. Kelly did a good job at Franklin Regional, leading the Panthers to the WPIAL playoffs a few times in his seven seasons. They were 15-8 this year, but 20-8 last season, qualifying for the PIAA playoffs for only the third time in school history.
Also, Bethel Park has opened its boys' coaching position. That means Mark Gaither is out after only two seasons. He came to Bethel Park from Ringgold, after Mike Mastroianni left to become Quaker Valley's coach.
12:26 - Sto-Rox won the Class AA championship, 51-34. Darryl Ford scored 15 points and Tynesha Lee 11. Kerry Connolly is the team's point guard, but pulled down nine rebounds to go along with nine points. Jordan Dwyer led Seton-LaSalle with 11 points and Katie Gattuso 10. Seton-LaSalle shot 3 of 25 from the field in the second half.
12:17 - Sto-Rox has done a good job bottling up Seton-LaSalle's Katie Gattuso. Sto-Rox's zone has kept her from getting many touches. Sto-Rox leads, 44-34, with 2:13 left.
12:04 - Jeannette plays North Catholic in the Class AA boys' championship at 1. Wonder if Terrelle Pryor will be here? He has been at some games lately, cheering on his old Jeannette teammates.
12:02 - Sto-Rox has opened up a 40-26 lead after three quarters.
12:00 - Sto-Rox's coach is Carrie Palermo. She might guide Sto-Rox to its first girls' title. Her husband, Bill, is her assistant. He used to be the head coach. He coaches the team as much as his wife. Bill Palermo has won numerous WPIAL softball championships.
11:53 - Seton-LaSalle trails, 32-24, and is in some trouble because Jordan Dwyer just picked up her fourth foul.
11:48 - It's halftime of the Class AA girls' championship and Sto-Rox has a 30-17 lead.
Just talked to WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley, who said the crowds for the tripleheader were excellent. The league sold more than 5,500 tickets. Throw in the freebies and the total attendance was in excess of 6,000. The Hampton student section was one of the largest in recent years.
Pitt assistant football coach Greg Gattuso is in the stands, watching daughter, Katie, play for Seton-LaSalle. Gattuso is showing some emotion, but it's only natural for a parent in this big of a game.
Feb 27 2009
Mike White | Friday, Feb. 27
Live championship blog from Duquesne University's Palumbo Center
8:22 p.m. - Sewickley Academy won the WPIAL Class A championship with a 71-57 victory against Serra. You won't see a better one-on-one scoring showdown than this game. Sewickley Academy's Tom Droney finished with 40 points. Serra's T.J. Heatherington had 37. Those are two of the top scoring performances in WPIAL championship history - in the same game.
Looking up on the second level of the Palumbo Center, Hampton has brought one of the largest student sections I've seen in a while. Hampton plays Highlands in the Class AAA championship at 9 p.m.
8:15 p.m. - Droney is at the line again with 30 seconds left. He makes one. He now has 40 points. Droney and Heatherington have both been taken out of the game with 21.7 seconds left. Heatherington finished with 37 points.
8:13 p.m. - Lost the internet signal here on press row for a while. Since we've been away, Sewickley Academy's Droney and Serra's Heaherington are putting on a show. With a little less than a minute left in the game, Both have 37 points. Sewickley Academy leads, 68-57. Droney is at the line for two free throws with 43 seconds left.
7:28 p.m. - It's halftime and Sewickley Academy leads Serra, 31-23. In the first half, Sewickley Academy's Tom Droney has done a little of everything offensively. He has 14 points, making 6 of 8 from the field. He has two 3-pointers and a handful of assists. Serra's T.J. Heatherington has 13 points, making 4 of 14 from the field. Heatherington needs only 11 more to move into the WPIAL's top five tournament performances of all time. He now has 111 points in four games.
A future Sewickley Academy player is sitting on the Panthers' bench - and he has a noteworthy name. He is John O'Malley, who is an eighth-grader at Sewickley Academy. His father is WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley. John reputedly is a pretty fair player.
7:19 p.m. - Sewickley Academy has opened up a 28-16 lead. Droney just made another pretty pass to Schramm for a layup. Serra has called a timeout with 3:06 left in the half.
7:13 p.m. - Sewickley Academy's Droney has been awfully impressive. A 3-pointer and a pullup jumper put Sewickley ahead, 19-12, and he just made a pretty pass for a layup that gave Sewickley Academy a 21-12 advantage. Droney has 12 points and the game isn't 10 minutes old.
7:10 p.m. - The first quarter has ended in the Class A final. Sewickley Academy leads Serra, 14-9. Serra''s T.J. Heatherington and Sewickley Academy's Tom Droney both have seven points.
7:02 p.m. - Sewickley Academy is playing a man-to-man defense, or a matchup zone. Everyone is sagging into the key, with the exception of Nick Blodis, who is truly guarding Heatherington. It's apparent Sewickley Academy wants to stop his penetration. Droney just hit a 3-pointer to answer Heatherington's second 3-pointer. Sewickley Academy leads, 12-7, with 3:07 left in the first quarter.
7:00 p.m. - First possession of the game and T.J. Heatherington just stuck a 3-pointer in the Class A championship game. Could it be a sign of things to come? Serra is playing a zone. Tom Droney answered with a nice drive to the basket.
6:49 p.m. - A nice touch to the championship games this season is music being played in warmups and timeouts. The WPIAL has never had this before. It adds something to the games.
And the person playing the music is Amy Palko, former volleyball star at West Allegheny who now plays volleyball at Duquesne. Palko handles the music for Duquesne games also.
