Poll ballots - Week 4

As a pollster for the Buffalo News, I'm asked to send in my weekly ballots ranking the top ten large and small schools. The polls are based on the games played through Sunday of each week. Here's a look at how I see them and some of the rationale used to get there.

 

Large Schools

1. Niagara Falls (AA) - Can you believe these guys didn't even finish in the top ten last season?

2. Jamestown (AA) - Major showdown for the Red Raiders on Friday night at Williamsville North.

3. Williamsville South (A1) - Slotting this team anywhere else would lack common sense and the ability to fill out a poll ballot credibly.

4. Canisius (MMAA) - If this is a "down year", how come these guys are only ranked fourth?

5. McKinley (AA) - The Macks non-league schedule of OP, St. Mary's, Sweet Home, and Tapestry Charter will probably keep them from climbing much higher in the poll for now.  A couple wins in March would get them ranked as high as they could be.

 6. Riverside (A2) - The Frontiers were without Willie Jefferson in the fourth quarter and overtime of their loss to McKinley.

 7. St. Joe's (MMAA) - The Marauders have found the lineup they like and are starting to look like the team they have the potential to be.

8. Williamsville North (AA) - The loss to Frontier slides them down a little, but that won't be the only upset in ECIC I this year.

9. East (A2) - Hung in there, but didn't have enough to beat McKinley in round one.

10. Bishop Timon-St. Jude (MMAA) - The Tigers will have plenty of chances to move up in the polls with games coming up against Batavia, Bishop Kearney, St. Mary's, and Canisius. 

 

Small Schools

1. I-Prep at Grover (C) - I think Kadeem Hillman just dunked over someone while I was typing.

2. St. Mary's (MMAA) - The Lancers routed Niagara Catholic last week.

3. Newfane (B1) - Rolling right along against the competition in the N-O.

4. Maple Grove (C) - Finally starting to get the respect they never should have lost with so many good players back from last year's state champs.

5. Dunkirk (B1) - I think the other pollsters better take a good look at these Marauders.  Their unbeaten record and results against the common opponents of other teams in this poll suggest they aren't getting enough credit.

6. Wilson (B2) - Against CSAT, who was previously unbeaten in the N-O, the Lakemen proved that it's still a two-horse race up north with Newfane.

7. OTC Middle College (C) - Came out of the gate very strong against St. Joe's before injuries and a better team were too much for the Kats.

8. Tapestry Charter (C) - Whichever team draws the Thunderhawks in the first round of sectionals will not be happy.

9. Panama (D) - A chance to own first place in CCAA IV with a win this Friday night.  Defeated Cassadaga Valley, who the pollsters are favoring over these Panthers.

10. Tonawanda (B1) - The Warriors are in first place in the newly competitive ECIC IV.

 

 -centercourt

 

Comments

[Lucky13]

CC,did you have this blog last year (09-10) and if so, did you do random smatterings?

[centercourt]

Lucky13 -

No, I started this in November, so everything is new as of then. Click on the November archives and scroll back to the beginning. You'll find a post titled "Welcome to Centercourt" that explains how it all came to be.

Glad to finally have you here.

[Lucky13]

Yea.. wonderful, was this mentioned on preptalk ever or the chats cause i'm surprised it escaped my attention, if it was. I read & have posted on those regularly. Anyway i'm glad to have come across it now.

[TML1000]

As I said in the live chat....roll the balls out there right now and I feel South loses to both Canisius and McKinley. Of course South beat Canisius...but since then Canisius has caught fire, while South has had some underwhelming league wins. If you can penalize McKinley for playing a "weak" non-league schedule, I can penalize South for playing in a "weak" league.

Polls are polls....there is no one correct philosophy on how they should be filled out. Since they are a weekly installment, I feel more attention should be paid to one's current form than one's, to borrow an NCAA-tournament committee term, "body of work."

[jackherlan]

The only poll I usually worry about is the last one, however I am always amused to read people's explanations, particularly when there is no consistency to them. In one breath it's head to head and the next it's how they're playing now all to justify one's choices. Just pick someone, say something nice about them and move on, choose your alma mater, pick your favorite color or nickname, just have some fun with it.

[StateChamps2003]

Best poll ballot explanation (if you can call it that) of the year was this weeks small school poll for I-Prep. Loved it. Very clever CC.

[BBBfan]

McKinley has moved to AA, so they will not play South this year.

[chuck swierski]

CC and friends: Just wanted to let you all know our game tonight with Jamestown has been postponed due to weather factors. No make up date has been determined.

