The View From Centercourt

Class A1 & A2 Brackets - 2017 Sectionals

 

Class A1

Pre-Quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 22nd

(8) Hamburg 79, (9) Hutch-Tech 70

(10) West Seneca West 60, (7) Williamsville East 48

 

Quarterfinals - Friday, February 24th

(1) Williamsville South 76, (8) Hamburg 43

(4) McKinley 62, (5) West Seneca East 55 OT

 

(2) North Tonawanda 72, (10) West Seneca West 47

(3) Grand Island 45, (6) Sweet Home 40 

 

Semifinals - Tuesday, February 28th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 5:15 pm & 6:45 pm

 (1) Williamsville South 63, (4) McKinley 51

(2) North Tonawanda 64, (3) Grand Island 34

 

 Final - Saturday, March 4th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 7 pm

(2) North Tonawanda 60,  (1) Williamsville South 54

 

2017 Section VI Class A1 Champions - North Tonawanda Jacks

 

***************************************************

 

 Class A2

Pre-Quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 22nd

(8) Starpoint 56, (9) Iroquois 45

(7) Lew-Port 77, (10) Kenmore East 75

(11) Lake Shore 61, (6) Pioneer 50

 

Quarterfinals - Friday, February 24th

(1) Amherst 60, (8) Starpoint 47

(4) Olean 70, (5) Maryvale 36

 

(2) Cheektowaga 83, (7) Lew-Port 36

(3) South Park 75, (11) Lake Shore 57

 

Semifinals - Tuesday February 28th & Wednesday March 1st

AT BUFFALO STATE - 8:15 pm

(3) South Park 74, (2) Cheektowaga 64 

(1) Amherst 57, (4) Olean 53

 

Final - Saturday, March 4th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 3:30 pm

(1) Amherst 55, (3) South Park 53

 

2017 Section VI Class A2 Champions - Amherst Tigers

 

- centercourt

Top Games of the Week: 2/13/17 - 2/19/17

 (Vito Fulciniti & Lancaster host Jamestown in a key ECIC I battle on Monday)

 

Monday, February 13th

East @ McKinley - 4:30 pm

South Park @ Middle College - 6 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ Nichols - 6:30 pm

Cheektowaga @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Batavia @ East Aurora - 7:30 pm

Randolph @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, February 14th

St. Francis @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Canisius @ Aquinas - 6:30 pm

Walsh @ St. Mary's - 6:30 pm

 

Wednesday, February 15th

Lake Shore @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

Jamestown @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

Orchard Park @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

East Aurora @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Gowanda vs. Frewsburg **at JCC - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, February 16th

East @ South Park - 4:30 pm

Depew @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

Park @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

Wilson @ Newfane - 7 pm

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

 

Friday, February 17th

Orchard Park @ Lackawanna - 6:30 pm

Timon @ Canisius - 7 pm

St. Francis @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

North Tonawanda @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm

 

  * Game of the Week - Jamestown @ Lancaster on Monday, February 13th

 Between what's at stake pending the outcome of the game, along with the way the first meeting between the two went down last Tuesday night in Jamestown, the Red Raiders visit to Lancaster on Monday night is the place to be.

Over the past six seasons, Jamestown has enjoyed quite the run in league play.  The Red Raiders have been champs in all six campaigns, taking the title outright in four of those seasons, while being co-champs the other two years.

For Lancaster, the league title in ECIC I has been elusive for quite some time. You'd have to go all the way back to 1995 to find the last time Lancaster won the title.  If they can accomplish that this season, it would be the first time the Legends have ever won it, because back in 1995, they were still the Redskins.

Both teams entered the first meeting between the two undefeated against the competition from ECIC I.  After four quarters of intense play, nothing had been decided and an extra four minutes went up on the clock.  In the end, it was the hosts in Jamestown who took a one-point decision in overtime for a leg up in the league race.

Entering Monday's game, Jamestown will have a mark of 12-5 overall and 10-0 in league, while Lancaster comes in at 11-7 & 9-1.  I have voted the Legends as a top ten team this season and currently have the Red Raiders ranked #10.

A win for Lancaster on Monday would pull them even with Jamestown in the league standings with one game left to play.  The Legends last game is against Frontier, who they've already defeated 78-49.  If Jamestown wins, they will be the outright champions of ECIC I and lock up the #1 seed in the Class AA sectionals.  However a loss would make things very interesting because its last game is at Williamsville North on Wednesday and a win is far less of a sure thing.  The Red Raiders won the first meeting at home 59-50.  If Jamestown were to drop its last two contests, Lancaster would earn sole possession of first place and the top seed in Class AA.  

It's a great way to get the last week of the regular for Section VI season started - a Class AA battle with seedings and a league championship at stake.  Game of the Week time in Lancaster!

 

- centercourt

Lockport explodes late to sweep NT

(Lockport's Kya Doxey scores during a fourth quarter run)

 

In a season of WNY basketball that is seemingly defined by parity among even the best teams in the area, the Niagara Frontier League has emerged as a hotbed for intensely competitive basketball, night in and night out.  Five of the eight teams in the league have received votes in the large school poll and each of those teams deserved them.  No team has emerged yet to clearly set themselves apart from the pack, but the league as a whole has, when compared to any other in Section VI.  North Tonawanda's visit to Lockport on Tuesday night was another exciting chapter in the great story that league has become this season.

 

Lockport saved its best for last and knocked the Jacks out of first place in the NFL with a 61-51 win.  The Lions improve to 9-3 in the league standings, while NT falls back to 8-3.  Kenmore West sits next to them with a mark of 8-3, while all look up at Grand Island, who now sits alone in first place at 8-2.

 

In the first meeting between the two, Lockport went into the Lumber Yard and dealt North Tonawanda its first loss of the season, 61-46.  However in last night's rematch, things didn't start out so hot for the Lions.

 

"We played the worst first quarter of basketball all season," Lockport coach Dave Gilson said.  "In the end, we were only down two points."  

 

The Jacks found immediate success out of the opening tip looking inside to Rory Farkas.  The senior big man scored all eight of his point in the opening quarter, and all came from point blank range in the paint.  North Tonawanda was up 6-0 in the first 70 seconds and took a 12-5 lead in the last minute of the frame.  A 3-pointer from Kyle Brown, along with a bucket by Devin Leatherman in the last 30 seconds pulled Lockport back within two, 12-10 and seemed to calm a team struggling to find the right energy.

 

"I think they just settled down after coming out flat," said Gilson.

 

Still trailing by a basket two minutes into the second frame, a traditional three-point play converted by Tavon Chambers (11 points) was the start to a strong finish to the half for Lockport.  Brown scored seven of his game-high 15 points in the quarter, as the Lions ended the half on a 14-3 tear, including an important late score from Javon Ford.

 

"They were the quicker team to 50/50 balls," North Tonawanda coach Ryan Mountain said.  "We had a couple stops where the balls is bouncing in the key and they're getting it and laying it in...that's just not going to get it done against this electric energy that Lockport has."

 

The Jacks responded nicely in the third, looking more decisive offensively and moving the ball better.  The result was open looks on the perimeter, and the NT shooters were feeling it.  Alex Quinn opened the second half scoring with a bomb and stayed on the attack, netting nine of his team-high 13 points in the stanza.  Vincent Tripi connected from beyond the arc midway through the quarter, setting off an 11-0 surge that saw Joseph Kish bang consecutive trifectas.  North Tonawanda had taken the lead back and extended on scores from Alex Johnson.  Then for good measure, Zack Woodard drilled a trey with 22 seconds left for NT's fifth 3-pointer of the quarter.  Lockport trailed the Jacks, 44-38 heading into the fourth quarter.

 

"We blew a timeout and let them understand that the defense has got to move," Gilson said. "They started to get some deflections and contested their 3-point shots."

 

Message received by the Lions in the late third quarter huddle.  Sophomore Malik Brooks moved as quick as anyone and rattled off seven straight points in the first two minutes of the final frame.  His energy quickly caught on.  Brooks had nine of his 11 points over the final eight minutes and Lockport's defense again set a tone that fueled easy transition points.  Chambers assisted a score by Kya Doxey and then earned a steal and took it in for another score.  A 17-4 blast flipped the game back in Lockport's favor, 55-48 with 2:12 left.  The Lions would outscore NT 23-7 in the fourth and allowed just two field goals.

 

"We didn't protect the rim as well as we needed to and had a couple crucial turnovers down the stretch," said Mountain.  "They're not big, but they're quicker than we are and that negates our size on the boards."

 

 "We know we're not a big team, so we talk about the fundamentals - boxing out, moving the ball, getting into the gaps," Gilson said.

 

Cordel McDowell finished with 13 points for Lockport, scoring 10 of those in the second half.  Beyond his scoring, the 5-9 senior attacked the glass and did a great job all game defending both the paint and the perimeter.

 

"Cordel isn't the biggest kid, but he has some strength,"  said Gilson.  "I thought he played really well for us tonight."

 

Coming off a victory at Niagara Falls, a second win this season over North Tonawanda, who entered the game ranked #7 among WNY large schools, might be a sign that the Lions are finding their stride at just the right time.

 

"I hope so," Gilson said. "It's a good bunch of guys that enjoy playing for each other."

 

Lockport is back in action on Thursday, hosting Notre Dame out of Section V.  The Jacks will host CSAT on Friday.

 

N. Tonawanda  12  -  7 - 25 -   7 = 51

Lockport            10 - 18 - 10 - 23 = 61

 

Point Totals

Lockport:  Kyle Brown 15, Cordel McDowell 13, Tavon Chambers 11, Malik Brooks 11, Kya Doxey 4, Devin Leatherman 2, Dorian Byrd 2, Javon Ford 2

N. Tonawanda:  Alex Quinn 13, Rory Farkas 8, Trevor Book 7, Alex Johnson 7, Joseph Kish 6, Brandon Casterline 4, Zack Woodard 3, Vincent Tripi 3

 

- centercourt

Poll Ballots 2017 - Week 6

(Health Sciences & Middle College are now both top 3 small schools)

 

Large Schools

1. Park (MMA) - The Pioneers return to the top spot this week.  Walsh & St. Mary's visit Harlem Road during the week, before Park makes a Friday night trip to South Buffalo for its rematch with Timon.

2. Williamsville South (A1) - Followed a big win at St. Francis on Tuesday night, with a great showing in Rochester against NYS Class AA top five UPrep.  The Billies were the better team throughout and never trailed over the final five minutes, behind a 16-point fourth quarter from Greg Dolan.  Two more big games this week with Jamestown & defending Class AA state champion Aquinas coming to town.

3. St. Francis (MMA) - If not for the loss to Williamsville South on Tuesday, the Red Raiders are still #1.  They led for the final three quarters against Timon and were the aggressors all night.  If you're a non-believer in this team and waiting for them to 'come back to reality', my advice is don't hold your breath.  With wins over Cathedral Prep, Park, Timon, & Health Sciences, along with 30+ point wins over Dunkirk & Cardinal O'Hara, they are for real.  They host Canisius on Friday night and I expect to see them still in first place in the MMA next week at this time.

4. Timon (MMA) - To my fellow pollsters, a friendly reminder of some earlier results this season.  They have three local losses to the three teams above them on my ballot (Park, South, & Frannies).  The Tigers beat Amherst & Canisius, along with a win over Bishop Kearney, who Canisius also just beat on Friday.  Yet for some reason that lacks any sort of logic that I'd be able to follow, Timon has fallen behind Canisius & Amherst in the Buffalo News poll.  Again I ask - why even play the games? St. Mary's, O'Hara, and Park are on the slate this week.  

5. Canisius (MMA) - Dropped the hammer on the Lancers Wednesday night and then won an exciting game on Friday night over visiting Bishop Kearney.  The Crusaders have games with Nichols and Niagara Catholic during the week, before a Friday night showdown at St. Francis, where they'll attempt to knock the Red Raiders out of first place and avoid a third league loss.

6. Amherst (A2) - Had a productive trip to Jamestown on Tuesday night, which is never an easy place to leave with a win.  Then the team got a great experience over the weekend in Toronto that included taking in a Raptors game.  Just four league games remain for the Tigers until the sectionals begin.

7. North Tonawanda (A1) - The Jacks are now alone in first place in the NFL after Falls lost its third league game to Lockport over the weekend.  Now to stay there, North Tonawanda will need to avenge an earlier 13-point home loss to Lockport on Tuesday night to stay there.  

8. McKinley (A1) - The Macks are coming off a light week and staring down a pivotal point in the season.  Two teams currently tied for first place in Yale Cup I, East and South Park, await a visit from McKinley this week.

9. Jamestown (AA) - James Rojas scored hos 1,000th point in a win over Clarence on Friday.  The Red Raiders have a tough road trip to Williamsville South on Tuesday night that will feature a pair of the area's premier talents.

