(Canisius vs McKinley at the MLK Classic / Photo by James McCoy)
Here's a list of what I think are the top games to follow this week:
Monday, January 11th
South Park @ East - 6 pm
Park @ Walsh - 6:30 pm
St. Francis @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm
Dunkirk @ Chautauqua Lake - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, January 12th
MST Seneca @ Emerson - 6 pm
Roy-Hart @ Wilson - 6 pm
Maryvale @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm
Lew-Port @ Kenmore West - 6:30 pm
Williamsville North @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, January 13th
Middle College @ McKinley - 6 pm
Walsh @ St. Joe's - 6:30 pm
St. Mary's @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm
Friday, January 15th
Health Sciences @ South Park - 6 pm
Niagara Catholic @ Walsh - 6:30 pm
Dunkirk @ St. Francis - 6:30 pm
Newfane @ Wilson - 6:30 pm
Cardinal O'Hara @ Tapestry - 6:30 pm
North Tonawanda @ Niagara Wheatfield - 6:30 pm
Niagara Falls @ Kenmore West - 7 pm
Timon @ St. Joe's - 7 pm
Nichols @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 16th
Maryvale @ Olean - 2:30 pm
Orchard Park @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm
MLK Classic at City Honors
East vs. Sweet Home - 11 am
Middle College vs. Cheektowaga - 12:30 pm
McKinley vs. Canisius - 3:15 pm
Game of the Week - Canisius vs. McKinley on Saturday, January 16th at the MLK Classic
- The annual MLK Classic main event was never better than the 'Game of the Year' candidate that the Macks & Crusaders played last season. With the two local heavyweights once again among the few elite programs in the area, there's no reason to think this year's MLK Classic feature game will be anything less than spectacular.
The Macks are in need of a competitive game, and Canisius should be just the team to give them that and more. McKinley's closest game this season was a 15-point win in its opener against St. Francis. That game and a 16-point win over Williamsville North are the only games the Macks have won by less than 24 points, as they've averaged an astounding 32.7 point margin of victory through nine games.
The Crusaders are coming off a 36-point win over top ten large school St. Joe's, and have only lost one game - the championship game of an eight-team National Jesuit Tournament, to Geaorgetown Prep of Maryland. Cansisus' conquests this season already include wins over Aquinas, Bishop Kearney, and Williamsville South - the team that ended McKinley's season last year.
Plan on arriving early if you don't want to be forced to stand all game, or even worse, not get in. This marquee matchup packs them in every season, and for good reason - these two get after it. Canisius & McKinley have both been top five large schools in WNY now for the better part of a decade and both have won state championships since 2013. There's no other way I'd want to celebrate Martin Luther King weekend, than to watch the Crusaders and Macks battle for 32 minutes...or 36...or 40...or 44...hey, Mr. King could dream, and so can I.
-centercourt
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