6:42 p.m. - The Serra-Sewickley Academy game is less than 20 minutes away. I expected Sewickley Academy to play a zone in order to shut off Serra's T.J. Heatherington penetrating to the hoop. He scored 50 in the semifinals Tuesday. But a little birdie just told me Sewickley Academy is going to play man-to-man. We can only hope Sewickley Academy's Tom Droney guards Heatherington. That is the matchup everyone wants to see.
6:38 p.m. - One of the things that's always great to see is the WPIAL basketball championships because of the many longtime fans who always come to the title games. They're getting up in age, but they help make the basketball games special. They get there early, and park themselves in the front row of the blue seats at the Palumbo Center.
Not even football gets as many longtime fans who have no allegiances to any school. They come every year just because they love it.
6:11 p.m. North Catholic defeated Mount Alvernia, 48-44, to win the Class A girls' championship. Lauren Savulchak's two free throws with 5.3 seconds left clinched the win. It is the 15th title in school history for North Catholic, the most of any school. There will be no Title IX for Mount Alvernia's girls. The Lions had won eight championships.
North Catholic was led by Savulchak's 16 points and Ashley Bellovich scored 11. Savulchak also had 14 rebounds. Kat Owunna had 14 points and 16 rebounds for Mount Alvernia. Tahlar McIntosh had 13 points and 16 rebounds. There was a reason for so many rebounds. Both teams had bad nights shooting.
6:04 p.m. - North Catholic now leads, 46-42. ... Talked to Serra junior guard Rob Heatherington before the game. He is the team's second-leading scorer with a 15.0 average, but can't play because he was thrown out of the semifinal game against Neshannock for fighting. Under WPIAL and PIAA rules, a player thrown out is ineligible to play the next game. Heatherington is disappointed, but said, "I feel the worst for my brother, more than anyone."
Heatherington's brother, T.J., is Serra's leading scorer, averaging more than 20 a game.
5:53 - Here's an unbelievable statistic. North Catholic just committed its first foul of the game. How does that happen?
5:48 p.m. - The North Catholic girls are a heavy favorite to win the Class A championship, but they are having their hands full with Mount Alvernia. The game is tied, 36-36, after three quarters. North Catholic beat Mount Alvernia twice this season.
* Can anyone shoot these days? I was here Thursday and saw Allderdice and Perry throw up a bunch of bricks in the City League championship. In this game, North Catholic is 16 of 16-53 after three quarters and Alvernia 16 of 48.
* The games are not being televised live, but they will be on Comcast "On Demand" next week. Former Oakland Catholic and West Virginia player Meg Bulger is the color commentator for all four girls' games.
Feb 27 2009
Mike White | 12:20 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27
The WPIAL championships are tonight at tomorrow at Duquesne University's Palumbo Center, but let's look ahead a litlte to the PIAA playoffs. A big question is how will the City League do?
On the boys' side, the four City League qualifiers are Allderdice and Schenley in Class AAAA, and Perry and Oliver in AAA. Perry won the City League title with a 61-35 blowout of Allderdice Thursday. It says here that at least one of these teams could make some noise in the PIAA tournament.
A key for City League teams will be shooting, and how well they take care of the basketball. The City League championship Thursday between Allderdice and Perry was filled with horrible shooting and poor ballhandling and passing But both of the teams certainly have some talent to make an impact in the PIAA playoffs.
"As long as we play good defense, I like our chacnes against anybody," said Perry coach Marco Corona. "i think we have enough athleticisim and enough on the offensive end, I think to contend with anybody. We did a good job outside the City this year. We lost a tough one to Highlands. They're a good team, no doubt. But we've played some good teams, and we like to set up our schedule like that, to get us ready for the state playoffs.
"It's a different type of basketball outside the City League. They execute so well. They're very patient and play extremley physical, and extremely tough defense. The pace is a lot slower, 90 percent of the time.
"Allderdice has a good team, too. They've played pretty well outside the league, too. When we went to some state championships when Chuck Franklin was coaching here, we had teams similar to this one. A lot of athleticicism. That's something a lot of teams don't see and we're hoping we can use that to our advantage. It's going to be a tough road in the state playoffs, but we're ready for it."
Allderdice owns a victory against Mt. Lebanon, a WPIAL Class AAAA finalist. Mt. Lebanon and Peters Township are in the Class AAAA final and the loser plays Allderdice in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.
"Whatever team we get, we look forward to playing them," said Allderdice coach Andre McDonald.
Home games for WPIAL teams
Five WPIAL boys' teams and five girls' teams must play "play-in" games in the PIAA tournament Tuesday. The WPIAL isn't exactly happy about the "play-in" games, especially in Class AAAA. The Nos. 3, 4 and 5 teams all must play a "play-in" game. But at least those WPIAL teams will play those games on their home court.
The PIAA decided to play all "play-in" games at the home court of one of the teams. The PIAA also decided to let all WPIAL teams play at home in those "play-in" games, which will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley said attendance is the main reason for the home games. The "play-in" games are new to the PIAA tournament and crowds were awfully small at the "play-in" games last year.
"The PIAA feels the games would be better attended at the home site, as opposed to a neutral site," O'Malley said. "We'd rather not have our teams in the 'play-in' games. We're of the opinion that the representation of our teams should enter the first round. But we're only one of 31 to vote in the PIAA. So, if these [play-in] games are going to fall upon us, it is beneficial for our teams to have them as home games."
No decision yet from Clarke
Will Clarke is the starting center on the Allderdice basketball team. His future is in football, but he still hasn't made a college decision.
Clarke, a 6-foot-6 senior, made a verbal commitment to Pitt last summer, but didn't sign on letter-of-intent day earlier this month. He decided to wait and also consider West Virginia. Allderdice basketball coach Andre McDonald said Thursday that Clarke still hasn't made up his mind between Pitt and West Virginia.
Live blogs
Look for live blogs from the WPIAL championships this weekend.