10. Kenmore West (AA) - The Blue Devils are taking their turn making an appearance on my ballot - the fourth team from the NFL to get a vote here this season.  They just knocked Niagara Falls, who I had #7 last week, out of first place.  They've swept the season series with Lockport already.  If Ken West takes care of business this week and gets help from Lockport against NT, they will be in a tie for first in the league.

 

Small Schools

1. East Aurora (B1) - For the first time since the preseason, the Blue Devils are on top in the small school ranks.  They handled Depew on Friday in a 16-point win and will turn around and face them again at home this week in their only scheduled game.

2. Middle College (B2) - Recent wins over East and Health Sciences have the Kats back in a familiar spot.  Middle College spent the entire season at #2 last year, right behind Olean.  They are a young team that seems to improve every time they take the floor.  They will battle at South Park tonight, with the winner staying in first place in Yale Cup I.

3. Health Sciences (B2) - Suffered back-to-back losses for the first time all season in games against Timon & Middle College last week.  As coach Ty Parker said "You have to lose to learn how to win."  The speed bump heading into February might be the best thing for the Falcons, who face Tapestry this week.

4. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - The Thunderbirds have followed a heart-breaking loss at the buzzer in Olean with a pair of lopsided victories.  Look for more of the same this week with games against Panama & Maple Grove.

5. Ellicottville (D) - Remember, these Eagles missed a pair of free throws at the end of the game that would have lifted them to a win over Chautauqua Lake this season.  Will look to extend their winning streak to eight games after this week, with games against Pine Valley & North Collins.

6. Cardinal O'Hara (MMA) - Lost at St. Mary's in the rematch on Friday night, ending a six-game winning streak.  They host Timon on Wednesday night and are hoping to send some shock waves throughout WNY.

7. St. Mary's (MMA) - I kept them right behind the Hawks, despite winning the more recent meeting, after flipping a coin.  Kidding - I looked no farther than the fact that O'Hara won its game vs St. Mary's by a larger margin (22 vs 13) and that the Lancers lost at home to Walsh, who the Hawks beat by 15.

8. East (C2) - The Panthers swept Burgard and took it to South Park already this season.  Monday's 'Game of the Week' against McKinley will decide if they can stay in first place in Yale Cup I.

9. Burgard (B1) - I finally get to rank the Bulldogs.  They have no bad losses this season, but do have some pretty good wins, most recently a two-point victory over Franklinville on Friday night.  It was Burgard's second win over the Panthers this season and they also own wins over McKinley & Medina.

10. Franklinville (D) - I kept the Panthers right behind Burgard because they missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.  

 

- centercourt

Poll Ballots 2017 - Week 5

(Cardinal O'Hara has been all over its opponents during a six-game win streak)

 

As a pollster, I rank the top ten large and small schools in WNY each week.  These rankings are based on games played through Sunday of each week.  Here's how I see them and some of the rationale used to get there.

 

Large Schools

1. St. Francis (MMA) - If the Red Raiders don't deserve this spot for winning on the road against the top ranked team in NYS Class A, what else would they have to do?  Yes, they lost AT Canisius, who Park beat handily.  But that's their only local loss.  Park has only one local loss also and it happened at home.  I'll never understand the logic behind pollsters voting Park ahead of St. Francis this week. Maybe things change in the coming weeks. Maybe things change on Friday night when Timon visits the Red Raiders.  But this week, St. Francis deserves #1.  Otherwise, why even play the game?

2. Park (MMA) - During a recent stretch of big games, I saw a lot of Park.  Watched them against Canisius, Timon, South, & St. Francis in the last two weeks.  My takeaway is they need to stay motivated and play consistent.  They were so motivated to win at Canisius that they played a consistent game, as in two halves.  Their last three games were a tale of two halves.  

Here's the portion of the poll where you have to decide which loss or losses you're going to look past.  South just went into Amherst on Friday night and lost, yet remain here, three spots ahead of the Tigers.  Here's the explanation:  South and Amherst split this year.  The Billies won on a neutral court and Amherst won at home.  South won at Timon, who beat Amherst by 19.  Placing Amherst ahead of South would mean they would be two spots behind Timon after winning there.  Unless you put both ahead of Timon which doesn't jive when Amherst lost big to them.  The easiest way to approach this in my mind was to call the season split a wash and look at the common opponent, Timon.  Plus, the next two weeks could sort a lot more out because of the opponents South is about to face.

3. Williamsville South (A1) - The loss at Amherst was not the way the Billies wanted to start the five-game grind they just embarked upon.  The next four games: at St. Francis on Tuesday, then travel to Rochester to play UPrep, followed by Jamestown, & Aquinas next week.

4. Timon (MMA) - Had a great showing in Rochester against UPrep over the weekend, losing a five-point game to a top five NYS Class AA team that is loaded.  Big week ahead with a visit from #1 WNY small school Health Sciences, followed by a trip to St. Francis.

5. Canisius (MMA) - The Crusaders follow an idle week with a trip to Walsh on Monday, and then host St. Mary's & Bishop Kearney.

6. Amherst (A2) - I considered #5 for the Tigers, because no movement in the poll after a big win over Will South didn't seem right.  But that would have put them ahead of Canisius, which doesn't work because they are the only WNY team to beat St. Francis.  Regardless, Amherst is cruising right now with nine straight wins, including NT, McKinley, & South.  They'll look to add another to the win column in a trip to Jamestown on Tuesday.

7. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines got up big and then hung on to avenge an earlier loss to North Tonawanda.  Back in a tie for first place in the NFL, Falls is at Kenmore West on Friday.

8. North Tonawanda (A1) - The loss at Falls was the first for the Jacks this month.  They remain tied for first place in the NFL with Falls heading into a Friday night game with Niagara Wheatfield.

9. McKinley (A1) - I haven't cast a vote for the Macks all season, but after watching wins over Jamestown and Middle College, I felt like they were due.  They seem to be a team that is steadily improving and finding the right mix to play on the court.  Not good news for opponents in Yale Cup I or Class A1.

10. Jamestown (AA) - Bounced back from an overtime defeat at McKinley to take a pair of games over Frontier to keep pace with Lancaster at the top of ECIC I.  Amherst & Clarence come to time this week, before a trip to Rochester on Saturday to face Irondequoit, #6 in NYS Class A.

 

Small Schools

1. Health Sciences (B2) - After rolling their last three opponents, the Falcons are ready for a battle.  They should get a couple of those this week with road games at Timon on Tuesday and at Middle College on Thursday.

2. East Aurora (B1) - Rebounded from a loss at Cheektowaga last week with a win over Starpoint.  The Blue Devils are off until Friday when they travel to Depew..

3. Cardinal O'Hara (MMA) - The Hawks made it through the first round of play against the competition in MMA Class B without a loss.  More impressive is that only Nichols got within single digits of O'Hara in a nine-point loss.

4. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - The Thunderbirds were a 'Monty Shoemaker 3-pointer at the buzzer' away from sweeping the season series with Olean in CCAA I West.  Junior Devin Pope joined the 1,000-point fraternity last week.

5. Ellicottville (D) - Winners of five straight and all were league wins.  They have taken the last four wins by an average margin of 23 points.

6. Franklinville (D) - The Panthers face a pair of tests this week against teams that own quality wins this season.  Monday they are at Pioneer, who just defeated Depew by nine.  Then on Friday night, they travel to Burgard, who beat McKinley by six on January 11th.

7. Dunkirk (B1) - In their last two wins, the Marauders have scored 208 points, eclipsing 100 in both games, and the combined margin of victory was 121 points.  Clearly a team in need of a challenge.  As luck would have it, they're at Olean tonight.  The Huskies haven't lost a home game since 2011.

8. St. Mary's (MMA) - Solid week for the Lancers, picking up wins over St. Joe's & CCA, before taking an exciting rivalry game with Lancaster at the buzzer.  I tucked them right behind Dunkirk, who had a slightly less dramatic win over Lancaster this season on the road.

9. Middle College (B2) - Remained in first place in Yale Cup I, despite losing at McKinley, because they knocked East off.  The Kats head to Burgard on Monday night and then bring in the #1 small school in WNY, Health Sciences, on Thursday night.

10. East (C2) - They've been as high as #2 on my ballot, but two losses in their last three games in which they blew double figure leads is the reason for the free fall.  Better bring it on Tuesday - McKinley comes in looking to knock another team out of first place in Yale Cup I.

 

- centercourt

Poll Ballots 2017 - Week 4

(Cardinal O'Hara is playing its best basketball in nearly a decade)

 

Large Schools

1. Park (MMA) - Quite a week in the books for the Pioneers.  After knocking off the best team in WNY over that last five years (Canisius), who now sits at #4, they defeated the second best team in WNY this year (South).  They also own wins this season over #3 (Timon) and #9 (Niagara Falls).  On Wednesday, they'll look to make it a clean sweep of the top four contenders in the area when St. Francis visits.

2. Williamsville South (A1) - Retired Mark Coppola's #21 in a ceremony prior to tip against Sweet Home on Friday night, who remains one of my favorite players I've ever watched play high school basketball.  The Billies put their unbeaten record in ECIC II on the line in the 'Game of the Week' on Friday.

3. Timon (MMA) - After trailing at halftime, the Tigers exploded for a 27-9 third quarter and outscored St. Joe's by 25 points in the second half.  Joe Harrison is one smooth sniper from the perimeter.  Niagara Catholic is the only game for Timon this week.

4. Canisius (MMA) - Rebounded from the Park loss on Tuesday to hang for the victory on in a wild one against St. Francis.  Speaking of smooth snipers, Nick MacDonald cannot be trusted to miss open looks from downtown!

5. St. Francis (MMA) - Fell behind early against Health Sciences, but came back to win the next three quarters and earn a 12-point win over the #1 small school.  Followed the same model at Canisius, except they weren't able to make up enough points over thee final three quarters to pull it out.  After an MLK Tournament at Bishop Grimes finishes up Monday, the Red Raiders are at Park on Wednesday night and host St. Joe's on Friday.

6. Amherst (A1) - Followed a 31-point win over Hamburg with a 22-point win over McKinley at the MLK Classic on Saturday.  The Tigers have won seven straight games and will look to avenge a December loss to Williamsville South this Friday night, after hosting Iroquois on Tuesday.

7. Jamestown (AA) - Collected a pair of ECIC I wins over Williamsville North & West Seneca West this week to stay unbeaten in league play.  The Red Raiders have a nonleague game at McKinley on Tuesday, before playing their two games with Frontier to finish the week.

8. North Tonawanda (A1) - Earned a 12-point win over Grand Island on Friday night to move back into sole possession of first place in the NFL.  The Jacks face two more important games this week and both are on the road - Kenmore West & Niagara Falls.

9. Niagara Falls (AA) - Since the loss to Grand Island, the Wolverines seem to have their game faces back on.  They took a 21-point win home from a trip to Lockport and then followed that up by rolling CSAT by 58 points.  They can move back into a tie for first place in the NFL with a win over North Tonawanda on Friday.

10. Lancaster (AA) - The Legends have won their last three games in ECIC I over Orchard Park, Frontier, & Williamsville North by an average margin of 19 points.  On Saturday afternoon, they visit St. Mary's for a local Lancaster rivalry game that earns one team bragging rights for a year.

 

Small Schools

1. Health Sciences (B2) - Bounced back from a loss at St. Francis with solid wins over Burgard and Tapestry.  The Falcons look to continue to soar at Global Concepts on Wednesday.

2. East Aurora (B1) - The Blue Devils seem very focused on earning a league title this season in ECIC III.  They've knocked off two of their top contenders for the prize by double figures, large schools Cheektowaga & Maryvale.  The rematch with the Warriors is Tuesday night.

3. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - Anyone who thought the Thunderbirds beating Olean was a fluke had to second guess themselves after Friday night.  Chautauqua Lake knocked off Dunkirk to take sole possession of first place in CCAA I West and stay unbeaten in a league with larger schools.  The real test comes on Thursday night in Olean, where the Huskies haven't lost a game since 2011.

4. Cardinal O'Hara (MMA) - It's time to salute the Hawks.  They are now on a most impressive four-game win streak that began with a 22-point win over St. Mary's.  They followed it with wins of 29 & 19 over Niagara Catholic & CCA.  Then on Saturday, O'Hara overcame a nine-point deficit in the last 1:28 of the game to defeat East. 

5. East (C2) - The Panthers lit the scoreboard up again with a 90-point outing against South Park last week, before dropping late lead to O'Hara on Saturday.  When you're taking 3-pointers with a lead, under one minute to play, and over 10 seconds left on the shot clock, it's as if you actually want to learn the hard way.  Situational basketball in tight games can make or break you.

6. Walsh (MMA) - Followed a narrow loss at Nichols with a 10-point win over Frewsburg.  The Eagles face Nigara Catholic this week, before a big date on Friday night at first place Cardinal O'Hara.

