Class AA Boys Basketball "Western" Preview
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Crimson's Ghost
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Class AA Boys Basketball "Western" Preview
The Favorite - Sewickley Academy 21-4
Sewickley has a balanced roster filled with experience and players that knows how to win. The Panthers are coming off a season in which they advanced the whole way to the Western Final before eventually bowing out to eventual state champion Kennedy Catholic. Many of those players are back from that squad, and they have had a strong season. The Panthers are entering the state playoffs on the heels of a WPIAL championship win over a good OLSH team. Win Palmer's squad is led by 5'10" senior guard Chris Groetsch, who is averaging 16 points per game. Freshman guard Isaiah Smith has also made his impact down the stretch.
The Challenger - Greensburg Central Catholic 23-1
Greensburg Central Catholic was upset in the WPIAL semifinals by OLSH, and that loss ruined their undefeated season. The Centurians have an experienced team with seven seniors on the roster. Neal McDermott is their go-to-guy, as he is pouring in 20 a game. Also key players are Ben Hertzog and Jack Liberatore.
The Local Favorite - Bishop McCort 21-4
Bishop McCort is coming off a dramatic victory in the District VI championship. Junior point guard, Imil Britt, nailed a 3-pointer in the final seconds to defeat Bishop Guilfoyle 63-60. The Crushers have strong guard play. The aforementioned Britt, is averaging 13 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals a game. Logan Kasper, a 6'1" senior is putting up 15 a game. Also adding versatility is 5'8" senior Andre Nash. McCort also has some good defenders in the post. They can make some noise in this tournament.
The Undefeated - Coudersport 24-0
Coudersport's magical season continued through the District 9 playoffs. The Falcons captured the D9 title with a 67-61 victory over Brockway. They will look to keep things rolling in the first round, with United making the trip to Bradford. Brian Furman's squad has been absolutely dominant this year, outscoring teams by an average of 68-36.
The Sleeper - Bishop Canevin 19-5
Bishop Canevin can really play. They hold some very impressive wins over the likes of Sewickley, Moon, Seton La Salle, and OLSH throughout the season. The Crusaders rely on good senior guard play by Mitch King and Walter Bonds. They have the athleticism and experience to hang with and beat anybody on this side of the bracket.
The Champs - Bishop Guilfoyle 17-7
Bishop Guilfoyle has a championship pedigree. They have won three consecutive state championships in football, and they have some key members of the football team showing out on the basketball court. Senior gridiron stars Josh Trybus, Luke Frederick, and Andrew Irwin are all key players for Chris Drenning's squad. Although two non-football players, Luke Ruggery and AJ Labriola, are really what makes this team go offensively. Watch out for the Marauders, they can shoot the three-pointer.
The Defense - McConnellsburg 24-2
McConnellsburg limits their opponents to just 42 points per game. The Spartans play a deliberate style and they are not high scoring either. They score just 54 points a game. This is always a consistent program, and they could give Bishop Guilfoyle some issues in round one.
The Size - Our Lady of Sacred Heart 18-8
OLSH has some size, and that can be a mismatch for some teams. 6'5" senior Ethan Harrell is a good player that can score inside and out and is a leader for this Chargers' team. Matt Quinn is another long, athletic player that can put the ball in the hoop, and he checks in at 6'4". Not to mention, 6'4" freshman Donovan Johnson, brother of Pitt star Cam Johnson, is a wing that can shoot from the outside. The scary thing with this size? They can all play on the perimeter. That's a lot of length for the AA level.
The Hot Hand - Wilmington 18-7
The Greyhounds enter the postseason as hot as anyone. They have won nine straight games, and took home the District 10 crown after a slow 2-4 start to this season. Wilmington has played an underdog role for a few weeks now, they should have a good mindset going into the PIAA tournament.
The Youth - United 14-12
United's two leading scorers come from the backcourt tandem of sophomore Collin Moore (11.7) and freshman Kyle Silk (11.5). Both players are strong outside shooters, and can heat up in a hurry. They will need to play well to pull the upset over undefeated Coudersport.
The Unknown - Chartiers-Houston 19-5
The Bucs have a great record. Still, it's hard to know what you will get from this team in the postseason. They play in a weaker section within the WPIAL, and they suffered a 32 point loss to OLSH in the WPIAL quarterfinals. Was it an off night against OLSH? We'll see. They get District 10 champ Wilmington in round one.
The Delay - Jeannette 12-12
18 days. That's the last time Jeannette played in a real game of basketball. They may be rusty when they take on District Six champion Bishop McCort on Saturday. Adrian Batts is a veteran coach, and he will have his team ready, but it's still quite a layoff for a team this late in the season. This is a team with six seniors, they should be ready to play.