Feb 26 2009
Mike White | 8:10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 26
It appears as if Seneca Valley has decided on Don Holl as its next football coach.
Holl announced Wednesday that he was resigning as Erie Cathedral Prep's coach and was taking another coaching job. According to the Erie Times News, Holl wouldn't say where he would be coaching in the future, but he did acknowledge that Seneca Valley was the only job he looked into.
Seneca Valley has not made an announcement yet on Holl's hiring.
Holl was Erie Prep's coach for four seasons and had a 36-14 record, including a 7-5 record this season.
Two other finalists for the job were North Hills assistant Eric Kasperowicz and former Hampton coach Greg Mihalik.
Feb 24 2009
Mike White | 4:05 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24
Jerry Shenk has been covering high school basketball in Pennsylvania and publishing state rankings for decades. He knows his stuff and his rankings are interesting because they are the top 25 overall, regardless of class.
Below are his rankings for the Middle Atlantic Sports news and www.LLHoops.com. It's a very good site if you're interested in some Eastern Pennsylvania hoops, which some people are this time of year. Ted Silary's web site www.tedsilary.com also is excellent for Philadelphia area basketball and football. And www.pahoops.org has a lot of interesting info, especially for the history of basketball in Pennsylvania.
But if you look at the below rankings, you'll see only one Western Pennsylvania team in the top 25 (Chartiers Valley at No. 11). Also, in the Harrisburg Patriot-News rankings, there is not one WPIAL team in the Class AAAA top 10.
I know this isn't a great year for AAAA teams in the WPIAL, but I think the knocks against area basketball this season are a little over the top. A WPIAL Class AAAA team won't win the PIAA title and there is not a great team in AAAA this year. And I know this area is way below Philadelphia in terms of top teams. I'm not comparing our area to Philadelphia. But I have a hard time believing the likes of Peters Township and Mt. Lebanon aren't on par with a few of the teams in the bottom 25 of Shenk's rankings. There are suburban teams ranked in the top 25 that can't be world-beaters.
For example, do you really think a few WPIAL AAAA teams couldn't be as good as Shamokin, Central Dauphin East (near Harrisburg), Pocono Mountain East or Holy Cross (Class AA). They are all ranked somewhere between 20 and 25.
In other words, this area this year isn't as bad as some people make it out.
And I have a prediction: Don't be surprised if a Pittsburgh City League team (in Class AAA or AAAA) makes some noise in the state playoffs. I'm not saying they'll win a state title, but Allderdice, Oliver and Perry are good enough to open some eyes.
Anyway, here is a look at Shenk's rankings and he gives a little rundown on each team.
MIDDLE ATLANTIC SPORTS NEWS/LLHoops.com PIAA BOYS BASKETBALL RATINGS
PIAA STATE RATINGS
February 22, 2009
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1. Philadelphia Neumann-Goretti (22-2) (Philadelphia Catholic League-District 12 AAA)
In the District 12/Philadelphia Catholic League Semifinals, Neumann-Goretti defeated North Catholic 77-62. Daniel Stewart led with 18pts, Tyreek Duren had 17pts and Andre Gillette added 12pts.
2. Penn Wood (22-3) (District 1 AAAA)
in a District 1 AAAA Round of 16 game, the Patriots destroyed Bensalem 65-32. Aaron Brown led with 20pts, Tyree Johnson had 11pts, while Duane Johnson and Chris White both added 10pts….In the Quarterfinals, Penn Wood avenged an earlier loss and defeated Lower Merion 38-35 by overcoming a 31-26 deficit after the third quarter. Duane Johnson led with 12pts and Tyree Johnson added 11pts.
3. Pennsbury (22-3) (District 1 AAAA)
Pennsbury routed Owen J. Roberts 70-48 in the District 1 AAAA Round of 16. Dalton Pepper led the way with 29pts as 12-players hit the scoring column…..The Falcons then ripped Central Bucks South 56-37 in the Quarterfinals as Pepper led with 16pts and Eddie DiRugeris had 13pts
4. York (27-0) (District 3 AAAA)
The Bearcats opened play in the District 3 AAAA First Round, by
beating Dallastown for the third time with an 86-55 win. The undefeated Bearcats got double-digit scoring from five starters in dismantling Dallastown at Central York High School. Chemin Lambert led the Bearcats in scoring with 14 points, while big men Malik Generett and Malachi Leonard each scored 13. Kelvin Parker (12 points) and Jevaughn Murphy (11) also reached double figures for William Penn…..In the Quarterfinals, York fell behind Reading by 17pts in the middle of the fourth quarter but rallied for a 66-65 victory as Leonard put back a missed shot with 8.2 seconds left. Generett
5. Philadelphia Imhotep Charter (26-1) (Philadelphia Public League-District 12 AA)
In the Public League Semifinals, the Panthers fell behind Philadelphia Math, Civics & Science 23-14 after the first quarter. But then outscored the
Mighty Elephants 70-32 over the final three quarters to reach the finals with an 84-55 victory. Will Adams
6. Chester (21-4) (District 1 AAAA)
in the District 1 AAAA Round of 16, the Clippers had a big third quarter outscoring Souderton 24-8 in a 66-58 victory. Maurice Nelson led with 25pts, Rahlir Jefferson had 19pts and Laquan Robinson scored 10pts…..The Clippers drop down some, but not to far, pending what they do the rest of the tournament, after a Quarterfinal 61-59 loss to Norristown. Rahlir Jefferson scored 15pts, Laquan Robinson 14pts and Maurice Nelson 13pts in the loss.
7. Philadelphia Roman Catholic (17-7) (Philadelphia Catholic League-District 12 AAAA)
In the District 12/Philadelphia Catholic League Semifinals Roman went overtime to defeat Archbishop Carroll 63-59. 6-3 jr Kevin Regan led with 24pts, 5-11 jr Rakeem Brookins had 13pts and 6-1 freshman Andre Horne added 12pts.