7. Ellicottville (D) - Stayed unbeaten in CCAA II East with a 15-point win over North Collins in their only action last week.

8. Franklinville (D) - Won a pair of league games by 30 & 31 points to remain one game back of the Eagles in league play.

9. Dunkirk (B1) - After the Marauders lost to Chautauqua Lake on Friday, I moved them behind Franklinville, who handily beat the Thunderbirds by 18 points just three weeks ago.

10. Depew (B1) - The Wildcats are just one game out of first place in ECIC III behind East Aurora, thanks to a thrilling win over Maryvale on Tuesday night.  They will look to improve to 11-1 on the season this week, with rematches against Pioneer & Lake Shore on tap.

 

- centercourt

Top Games of the Week: 1/16/17-1/22/17

 (One of the best games of this season to date was 'The Battle of Main St' Round I)

 

Tuesday, January 17th

East @ Middle College - 4:30 pm

Burgard @ South Park - 6 pm

Olmsted @ MST Seneca - 6 pm

Nichols @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Kenmore West - 6:30 pm

Hamburg @ West Seneca East - 6:30 pm

East Aurora @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

Jamestown @ McKinley - 6:30 pm

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

 

Wednesday, January 18th

St. Francis @ Park - 6:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 19th

Burgard @ East - 4:30 pm

Middle College @ McKinley - 6 pm

Lafayette @ MST Seneca - 6 pm

Maryvale @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

St. Mary's @ CCA - 6:30 pm

Chautauqua Lake @ Olean - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 20th 

Newfane @ Wilson - 6 pm

Walsh @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Kenmore West @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

St. Joe's @ St. Francis - 7 pm

Williamsville South @ Amherst - 7:30 pm

West Seneca East @ Hamburg - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 21st

Lancaster @ St. Mary's - 2 pm

Timon vs. UPrep **at Roberts Wesleyan - 5:30 pm

 

 * Game of the Week - Williamsville South @ Amherst on Friday, January 20th

Williamsville South and Amherst have a natural rivalry.  The two Class A schools are both located on Main Street, with just 3.1 miles separating them.  There are friendships between players on both teams and between the two coaching staffs.  But as basketball programs go, while they give each other the highest respect, they are not fond of each other.

Last season, the two teams were in the top five of the large school poll and spent the season disposing of opponents on their league schedule.  When sectionals rolled around, both took the highest seed in their respective classes (South in A1 & Amherst in A2) and proceeded to win titles.  That set up a crossover game fans waited the entire season to see and packed Buffalo State to watch.  In the end, the Billies were victorious and advanced to the Far West Regional.  Then the offseason brought some news...divisional re-alignments placed the two in ECIC II together, and we no longer had to wait all season to see what has now been dubbed 'The Battle of Main Street'.

Round one between the two perennial winners took place on December 12th at Daemen College after South coach Gabe Michael opted to play his home game on a college floor for the experience.  As expected, an overflow crowd squeezed into the facility and two weeks into the season, created an atmosphere that felt like early March with a season on the line.  Four quarters of intense basketball weren't enough on that evening.  Following an overtime session, South had taken the early leg up in ECIC II.

Since that night, both teams have only looked better.  The Billies are now regarded as WNY's top Section VI team and the #2 ranked large school behind Park.  They've earned road victories at Timon, Williamsville North, and Cheektowaga.  The Tigers are the #6 ranked large school in WNY, which makes them the second highest ranked team from Section VI.  Amherst has victories this season over North Tonawanda, McKinley, Lancaster, & East.

To sum up what we have to look forward to - a Friday night rivalry game that will cram hundreds into the Amherst Jungle, with first place in ECIC II at stake, between the top two Section VI teams, and a rematch of both the 2016 overall Class A Final & an early season overtime classic!  This game is so big it comes with two titles: The "Battle of Main Street' Round II and the 'Game of the Week'.

 

- centercourt

Poll Ballots 2017 - Week 3

(Sam Erickson & Franklinville are one of six Southern Tier small schools receiving my vote)

 

As a pollster, I rank the top ten large and small schools in WNY each week.  These rankings are based on games played through Sunday of each week.  Here's how I see them and some of the rationale used to get there.

 

Large Schools

1. Park (MMA) - The Pioneers were ranked #1 in NYS Class A last week, but I still arrived late to the party.  However, on the same day they debuted at #1 in the state, the team I had here (Canisius) finally fell locally.  So it's time.  The Pioneers have looked like the best team in WNY since the season began and the results to this point support that.  They're in the midst of a major local grind, coming off wins over Timon & St. Joe's and heading into a week with games against Canisius & Will South.

2. St. Francis (MMA) - The Red Raiders rolled Cardinal O'Hara by 33 points last week and welcome WNY's top ranked small school, Health Sciences, to town on Tuesday night.  Then on Thursday they travel to Canisius, looking for their first win against the Crusaders in over a decade.

3. Williamsville South (A1) - The Billies will put their undefeated record on the line at Park on Thursday night when they visit the Pioneers, if they can get past Iroquois first on Tuesday.  

4. Timon (MMA) - Made history last Tuesday by ending the 36-game winning streak held by Canisius against local opponents.  The 5-2 Tigers visit St. Joe's on Tuesday night and then take a 10 days off.

5. Canisius (MMA) - Rebounded from Tuesday's rare loss at Timon with a convincing win at rival St. Joe's.  League play is in full force and the Crusaders have a pair of battles on tap this week.  On Thursday night St. Francis rolls in, but first, there's a 'Game of the Week' with #1 Park to think about.

6. Amherst (A2) - Improved to 8-2 on the season with a win over West Seneca East on Saturday, behind a career-high 35 points from Marcellus Cooper.  The Tigers will host Hamburg on Friday and then match up with McKinley in the MLK Classic on Saturday night.  It will be the first time Amherst has played the Macks since 2013, when they lost the Class A1/A2 crossover game in a game they were leading in the final minute.  McKinley went on to win a state championship.

7. Jamestown (AA) - Earned a major win over McDowell (PA) on Monday night, before falling in the last game of the United Way Showcase to Leadership Academy on Saturday.  The ECIC I rivalry between the Red Raiders and Williamsville North renews on Friday night at 'The Mac'.

8. St. Joe's (MMA) - Had a very good showing earlier in the week against Park, not so much on Friday when Canisius came to Kenmore Avenue.  The Marauders have no losses to teams ranked below them, but did win the Lockport Tournament, which keeps them ahead of the Lions for now.  Big game with Timon this Tuesday.

9. Lockport (AA) - The Lions are now on a seven-game win streak and supported a win at North Tonawanda in December by winning at Grand Island on Friday night, after the Vikings had just won at Niagara Falls.  Tavon Chambers, Kyle Brown, and Malik Brooks have Lockport tied for first place in the NFL and all over the Buff State radar in Class AA.

10. North Tonawanda (A1) - I brought the Jacks back into the top 10 after bumping them following the loss at Amherst over break.  I was between them and Grand Island for this spot, and picked the Jacks for a slightly closer loss to Lockport than the one the Vikings suffered.  Turns out NT hosts GI on Friday night at the Lumber Yard.

 

Small Schools

1. Health Sciences (B2) - Rolled up another game over 100 points last week when they beat BASCS, 103-35.  
With just one loss this season at North Tonawanda, they will be in a major battle at at St. Francis on Tuesday.  Friday night's game at Burgard could also be an entertaining affair.

2. Walsh (MMA) - Pulled off a 73-68 win at St. Mary's on Sunday after trailing by five points with just over one minute remaining.  Tavien Kemp with another monster performance for the Eagles, dropping 46 points in the comeback victory.  Special things going on at Walsh this season.

3. East (C2) - Pulled away from Randolph late at the United Way Showcase after the Cardinals tied the game at 49-49 midway through the fourth quarter.  South Park, who already beat McKinley this season and swept the Panthers last year, visits tonight.  On Saturday, East plays Cardinal O'Hara at the MLK Classic.

4. East Aurora (B1) - After winning at Lackawanna on Tuesday, the Blue Devils scored an impressive 60-39 win over Cheektowaga to stay unbeaten in ECIC III, which was enough to convince me to bump them up a spot.  Friday night against Maryvale will be for first place in league.

5. Dunkirk (B1) - Won big at Fredonia, but had their game at Olean on Friday postponed.  This week the Marauders have a big date with Chautauqua Lake for first place in CCAA I West.

6. Ellicottville (D) - Rebounded nicely from a loss over break to Randolph with a win at Franklinville in the 'Game of the Week'. That win gave the Eagles wins over the their chief competition in Class D this year - the Panthers & Sherman.

7. Franklinville (D) - Tough setback for the Panthers, losing at home to Ellicottville after a big win over Chautauqua Lake the week before.  The Panthers have a pair of road games this week at Forestville and Cattaraugus/Little Valley.

8. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - The Thunderbirds are 8-1 including a win over Olean this season.  Friday night's game against Dunkirk could give them a big leg up in league play with a victory.

9. Randolph (C2) - Dug a big hole early against East on Saturday.  Once they figured the Panthers out and tied the game up, the Cardinals allowed another run and took the loss.  Something tells me we could see those two meet up again this season.  Wins for Randolph over Ellicottville and South Park this season make for a better resume than any other team eyeing this spot right now.

10. Depew (B1) - The only loss for the Wildcats this season was against Cheektowaga.  Considering the recent success of Grand Island (winning at Niagara Falls), I thought the combination of the Wildcats' 7-1 record and owning a neutral court win over the Vikings warranted this last spot.

 

- centercourt

Top Games of the Week: 1/9/17-1/15/17

(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

Amherst tops NT in Hettler Classic

(Amherst & North Tonawanda slugged it out in the Bob Hettler championship game)

 

The championship game of the Bob Hettler Classic sponsored by the Jolly Boys at Amherst High School between the host Tigers and North Tonawanda was anything but a clash of styles.  Amherst and NT have plenty in common this season.  Both teams have size across the board and can play a physical brand of basketball.  The two teams have made their mark with defense this season, and while each has some star power, the Jacks & Tigers are both best described as deep, balanced teams with multiple contributing players.  They are also two teams with aspirations of a Class A title this season in Section VI and both something have to prove.  Neither was the predicted winner of their league to start the season, yet the Jacks already clipped the favorites in their league, while the Tigers went to overtime versus the team pegged to win their division.  

 

I arrived at the Amherst Jungle to see the large school I had ranked #9 host the team I had ranked #6, and received a message just prior to tip asking what the 'line on the game' was.  Pick 'em was my reply.  I ended up getting the game I came to see.

 

Amherst made plays over the game's crucial final stretch and earned a hard fought victory over North Tonawanda, 49-45.  Marcellus Cooper (14 points) was named Tournament MVP, while the Tigers also landed Da'Shawn Hines and Desean Ashley (nine points) on the All-Tournament Team as Amherst hoisted the Bob Hettler Championship Trophy.

 

A methodical and deliberate pace to a well-played defensive game by both teams kept the contest close and low-scoring throughout, with neither team allowing the other to make a major run.  North Tonawanda held a slight lead for the majority of the first half and took a two-point lead into the break.  Amherst outscored the Jacks, 10-3, to start the second half and took a 32-27 lead.  But North Tonawanda came right back, sparked by a 3-pointer from Vincent Tripi, to regain the lead late in the third quarter.  

 

In all, the game saw 11 lead changes and was tied five times.  With North Tonawanda clinging to a 39-37 lead three minutes into the fourth quarter, Amherst's gameplan for attacking the vaunted 2-3 zone employed by the Jacks really came to fruition.  Hines tied the game for the final time at 39-39 with 4:40 left in the game, which kicked off a 12-2 run for the Tigers.

 

"Going against a 2-3 zone, an extended one that's that aggressive, is tough," said Amherst coach Chris Kensy.  "We had our shoot around to prepare for it.  I was very proud of my guys and how we attacked the zone - very unselfishly."

 

The Tigers' committment to their gameplan and consistent work in both ends resulted in a breakthrough late in the game, and it was Jordan Barr that executed with the most energy over the final three minutes to help unravel the Jacks' zone.  Barr scored his first points of the game with 3:37 to play, giving Amherst the lead for good.  As he scored, he turned to the student section, The Amherst Jungle, and asked for their support.  The fans responded and so did Barr, scoring another six points during the decisive run that put North Tonawanda away.

 

"Jordan can seem not fully into it, then all of a sudden turn a switch on," Kensy said.  "When he goes ahead and puts his mind to it, he is tremendous for us."

