- In 2023, Niagara Falls had a 23-point lead at halftime over Canisius, but behind Shane Cerone’s career-high 43 points, the Crusaders won that game in overtime. Last season, Canisius trailed by 13 points against Niagara Falls, but a 27-4 run flipped the game. On Saturday afternoon, the Crusaders trailed by 16 points, before a 29-3 run got them back in a position to win.
- Saturday's game between Canisius and Niagara Falls was just the 6th time the two teams have squared off in the last 15 years, with the Crusaders winning the four most recent meetings. Canisius hosted matchups in 2011 2020, and this season. The other three games were played on a neutral court, in 2019 at the Centercourt Classic, Hilbert in 2023, and last season at D’Youville.
- Kirill Sorkin and Elijah Dixon treated fans to a classic scorer's duel on Friday night, going back-and-forth with big moments and big shots as both players finished with 35 points by game’s end. It was a career-high mark for both players.
- The 80-69 victory for Williamsville East at Amherst on Friday night was the first league loss for the Tigers since January 11, 2022 (at Will East), snapping a 32-game league winning streak. The victory for the Flames was the first time Amherst has lost a league game at home since February 13, 2018 against Hamburg. The last time the Tigers had lost by double figures at home was against the Gabe Michael & Greg Dolan led Williamsville South Billies on December 22, 2017.
- Iroquois junior Justus Kleitz dropped a career-high 47 points in an overtime victory against St. Mary’s and followed it up with two more performances of 30+ points. His career scoring total is now past the halfway point to the all-time record set by Jaiden Harrison last season. More importantly, he has led his team to a 6-1 start to the season.
- Kleitz is one of two players along with Westfield's Carson Swanson to have four games of 30 points or more this season. Falconer's Roger Markham has done it three times, while Tacari McCray (Olmsted), Chris Krencik (Eden), Jackson Griesmer (Starpoint), Carson Kwiatkowski (Allegany-Limestone), & Carter Brink (Panama) have all accomplished it twice.
- Two of Falconer junior Roger Markham games over 30 points came against the same opponent, Dunkirk , with the 2nd coming in an overtime victory against the visiting Marauders.
- There have been 38 occasions so far this season where a WNY player has netted 30+ points in a game.
- Some recent Tournament MVPs:
Frewsburg Tournament - Roger Markham (Falconer), Live Like Luca Tournament - Matt Zielinski (St. Francis), Westfield Winter Classic - Carson Swanson (Westfield), Clarence Tournament - Riley Lincoln (Clarence), Greg Martin Tournament at Iroquois - Justus Kleitz (Iroquois), Maryvale Tournament - Jaleel Flowers (BASCS), CCA Tournament - Jayce Wylke (Grand Island), & Tully Tournament - Drew Hind (Randolph).
- The Tonawanda Timberwolves have played just three games this season.
- At the Hoops for Hope Tournament over break, the Fairport/Timon game was one of the best I’ve watched this season. Nakyhi Harris had just scored with 5 seconds left to put the Tigers in front, before the Red Raiders went the length of the court and got a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer from Landon Brunken off an incredible assist from Leshard Lowry.
- The last second victory for Fairport prevented a game taking place between Health Sciences and Timon, instead moving Fairport onto the championship game. These two annual Top 10 programs in WNY should be getting together on the hardwood every season to entertain fans.
- The Hoops for Hope Tournament was my first look at Health Sciences on the new season. The additions of Nas Young and Zayvion Hawkins to the backcourt and the way the Falcons are able to attack offensively reminds me similarly of when they had Amir Moye and Xavier Benton in that same role. Two players who really stood out for Health over the two games were Joel Ball and Angel Pedro.
- Antonio Andrews recorded a 22 point/20 rebound double-double in Amherst's 72–53 win over McKinley. In that same game, junior Adam Sarzynski earned a triple-double with 15 points, 12 dimes, & 10 boards.
- Without naming the team, there was an instance recently where a team was left looking for a game after deciding not to reschedule, due to the reason in the game was postponed in the first place. A team actually backed out of a contest because a player was on vacation and another was injured and thought their opponent would kindly reschedule. You can’t make this stuff up!
- Grand Island senior Jayce Wylke scored 26 points in the team's victory over CSAT on Friday night, which placed him in the career 1000 point club.
- The change in venue for the NYSSPA state championships to Binghamton has also tweaked the format for the times games are played. This season a state championship game in Class B will be played at 10 am and a state championship game in Class A tips at 11:45 am. I just want know why there is such a hurry to get home on a Sunday night that games couldn't at least start in the afternoon hour as they always have for at least 40 years? These kids will have reached a state championship, and it says to me that there is more concern for getting home from a long weekend than allowing the game to be played at an appropriate championship time. It's rare to see a random nonleague game on a Saturday in January tip prior to noon or 1 pm. I think the kids deserve better here.
- Just 6 teams remain unbeaten in WNY on the season:
Grand Island, Orchard Park, Akron, Olmsted, Allegany-Limestone, and Forestville.
- There are still 8 teams in WNY without a victory on the season.
Grand Island, Orchard Park, Health Sciences, McKinley, and Westfield all continue to have a point differential over +20.
- The 8 highest scoring teams in WNY in order this season:
Grand Island, Timon, Westfield, McKinley, Panama, Lockport, Cheektowaga, & Orchard Park.
- The 8 teams allowing the fewest points this season in order:
Grand Island, Randolph, Health Sciences, Allegany-Limestone, Forestville, Westfield, Silver Creek, and Salamanca.
-🏀centercourt🏀
Recent Comments