8. Radnor Archbishop Carroll (21-3) (Philadelphia Catholic League-District 12 AAA)
Carroll took Roman Catholic to overtime before losing 63-59 in the District 12/Philadelphia Catholic League Semifinals. Andre Wilburn led with 14pts, 6-3 soph Juan’ya Green had 13pts and 6-5 sr Kasheef Festus added 12 points.
9. Philadelphia Strawberry Mansion (18-4) (Philadelphia Public League D-12 AA)
in the Public League - District 12 Third Place game, the Knights defeated Philadelphia Communications Tech 85-79. They trailed 24-18 at the end of the first quarter. But a 25-8 second quarter gave them the lead for good. 6-1 sr Darren Lawrence scored a career-high 33pts, 21 in the second half. Devonte’ Newbill (16pts) and Marcus Grimes (12pts) and Marcus “Worm” Johnson (10pts, three assists) also played well. Mansion will now be the #4 team from District 12 AA.
10. Norristown (20-5) (District 1 AAAA)
In a District 1 AAAA Round of 16, the Eagles took care of West Chester Rustin 62-41 going out to a 33-15 halftime lead and coasting from there. Lorenzo Christmas with 22pts and Khalif Wyatt with 20pts led the way…..Khalif Wyatt scored 31pts and helped Norristown avenge an earlier loss to Chester with a 61-59 victory in the Quarterfinals.
11. Chartiers Valley (24-0) (District 7 WPIAL - AAA)
In the Colts WPIAL/District 7 AAA First Round game, they rolled over Mars, 75-49.
Ahead by just three points through two quarters, top-seeded Chartiers Valley returned to their usual dominant play in the second half to blow out the Planets (16-8) at North Allegheny. 5-11 jr T.J. McConnell scored 11 of his 23 points in the second half for the Colts and notched 11 steals. 6-2 soph Matt Noszka added 20 points and hit five 3-pointers as the Colts hit 14 from beyond the arc as a team…..In the Quarterfinals they were pushed hard by Blackhawk, before winning 54-51 to stay unbeaten. Matt Noszka -- who intercepted a pass with 2.8 seconds left to seal the win -- scored 12 points for the Colts. Chartiers Valley also got 13 points each from Teagan Lindsay and Eli Maravich and 12 from T.J. McConnell.
12. Parkland (22-3) (District 11 AAAA)
Parkland defeated Easton 64-48 in the District 11 AAAA Quarterfinals. Jalee Clark led with 26pts and 12rebs.
M.J. Miorelli
13. Philadelphia North Catholic (16-8) (Philadelphia Catholic League-District 12 AAAA)
In the District 12/Philadelphia Catholic League Semifinals, North Catholic was defeated 77-62 by Neumann-Goretti. Jack O’Neill led with 18pts, Rakeem Christmas had 14pts and Woody Redding scored 11 points.
14. Lower Merion (22-5) (District 1 AAAA)
Extended winning streak to 17 in a 45-41 win over Central Bucks West in the District 1 AAAA Round of 16. Greg Robbins led the way with 18pts…..The streak was stopped in the Quarterfinals by Penn Wood, 38-35. Robbins led with 14pts in the loss.
15. Philadelphia Prep Charter (18-6) (Philadelphia Public League-District 12 AA)
The Huskies are idle until the PIAA State AA Playoffs start
16. Harrisburg (22-4) (District 3 AAAA)
In the District 3 AAAA Round of 16, the Cougars defeated Gettysburg 62-46. 5-10 sr Wayne Griffin led with 18pts and 6-4 sr Cody Williams added 11pts…..In the Quarterfinals,
Harrisburg was ahead 32-30 entering the fourth quarter before using a 17-8 run to close out the game and pull away from Penn Manor for a 49-38 victory. Harrisburg forced 27 turnovers and limited Penn Manor to 14 field goals. Eric Henry was the catalyst for the Cougars, posting 15 points, six rebounds, eight assists and nine steals. He scored nine of his points in the fourth quarter to help Harrisburg pull away. Breland Roach added 10 points for Harrisburg
17.
Conestoga (23-2) (District 1 AAAA)
The
Pioneers easily defeated West Chester Henderson 65-36 in their District 1 AAAA Round of 16 game. Doug Jakiela led with 12pts, Robert Scott had 11pts and Jake Cohen added 10pts…..In the Quarterfinals, Conestoga got 21pts from Jake Cohen and 12pts from Mike D’Angelo in a 43-34 victory over Plymouth-Whitemarsh.
18. Williamsport (19-3) (District 4 AAAA)
Did not play this week. Opens District 2 AAAA Playoffs this week against Wyoming Valley West in the Semifinals.
19. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (21-4) (District 1 AAAA)
In the District 1 AAAA Round of 16, the
Colonials defeated Neshaminy 63-47 as C. J. Aiken led with 20pts, Jaylen Bond
20. Philadelphia Communications Tech (20-5) (Phila. Public League-District 12 AA)
In the Public League - District 12 AA Third Place Game, the Phoenix lost 85-79 to Strawberry Mansion and ended their season. Chris Jones led with 23pts, Sherman Blanford had 15pts, 11rebs, 3blks Antonio Gee” Monroe had 15pts and Shaqauille Shannon also had 15pts.
21. Central Dauphin East (22-3) (District 3 AAAA)
The Panthers opened the District 3 AAAA Tournament with a 60-39 first round win over Mechanicsburg. Amani Glenn and Brian Chatman both scored 14pts to lead East and Jon Breeden had 12pts and seven assists…..In the Quarterfinals, East used a 17-8 fourth quarter to defeat Elizabethtown 48-42. Demond Bates led the way with 16pts, Jonathan Breeden had 15pts and Amani Glenn scored 12pts.