 

One month into the season with the most important basketball well ahead of every team, the Tigers have to be pleased with where they are at.  The win for Amherst over the Jacks was its second over a ranked large school in a week.  Nine different players scored for the Tigers in the win.  Cooper has been the guy for his team, but has done so very unselfishly.  Hines continues to be a leader and tireless worker at the defensive end.  Ashley, a freshman guard, takes steps forward everytime out on the floor.  All signs that Amherst is a rapidly improving team heading in the right direction and a squad that the rest of Class A will have to give plenty of thought to.

 

"Absolutely," Kensy said.  "I think this team has a ton of potential if we keep improving."

 

Trevor Book finished with a team-high 13 points for the Jacks, while Patrick Milbrand added 12 points in the loss.

 

N. Tonawanda  13 - 11 -   9 - 12 = 45

Amherst             10 - 12 - 12 - 15 = 49

 

Point Totals

N. Tonawanda:  Trevor Book 13, Patrick Milbrand 12, Zack Woodard 6, Vincent Tripi 6, Rory Farkas 4, Brandon Casterline 2, Alex Quinn 2

Amherst:  Marcellus Cooper 14, Desean Ashley 9, Jordan Barr 8, Will Alfieri 6, Da'Shawn Hines 4, Richard Kay 3, Brian Fulford 2, Jake Mullen 2, Ja'Kye Womack 1

 

- centercourt

Poll Ballots 2017 - Merry Christmas

 

 (Williamsville South and Timon treated fans to a duel between top WNY large schools)

 

 As a pollster, I rank the top ten large and small schools in WNY each week.  These rankings are based on games played through Saturday of each week.  Here's how I see them and some of the rationale used to get there.

 

Large Schools

1. Canisius (MMA) - The Crusaders suffered their first loss of the season two days before Christmas when they got rolled by the Ramblers of Cathedral Prep.  However that loss doesn't effect the Canisius win streak against teams from WNY, which is at 36 games.

2. Park (MMA) - Play in the Josh Palmer Fund Holiday Inn Classic at Elmira this week, a three-day/eight-team tournament.  The Pioneers open against Elmira are on the opposite side of the bracket from Canisius, who also makes the trip.  If Park wins that tournament, I'll take them to number one...even if the Canisius streak is still intact.

3. Williamsville South (A1) - Another streak remained intact just before Christmas.  The Greg Dolan-led Billies have only lost to two WNY teams since he took the court as a freshman in December 2014 - a league split with Starpoint during his freshman campaign and a loss to Canisius last year.  Williamsville South passed a big test with a win at Timon last Thursday night.

4. Timon (MMA) - Wins over Bishop Kearney and Amherst and the South loss have the Tigers sitting at 2-1. They will spend this week tuning up for what will be a major start to the New Year in league play, with a pair of games in Rhode Island.

5. St. Francis (MMA) - The Red Raiders' four wins over Orchard Park, West Seneca East, Dunkirk, & Kenmore West came by an average margin of 33 points.  On Thursday night, they face the Cathedral Prep team that just defeated Canisius by 20.

6. North Tonawanda (A1) - Followed up their 13-point home loss to Lockport with a drubbing of CSAT.  The Jacks face Starpoint on Thursday and could see Amherst on Friday night in a tournament championship game.  

7. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines were two-points shy of a 50-point win over Lew-Port coming off a pair of losses in Rochester last weekend.

8. Cheektowaga (A2) - Three straight wins for the Warriors get them to 4-3 on the season.  In two of those wins (Starpoint & Depew), Dom Welch outscored the opponent by himself.  Then in a tournament championship win over St. Mary's, Welch registered a triple-double & earned MVP honors.

9. Amherst (A2) - Came away with a convincing 65-50 victory over Maryvale on Friday night.  The Tigers host the Bob Hettler Tournament this week, facing Sweet Home in the opening round.  A potential championship game with North Tonawanda looms.

10. Jamestown (AA) - Improved to 3-1 with wins over Clarence and Orchard Park prior to Christmas.  

 

Small Schools

1. Health Sciences (B2) - With two months left in the regular season, the Falcons are already nine games into their season.  An 8-1 record includes some routs and a win over Dunkirk.  They play Rochester's Early College in the I-90 Showcase at Villa Maria College on Thursday n ight.

2. East (C2) - In their last two wins, the Panthers have scored 221 points, with junior Willard Anderson netting 79 points in those two games.

3. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - The Thunderbirds historic first victory over Olean kept them undefeated and sent them shooting up my rankings.

4. Dunkirk (B1) - The Marauders are 3-2 with three games coming up this week - two in the Harborcreek Tournament and the third against Rochester SOTA at the I-90 Showcase at Villa Maria College.

5. East Aurora (B1) - The Blue Devils improved to 6-1 with a win over CSAT, but slip back two spots under Chautauqua Lake & Dunkirk this week.  East Aurora lost big to the same Olean team that Chautauqua Lake just defeated.  They share the common opponent of CSAT with Dunkirk.  EA beat them by 12, while Dunkirk's margin of victory was 22 points.

6. Ellicottville (D) - The Eagles are sitting at 5-1 with a few impressive victories and their lone loss at the hands of Chautauqua Lake by two points.  A first-round Randolph Tournament battle with Sherman on Thursday is a game to keep your eyes on.

7. Nichols (MMA) - Play in the IAABO Tournament this week against Bradford (PA) and could possibly see Olean in the second round.  We really need league play to begin in the MMA to sort some things out.

8. St. Mary's (MMA) - The Lancers' first loss of the season came at the hands of Cheektowaga on Friday night. It's tough to gauge that result in a small school poll context.  We really need league play to begin in the MMA to sort some things out.

9. Walsh (MMA) - The Eagles lost their first game this season to Corning, despite Tavien Kemp going off for a WNY season-high 47 points.  What does it all mean? I repeat,  we really need league play to begin in the MMA to sort some things out.

10. Lackawanna (B2) - I wanted to put Franklinville here, but they lost to Burgard.  I wanted to put Burgard here, but they lost to Middle College. I wanted to put Middle College here, but they lost to MST Seneca. I wanted to put MST Seneca here, but they lost to Newfane.  I wanted to put Newfane here, but they lost to O'Hara, who lost to Tapestry...and Tapestry lost to Burgard and Medina.  Follow all that?  So the Steelers, now 5-0, get the last spot.  I had them way up at #5 last week, but a pair of wins over Eden and Springville by a combined 10 points aren't the commanding results posted by the #5 small school in WNY.  

 

- centercourt

NYSSWA State Rankings 2017 - Week 2

 

The second state rankings for the 2017 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

No teams ranked

 

Class A 

Canisius #1

Park #2

Williamsville South #8

Timon #23

 

 Class B

Health Sciences #7

East Aurora #8

Lackawanna #17

Dunkirk #22

 

 Class C 

Chautauqua Lake #3

East #7

Silver Creek #11

Barker #18

 

 Class D

Ellicottville #6

Sherman #8

 

** According to the rankings... 

 

- There are now at least three teams fro Section V ahead of Section VI in Class AA.  Fairport (9), Aquinas (19), & UPrep (25) are in ranked in NYS Class AA.  Niagara Falls has split with UPrep this season, with the loss coming this past weekend.  

 

- Canisius returns to the Class A Fed Final and wins it for a second time in three seasons.  The Crusaders are now the number one ranked team in NYS Class A.  They moved to #1 due to Albany Academy, the defending Fed champs, losing a pair of out-of-state games.  Canisius has started five juniors in their last two wins, so I guess we can go ahead and crown them for next season too.  In all seriousness, I don't understand what losing games out-of-state has to do with NYS rankings.  No offense intended to the boys from Delaware Avenue, but I suspect they would have gotten the same results as Albany Academy had they played those same two games.

 

- Williamsville South is now NYS Class A #8 (previously #9), while Timon climbed up two spots to #23.  This transpired after a week in which both faced Amherst.  South came back from six points down to force OT and take the win.  Timon beat Amherst by 19 and trailed for one possession in the first quarter.  The Billies travel to South Buffalo on Thursday night to battle Timon.  The state's early line has South -8.5.

 

- St. Francis isn't getting any love on the state level yet.  Some advice for the Red Raiders - try flirting with Neil Kerr.  Tell him you really like his hair or his sense of style.  Everyone likes a compliment...bound to get you the love you deserve.

 

- Cheektowaga debuted at #14 in NYS Class A last week and then was dropped from the rankings following the loss to Park.

 

- Four of the top seven teams in NYS Class C are from the Far West Region.  East Rochester (#2) & Northstar Christian (#4) from Section V and Chautauqua Lake (#3) & East (#7) from Section VI. 

 

- Silver Creek has quietly improved to 5-0 on the season and sits at #11 in NYS Class C.

 

- Barker fell three spots in NYS Class C for losing to Lyndonville, an unranked Class D team from Section V.  Something has to give here.  Either Barker should have fallen harder, or Lyndonville should be ranked in NYS Class D.  Lyndonville is 3-1, with two wins over teams in Class B and the third over a state-ranked Class C team on the road (Barker).  They lost to Elba, who is 4-0 and also unranked in NYS Class D.  The only other working theory could be that Class D is largely considered stronger as a whole than Class C this season.

 

- Staying on the Class C rankings, I say it's time to throw Randolph a bone.  The Cardinals have two losses, to Ellicottville and Franklinville.  They also own a recent win over South Park.  Even though the Sparks are clearly not the team I thought they were, that's still an impressive win for Randolph.  And those two losses are not bad ones - by now, you should all know I'm high on Ellicottville.  As for Franklinville...see below.

 

- Franklinville went from NYS Class D #19 to unranked for losing by three points at Walsh. Dropping a team from Class D rankings for losing to an undefeated Class B team sure sounds like crazy talk to me.  I have no doubt that Franklinville will be in the final Class D state rankings this season, so I encourage the panel to come around on them soon.  They are good.

 

Click HERE for the complete NYSSWA State Rankings.

 

-centercourt

Poll Ballots 2017 - Week 2

(Brandon Smith drives for Park, a team that's looked ferocious in their last two wins/Photo: Larry Scheur)

 

As a pollster, I rank the top ten large and small schools in WNY each week.  These rankings are based on games played through Saturday of each week.  Here's how I see them and some of the rationale used to get there.

 

** After this, the polls will take a two-week hiatus over the holiday break and resume again on Monday, January 8th.

 

Large Schools

1. Canisius (MMA) - The Crusaders are off to a 3-0 start with wins over Cheektowaga, Aquinas, and Jamestown.  Until the Crusaders lose to a team from WNY, they will own this place on my ballot.  The last time that happened was February 26, 2014.

2. Park (MMA) - Holy Moses, these guys have looked entirely formidable in their last two wins over East & Cheektowaga.  They actually doubled the Warriors point total at the ADPRO Challenge, winning 98-49.  I'm still keeping them here until they earn that top spot from Canisius, who they've never defeated.

3. Timon (MMA) - Meanwhile, there's another team eyeing the top of this ballot.  The Tigers have started their season with wins over Bishop Kearney & Amherst and have already shown they can win a shootout or a defensive grind.  Love the MMA large school race this season.

4. Williamsville South (A1) - Found themselves in an unfamiliar position on Monday against Amherst - trailing much of a close game against a local team.  In the end, they found a way to rally from a six-point deficit, force overtime, and pull out the win.  After hosting West Seneca East on Tuesday, they travel to timon for a pre-holiday special on Thursday night.  That's a battle of top ten teams I won't be missing.  After the break, there's a January 3rd game at Cheektowaga that will feature Dolan vs. Welch.  There's another game you can count me in for.

5. St. Francis (MMA) - Playing as a team and getting balanced contributions from their key players, the Red Raiders are legitimate. Ask Dunkirk, West Seneca East, Kenmore West, or any team preparing to face them.  Like I said, love the competitiveness of the MMA league this season.

6. North Tonawanda (A1) - After wins over Health Sciences & Niagara Falls, the Jacks stumbled big time at home against Lockport.  I'm keeping them ahead of Falls because they beat them, but the next head-scratching result won't receive that same consideration.  Lockport isn't ready for the poll yet with loses to St. Joe's & Kenmore West already.  It's still December, so lots to sort out.  

7. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines are tough to gauge in this setting.  They took Park to OT, split with UPrep, and defeated Kenmore West, with the lone local loss coming at North Tonawanda.  They dropped a pair of games over the weekend in Rochester, with the second loss coming after the votes were cast.  Really not sure what to make of Falls.  When they're not playing teams from their league (NFL), most of their games are against Rochester and Canada

8. McKinley (A1) - Only two games played this season, wins over Kenmore West and Emerson.  Relying on the eye test for the Macks, which tells me they definitely belong in the top 10.  I wish they played against Niagara Falls. Who wouldn't want to see that one?

9. Jamestown (AA) - I didn't have them ranked last week.  Then I saw them play against Canisius over the weekend, which was enough for me to view them as a top 10 team.  

