(Canisius celebrates after defeating Park to win the Manhattan Cup)
Monday, January 9th
South Park @ East - 6 pm
Tuesday, January 10th
Medina @ Wilson - 6 pm
Park @ Canisius - 6:30 pm
Timon @ St. Joe's - 6:30 pm
Walsh @ Nichols - 6:30 pm
Niagara Falls @ Lockport - 6:30 pm
Lackawanna @ Cleveland Hill - 6:30 pm
Health Sciences @ St. Francis - 7 pm
Newfane @ Barker - 7 pm
Williamsville North @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm
Depew @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm
Olean @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, January 11th
Burgard @ McKinley - 6 pm
St. Mary's @ Walsh - 6:30 pm
Thursday, January 12th
Williamsville South @ Park - 6:30 pm
St. Francis @ Canisius - 6:30 pm
MST Seneca @ BASCS - 7 pm
Friday, January 13th
Health Sciences @ Burgard - 6 pm
Grand Island @ North Tonawanda - 7 pm
Medina @ Newfane - 7 pm
St. Mary's @ Nichols - 7:30 pm
Williamsville North @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm
Maryvale @ East Aurora - 7:30 pm
Randolph @ Gowanda - 7:30 pm
Dunkirk @ Chautauqua Lake - 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 14th
Tapestry @ Health Sciences - 2:30 pm
MLK Classic at City Honors HS
Sweet Home vs. Olmsted - 12 pm
Middle College vs. Canisius - 1:45 pm
East vs. Cardinal O'Hara - 4:30 pm
McKinley vs. Amherst - 6:15 pm
* Game of the Week - Park @ Canisius on Tuesday, January 10th
There may be more storied rivalries across WNY, but the game between Park & Canisius is still the hottest ticket in town!
Two seasons ago, both teams won Federation championships in Class A & Class B respectively. Those followed CHSAA state championships, which followed each team winning the Manhattan Cup. The two teams remain the only ones from WNY to win NYS high school basketball's highest honor in the last six years.
Following the two Monsignor Martin Association powers winning the Federation over the same weekend in Albany in 2015, Park was moved up in classification to compete in Class A. The implications of the move were that now they would have to go head-to-head twice during the regular season and compete in the same playoffs for the Manhattan Cup.
During the 2016 regular season, Canisius swept the two games against Park. The first was a victory on the Pioneers' home floor, accomplished with a strong second half, after falling behind by double figures in the second quarter. The second meeting of the regular season was a low-scoring defensive affair that favored the Crusaders style of play. After both teams advanced to the Manhattan Cup Final, the Pioneers had a chance at redemption, but it was Canisius who won for a third time in an epic overtime title game. The Crusaders would go on to win two more games and secure a second straight CHSAA Class A state championship.
Canisius and Park finished the 2016 season ranked and regarded by everybody as the top two teams in WNY. The leaders and First Team All-Centercourt selections from each team landed in the Division I ranks - the Crusaders' Stafford Trueheart to Hofstra and Park's Jordan Nwora to Louisville. But the cupboards never run bare for these two giants. The Pioneers alone have three players already with Division I offers.
The Pioneers will enter the game on Tuesday as the #1 ranked team in WNY, Canisius will come in at #5. Playing the underdog role is certain to fuel the fire burning on Delaware Avenue, as the Crusaders have never lost a game to Park. Since the Pioneers joined the MMA in 2014, Canisius is 5-0 against Park. An overflow crowd watched them battle in 2015 and many never got to see the games in 2016 after they sold out at both schools. Get there early on Tuesday or else turn your notifications on!
- centercourt
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