22. Susquehanna Township (19-4) (District 3 AAA)
The Indians had to battle hard to defeat Kennard-Dale 58-53 in their District 3 AAA First Round Game. 6-3 sr Greg Edwards scored 31pts to rescue Township from defeat. 6-7 sr Akeem Wilson added 11pts…..Susquehanna Township then bested Lancaster Catholic 72-57 in the Quarterfinals as Greg Edwards led with 22pts, Akeem Wilson and Ben Dupree had 18pts apiece.
23. Shamokin (21-1) (District 4 AAA)
The Indians did not play and open the District 4 AAA Tournament next week in the Semifinals against Milton.
24. Pocono Mountain East (22-4) (District 11 AAAA)
The Cardinals defeated East Stroudsburg South 81-74 in a District 11 AAAA Pigtail Game as
Kendall Harris Kyheim Hall
25. Dunmore Holy Cross (21-2) (District 2 AA)
The Crusaders crushed Dunmore 61-40 to win the Lackawanna League Division 2 Overall Championship. Junior center Mark Bevacqua led with 23pts, making eight of his 10 shots from the floor. Junior guard Louis Ciprino scored 19pts…..
Mark Bevacqua scored 19 points, and Louis Cipriano chipped in 13 as Holy Cross rolled past West Side CTC, 72-31 in the District 2 AA Round of 16. Brett Podhyski scored 10 for the Crusaders, who jumped out to a 28-4 lead by the end of the first quarter
had 15pts, Kendall Harris added 13pts and Lamont Tillery scored 12pts.led five Cardinals in double figures with 19 points. Joe Marra contributed 14 points, while D.J. Strayhorn and Kyheim Hall added 12 points each, Lamont Tillery chipped in with 11.….Pocono Mountain East then avenged a loss to Pocono Mountain West with an 85-67 victory in the Quarterfinals. D. J. Strayhorn poured in 25pts, had 13pts, while Sam Pygatt added 11pts…..Drops down after a 43-34 loss to Conestoga in the Quarterfinals. It was their second loss of the season to the Pioneers. Jaylen Bond was high scorer with 8pts
had 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, Paul Pammer had 7 points, 6 rebounds and Nick Miller had 7 points, 3 assists.led with 27pts, Sam Prescott had 21pts and Parrish Grant scored 12pts…..Imhotep then won the Public League Championship with a 49-43 victory over Philadelphia Franklin Learning Center. The Panthers led at the half, 24-11, but FLC made a game of it and pulled to within one point down the stretch. Sam Prescott led the way with 24pts, 13rebs, 2 steals and 3blks and Parrish Grant finished with 10pts. scored a team-high 20pts and ripped down 13rebs, while Leonard had 17pts and 14rebs.
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Feb 23 2009
Mike White | 1:40 p.m., Monday, Feb. 23
The WPIAL has set the game times for the basketball championship games Friday and Saturday at Duquesne University's Palumbo Center.
The boys' championships Friday are Class A (7 p.m.) and AAA (9 p.m.). The boys' finals Saturday are Class AA (1 p.m.) and AAAA (9 p.m.).
The girls' championship Friday is Class A (5 p.m.). The girls' championships Saturday are Class AA (11 a.m.), AAA (3 p.m.) and AAAA (7 p.m.).
All of the WPIAL championship games are being televised by Comcast, but not live. They can be seen "On Demand" the following week.
The City League boys' championship is Thursday at Palumbo Center at 6 p.m. The City League girls' championship is the second game of the doubleheader at 8 p.m.
About Herb Pope
Remember Herb Pope? Really, who can forget him. He is the former Aliquippa basketball star who was shot in the spring of his senior year two years ago. Pope played at New Mexico State as a freshman before transferring to Seton Hall. He is sitting out this year, under NCAA transfer rules, but apparently has been impressive in practices.
Brad Everett of the Post-Gazette recently attended the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton, N.J. The event attracts some of the top teams and players in the country. Anyway, while there Brad caught up with Seton Hall assistant coach Scott Adubato, and Brad passes along these comments from Adubato:
On getting a player like Pope: Herb Pope has a chance to be a first-team all-Big East player. There's no doubt.
What makes Pope good: His size and his ability to score inside and step outside. And not only do it offensively, but he is also good on the glass. He's a great rebounder. He's a great passer. He has a great feel for the game. He's going to take our team to another level.
On Pope's attitude: Herb has gotten a bad rap in the past, but he's a very good kid with a tremendous work ethic. I've been really pleased and happy to be able to work with him and help him get where we're trying to go. He's been tremendous for us. Every day, he's been working hard at practice. He makes guys better and he's going to make our team better. I can't wait to get him on the floor next year.
On Pope's future: If he continues to do what he's doing now, I think the sky is the limit for Herb. Because of his versatility, there are a lot of different things he brings to the table. ... I wish we had him in now. If we had him right now, I'm sure we'd have a couple more wins.
Feb 22 2009
Mike White | 1:40 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 22
Notes, thoughts and anecdotes after the quarterfinals of the WPIAL and City League basketball playoffs.
Did you happen to notice there was a recurring theme that shaped the WPIAL basketball quarterfinals this weekend. It was "runs."
Some of the games Friday and Saturday were decided by fourth-quarter or second-half scoring runs. It's hard to remember so many rallies in one round of the playoffs. The scoring run I saw Friday night by Moon had me wondering if I had ever seen anything like it to end a WPIAL playoff game.
New Castle was pretty much in control of the Class AAA boys' contest. Moon had no answer for New Castle guard Tyrone Steals and his basket with 6:38 left in the game put Moon ahead, 47-38. The final score was 65-49 - in favor of Moon.