10. Maryvale (A2) - Overtime wins over Olean and Nichols are what we have to go on at this point. If they had played Cheektowaga last week (snowed out), we'd know a lot more.  If you're not busy on Friday night, there will be a great episode of Family Feud at 6 pm on Main Street - Maryvale at Amherst, aka Kensy vs. Kensy.

 

Small Schools 

1. Health Sciences (B2) - Already 6-1 and the only team to hang 100 points on someone (112-68 over Global Concepts).  The Falcons have the cruise control set at a high rate of speed right now and are hoping there's no one waiting with a radar on the other side of the hill.

2. East (C2) - I took the Panthers up to number two on my ballot after their 20-point win over Riverside and watching Amherst take South to overtime last week, a team East got within two points of at the Cataract Classic.

3. East Aurora (B1) - I came into the season very high on the Blue Devils and I still am...but, they need to get out of the every-other-game mode they are in.  Big win over Hornell, big loss to Olean.  Big win over Pioneer, two-point win over Starpoint (who Niagara Catholic just beat).  Then they win their tournament over the weekend, dropping Orchard Park convincingly in the final.  If this is truly East Aurora's year, they need to be more consistent. At their best, they might be the Class B regional representative.  

4. Dunkirk (B1) - It seems like I'm higher on this team than other pollsters.  For me, winning at Lancaster and then turning around and pushing Health Sciences to the brink said a lot.  I know they got rolled at St. Francis, but as I've written already this year - this isn't your big brother's St. Francis team.  

5. Lackawanna (B2) - The Steelers are 3-0 with three wins by double figures, including the win over Hamburg.  I think they improve to 5-0 with the same substantial winning trend continuing over the next two weeks, setting up a nice game on January 3rd against East Aurora.

6. Nichols (MMA) - I've had a chance to see the Vikings twice now, most recently against Maryvale in an overtime loss.  I have also seen three of the four teams below them on this ballot.  They have the right pieces in the right places and I think they only get better from here.

7. St. Mary's (MMA) - Welcome to my ballot Lancers.  You beat Fredonia, who beat Gowanda (who I was ranking) and followed it up with a win over West Seneca East - a game they led by 24 points at one point.  St. Mary's is much better than I had them pegged to be in the preseason.  We will find out much more about them after they compete in the Depew Tournament and the Five Guys Tournament at Will North over the next two weeks.

8. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - The Thunderbirds are 5-0 and that start includes an exciting road win at Ellicottville.  Tomorrow night I making the trip to Mayville to watch them host league favorite Olean, who they've never beaten.

9. Ellicottville (D) - Came off a tough one-point loss to Chautauqua Lake to go on the road the following night and take care of business at Gowanda.  They start five underclassmen who play like seniors.  The Eagles host Portville this week and face Sherman in the first round of the Randolph Tournament over break.

10. Cardinal O'Hara (MMA) - I slid the Hawks down a few spots from last week after getting to see them, Nichols and St. Mary's over a three-day stretch.  O'Hara is loaded with talent, but also young.  In a six-point win over Newfane, they trailed much of the game.  When they find consistency and play for 32 minutes (also see third quarter against Health Sciences), they will be as dangerous as any team in MMA-B.

 

-centercourt

NYSSWA State Rankings 2017 - Week 1

 

The first state rankings for the 2017 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

No teams ranked

 

Class A 

Canisius #2

Park #3

Williamsville South #9

Cheektowaga #14

North Tonawanda #20

Timon #25

 

 Class B

Health Sciences #9

East Aurora #10

Dunkirk #20

Lackawanna #23

 

 Class C 

Chautauqua Lake #3

East #7

Silver Creek #12

Barker #15

 

 Class D

 Ellicottville #6

Sherman #8

Franklinville #19

 

** According to the rankings... 

 

- For a second straight season, Section VI Class AA isn't getting much love on the state level.  No arguments from me on this one yet.  Section V has a pair of teams ranked, Fairport is #13 and Aquinas is #22.  Canisius just defeated Aquinas over the weekend.  Niagara Falls, who I consider the front runner of our Class AA, faces them on Thursday night at the ADPRO Challenge.  

 

- Canisius & Park are back in a familiar position.  They are the top two ranked teams in the CHSAA, meaning the Manhattan Cup winner would also be the favorite to win a catholic state title.

 

- Williamsville South is favored to emerge as the overall Class A champ for a third straight season, but pegged to drop the regional to Rochester East.  When I saw Rochester East as Section V's highest ranked team, I began looking to see where UPrep was ranked.  What I discovered was, UPrep has been bumped to Class AA by Section V.  Good call!

 

- The state rankings are high on Cheektowaga, debuting at #14 in the state's Class A. It's rare to see them look past record (1-2), which I'm fine with.  The Warriors are at Maryvale this Wednesday.  Their big debut sets up an opening for Flyers if they can knock off Cheektowaga like they did in last season's quarterfinals, after starting the season 2-0 and defeating Olean.

 

- Health Sciences and East Aurora are the two highest ranked teams in the Far West Region.  That would mean the Class B crossover game would also be a ticket to Glens Falls...err...Binghamton.  (Going to take awhile to train the brain that Glens Falls no longer equals NYSPHAA state championships).  Hornell is Section V's highest ranked team in Class B and East Aurora opened its season with a win over them.

 

- Chautauqua Lake and East are predicted to face off in the overall Class C Final.  However, East Rochester of Section V is ranked #2 in Class C, ahead of both teams.  History suggests that the Section VI winner beating the Section V winner in Class C is about as sure a thing as Olean advancing to the regional when they are in Class B.  The last time Section VI didn't send its Class C sectional champion to the state final four was in 2009.  That was so long ago that, to put in perspective, 2009 was the year Kyle Husband won his first Manhattan Cup at Canisius.  My apologies to the Bombers of East Rochester, but I like what history is telling me and think Section VI keeps that streak going for at least a couple more years.

 

- Section VI has three Class D teams ranked in the state. As is always the case, Rochester's highest ranked Class D team is a private school (CG Finney this season).  One of my favorite parts of the season is watching our Class D winner knock off what should be a Class B private school team, masquerading as a Class D public school.  It makes for a great start to Regional Saturday.  

 

Click HERE for the complete NYSSWA State Rankings.

 

-centercourt

Poll Ballots 2017 - Week 1

(Jayce Johnson & Canisius are at the top of my opening Poll Ballot) 

 

As a pollster, I rank the top ten large and small schools in WNY each week.  These rankings are based on games played through Saturday of each week.  Here's how I see them and some of the rationale used to get there.

 

Large Schools

1. Canisius (MMA) - In the Season Preview, I said I'd learned my lesson and was done picking against the Crusaders.  Then I watched them twice this weekend, including a win over defending Class AA state champion Aquinas.  Different players stepped up in each game for Canisius.  They take on Jamestown this Saturday night in the ADPRO Challenge finale.

2. Park (MMA) - After grinding one out in an overtime win at Niagara Falls, the Pioneers looked like a well-oiled machine in a rout of East at the Pastor-Cooper Showcase.  Imagine the talent that will be on the floor when they face Dom Welch & Cheektowaga this Saturday at the ADPRO Challenge.

3. Timon (MMA) - The Tigers open their season at home tomorrow night against Bishop Kearney.  With all they have back, along with the addition of Master Radford playing next to Davion Warren in the paint, this could be the best Timon team in a while.

4. Williamsville South (A1) - I've had a lot of people telling me the Billies wouldn't be as good this season because they lost such a strong senior class.  I've been disagreeing with that sentiment.  Greg Dolan is like having three starters back and you know he's taking another big step forward from sophomore to junior season.  And his supporting cast is way more talented than skeptical fans realize.  We learn a lot more about the Billies tonight, off to a 2-0 start, and giving up their home game in the 'Battle of Main Street' to take on Amherst at Daemen.

5. North Tonawanda (A1) - One coach calls this the greatest NT team of all-time.  Time will tell, but a 3-0 start includes wins over Niagara Falls and Health Sciences.  They have size, chemistry, depth, and talent.  This group is fired up early and believing in itself.  And that defense...

6. Niagara Falls (AA) - Oh those Wolverines.  They take Park to overtime one night before a thrilling comeback win over completely loaded UPrep squad.  Then they head to the Lumber Yard in North Tonawanda and score 37 points.  I like this Falls team a lot, but they have to be the same team on the road.  Over the last four minutes at NT, they looked like the team I watched for 65 minutes at the Cataract City Classic last weekend (they played a total of 68 minutes last weekend, but stumbled for the first three minutes of the game against UPrep and then snapped out of it).  

7. St. Francis (MMA) - After Orchard Park won its first two games of the season by a combined 75 points, the Red Raiders smacked them by 34 points.  Then they took a West Seneca East team that owns a double-digit win over South Park, down by 48 points.  This seems to be the one team people are sleeping on the most.  Time to wake up, this is the best St. Francis team in the last 10 years.

8. Cheektowaga (A2) - The Warriors are playing a nonleague schedule that is beyond ambitious.  But early on, they found out they can hang with the likes of Class AA Bishop Kearney and perennial WNY powerhouse Canisius.  Then they knocked off Nazareth on Saturday by putting a solid 32 minutes together and getting a great game out of Vaughn Burdette.  The Warriors have been bringing the defensive intensity, getting some solid play from Adrian Baugh, and then there's this other kid who's pretty good for them too.

9. McKinley (A1) - Returning only Davonti Wardlaw to their starting lineup, the Macks took down a Kenmore West team with a very talented and experienced backcourt.  The team has some things to work on, but they are easily correctable.  As you would expect from a McKinley team, there was no lack of effort.  The Macks have gone undefeated in the Yale Cup for two straight seasons and I didn't pick them to win their league this season because, well, I'm an idiot.

10. Maryvale (A2) - I wrote in the Season Preview that I could see them spending some time in the large school poll this season.  Hey look, I was right.  The Flyers' win over Olean to start their season could be the start of something special.  Ray Blackwell played a big time game, but several players on that team made the big plays late in regulation and overtime. Remember, this is the team that kept Cheektowaga from reaching Buff State last season.  And it just so happens that they host the Warriors this Wednesday night.  

 

Small Schools 

1. Health Sciences (B2) - With the way the Falcons have started their season, they absolutely deserve this spot.  They beat a Dunkirk team that was beyond impressive in its win at Lancaster.  They blew out Cardinal O'Hara, and I don't think another small school could do that.  But most impressive may be the way they battled at North Tonawanda on Wednesday.

2. East Aurora (B1) - The Blue Devils have every reason to believe this is their season, despite being dealt a huge dose of humility from Olean in a 21-point loss.  I think they got caught in a barrage of momentum created by a defending state championship Huskies team playing in front of a home crowd and couldn't dig out of a first half hole.  They should have a game against Orchard Park coming up this Saturday if both teams advance in the Southtowns Tournament at EA.

3. Dunkirk (B1) - If you want to attribute Dunkirk's early success to a championship mentality created by the football team, that's fine.  But when I watched them, my take was these guys are really good and play their butts off.  The Marauders have a very intriguing matchup at St. Francis tomorrow night.

4. East (C2) - The Panthers haven't shown a lot of depth yet this season, but the guys who take the court for East make them the team to beat in Section VI Class C.  They stood toe-to-toe with Amherst in the Cataract City Classic and I think they'll make some noise in Yale Cup I as well, a league that will have them hardened for the postseason.

5. Lackawanna (B2) - The Steelers just dealt Alden a 44-point loss, winning by more points than they allowed.  That win followed a Hamburg Lions Club Tournament championship win over a good Hamburg team.  Keep an eye on these guys, who I'm expecting will take an undefeated record into the New Year.

6. Cardinal O'Hara (MMA) - The Hawks are very young, but they have a lot of guys who can play.  Opening the season against Health Sciences who is not only sitting at the top of this ballot, but also had four games under its belt, was a tall order that got away from them at the start of the second half.  They face Newfane in the ADPRO Challenge this week, who is a team sitting just outside of this ballot with a win over MST Seneca (who beat Middle College).  It's the perfect "take care of business" game for a team that wants to know where they stand.

7. Gowanda (B2) - The only thing we have to go on at this point is a 30-point win over Roy-Hart, which really doesn't tell us much, considering the Rams' other three games were against Section V teams.  Still, I had the Panthers as favorites to win CCAA I East and see them as a Buff State team and a notch above the other Southern Tier small schools, with the exception of Dunkirk.  A visit from Ellicottville tomorrow night will answer some questions.

8. Burgard (B1) - For me, this is the surprise team of the early season.  The Bulldogs began their season with a difficult road win at Franklinville. Before you dimiss that one, consider they are a team that could be your Class D champions this year.  Then over the weekend, Burgard won at Medina by 18 points - more than Williamsville North beat the Mustangs by on a neutral court.

9. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - The Thunderbirds began their season with a pair of 30-point wins over Westfield & Frewsburg.  Remember, this is the team that lost the Class C1 Final to Olmsted by three at JCC in March.  If there were two of me, one of them would be watching them play Ellicottville tonight (the other will be at Daemen to watch Amherst vs. Will South tonight at 7:30 pm).

10. Ellicottville (D) - The Eagles are 3-0 and each win has come against Class C schools.  My trip to Ellicottville was the first game I covered this season, and I can attest, these guys are good.  The bad weather forces the Eagles to make up a tournament championship game tonight against Chautauqua Lake (#9 on my ballot), then turn around and play at Gowanda (#7 on my ballot) tomorrow night.

 

-centercourt

North Tonawanda out-defends Falls

 
(There were no easy baskets for Tazaun Rose & Niagara Falls at the Lumber Yard)

 

 League play opened in the NFL on Friday night.  North Tonawanda was hosting Niagara Falls, the two teams favored as front runners for the division title.  Prior to tip, the referees followed the usual protocol and summoned captains for the two teams to center court.  North Tonawanda sent its entire team.  Falls did the same.  It was a show of unity from both teams.  I suspect that before they dispersed, someone took charge of the large gathering and suggested the two play the most defensive game WNY HS Hoops has ever seen, then everyone put their hands in...Defense on three: one, two, three, Defense!  I don't know that for sure, but the game certainly played out that way.

 

North Tonawanda built a second half lead on the visiting Wolverines and then held on for dear life in the final minutes, to come away with major league-opening victory at the Lumber Yard, 42-37.  NT improves to 3-0 on the season and more importantly, take the early edge on Falls.  The loss drops the Wolverines to 1-2 overall.

 

The Jacks opened the second half with a 14-3 run to break a major defensive struggle and a one-point game, wide open.  The surge gave the Jacks a 28-16 lead, and with the premium placed on scoring in this game, looked like it might be an insurmountable deficit facing Falls.

 

With five minutes remaining in the game, Zack Woodard scored to keep the Jacks up by 12, 36-24.  Moments later, the senior let a 3-pointer go from the left corner and cashed in to give his team its largest lead of the evening, 39-24, with 4:30 left to play.  The third quarter run by the Jacks had been maintained and now added to by another three points, and it was almost time for celebration.  But not quite.

 

The Wolverines got the the charity stripe on its next three possessions and connected on all six attempts, four from Tazaun Rose and two from Syquan Ralands.  With 1:59 left in the game, Ralands scored in the paint, and Niagara Falls had made up eight points in two minutes, closing the gap to 39-32.

 

A long range bomb from Jhamir Isom put another dent in the Jacks lead, before Tyler Sanders scored to make it a one possession game with just 37 ticks left on the clock, 39-37.  Niagara Falls had come storming back with a frantic charge, good for a 13-0 run in less than four minutes.

 

But the Wolverines had waited to long to play with desperation and on the Jacks' next inbounds came the play that sealed game.  Trevor Book beat a trap and found a wide open Patrick Milbrand running away from the press with a clear path to the hoop.  A pair of free throws closed out the scoring for the game and the cause for celebration was now official.

 

"The hardest working teams are the last to surrender,"North Tonawanda coach Ryan Mountain said.  "We were very fortunate to finish the fourth quarter, they really cranked it up.  I thought we were the tougher team and I thought we were the more confident team."

 

Vincent Tripi, who appears to be the team's emotional leader and primary ball handler, scored eight points, dished six assists, and grabbed nine rebounds in the victory.

 

"It was the hardest game I've ever played in my life and I'm just so happy we came out with a win," Tripi said. "It was defense that won us that game."

 

Trevor Book also scored eight points and added five rebounds, three steals, & two assists.  

 

The rebounding advantage in the game favored the Jacks, led by Brandon Casterline's nine boards, while Alex Johnson pulled down seven.  Woodard also hauled seven boards in, collected six steals, and had five of his seven points late in the game to give his team just enough room to finish.

 

"We don't like to think of any games ahead of the game we already have, but we've had this game circled on our calendar for a while." Woodard said.

 

So just how defensive was this game?  

 

- At halftime, the score was 14-13 in favor of the Jacks.  

- Niagara Falls scored just seven baskets through the first three quarters and a total of 13 in the game.

- A total of five 3-pointers were made in the game, a combined total from both teams.

- Trevor Book (NT) and Charles Lamar (Falls) led their teams in field goals made. Each hit four shots over the 32 minutes.

- Vincent Tripi & Patrick Milbrand (NT) and Charles Lamar & Tazaun Rose (Falls) were the only players with points in three different quarters.

 

North Tonawanda:  7/14 FTs, 16 FGs (three were 3-pointers)

Niagara Falls:  13/21 FTs, 11 FGs (two were 3-pointers)

 

 "In my opinion, probably two of the best half court defenses you're going to see at the high school level," said Mountain.

 

 N.T.  9  -  5  -  16 - 12 = 42

Falls  9  -  4  -    7 - 17 = 37

 

Point Totals

North Tonawanda:  Vincent Tripi 8, Trevor Book 8, Zack Woodard 7, Patrick Milbrand 6, Brandon Casterline 5, Jordan Fox 3, Alex Quinn 3, Alex Johnson 2

Niagara Falls:  Tazaun Rose 9, Charles Lamar 8, Syquan Ralands 8, Tyler Sanders 6, Devin Sanders 3, Jhamir Isom 3

 

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Classifications for the 2017 Season

                      

 

Class AA (10 Teams)                                                        

Niagara Falls - NFL                                                                     

Jamestown - ECIC I                                                              

Kenmore West - NFL                                                                 

Lancaster - ECIC I                                                                       

Frontier - ECIC I                                                                         

Willaimsville North - ECIC I                                                            

Niagara Wheatfield - NFL                                                          

Orchard Park - ECIC I                                                              

Lockport - NFL                                                                             

Clarence - ECIC I

 

Class A1 (10 Teams)                                                              

Williamsville South - ECIC II                                                   

McKinley - Yale Cup I                                                                

North Tonawanda - NFL                                                           

Hamburg - ECIC II                                                               

Grand Island - NFL                                                                   

West Seneca East - ECIC II                                                      

Sweet Home - ECIC II                                                               

Williamsville East - ECIC II                                                 

West Seneca West - ECIC I                                                      

Hutch-Tech - Yale Cup I  

 

Class A2 (11 Teams)

Amherst - ECIC II

South Park - Yale Cup

Cheektowaga - ECIC III

Olean - CCAA I West

Maryvale - ECIC III

Lew-Port – NFL

Starpoint - ECIC III

Lake Shore - ECIC III

Pioneer - ECIC III

Iroquois - ECIC II

Kenmore East - NFL

 

Class B1 (16 Teams)                                                            

East Aurora - ECIC III                                                    

Newfane - N-O                                                                     

MST Seneca - Yale Cup II                                                   

Depew - ECIC III                                                                      

Dunkirk - CCAA I West                                                          

Burgard - Yale Cup I                                                                

Riverside - Yale Cup I                                                              

CSAT - NFL                                                                             

Emerson - Yale Cup I                                                            

Alden - ECIC IV                                                                  

I-Prep - Yale Cup II                                                                 

Fredonia - CCAA I West                                                        

City Honors - Yale Cup II                                                    

Albion - N-O                                                                           

Tonawanda - ECIC IV                                                           

Springville - ECIC IV

 

Class B2 (15 Teams)

Health Sciences - Charter

Middle College - Yale Cup I

Medina - N-O

Gowanda - CCAA I East

Lackawanna - ECIC IV

Olmsted - Yale Cup II

JFK - ECIC IV

Wilson - N-O

Roy-Hart - N-O

Akron - N-O

Oracle - Charter

Southwestern - CCAA I West

Eden - ECIC IV

Buffalo Arts - Yale Cup II

Lafayette - Yale Cup II

                                                                  

Class C1 (10 Teams)                                                    

Chautauqua Lake - CCAA I West                                            

Cleveland Hill - ECIC IV                                                           

Portville - CCAA I East                                                      

Salamanca - CCAA I East                                                       

Allegany-Limestone - CCAA I East                                        

Maritime - Charter                                                                     

DaVinci - Yale Cup II                                                               

Tapestry - Charter                                                                  

Falconer - CCAA I West                                                           

Cassadaga Valley - CCAA II West

 

Class C2 (11 Teams)

East - Yale Cup I

Randolph - CCAA I East

Barker - N-O

Silver Creek - CCAA I East

Maple Grove - CCAA I West

BASCS - Charter

Cattaraugus/Little Valley - CCAA II East

Frewsburg - CCAA II West

Holland - ECIC IV

Global Concepts - Charter

Westfield - CCAA II West

 

Class D (9 Teams)

Ellicottville - CCAA II East

Sherman - CCAA II West

Franklinville - CCAA II East

Clymer - CCAA II West

Pine Valley - CCAA II East

Panama - CCAA II West

Forestville - CCAA II East 

Brocton - CCAA II West

North Collins - CCAA II East

 

Monsignor Martin Class A

Canisius

Park

Timon

St. Francis

St. Joe's

 

Monsignor Martin Class B

Nichols

Cardinal O'Hara

St. Mary's

Walsh

CCA

Niagara Catholic

 

-centercourt                

Season Preview: 2016-2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Cheektowaga's Dominick Welch [above] and Olean's Jeff Anastasia [right] each have a chance to break historic WNY records before the end of the 2017 season / Photos by Nick LoVerde [above] & Dave DeLuca [right]) 

 

 

 The 2016-2017 Pre-View From Centercourt contains:

- Feature on Jeff Anastasia & Dominick Welch

- What's New

- Returning 2016 All-Centercourt Players

- Player Watch List for 2017

- A League-by-League look at the teams

(MMA, Yale Cup, ECIC,  NFL, N-O, CCAA, & Charters)

- CoachingChanges

- Classification Changes

- Preseason Top 10 Large & Small Schools

- Predictions

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Every season begins with certain story lines.  They could be anything from a veteran head coach taking over a storied program, to major transfer news, to a team that appears built for a state run, and just about everything in between that we talk about in anticipation of another year.  Heading into the upcoming 2017 high school basketball season in Western New York, there are two prominent figures from the local scene that have shown a greatness since they first took the court with their respective teams, and now both are on the verge of history.  Jeff Anastasia, the Hall of Fame and two-time state champion head coach at Olean could become WNY's all-time winningest coach before the season ends.  Dominick Welch, already a Section VI champion and three-time All-Centercourt selection, could end his career at Cheektowaga as the area's all-time scoring leader.  While the legend of both of these greats is already well cemented in the minds of hoop fans, I'm anticipating reading each of their names at the top of the record books, in the respective categories.

 

Mel Palano and Ritchie Campbell are the two names that have been at the forefront of high school basketball in WNY for years.  Palano, the long time coach at Bishop Timon/St. Jude, retired with a resume that included 544 wins.  Campbell starred at Burgard in the late 80's and finished his high school career with 2,355 points.  For years, fans have looked at the two names at the top of those lists, marveled at their accomplishments, and wondered...will anyone ever touch those lofty marks?

 

For Anastasia, breaking Palano's record for career coaching wins is something you could see coming.  The consistent success his team's have enjoyed due to the program he has established are best illustrated by his wins per season.  Last season, there were a total of 10 teams (including Olean) from Section VI that recorded at least 17 victories.  In his 30 years behind the bench for the Huskies, Anastasia has averaged 17.29 wins per season.  For many coaches, a 17-win season would be the one they remember as their best year over a career.  However in Olean, Anastasia has made it par for the course.  Entering the 2017 campaign with 536 career victories to his credit, he needs just nine wins to reach the magic number of 545.

 

The path to Welch surpassing Campbell's career scoring mark won't be an easy one.  Cheektowaga plays in a competitive league and faces some very sharp coaches along the way.  The Warriors also play one of the most difficult nonleague schedules in WNY, so as he's always done, Welch will really have to earn it.  The high-flying senior who can do anything and everything on the court, has 1,708 career points after averaging 28.9 per contest as a junior in 21 games.  If he stays healthy and plays in every game, Welch is guaranteed another 21 games.  He is 648 points from owning the mark and would need to average 30.86 points over 21 games.  However, keep winning in the postseason, and it really starts to look attainable.  Reaching Buffalo State would get the Warriors to 22 games, where he'd need to average 29.45 points.  Reaching the Class A2 final takes 23 games and drops the needed average to 28.17, less than his output during junior year.  Welch has made it clear to me that his priority this year is to win with his friends, who he also calls teammates.  As the old cliche goes, winning takes care of everything.

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What's New

 

- After 35 years in Glens Falls, the NYSPHAA State Championships will now be played in Binghamton for at least the next three years.

 

- The NYS Federation Tournament of Champions, which features public, catholic, independent, and PSAL (NYC) champions, returns to its original home - Glens Falls, NY.