The Versatility - Cambridge Springs 21-4
The Devils are led by 6'8" junior, Turner Kurt. Now for being one of the biggest players in this field, he's one that can do it all. He leads his team in rebounding, grabbing 6.7 a game, but also he's the team's leading three-point shooter having made 44 this season. He'll be a tough match-up for any opponent this postseason. Also watch out for 6'4" senior Jordan Leandro, he's a key player for this team as well.
The Balance - Brockway 16-9
The Rovers have three different players averaging right around the 10 point mark. They also have five players averaging between 4 and 6 points as well. This is a balanced team, with eight players able to contribute and make plays. Six of the top eight players are seniors, and coach Rick Clark is hoping that experience will carry them. If there is a a true go-to threat, it's 6'3" senior Jarrett Esposito. He scored 20 points in the District 9 championship game last time out for Brockway.
The Wrong Way - Rocky Grove 21-4
After a great 21-2 start to the season, Rocky Grove lost in the District 10 playoffs to West Middlesex 36-25. They then went on to lose in the consolation game to Cambridge Springs by a score of 73-51. It's just not an ideal trend for the Orioles heading into the state tournament. It's tough to head into the postseason on a two game losing streak, especially with the way the season started. The good thing is that everyone's slate is wiped clean starting Saturday.
The Surprise - West Middlesex 11-13
West Middlesex is always a strong program, but this was a down year. They finished the regular season with just eight regular season wins. And then, some upsets happened. The Big Reds made it the whole way to the District 10 final, and played Wilmington tough before losing in a tight contest. Still, as the two seed from D-10, they get GCC at nearby Sharon High School, perhaps they can pull another upset or two on the big stage.
The Picks
Sewickley over Rocky Grove
Bishop Guilfoyle over McConnellsburg
GCC over West Middlesex
Coudersport over United
Bishop McCort over Jeannette
OLSH over Cambridge Springs
Bishop Canevin over Brockway
Wilmington over Chartiers-Houston
Sewickley over Bishop Guilfoyle
GCC over Coudersport
OLSH over Bishop McCort
Bishop Canevin over Wilmington
Sewickley over GCC
Bishop Canevin over OLSH
Sewickley over Bishop Canevin
Sewickley has a balanced roster filled with experience and players that knows how to win. The Panthers are coming off a season in which they advanced the whole way to the Western Final before eventually bowing out to eventual state champion Kennedy Catholic. Many of those players are back from that squad, and they have had a strong season. The Panthers are entering the state playoffs on the heels of a WPIAL championship win over a good OLSH team. Win Palmer's squad is led by 5'10" senior guard Chris Groetsch, who is averaging 16 points per game. Freshman guard Isaiah Smith has also made his impact down the stretch.
The Challenger - Greensburg Central Catholic 23-1
Greensburg Central Catholic was upset in the WPIAL semifinals by OLSH, and that loss ruined their undefeated season. The Centurians have an experienced team with seven seniors on the roster. Neal McDermott is their go-to-guy, as he is pouring in 20 a game. Also key players are Ben Hertzog and Jack Liberatore.
The Local Favorite - Bishop McCort 21-4
Bishop McCort is coming off a dramatic victory in the District VI championship. Junior point guard, Imil Britt, nailed a 3-pointer in the final seconds to defeat Bishop Guilfoyle 63-60. The Crushers have strong guard play. The aforementioned Britt, is averaging 13 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals a game. Logan Kasper, a 6'1" senior is putting up 15 a game. Also adding versatility is 5'8" senior Andre Nash. McCort also has some good defenders in the post. They can make some noise in this tournament.
The Undefeated - Coudersport 24-0
Coudersport's magical season continued through the District 9 playoffs. The Falcons captured the D9 title with a 67-61 victory over Brockway. They will look to keep things rolling in the first round, with United making the trip to Bradford. Brian Furman's squad has been absolutely dominant this year, outscoring teams by an average of 68-36.
The Sleeper - Bishop Canevin 19-5
Bishop Canevin can really play. They hold some very impressive wins over the likes of Sewickley, Moon, Seton La Salle, and OLSH throughout the season. The Crusaders rely on good senior guard play by Mitch King and Walter Bonds. They have the athleticism and experience to hang with and beat anybody on this side of the bracket.
The Champs - Bishop Guilfoyle 17-7
Bishop Guilfoyle has a championship pedigree. They have won three consecutive state championships in football, and they have some key members of the football team showing out on the basketball court. Senior gridiron stars Josh Trybus, Luke Frederick, and Andrew Irwin are all key players for Chris Drenning's squad. Although two non-football players, Luke Ruggery and AJ Labriola, are really what makes this team go offensively. Watch out for the Marauders, they can shoot the three-pointer.