Moon outscored New Castle, 27-2, in the final six-and-a-half minutes. Moon's closing run bordered on the unbelievable. After the game, many people were scratching their head, trying to remember such a closing run - or fourth-quarter collapse - depending on how you look at it. A New Castle follower brought up one of the darkest nights in New Castle history.
It was back in 1999 when New Castle had one of the best teams in the WPIAL in probably 10-15 years. New Castle had won a third consecutive WPIAL title and made it to the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals at Pitt's Fitzgerald Field House. New Castle was having its way with Erie McDowell, leading by 18 points in the third quarter. Then New Castle folded again, eventually losing in overtime to Erie McDowell, 52-48. It was a devastating loss to a tremendous team. It hit the town of New Castle hard. As Erie McDowell fans rushed the court after the game, I can still remember covering my head so I wouldn't get hit by the quarters, dimes and nickles that New Castle fans were throwing onto the court in frustration.
But consider some of the other scoring runs in quarterfinal games this past weekend:
* Beaver Falls opened up a 50-36 lead against Monessen in a Class AA boys' quarterfinal. Monessen outscored Beaver Fals, 20-2, from there on out and upset Beaver Falls, 56-52. Beaver Falls was the No. 2 seed.
* Jeannette led Quaker Valley by only 34-28 after three quarters in another Class AA boys' quarterfinal. Jeannette outscored Quaker Valley, 28-8, in the final quarter to pull away.
* Latrobe opened up a six-point lead against North Hills with two minutes left in a Class AAAA game. But North Hills eventually won in overtime, 57-54. North Hills never led in the game - until overtime.
* The Fox Chapel girls went on a 12-0 run in the third quater and knocked off Bethel Park, 35-33.
* Allderdice, the No. 1 seed in the City League boys' playoffs, trailed by two points after the third quarter, but came back and defeated Westinghouse, 49-38.
Quaker Valley misses top player
Quaker Valley played Jeannette without leading scorer Nigel Gibson, who was academically ineligible. That certainly contributed to Quaker Valley's loss to Jeannette.
Monessen's young bunch
The Monessen team that knocked off Beaver Falls is extremely young. At one point in the fourth quarter of a first-round game against Mohawk, Monessen had five sophomores on the court - Terrance Stepoli, Nick Bolias, Cam Johnson, Jeff Rancia and Trae Cook.
Some may be surprised that Monessen beat Beaver Falls. But really, this Beaver Falls team turned out to be not as good as most people thought at the start of the season.
Many coaches and people, including myself, thought Beaver Falls might be the WPIAL's best team this year, regardless of classification. But the Tigers never lived up to that. Injuries took their toll on the Tigers. Another talented player, Chastin Harris, eventually left the team for good. When I saw Beaver Falls play North Allegheny in January, it was obvious Beaver Falls was lacking. For one, the Tigers didn't really handle the ball that well, didn't shoot it that well, and really press and defend as well as some recent Beaver Falls teams.
This is not a knock against Coach Doug Biega. He has done and excellent job in bringing the Beaver Falls basketball program back to prominence. But because of the injuries, he rarely had his entire team together. Plus, sometimes, for whatever reason, teams just aren't as talented as some thought.
Thomas gets 2,000
Beaver Falls' Todd Thomas scored his 2,000th career point in the loss to Monessen. He now has 2,001 and is the 24th player in WPIAL history to score 2,000. Here is the list of players:
Name, School (Senior Year) Points
Tom Pipkins, Valley (1993) 2,838
Kevin Price, Duquesne (1994) 2,635
Kevin Covert, Neshannock (1995) 2,612
Vince Graham, Belle Vernon (1995) 2,429
Don Hennon, Wampum (1955) 2,376
Dan Fortson, Altoona/Shaler (1994) 2,331
Drew Schifino, Penn Hills (2000) 2,318
Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette (2008) 2,285
Ben McCauley, Yough (2005) 2,284
Brandon Fuss-Cheatham, Blackhawk (2001) 2,278
Dante Calabria, Blackhawk (1992) 2,252
Allan MacQuarrie, Pine-Richland (2001) 2,247
James Hairston, Connellsville (2004) 2,245
Lance Jeter, Beaver Falls (2006) 2,243
Yuri Demetris, Shaler (2000) 2,221
David Young, Union/New Castle (1999) 2,198
Steve McNees, Shenango (2006) 2,192
Eric Roslonski, Southmoreland (1992) 2,192
Sam Sims, German Township (1959) 2,138
David Kwiat, Neshannock (1993) 2,085
Warren Sallade, Wilmington (1959) 2,075
Mike Colbert, Chartiers Valley (1997) 2,022
Gabe Jackson, New Brighton (1991) 2,011
Todd Thomas, Beaver Falls (2009) 2,001
Bracket sense
Maybe it's just me, but a part of the PIAA Class AAAA bracket for boys and girls doesn't make a lot of sense. Why? Because there is a decent chance that the WPIAL champion will have to play a first-round PIAA game against the team it defeated in the WPIAL quarterfinals.
The way the brackets are set up, the WPIAL fifth-place team plays the No. 2 team from District 6 in a "play-in" game in the PIAA playoffs. The WPIAL fifth-place is the team that lost to the WPIAL champion in the quarterfinals. The winner of the game between the WPIAL's No. 5 team and District 6's No. 2 team meets the WPIAL champion in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.
Couldn't the PIAA have worked out something where the WPIAL champ could play someone else in the first round of the PIAA playoffs, besides the team it just beat in the quarterfinals? Of course, this all means nothing if the WPIAL fifth-place team doesn't beat the No. 2 team from District 6.