 

- WNY basketball says goodbye to Bennett High.  Those players who were to be seniors for the Tigers this season, will play for Middle College instead.

 

- Despite the folding of Bennett, there will still be 103 teams competing between Section VI and the MMA.  That's because Christian Central Academy of Williamsville, known as CCA, is now part of the Monsignor Martin Association for hoops.  Like Park once did, CCA formerly participated in the IAC.

 

- The Pastor-Cooper Showcase at Daemen College, long regarded as the official start to the high school hoops season each year, doesn't tip for the boys until December 7th & 8th.  That makes the Cataract City Classic at Niagara Falls High School the season's first major event, featuring seven games played over two days on December 2nd & 3rd, including an early clash of the titans -- Niagara Falls vs. Park.

 

- The ADPRO Public/Private Challenge, which has rotated venues the past three seasons, looks to have found a home at Depew High School.  The Challenge will take place at the Home of the Wildcats for a second straight season, with 11 games featured over three days (December 15th, 16th, & 17th), headlined by Canisius vs. Jamestown.

 

- The two defending public school state champions, Olean & Middle College, have zero chance to repeat as NYSPHAA Class B & Class C champs respectively.  That's because both teams were moved up to a higher classification this season.  The Huskies will compete in Class A2 this season, after winning the NYSPHAA Class B state title and the Kats jump up to Class B2 after winning it all in NYSPHAA's Class C.

 

- Six teams have changed leagues from last season:

Amherst to ECIC II, Starpoint & Lake Shore to ECIC III, Springville to ECIC IV, CSAT to the NFL, and Emerson to Yale Cup I.

 

 - It's Rochester's year to host the Far West Regionals again.  This season, all five games for the right to move on to Binghamton will be played at Rush-Henrietta High School.  In 2015, the regionals for Classes B, C, & D were held there.

 

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The Players

*** Four of the top 20 players from the 2016 All-Centercourt Team return to the WNY high school hoops scene, along with another 12 players that received Honorable Mentions following last season.

Returning First Teamers
 Dominick Welch - Cheektowaga, Senior

 * 28.9 PPG  /  11.6 RPG  /  3.6 APG  /  2.9 BPG  /  2.3 SPG *

 * as a junior

After eclipsing 1,000 career points as a sophomore, he surpassed the same mark with rebounds as a junior.  Entering his fifth and final varsity season, the dynamic talent has a chance to break the all-time WNY scoring mark and should finish as a 2,000 point scorer with over 1,000 rebounds - unheard of!  Not to mention he swats everything in his vicinity, while taking advantage of every sliver of space to cram the ball through the rim and bend the iron...#BOOM!  (Photo: James McCoy/Buffalo News)


 Greg Dolan - Williamsville South, Junior

 *18.2 PPG  /  7.7 RPG  /  6.0 APG  /  3.2 SPG *

 * as a sophomore 

Made believers out any fans who weren't quite convinced of his greatness two years ago, with a sensational sophomore campaign that included leading South to its first regional title in Class A.  While the Billies were a talented veteran team, there's no question that Dolan was the straw that stirred their drink.  An underrated rebounder and a driven do-it-all point guard, he'll look to lead a whole new cast back to a third straight Section VI crown. (Photo: Harry Scull/Buffalo News)

 

Returning Second Teamer

 James Rojas - Jamestown, Senior

 * 21.8 PPG  /  10.1 RPG  /  2.7 APG  /  1.5 SPG  /  1.2 BPG *

 * as a junior

After playing a complimentary role for the Red Raiders as a sophomore, Rojas exploded on the scene last season and put the Red Raiders on his back - carrying them back to the Class AA final.  Expect another breakout season from the inside/outside threat who can put the ball on the floor, finish with ease at the rim, and look dominant in the process.  This is a Division I talent who should be held in the highest regard among returning players in the area. (Photo: James McCoy/Buffalo News)

 

Returning Fourth Teamer

Tavien Kemp - Walsh, Senior

 * 21.0 PPG  /  4.5 RPG  /  3.7 SPG  /  3.5 APG *

 * as a junior

Was the standout talent for the Eagles' team that took the number one seed into the Manhattan Cup playoffs a season ago.  Blends exceptional quickness with his high IQ for the game, to break down defenses as he slithers to the basket.  Has quick hands and plays with a subtle aggression, maintaining the same intensity all game.  Walsh will be back in the mix for the Manhattan Cup in Class B with him leading the charge. (Photo: Harry Scull/Buffalo News)

 

 

Returning 2016 Honorable Mentions

Chris Robson - Sr., Sherman -  19.7 PPG  /  5.3 RPG  /  3.2 APG  /  3.0 SPG  /  .5 BPG  as a junior

Shakur Harris - Sr., South Park -  16.2 PPG  /  2.9 SPG  /  2.1 RPG  /  1.9 APG   as a junior

Will Johnson - Sr., Nichols -  15.8 PPG  /  4.0 APG  /  4.o RPG  /  2.o SPG  as a junior

Marcellus Cooper - Sr., Amherst -  14.5 PPG  /  10.0 RPG  /  2.0 BPG  / 0 .7 APG  as a junior 

Davion Warren - Sr., Timon -  12.5 PPG  /  7.7 RPG  /  2.1 APG  /  1.8 SPG  as a junior

Nate Brawdy - Jr., Gowanda - 23.1 PPG  /  9.2 RPG  /  4.5 APG  /  2.3 SPG  as a sophomore

Elliot Bowen - Jr., Ellicottville -  19.3 PPG  /  12.2 RPG  /  2.5 BPG  /  1.3 SPG  as a sophomore

Devin Pope - Jr., Chautauqua Lake -  17.7 PPG  /  5.3 RPG  /  3.0 APG  /  3.0 SPG  as a sophomore

Willard Andreson - Jr., East -  15.7 PPG  /  3.0 RPG  /  3.0 APG  /  2.0 SPG  as a sophomore

Jalin Cooper - Jr., Medina -  15.5 PPG  /  10.2 RPG  /  2.5 APG  /  2.1 SPG  /  2.1 BPG  as a sophomore

Ray Blackwell - Jr., Maryvale -  14.5 PPG  /  3.5 SPG  /  3.4 RPG  /  3.0 APG  as a sophomore

Noah Hutchins - So., Park -  9.9 PPG  /  4.0 RPG  /  3.5 APG  /  2.7 SPG  as a freshman

 

Player Watch List:

Joe Jones - 11 (Park), Daniel Scott - 10 (Park), Ryan Bradley - 11 (Canisius), Austin James - 11 (Canisius), Master Radford - 11 (Timon), Bo Sireika - 11 (St. Francis), Julian Cunningham - 10 (St. Francis), Nick Montgomery - 12 (East Aurora), Charles Lamar - 12 (Niagara Falls), Syquan Ralands - 11 (Niagara Falls), Adam Braniecki - 12 (Williamsville South), Jacob Genzel - 11 (Hamburg), Chris Stineman - 10 (West Seneca East), Chad Biersbach - 11 (Depew), Davonte Gaines - 11 (Health Sciences), Tyron Lott - 11 (Health Sciences), Tyler Hind - 9 (Randolph), Trevor Book - 11 (North Tonawanda), Tyler Aquilina - 12 (Kenmore West), Nate Luckman - 12 (Barker), Kyle DeVoogel - 11 (Newfane), Max Weber - 11 (Newfane), Hakeem Dobbins - 11 (Middle College), Davonti Wardlaw - 12 (McKinley), Elijah Lewis - 10 (South Park), Justin Allen - 11 (East), Mike Schmidt - 10 (Olean), Sam Erickson - 11 (Franklinville), Naseer Jackson - 12 (St. Joe's), Amir Radford - 10 (City Honors), Kyle Ebert - 11 (Frontier), Devin Degree - 10 (Williamsville South), Christian Snell - 11 (Alden), Carlton Threeths - 10 (Lackawanna), London Smith - 11 (Lackawanna), Jarrett Lecceadone - 12 (Randolph), Jalen Bradberry - 8 (Niagara Wheatfield), Kameron Briggs - 10 (Health Sciences), Jarmani Benton - 11 (Gowanda), Nader Ngoopas Kompany - 11 (Middle College), Jayce Johnson - 11 (Canisius), Juston Johnson - 10 (Timon), Terrell Mullen - 9 (Cardinal O'Hara), Justin Hemphill - 10 (Cardinal O'Hara), Latrell Butler-Kemp - 11 (Walsh), Aidan Horan - 9 (Nichols), Daniel Reid - 12 (Olmsted), Daesean Ashley - 9 (Amherst)

 

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League-By-League 

Monsignor Martin Association

Large Schools - CLASS A

Canisius is now the two-time defending CHSAA state champion in Class A, and despite graduating another strong senior class that included a second straight CC MVP in Stafford Trueheart, expect the Crusaders' success to keep rolling.  Jayce Johnson and Colby Moultrie return with plenty of experience, while the additions of Ryan Bradley and Austin James help ensure the Crusaders remain elite.  Park has no seniors on its roster, but does have three of the best players in WNY in Noah Hutchins, Joe Jones, and Daniel Scott.  Brandon Smith is also back after missing last season due to injury and will make a big impact for the Pioneers, who have some considerable young size on their bench.  Timon has players at every spot on the floor and depth to back it up.  Davion Warren is back following his breakout season, and the Tigers hope to have William Lamar back in January following a football injury.  St. Francis has its best team in the last 10 years, with a very deep team that has realistic expectations of a Manhattan Cup.  The Red Raiders benefit from some key additions, along with returning their top eight from a year ago.  St. Joe's has seven players back, led by senior guard Naseer Jackson.  Caleb Cockrell, Mike Telesco, and Jack Capen all played extended minutes last season for the Marauders, and they'll look to Hunter Dimitroff for inside presence.

***

Canisius:  Colby Multrie 12, Jake Zeis 12, Pat Weir 12, Chris Topper 12, Mark Baldy 12, Jayce Johnson 11, Ryan Bradley 11, Austin James 11, Nick MacDolnald 11, Conner McCaffrey 11, Brendan Trapper 11, Peter Atkinson 11, Jack Collins 11, John Evans 11, Cam Hall 10

Park:  Joe Jones 11, Brandon Smith 11, Marques Lowe 11, Cam Hennings 11, Noah Hutchins 10, Daniel Scott 10, Jordan Gompah 10, Julian Eziukwu 10, Quentin Nnagbo 10, John Orugun 9, Jaylen Stewart 9

Timon:  Joe Harrison 12, William Lamar 12, Davion Warren 12, Tim Payne 12, Master Radford 11, Matt O'Brien 11, Steve Reinhardt 11, Cullen Tonge 11, Joey Rozeski 11, Juston Johnson 10, Adrian Baugh 10, Jaurney Boyland 10, Alero World 10, Jayon Renfro 10

St. Francis:  Roburt Welch 12, Sean Taggart 12, Jerry Hickson 12, Connor Cummings 12, Evan Mangan 12, Bo Sireika 11, Owen Woyshner 11, Josh Palmer 11, Dylan McDuffie 11, Retsen Daley 11, Devon Darrell 11, Julian Cunningham 10, Traevonne Scott 10, Justin Pomphey 10, Dorian Ivey 10, Lucas Theisan 10, David Bartholomew 9

St. Joe's:  Naseer Jackson 12, Mike Motley 12, Mike Telesco 12, Hunter Dimitroff 12, Razihque Sullivan 12, Caleb Cockrell 12, Jack Capen 11, Jeremy Johnson 11, Trey Boling 11, Kevin Durkin 11, Keith Norward 11, John Galvin 11, Alexander D'Anniballe 11, Noah Hausbeck 11, Casey Kelly 10

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Small Schools - CLASS B 

Cardinal O'Hara has three starters back, led by Justin Hemphill, who averaged a double-double last season as a freshman.  The Hawks have a deep roster loaded with young talent that is ready to make a serious push for the Manhattan Cup in Class B. Nichols has one of WNY's best shooters in Will Johnson and will look for breakout years from both Myles Hervey and TJ Banaszak under new head coach Darren Fenn.  The Vikings also have a talented freshman in Aidan Horan who should turn some heads. St. Mary's has just three seniors, led by Daquan Hunt, but juniors Eric Brown and Christian Szablewski were both solid as sophomores.  The Lancers have a young team that got a taste of varsity action at the end of last season and will be eager to play hard under coach Paul Rath. Walsh will carry 10 players on its roster, with four of them being freshmen.  Still, the Eagles, who were state ranked in Class B all of last season, have Tavien Kemp and Latrell Butler-Kemp back and will continue to be strong.  Niagara Catholic has just two players back with any varsity experience, after a tough turnover following last season, while CCA becomes the newest member of WNY's most talented league and faces its most difficult schedule ever.

