Christmas Tournaments

[Corky McRib]

Susquehanna Township is 8-0, and a very solid competitor in the AAA ranks statewide. I know Madison was hurt the other night, not sure if Johnstown had to go without him last night.

But the thing is, Johnstown has a nice team for around here, but when 4 of your guys in your rotation are 5-8 or shorter, it is going to be tough to play these good teams from outside the area. Madison is as good as a player in D6, and the Barfield twins and Lanzendorfer are good players, but its a simple matter of being outsized. The Trojans will be loading upp for another run here shortly, the sophomore class has some solid players, and the freshmen are also good.

And a few years ago, Johnstown lost to Steel High by a similar score. Not the state championship game, but like around 06-07. But you are right, Johnstown rarely gets beat like that.

The Patriot-News said that Johnstown started three 5'4 guards in that game which is tiny for sure. Max Preps has Susqu. Twp ranked 6th in the state in AAA so yes, they are an outstanding team. BTW,Johnstown plays Annville-Cleona in the Consy tonight.

[peytonsaturday]

The tournament in March in Frostburg is the ACIT (Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament). Catholic school tournament hosted by Bishop Walsh. Most of the schools are from the Baltimore/DC area now, since the PA Catholic schools are now part of the PIAA. They also get schools from NY and NJ. Lebron never played in this tournament, I have gone every year for the past 25 years. Some guys who have played in it include Carmelo Anthony, Juan Dixon, Kyle Lowry, Ed Davis, Rudy Gay. The list is pretty extensive. Great tournament run Thurdays-Saturday (4 games a day). Dunk contest on Sat. after championship game. Alot of D1 recruits on hand. Here is a link to the tournment website. Tournament field not determined yet. http://www.acit.us/index.html

My fault. I meant Melo

[Crimson's Ghost]

Madison was not in the box score, which is a big blow to them. He was arguably the MVP of the team last season, he held it together a good bit, and allowed the other guys to play off the ball. I'm a big fan of what Madison can do. There have been some topics on here listing the best players in the district or area, and he was not brought up. He averaged 13 Points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds a game last season. That is pretty good IMO, and you would be hard pressed to find too many guards from D5,6,9 better than him.

The Fields kid has clearly gotten much better from last season, and being 6-6 will make him a tough matchup for a lot of teams.


I don't Johnstown is down and out by any stretch, they could have played a lesser schedule and be sitting at 6-0 right now. Give them time, they will develop into a good LHAC team.

[Quikclipze]

The Rotary Tournament opening round was last night, right? If you're asking about what's wrong with Windber, I'll assume they lost to Ferndale. As a fellow alum, and no offense to anyone from Ferndale, but, that's just embarrassing. Especially as the host team at the Rotary Tournament. I know times and eras change, but we never lost to them in 4 years of Varsity, ages ago when I was in school, even playing games in that half-size band box of a gym with the opposing crowd right on top of you.

As far as what's wrong with Windber.... who knows? Coaching decisions? Lack of size? Lack of interest? (Related to coaching? I don't know, I'm not involved). This is all speculation. It seems to me they should have the athletes; they were in the D5 title game in football. Looking at their roster, they have plenty of guys over 6', including two at 6'6" and 6'4"; We had no players that size my Sr year, and made a District Title game. Maybe they just don't have the horses this year...

[psycho]

A history lesson for all you youngsters:

THE REASON THE WAR MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT NO LONGER EXISTS
The War Memorial Invitational Basketball Tournament was the most prestegious, and longest running high school Holiday basketball tournament in the USA when it folded in the early 90's. Every year the best local high school team -- JHS, Richland, Northern Cambria, McCort all played in it -- was pitted against the top teams in the Mid Atlantic -- Dematha Catholic, West Philadelphia, Power Memorial, JFK, Dunbar, Chester -- you get the picture. Attendance at this tournament was always great as high school players, non-players, parents, and sports fans came to the tournament from all across the Greater Johnstown region in droves. Then in the late 80's - things began to change. As the disease of political correctness and the "everybody deserves a trophy" mentality took hold in our public schools, every local piss ant high school began to hold its own "Holiday Tournament" - in direct conflict with the War Memorial Invitational - so its kids could get a trophy. Attendance at the War Memorial Invitational plummeted and the longest running and most prestegious high school Holiday basketball tournament folded.

[Manfred]

Another thing to factor into the demise of the War Memorial Invitational: The Major ranked teams chose to go to those "other" major metropolitan tournaments, rather than come to Johnstown. Much like D1 teams hate to come to Loretto.

[Crimson's Ghost]

I understand the history of what happened here to the War Memorial Tournament, understandably so, people from the area would rather watch Blacklick Valley than St. Anthony of New Jersey. Why!? Who knows. Its the same thing when Johnstown gets eliminated from the AAABA, Baltimore could have 7 draft picks playing New Orleans with 3 draft picks on championship Sunday....in front of 200 people. It is what it is.


My proposal would be more so of a "Classic" not so much a 4 team tournament. Its like a showcase of sorts. They have one at RMU each season having games from 11 AM-8 PM. And it is simply the best teams in the WPIAL getting matched with a team from a different classification or section. They also had something like that down East a few years ago called the Sportsfever challenge, I know Johnstown and McCort both participated. I know McCort got Imhotep Charter in Boys, and York Catholic in Girls. Pretty sure Johnstown saw a good team too.


Here is a hypothetical for this season....
Richland Girls vs. Seton LaSalle
Shade Boys vs. Jeannette
Forest Hills Girls vs. Mars
Bishop McCort Boys vs. Gateway....


I'm just throwing names out there, but you get the point. Bring in four teams, match them with 4 teams here. Give our local kids something else to look at. Let them play on the big court, and it might draw a crowd. Putting Johnstown up against Dunbar, St. Anthony, and DeMatha just isn't feasible anymore. It has to have more of a local flair. I think playing the four local teams up against good out of town competition has a better chance to flourish.

Just an idea.

[sppawfan]

Some great posts and good ideas guys. I remember dwight collins and richie price from beaver falls and j-town making the all tourney team in that war memorial hoops tourney. I think dunbar and dematha catholic were their also. great teams though including j-towns. Collins was a star football player for pitt. I also remember laurel valley and conemaugh townships great teams while growing up also. Hostetlers, holsinger and honkus and that klavuhn guy from lv and a few other great ball players. Teams seemed to have to play hard every night to win though as their weren't too many slouches as their are now out their.

[sppawfan]

I saw somerset lost to daniel boone in a tourney out in virginia the other night. I thought they would be a lot better this year with a senior heavy team, but saw them play and not enough team ball. Too much individual play like 2 on 1's and 3 on 1's and taking 3 point shots off it instead of a layup. The percentage of a high school 3 point shot vs a layup is a no brainer. Somerset is living and dying from the 3 point line. When they are on they win, but as the game to penn cambria they were off and lost. Somerset has a lot of talent, but has to play more team ball or they will go nowhere this year. That 10th grader from bc is tough. I think his name is martinazzi sp? Did I see it right that ridge boys beat westmont the other night? I also saw richland had a nice win beating homer center who is always decent in hoops. I think penn cambria has the team in the lhac one section, but I don't know who will win the other with bm, j-town and somerset. Should be interesting how things play themselves out.

[PsuDfense30]

Williamsburg Tourney Championship
Central 45 Phillipsburg 39 Final