New faces
There will be at least one team in the WPIAL Class AAAA championship that has never played in a title game. Seneca Valley meets Peters Township in a semifinal game Wednesday night at North Allegheny. Neither team has ever made it to the title game.
Feb 20 2009
Colin Dunlap | 11:41 a.m., Friday, Feb. 20
The following is a list of Robert Morris' 2009 football recruits. On it, a few names --- mainly Sinclair (pictured, right) and Ashby --- jump out as guys who were getting looks from some Division I schools:
Robert Morris announced its 2009 football recruiting
class, which included 18 players, 10 of which hail from WPIAL or City
League high schools.
Local products who will play at Robert Morris are: Quarterback Jeff
Sinclair (Highlands), running backs Monte Ashby (East Allegheny) and
Dion Wiegand (Keystone Oaks), offensive linemen Jon Corey
(Canon-McMillan), Nate Hargraves (Highlands), Dustin Laughlin
(Schenley) and Nathan Lojek (Trinity), defensive linemen Steve Mitchell
(Pittsburgh Central Catholic) and Nolan Nearhoff (Mars) and two-way
lineman Cory Noton (Baldwin).
Feb 20 2009
Mike White | 10:47 a.m., Friday, Feb. 20
WPIAL CLASS AAAA
The games: Peters Township vs. Central Catholic; Seneca Vlaley vs. Upper St. Clair; Latrobe vs. North Hills; Mt. Lebanon vs. McKeesport.
Leading scorers: Jeff Yunetz, Latrobe (21.8); Nick Wilcox, Peters Township (21.1); Evan Pierce, Mt. Lebanon (18.6); Cody Patton, North Hills (18.0); Christian Shea, Upper St. Clair (16.8); Craig Wolcott, Peters Township (16.0); Ty-Meer Brown, McKeesport (15.2); Lucas Mickens, Central Catholic (15.1);
The skinny: Peters Township-Central Catholic is an interesting matchup, considering Peters Township is the No. 1 seed, and Central Catholic is the defending WPIAL champion. Peters Township is trying to make the semifinals for only the second time in school history. The other was 1997. Central Catholic has been in the semifinals eight times since joining the WPIAL in the 1970s. … Seneca Valley-Upper St. Clair is a rematch of a first-round game last season, won by Upper St. Clair. Upper St. Clair is the third-highest scoring team in Class AAAA, averaging 65 points a game. A key to the game will be how well Upper St. Clair shoots 3-pointers. This is USC’s eighth quarterfinal appearance in eight games. … Latrobe is trying to make the semifinals for the first time since 1990. North Hills has been in the semifinals only once (2005). Latrobe leads Class AAAA in scoring, averaging 71 points a game. Latrobe has scored 60 points or more in all but two games. …. Mt. Lebanon has held its past 10 opponents to 51 points or less. McKeesport has 7-footer Zeke Marshall, an Akron recruit. But Mt. Lebanon has some size, too, with 6-8 junior Deion Turman and 6-5 sophomore Paul Lang.
The winners: Peters Township, Seneca Valley, Mt. Lebanon. (Truth be told, I am NOT picking the Latrobe-North Hills game for personal reasons. I have a son on North Hills' team and I'm in a no-win situation if I try to pick that game. So I asked Post-Gazette assistant sports editor Terry Shields to pick the game. He's in charge of the PG North, South, East and West. He picked Latrobe).
CLASS AAA
The games: Chartiers Valley vs. Blackhawk; Valley vs. Highlands; New Castle vs. Moon; Hampton vs. Greensburg Salem.
Leading scorers: T.J. McConnell, Chartiers Valley (22.2); Matt Madia, Hampton (19.3); Aaron Johnson, Moon (18.6); Mike Trenski, Highlands (17.5); Chris Klimchock, Greensburg Salem (17.4); Teagan Lindsey, Chartiers Valley (17.4); Tyrone Steals, New Castle (17.2); Jake Matthews, Greensburg Salem (15.7).
The skinny: This is the third year in a row Chartiers Valley has met Blackhawk in a playoff game. Chartiers Valley beat Blackhawk in the quarterfinals last year, but Blackhawk beat Chartiers Valley in the semifinals a year ago. … Highlands averages 10 3-pointers a game. The Rams have the second-highest scoring team in Class AAA at 75.8 points a game. But they have the second-worst scoring defense at 65.7. … New Castle has won 14 in a row and senior guard Tyrone Steals is one of the most underrated players in Class AAA. New Castle must control Moon sophomore center Aaron Johnson, who had 25 points and 22 rebounds in the first round against Moon. … Hampton-Greensburg Salem is one of the best matchups in any class. There will be an interesting matchup of point guards – Greensburg Salem’s Chris Klimchock and Hampton’s Matt Madia.
The winners: Chartiers Valley, Highlands, New Castle, Hampton.
CLASS AA
The games: Jeannette vs. Quaker Valley; South Fayette vs. Washington; Beaver Falls vs. Monessen; North Catholic vs. Aliquippa.
Leading scorers: Jordan Hall, Jeannette (22.9); Todd Thomas, Beaver Falls (18.6); Nick Bryant, Washington (16.5); Jesse Long, North Catholic (16.0); Mike Lamberti, South Fayette (16.0).
The skinny: Jeannette is trying to make the semifinals for the fourth time in five years. Quaker Valley must deal with a Jeannette man-to-man defense that has held six of the past eight opponents to 46 points or less. … South Fayette has wn 17 in a row, but faces a Washington team that allows only 38.3 points, the best in the WPIAL. Washington defeated South Fayette, 62-53, in early December. … Monessen has won six games in a row, but the Greyhounds haven’t faced a team as good as Beaver Falls. … Aliquippa has lost seven games, but six to teams that are still alive in the WPIAL playoffs.