The Defense - McConnellsburg 24-2
McConnellsburg limits their opponents to just 42 points per game. The Spartans play a deliberate style and they are not high scoring either. They score just 54 points a game. This is always a consistent program, and they could give Bishop Guilfoyle some issues in round one.
The Size - Our Lady of Sacred Heart 18-8
OLSH has some size, and that can be a mismatch for some teams. 6'5" senior Ethan Harrell is a good player that can score inside and out and is a leader for this Chargers' team. Matt Quinn is another long, athletic player that can put the ball in the hoop, and he checks in at 6'4". Not to mention, 6'4" freshman Donovan Johnson, brother of Pitt star Cam Johnson, is a wing that can shoot from the outside. The scary thing with this size? They can all play on the perimeter. That's a lot of length for the AA level.
The Hot Hand - Wilmington 18-7
The Greyhounds enter the postseason as hot as anyone. They have won nine straight games, and took home the District 10 crown after a slow 2-4 start to this season. Wilmington has played an underdog role for a few weeks now, they should have a good mindset going into the PIAA tournament.
The Youth - United 14-12
United's two leading scorers come from the backcourt tandem of sophomore Collin Moore (11.7) and freshman Kyle Silk (11.5). Both players are strong outside shooters, and can heat up in a hurry. They will need to play well to pull the upset over undefeated Coudersport.
The Unknown - Chartiers-Houston 19-5
The Bucs have a great record. Still, it's hard to know what you will get from this team in the postseason. They play in a weaker section within the WPIAL, and they suffered a 32 point loss to OLSH in the WPIAL quarterfinals. Was it an off night against OLSH? We'll see. They get District 10 champ Wilmington in round one.
The Delay - Jeannette 12-12
18 days. That's the last time Jeannette played in a real game of basketball. They may be rusty when they take on District Six champion Bishop McCort on Saturday. Adrian Batts is a veteran coach, and he will have his team ready, but it's still quite a layoff for a team this late in the season. This is a team with six seniors, they should be ready to play.
The Versatility - Cambridge Springs 21-4
The Devils are led by 6'8" junior, Turner Kurt. Now for being one of the biggest players in this field, he's one that can do it all. He leads his team in rebounding, grabbing 6.7 a game, but also he's the team's leading three-point shooter having made 44 this season. He'll be a tough match-up for any opponent this postseason. Also watch out for 6'4" senior Jordan Leandro, he's a key player for this team as well.
The Balance - Brockway 16-9
The Rovers have three different players averaging right around the 10 point mark. They also have five players averaging between 4 and 6 points as well. This is a balanced team, with eight players able to contribute and make plays. Six of the top eight players are seniors, and coach Rick Clark is hoping that experience will carry them. If there is a a true go-to threat, it's 6'3" senior Jarrett Esposito. He scored 20 points in the District 9 championship game last time out for Brockway.
The Wrong Way - Rocky Grove 21-4
After a great 21-2 start to the season, Rocky Grove lost in the District 10 playoffs to West Middlesex 36-25. They then went on to lose in the consolation game to Cambridge Springs by a score of 73-51. It's just not an ideal trend for the Orioles heading into the state tournament. It's tough to head into the postseason on a two game losing streak, especially with the way the season started. The good thing is that everyone's slate is wiped clean starting Saturday.
The Surprise - West Middlesex 11-13
West Middlesex is always a strong program, but this was a down year. They finished the regular season with just eight regular season wins. And then, some upsets happened. The Big Reds made it the whole way to the District 10 final, and played Wilmington tough before losing in a tight contest. Still, as the two seed from D-10, they get GCC at nearby Sharon High School, perhaps they can pull another upset or two on the big stage.
The Picks
Sewickley over Rocky Grove
Bishop Guilfoyle over McConnellsburg
GCC over West Middlesex
Coudersport over United
Bishop McCort over Jeannette
OLSH over Cambridge Springs
Bishop Canevin over Brockway
Wilmington over Chartiers-Houston
Sewickley over Bishop Guilfoyle
GCC over Coudersport
OLSH over Bishop McCort
Bishop Canevin over Wilmington
Sewickley over GCC
Bishop Canevin over OLSH
Sewickley over Bishop Canevin
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Crimson's Ghost
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- Joined: June 24th, 2011, 10:43 am
Re: Class AA Boys Basketball "Western" Preview
I should add, Berlin and Purchase Line are in the PIAA tournament, on the Eastern side. They play each other Saturday at UPJ. Also in the East is D9 #3, Ridgway.
I'm picking Berlin to beat Purchase Line, but both teams seem pretty even.
I'm picking Berlin to beat Purchase Line, but both teams seem pretty even.