(Willard Anderson & East High will fight to stay in 1st place this week)
Monday, January 30th
McKinley @ East - 4:30 pm
Middle College @ South Park - 6 pm
Timon @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm
Dunkirk @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm
Salamanca @ Randolph - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, January 31st
North Tonawanda @ Lockport - 6:30 pm
Kenmore West @ Lew-Port - 7 pm
Wilson @ Roy-Hart - 7 pm
Jamestown @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm
Hamburg @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm
Depew @ East Aurora - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, February 1st
Nichols @ St. Joe's - 6 pm
Timon @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm
Thursday, February 2nd
McKinley @ South Park - 6 pm
St. Joe's @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm
Lackawanna @ Springville - 6:30 pm
Aquinas @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm
Olean @ Dunkirk - 7:30 pm
Friday, February 3rd
Barker @ Wilson - 6 pm
Park @ Timon - 6:30 pm
Nichols @ Walsh - 6:30 pm
Grand Island @ Kenmore West - 7:30 pm
Canisius @ St. Francis - 7 pm
* Game of the Week - McKinley @ East on Monday, January 30th
There's a traffic jam at the top of the standings in Yale Cup I and a pair of games on Monday that bare big implications on the quest to get your team's name inscribed on the coveted city trophy.
East, South Park, & Middle College are all sitting in a three-way tie for first place with league records of 7-1. The back-to-back defending Yale Cup I champions from McKinley are sitting one game back with a mark of 6-2. After Monday night, there are two possible outcomes that could help shape the race for the Cup.
If East defeats McKinley, the Panthers would be tied with the South Park/Middle College winner for first place. However, a Macks victory would give the winner between the Sparks & Kats sole possession of first place. So why isn't the game between the two teams currently tied for first place the 'Game of the Week' instead? Because past history tells us just how good Monday's battle on Northampton will be.
The Panthers have been a WNY small school since 2012, while McKinley has been a staple of Class A1. The Macks have won four of the last five Yale Cups ('12, '13, '15, '16) and went undefeated in all four of those title campaigns. They also won a state championship in 2013. But despite McKinley being a much larger school with a load of recent credentials that set them apart from the rest of the pack in the city, the Macks always find themselves in a serious dog fight when they take the court at East High.
Over the last five seasons, McKinley has won every trip to East - but the largest margin of victory in any of those trips was four points. In the last five seasons combined, McKinley's wins at East came by a total of 13 points. That means on average, the Macks have won at East by just 2.6 points. That includes the state championship team of 2013 only getting out of East High with a 79-76 win. Even in 2012, when East finished the season just one game above .500 and lost the first round at #MackHigh by 19 points, the Panthers home game against McKinley was a 67-64 game.
So with the defending champs coming into East High needing a win to avoid falling two games behind in the Yale Cup I standings, the hosts sitting in first place and believing they will finish there, and recent history all but promising a thriller in the city, the week of games ahead will get started in style - 'Game of the Week' style, with a 4:30 matinee between the Macks & Panthers!
- centercourt
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