[hoopster]

Thanks for the heads up Chuck, and nice to see you on "The View from Centercourt"! CC has finally arrived!!

[hoopster]

Also nice to see TML. Welcome!!

[Lucky13]

The snow out is a real blow to Will North as they are now going two straight weeks with no games. From last friday to next friday I believe.

[Earl Schunk]

An interesting tidbit I discovered today... The entire slate of Yale Cup games next week has been postponed due to conflicts with Regents exams. The games have been moved to Monday, Jan. 31 and Monday, Feb. 7.

[Tripp]

Caught some N-O league action on Friday and I caught up with centercourt as Albion played Newfane at home. I have to say Newfane's "Blue Zone" is what makes high school basketball so fun. I haven't expierenced that atmosphere in any gymnasium in a long time. The Panthers are a very well coached team that plays extremely hard and has inside and outside offensive option. You add the 32 minutes of being pulsed by the "blue zone". Which I repeat is awesome!
It actually pumps up both teams, but the funny part is it gets to the opposing parents more than there kids. In today's world I wish they would spend their enregy on creating there own home team atmosphere instead of complaining!
I think Coach Klumpp and AD Doug Ames will bring there team, and the atmosphere to Buff State .

[Lucky13]

CC, that last comment on here that is attributed to me(about the snow out and Will North not playing for two weeks)is not from me. The times here are getting recorded 3hours earlier, it seems, but in either case, I was not at my computer on sat. at 5pm or 2pm. There's nothing bad in the comment, but I just want to let everybody here know that I did not make it and I don't know why anybody would attribute it to me.

[centercourt]

Lucky13 -

Sorry about that, it seems there has been a consistent imposter roaming the pages of this blog. Besides your identity, he's also used JellyDonut, Tripp, & BullsFan, among others. Like you said, nothing bad...but annoying.

So here's the disclaimer to the imposter: Please stop using other bloggers names or else I'll block you as a user on this blog, because just as Snap indicates in the lyrics..."I've got the power".

Make up your own name - use a different name everytime if you like, just don't steal others. Like I said, it's annoying.

As far as the time goes, I guess this blog is on Pacific time. It just means that while the rest of WNY has to go to bed, the bloggers can stay up an extra three hours and talk hoops.

[Lucky13]

Thanks,Looking at the schedule at the News now, I see that the cancellation gives Jamestown a 2 week layoff also,as far as I noticed,so I would not have made that statement as having any relevance anyway.

[guest]

Was niagara falls in the top ten of last years final news poll

[centercourt]

No, hence the blurb above about them not finishing in the top ten last season.

[TML1000]

Well....I guess Wil South will be back up to #3 in my poll this week after all ;-)

[centercourt]

TML -

My original point of contention with you slotting South at #5 was that South should at least be ahead of Canisius due to the head-to-head win.

You having McKinley ahead of South was just a matter of opinion, which I disagree with, but can respect.

So now that the Macks lost to Bennett, they will slide down in any poll, and in your case behind South. But why would South leap over Canisius in your eyes based on the last few days?

Either way, I appreciate you taking the time to explain why you had South at #5 in the first place and always look forward to reading your thoughts...even when they're deranged, unfounded, or otherwise loco :-). Glad to finally have the great TML on board.

[TML1000]

South leaps over Canisius in my poll due to South's comprehensive win over Starpoint(yes, I know it's Starpoint and they should win big, but previous league wins weren't so comprehensive). Also, Canisius was blown out at Aquinas. Aquinas is a very good team, but Canisius, who we both thought(think) is also a very good team, should have put in a better effort...33-14 at half...yikes. It wasn't as if they were missing a key player, or two, either.

The head to head meeting is a factor in placing the teams, but not an over arching one. I don't think something that happened a month or longer ago should be the lone factor in placing one team over another. Everyone is going to rank Joe's ahead of Riverside despite the head to head. Say KW beats the Falls....I highly doubt they will leap the Falls in the polls.

It's good to have a blog where people actually comment on my comments.

[Lucky13]

While Canisius should have had a better first half,I don't think the final is much of a surprise. Canisius lost to NF by 19 also, even though they were in the game for the first 3 qts.
Aquinas and NF were even in their game with Aq. leading the whole game until the final score.

[HOOPLA]

clarence knocked the falls out of the polls and sectionals last year - go red devils

[rebeccaryan]

CC - the game between I-Prep & OTC is still on tomorrow. Starts at 6:45 @ ECC Flickinger Center.