The winners: Jeannette, South Fayette, Beaver Falls, North Catholic.
CLASS A
The games: Sewickley Academy vs. Union; Clairton vs. Lincoln Park; Serra vs. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart; Neshannock vs. Carmichaels.
Leading scorers: Jim Orie, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (25.0); David McCauley, Lincoln Park (23.6); T.J. Heteherington, Serra (23.3); Tom Droney, Sewickley Academy (22.2); Anthony Scappe, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (20.1); Tony Kirkwood, Neshannock (19.8); Jason Burkes, Union (17.0); Rob Hetherington, Serra (15.0).
The skinny: Pete Schramm has played well lately for Sewickley Academy and will be one to watch. … Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is the only team in the WPIAL with two players (Orie and Scappe) averaging 20 points. While those two average better than 20 a game, the key might be how well the rest of the team does. Serra is second in the WPIAL in scoring at 80 points a game. … Clairton has been a little up and down this season, but the Bears are fresh off an impressive 55-32 win against Monaca. … Neshannock hasn’t been to the semifinals since 1995 and Carmichaels hasn’t advanced to the final four since 1996.
The winners: Sewickley Academy; Clairton; Serra; Neshannock.
Feb 19 2009
Mike White | 11:25 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19
WPIAL CLASS AAAA
Leading scorers: Jeff Yunetz, Latrobe (21.8); Nick Wilcox, Peters Township (21.1); Evan Pierce, Mt. Lebanon (18.6); Cody Patton, North Hills (18.0); Christian Shea, Upper St. Clair (16.8); Craig Wolcott, Peters Township (16.0); Ty-Meer Brown, McKeesport (15.2); Lucas Mickens, Central Catholic (15.1);
The skinny: Peters Township-Central Catholic is an interesting matchup, considering Peters Township is the No. 1 seed, and Central Catholic is the defending WPIAL champion. Peters Township is trying to make the semifinals for only the second time in school history. The other was 1997. Central Catholic has been in the semifinals eight times since joining the WPIAL in the 1970s. … Seneca Valley-Upper St. Clair is a rematch of a first-round game last season, won by Upper St. Clair. Upper St. Clair is the third-highest scoring team in Class AAAA, averaging 65 points a game. A key to the game will be how well Upper St. Clair shoots 3-pointers. This is USC’s eighth quarterfinal appearance in eight games. … Latrobe is trying to make the semifinals for the first time since 1990. North Hills has been in the semifinals only once (2005). Latrobe leads Class AAAA in scoring, averaging 71 points a game. Latrobe has scored 60 points or more in all but two games. …. Mt. Lebanon has held its past 10 opponents to 51 points or less. McKeesport has 7-footer Zeke Marshall, an Akron recruit. But Mt. Lebanon has some size, too, with 6-8 junior Deion Turman and 6-5 sophomore Paul Lang.
CLASS AAA
Leading scorers: T.J. McConnell, Chartiers Valley (22.2); Matt Madia, Hampton (19.3); Aaron Johnson, Moon (18.6); Mike Trenski, Highlands (17.5); Chris Klimchock, Greensburg Salem (17.4); Teagan Lindsey, Chartiers Valley (17.4); Tyrone Steals, New Castle (17.2); Jake Matthews, Greensburg Salem (15.7).
The skinny: This is the third year in a row Chartiers Valley has met Blackhawk in a playoff game. Chartiers Valley beat Blackhawk in the quarterfinals last year, but Blackhawk beat Chartiers Valley in the semifinals a year ago. … Highlands averages 10 3-pointers a game. The Rams have the second-highest scoring team in Class AAA at 75.8 points a game. But they have the second-worst scoring defense at 65.7. … New Castle has won 14 in a row and senior guard Tyrone Steals is one of the most underrated players in Class AAA. New Castle must control Moon sophomore center Aaron Johnson, who had 25 points and 22 rebounds in the first round against Moon. … Hampton-Greensburg Salem is one of the best matchups in any class. There will be an interesting matchup of point guards – Greensburg Salem’s Chris Klimchock and Hampton’s Matt Madia.
CLASS AA
Leading scorers: Jordan Hall, Jeannette (22.9); Todd Thomas, Beaver Falls (18.6); Nick Bryant, Washington (16.5); Jesse Long, North Catholic (16.0); Mike Lamberti, South Fayette (16.0);
The skinny: Jeannette is trying to make the semifinals for the fourth time in five years. Quaker Valley must deal with a Jeannette man-to-man defense that has held six of the past eight opponents to 46 points or less. … South Fayette has wn 17 in a row, but faces a Washington team that allows only 38.3 points, the best in the WPIAL. Washington defeated South Fayette, 62-53, in early December. … Monessen has won six games in a row, but the Greyhounds haven’t faced a team as good as Beaver Falls. … Aliquippa has lost seven games, but six to teams that are still alive in the WPIAL playoffs.
CLASS A
Leading scorers: Jim Orie, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (25.0); David McCauley, Lincoln Park (23.6); T.J. Heteherington, Serra (23.3); Tom Droney, Sewickley Academy (22.2); Anthony Scappe, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (20.1); Tony Kirkwood, Neshannock (19.8); Jason Burkes, Union (17.0); Rob Hetherington, Serra (15.0);
The skinny: Pete Schramm has played well lately for Sewickley Academy and is one to watch. … Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is the only team in the WPIAL with two players (Orie and Scappe) averaging 20 points. While those two average better than 20 a game, the key might be how well the rest of the team does. Serra is second in the WPIAL in scoring at 80 points a game. … Clairton has been a little up and down this season, but the Bears are fresh off an impressive 55-32 win against Monaca. … Neshannock hasn’t been to the semifinals since 1995 and Carmichaels hasn’t advanced to the final four since 1996.
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