 ***

Cardinal O'Hara:  PJ Parker 12, Rene Velazquez 12, Adam Connelly 12, Nasir Benton 11, Mike Clark  11, Justin Hemphill 10, Jermaine Hayes 10, Brandon Broadmax 10, Jordan Fayson 10, Torree Cheatham 10, Jaedin Cottman 9, Terrell Mullen 9

Nichols:  Will Johnson 12, Paul Brinson 12, Myles Hervey 12, Harrison Serotte 12, Austin Ellis-Mohr 12, Amin Abubukar 12, TJ Banaszak 11, Ryan Peterson 11, Matthew Glinski 11, Antonio Jones 11, Jonathan Goodloe 10, Jake Bair 10, Aidan Horan 9

 St. Mary's:   Daquan Hunt 12, Colin Tyka 12, Zach Penska 12, Eric Brown 11, Matt Ciezski 11, Christian Szablewski 11, Ahmad Powell 11, Frank Propis 11, Jaelin Russell 11, Ben Mazurowski 11, Kofi Osei 11, Ja'Shawn Collins 11, Brady O'Brien 10, Gregory Poland 9

Archbishop Walsh:  Tavien Kemp 12, Claus Oren 12, Latrell Butler Kemp - 11, Slobodan Stojanovic 11, George Lowry 10, Cameron Kitchen-Perez 10, Colin Yorke 9, Marcus Esposito 9, Kameron Ramadhan 9, Zayne Blacksnake 9

Niagara Catholic:  Minh Hoang 12, Jonathan Phillips 12, Rico Mitchell 11, Nick Krupp 11, Jaden Turner 10, Thomas Owens 10, Harrison Abramaitys 10, Roman Wright 10, Kashus Bradley 10

CCA:  Noah Ewing 12, Caleb Hancock 12, Jacob Fusco 12, Pat Opferbeck 11, Alex Fink 11, Jared Moser 11, Josh Tyson 11, Ben Lekeuneu 11, Rick Miller 10, Zach Miller 10, Dan Tyson 9

 

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Section VI

YALE CUP I

South Park became a real factor last season and nearly upset McKinley at Buff State in Class A1.  With another deep team led by Shakur Harris that will benefit from some key transfers, the Sparks have realistic expectations of going after the Yale Cup. McKinley returns Davonti Wardlaw to its starting lineup, where he'll lead another another aggressive pack of Macks ready to make names for themselves. Zaire Dorsey's teams have won 26 straight in the Yale Cup and gone undefeated in the city in four of the five seasons.  Middle College joins Class B2 with a whole new group, led by Hakeem Dobbins, a junior who saw some quality minutes on the Kats' state championship team last season. Nader Ngoopas Kompany and Nathyia Jackson also saw time last year and will be counted on.  The team should benefit from the coaching addition of Fred Dupree, who will assist Randy Rich for a season, after 17 years playing and coaching at the Division I level.  East is now in Class C2 and hope the grind of the Yale Cup schedule, along with some big time nonleague foes, has them ready to run through JCC in March.  They have a star in junior Willard Anderson, primed for a breakout campaign.  Behind new head coach Geoff Hurley, Riverside will be lead by Gerald Bratton and Dialo Stevens.  Burgard has Markel Ford running the point, while Jeremiah Moss and Angel Carson control things in the post.  Deamontae Riley should offer both scoring and rebounding, while Cleveland Sweat will be counted on for his defensive energy.

***

South Park : Shakur Harris 12, Elijah Winston 12, Dwight Simpson 12, Khalil White 12, Jakari Woods 12, Raymond Mushat 11, Shy-Quan Brodie 11, Donte Ridgeway 11, Jalen Baker 11, DeJuan McCray 11, Daquan Anderson 11, Justice Allen 11, Elijah Lewis 10, David Stroud 10, Hakeem Humphries 10, Michael Crockett 9

McKinley: Davonti Wardlaw 12, Nakye Booze 12, Joe Johnson 12,  Deon Spencer 11, Jaylon Windsor 11,  Kavon Rogers 11, Emir Evans 11, Chris  LeCounte 11, Alvaro Mora 11,  Jahmal  Lewis 9

Middle College:  Shawn Goree 12, Allen McDuffie 12, Daquan Hamilton 12, Hakeem Dobbins 11, Nader Ngoopas Kompany 11, Nathyia Jackson 11,  Azyion Clemons 11, Donovan Queeno 11, Jules Stover 11, Zack Jones 11, Breh Daniels 10, Jamond Jones 9

East:  Shawndale Williams 12, Taijuan Littleton 12, Allen Wilson 12, Willard Anderson 11, Anthony Stevens 11, Justin Allen 11, Jahahd Maryon 11, Xavier Turner 11, Daniel Gray 11, Emmanuel Wilson 11, Ibrahim Mberwa 11, Waunya Shaw 10

Riverside:  Gerald Bratton 12, Maya Griffin 12, Carlos Rivera 12, Robert Kyle 11, Feysal Osman 11, Dialo Stevens 11, Carlos Adorno Nunez 11, Michael Deleon Vasquez 10, Asante Silva 10,   Julius Laureano 10, Hak Douth 10

Burgard: Deamontae Riley 12, Davon Callaway 12, Cleveland Sweat 12, Markel Ford 12, Myles Morrison 11, Jeremiah Early 11, Brandon Myers 11, Jorge Villa 11, Angel Carson 11, Kenyon Pringle 11, Jeremiah Moss 11, Dejuan Williams 10, Zak Griffin 10, Lavardi Mance 9

Emerson: no information provided by coach

Hutch-Tech: no information provided by coach

 

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YALE CUP II

MST Seneca is looking to improve on last years record and will have to play good defense to do it.  They'll need strong leadership from Davon Jones, David Anderson and Dom Prince.  Sophomore Earl Howard saw significant minutes last year and should take a big step forward.  Olmsted captured the Class C1 title last season and moves to Class B2 this year, hoping to benefit from the return of Daniel Reid and Naseem Baynes. City Honors returns two starters from last years team, led by sophomore Amir Radford, ready to take another big step forward.   I-Prep graduated the top seven in its rotation and rebuilds this season, led by senior Chad Forester and junior Cameron Williams-Scott.

***

MST Seneca:  Keivon Carter 12, David Anderson 12, Davon Jones 12, Solomon Jones 12, Dom Prince 12, Anthony Speed 12, Daylin Anderson 11, Jayden Brown 11, Daryl Costner 11, Diallo Gray 11, Marquel Hampshire 11, Saeviyon Livingston 11, Makhi Rodgers 11, Earl Howard 10

I-Prep: Chad Forester 12, Alijah Clark 12, Angel Rodriguez 12, Aaron Lewis 12, Greg Ngoma 12, Cameron Williams-Scott 11, Shemaar Braggs 11, Saequon Carlock 11, Brandon Wilson 11, Twandrell Dean 11, Daniel Santiago 11, Patrick Toe 10

Olmsted: Daniel Reid 12, Naseem Baynes 12, Abbas Abajobir 12, Drew Hough 12, Austin Parham 12, Austin Lowery 12, Stanley Simpson 12, Justin Evans 12, Gabriel Carr-Johnson 11, Aaron Brown 11, Joel Richards 11, Chris Pettiway 11, Jalen Johnson 11

City Honors:  Sam Battaglia 12, Talon Moody 12,  Gino Lotempio 12,  Saleem Salem 12, Brendan Bulluck 11, Sebastian Flewellyn 11, Joe Fisher 11, Gabe Morrisroe 11,  Neftali Vazquez 11, Amir Radford 10, Eliot Solomon 10, Nate Kahn 9, Kevion Taylor 9, Jayden Slaughter  8  

Lafayette: no information provided by coach

DaVinci: no information provided by coach

Buffalo Arts: no information provided by coach

 

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ECIC I

Jamestown has just two players back who saw any significant time last season in James Rojas and junior Matt Hill.  Still, a player of Rojas' caliber playing for a program like Jamestown will have the Red Raiders right back in the mix for another league title and run in Class AA.  Marcus Rojas, the younger brother of James, is a 6-2 junior who will contribute immediately.  Lancaster lost nearly all of its scoring from last season, but should still have a strong team ready to challenge for the league title.  Vito Fulciniti will anchor this year's Legends, along with Noah Speyer and Tim Molik who saw time in 2016. Juniors Alec Tamburri and Tyler Sokolowski will bring some much needed scoring, while sophomore Jakob Jerebko will make an impact this season.  Williamsville North has Jairus Huggins and Anthony Maniscalco back, who both started for the Spartan's ECIC I title team last season, along with Corey Swiech. Jon Abaya and Joe Nusall are a pair of sophomores who should be counted on at North this season.  Clarence has a blend of returning players and new talent up from JV, led by seniors Jake Randall and Jake Ireland.  Orchard Park returns just four players from last year's 16-win team, and they will be counted on heavily.  Twins Dylan & Dan Anderson, along with Dan Olejnicazk, step into prominent roles for the Quakers, while Dan Kubik (6-7, 315 lbs) will man the middle.  Frontier started four different freshmen at times last year.  The Falcons return last season's leaing scorer, junior Kyle Ebert, along with their leading rebounder, sophomore Brandon Dunz.

***

Jamestown: James Rojas 12, Ryan Holdridge 12, Dennis Rosa 12, Matt Hill 11, Noah Larson 11, Marcus Rojas 11, Henry Malarkey 11, Austin Prunty 11, Steven Wofford 11, Anthony Gullo 11, Luis Cintron 11, Kylen Faulkner 10

Lancaster:  Vito Fulciniti 12, Collin Reformat 12, Connor Duck 12, Noah Speyer 12, Tim Molik 12, LG Castillo 12, Alec Tamburri 11, Tyler Sokolowski 11, John Rogowski 11, Kyle Backert 11, Andrew Glenn 11, Ryan Mansell 11, Jakob Jerebko 10

Williamsville North:  Matt Winkler 12, Willie Sturgis III 12, Jairus Huggins 12, Anthony Maniscalco 12,
Corey Swiech 12, Andrew Hwang  12, Jason Hwang  12, Anthony Smith 12, Blake Ferrell  11, Ryan Johnston  11, Justin Konotopskyj  11, Lucas Terry 11, Jonathon Abaya 10, Joe Nusall 10, Jacob Belote 10, Dylan Mann 10

Clarence:  Jake Ireland 12, Jake Randall 12, , Jon Trapp 12, Joe Szadek 12, Austin Knorz 12, Henry Payne 12, Joe Olivieri 11, Steve Kabayiza 11, Mike O'Brien 11, Matt Zuffranieri 11, Mike Scherrer 11, Jake Reger 11, Jack Putney 10, River Reinhardt 10

Orchard Park:  Dan Anderson 12, Dylan Anderson 12, Dan Olejniczak 12, Dan Kubik 12, Dave Crescente 12, Jake Graves 12, Eric Liberatore 11, Alex Freilicher 11, Ben Shoop 11, Dave Morris 11, Nate Wereski 10, Tino Mancabelli 9, Tristan Lancaster 9

Frontier:  Zach Gerken 12, Will Anderson 12, Trevor Govenettio 12, Jacob Weiss 11, Jacob Kumiega 11, Tom Notto 11, Alex Hiam 11, Jon Seier 11, Kyle Ebert 11, Desmond Carroll 11, Brian Norsen 10, Brandon Dunz 10, Ben Taylor 10

West Seneca West: no information provided by coach

 

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ECIC II

 After repeating in ECIC II and Section VI Class A, Williamsville South reached Glens Falls for the first time in school history. Hit hard by graduation, junior Greg Dolan, already a two-time All-Centercourt selection, will look to lead a new group that hopes to put its own stamp of success on the program.  Amherst joins ECIC II after all but owning ECIC III in recent seasons. Coming off a third straight Class A2 title, the Tigers will be led by returning starter Da'Shawn Hines and welcome standout Marcellus Cooper after spending the past couple seasons at Nichols. Freshman guard Daesean Ashley is going to be a good one over on Main Street.  West Seneca East has a trio of starters with three years of varsity experience and will also start a pair of talented sophomores.  The Trojans are coming off back-to-back winning seasons after 20 years of .500 or below campaigns.  The program's first ever trip to Buff State should be the goal this season. Hamburg will try to get back to Buffalo State for a third time in the last four seasons behind the leadership of junior Jacob Genzel.  In a season shortened due to injury, Genzel scored over 20 points in a third of his games played as a sophomore. Mark Henry and Patrick Hart will also be key for the Bulldogs, who hope 6-5 junior Marcus Wloch can be a presence in the paint.  Sweet Home is coming off a solid off season and the players are buying into coach Brandon Woods' system.  The Panthers will be led by senior captains, Luke Pappagallo and Darryl Barrons.  Williamsville East returns eight players to a team that likes to play fast and keep the pressure on its opponents.  Iroquois returns most of its team from last season.

***

Williamsville South:  Adam Braniecki 12, Dakota Wiley 12, