Top games of the week ending 2/13/11

Here's a list of what I think are the top games to follow this week:

 

Monday, February 7th

Bennett @ East - 5:30 pm

Jamestown @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, February 8th

Riverside @ McKinley - 5:30 pm

Starpoint @ Tonawanda - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @  Kenmore West - 7 pm

Williamsville East @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, February 10th

Riverside @ Bennett - 5:30 pm

East @ Hutch Tech - 5:30 pm

Bishop Timon-St. Jude @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

Williamsville North @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

Lancaster @ Frontier - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, February 11th

Tonawanda @ Lackawanna - 7 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Lew-Port - 7 pm

Bishop Timon-St. Jude @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm

Portville @ Cassadaga Valley - 7:30 pm

Cheektowaga @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, February 12th

Canisius @ Bishop Kearney - 3 pm

Williamsville North @ Jamestown - 6:30 pm

 

Game of the Week -   Tonawanda @ Lackawanna on February 11th

- The first place Warriors of ECIC IV can clinch their first division title since 1963 with a win on Friday night.  Led by scoring machine Jesse Lalka, inside/outside threat Clayton Hess, and floor general Steve Stich, the Warriors are a top ten small school that is now regularly mentioned among the teams to look out for in Class B1.  Tonawanda's only league loss of the season came at the hands of Lackawanna earlier this season, 46-35.  The suddenly resurgent Steelers scored a big win against JFK last week, before making a huge statement in an upset win at Batavia.  The talent at Lackawanna has never been a question, but keeping that talent on the court has certainly been a problem.  After walking out on his team at halftime of the MLK Classic three weeks ago, 2010 All-WNY honorable mention guard Dondre Alexander is back in the lineup again and leading his team to victories.  Alexander, along with teammate Maurice Cheatom, make the Steelers a dangerous team when they are both eligible, which they were when Lackawanna won the first meeting with the Warriors.

 

-centercourt

 

 

 

Comments

[chuck swierski]

CC and friends,

Due to scheduling issues, our (Will North) game with Will East originally scheduled for this Friday the 11th, has been rescheduled for Friday, February 18th. Same time and location.

[centercourt]

Thanks for the update. Big one coming up tonight. Good luck.

[Patrick Moran]

Great week for hoop fans, starting with two solid games tonight that I hope I'm able to get to.

I think you're spot on regarding Lackawanna. Talent is there, the character of the team is definitely in question, though that win at Batavia was huge for them. Perhaps it propels them.

Big week for Timon too. They have to have their best week of the season this week to get back into the conversation of the best teams in the area. St Joes is a huge a game on Thursday and I'm looking forward to an air show between them and South on Friday.

This will be my first chance to check out Bennett this season over this next week, I'm looking forward to seeing what they got.

[TML1000]

I think the News write-up failed to mention it, but I'm sure you all noticed Miles was out for Tech against Bennett last week. You have to think if he plays the 15 point margin would have been a lot less.

[chuck swierski]

CC,

Luck? Why, who's tonight?

(Obviously kidding.) We're more ready now than when we were originally supposed to play. As my buddy Jack Herlan says "it should be fun". Stop by tonight and say hello and be careful driving.

[jackherlan]

It better be fun, it's only a short walk for me.

[Patrick Moran]

Oh, it was fun. And I got a feeling Sterling Taplin is going to be one of the most highly recruited kids to come out of WNY in several years in HS Hoops when it's all said and done. He was amazing tonight with 34 points, and that's with not scoring in the 4th qt.

Would like to see this game again with Jaysean Paige in the lineup, though I'm certainly not going to penalize North for winning tonight regardless. It's not their fault Page got in trouble with the team.

[Sean Bruso]

AS you think that Lackawanna and Tonawanda is the game of the week, which it is the League game of the week, I have to throw in the Timon/South game Friday. That game has the potential to be special. Maryvale and Central that day as well. May need to coordinate one of our football ok where does McShea go, where is radio/tv coverage where is CC going? Just to cover our bases.

BTW you can all hear CC on Inside High School Sports again saturday at 10am, and also wont have to listen to my blabbering as I have a prior engagement. Enjoy

[centercourt]

Sean -

I think we'll actually have Friday covered they way you're referring to, if my thinking is correct.

I have you pegged for the Cheektowaga/Maryvale tilt (we'll compete) and I'll bet the farm that Keith is at Lackawanna...I'm pretty sure he just got season tickets. I'll be where you think things could be special - Timon/South.

[TML1000]

Yesterday's game was one of , if not the best, of the season thus far. Without Paige, the teams were very evenly matched. Jamestown took an early 18-7 lead, but North came right back with something like a 13-1 run. Taplin is certainly super talented for a freshman, but I think Jamestown really dropped the ball on how they defended him. The times when Butts was face guarding him or when they were trying to trap him on a wing, they were successful. However, far too often they would sluff off into a sagging zone and Taplin either shot over them or cut through it. Also, Butts absolutely refuses to step in and take a charge...far too often he would step aside and let a smaller, slower North player drive to the basket and finish. The three point shooting of Jamestown really kept them in it. As much as Butts drove, he didn't drive enough. He was unstoppable, but seemed to go away in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

North is not very athletic aside from Taplin, but they sure hustle. A possible 3/6 matchup between North and KW is one I could see as very intriguing.

[Keith McShea]

Season tickets? CC just lost his farm. PrepTalkTV and I will finish up at South on Friday.

[Jelly Donut]

Lets start making some predictions for these big games....
Maryvale over Cheektowaga...Coach Kensy and Estarfaa give the Flyers the edge
Lackawanna over Tonawanda...Coach Foley and Alexander give the Steelers the edge
Will South over Timon...If Kevin O'Connell takes over like he could/should, the Billies win with ease