Top games of the week ending 2/17/13

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

 

Monday, February 11th

Lafayette @ City Honors - 6 pm

Lockport @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

 

Tuesday, February 12th

Hutch-Tech @ McKinley - 6 pm

Akron @ CSAT - 6:30 pm

South Park @ Middle College - 7 pm

Aquinas @ Timon/St. Jude - 7 pm

Lake Shore @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Iroquois @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm

Depew @ Amherst - 7:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Frontier - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, February 13th

Hutch-Tech @ East - 6 pm

 

Thursday, February 14th

Middle College @ East - 6 pm

Timon/St. Jude @ Canisius - 6:30 pm

CSAT @ Roy-Hart - 6:30 pm

Newfane @ Wilson - 6:30 pm

Holland @ MST Seneca - 6:30 pm

Sweet Home @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

Westfield @ Maple Grove - 7:30 pm

Williamsville North @ Williamsville East - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, February 15th

Nichols @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, February 16th

Canisius vs. St. Joe's - 2 pm  ** at the Koessler Center

 

Game of the Week - Canisius vs. St. Joe's on Saturday, February 16th

- Since I've been following high school basketball in WNY, I have yet to see a team finish unbeaten against MMA competition.  If the Crusaders can take care of business at home against Timon this week, they would have a chance to finish off an undefeated regular season with a victory versus their rivals.

In the first meeting between the two teams this season, Canisius was in control the entire second half and came away with a 77-65 win.  The Marauders' backcourt tandem of Jordan Glover and Jaylen Morris  might be more anxious than everyone else for the rematch. The pair were forced to the bench during the first half of round one after a collision left both of them dazed.

Canisius is currently the top ranked large school in WNY, while the Marauders are ranked fourth.  Neither team has lost to an opponent from WNY since the first rivalry battle in January.  On the season, the only WNY team Canisius has fallen to was Olean, while Jamestown, along with the Crusaders, are the only WNY teams to down St. Joe's on the season.

A lot will be on the line on Saturday, possibly including an unbeaten regular season in the MMA, whether or not a coin toss will decide the top seed for the Manhattan Cup playoffs, and most importantly, pride and bragging rights.  The last time Canisius swept the Marauders was in 2010, before winning the first of its back-to-back Manhattan Cups. 

Despite moving this rivalry to a larger venue in the Koessler Center, it still sold out on January 12th.  Get there and get there early.  You won't find a better atmosphere for a MMA game, unless there's a round three...

 

-centercourt

@centercourt42

 

 

 

Comments

[centercourt]

Hutch-Tech @ East which had been rescheduled for Monday, 2/11, has been once again postponed.

I'll have a new rescheduled date when I receive one.

[centercourt]

Hutch-Tech @ East has been moved to Wednesday at 6 pm.

[hoopster]

Limited schedule tonight. For those looking for a good game I'd recommend being at St. Mary's tonight for their rematch with Nichols. Big playoff implications. Also the last game between these two ranked small schools was infinitely more entertaining than the first Joe's/Canisius game.

If anyone is interested in a pregame fish fry let me know and we can keep our lenten obligations while discussing hoops.

[hoopster]

For those who missed tonight's game you missed a dandy.

It was an old fashioned butt whacking. The Lancers jumped on the green and white from the opening tip creating 4 turnovers in the first minute of the game. They OWNED the boards not through size or athleticism, but good old-fashioned team effort and hustle. They often times had 3 or 4 guys crashing the boards against 1 or 2 of their opponents.

The Lancers also repeatedly thrashed the Vikings in transition. I wasn't counting but they must had beat their slower and less energetic opponents down the court often times leading to uncontested buckets. As a huge fan of hoops, I loved their hustle, effort, determination and fight. It's easy to get thwacked when you don't match that kind of effort and that's what happened tonight.

I couldn't help but think the Vikings could have used some members of the Buffalo Bills to trot out some of the old tired cliches to explain the rout. It's something the Bills have become super champs of over the last 13 years.

It'll be interesting to see if Nichols can awaken from their slumber to offer a bit of a challenge next time these teams meet which, I'm told, will likely be next Thursday at the KAC.

[at the game]

Home court, home fans, homer refs, and a lackluster start to the game by Nichols. They will be ready for next week.

[centercourt]

hoopster -

You were definitely watching the same game I was. Nice job.

Thursday's games not at KAC, but either Canisius or St. Joe's. The top seed hosts its game along with the 4/5 game. The second seed hosts its game along with the 3/6 game.

6 & 7:45 for both.

[ilovethisgame]

sounds like they came to play and are getting the post season engine revved up already.....was the score as lopsidded as the play sounds??anyway sounds like a bit of redemption ....i will have to look back but thought there was some talk about Nichols....ive not seen them play but i thought they had a big win this year over someone good but i'll have to research....getting tired and heat tharapy is on....good update fellas.

[McShea is God]

Nichols by 50 when they play Thursday.

[Billy Baron]

great recap Hoopster! hope you got a chance to hit a dunkin donuts along the way. Thursdays game should be a great one as the quarterfinals for the state B championship always are! We should all consider ourselves lucky somehow every year for as long as I remember we get a quarterfinal state B Catholic Championship game at home. Niagara beat Marist tonight. I continue to be amazed by their poise down the stretch.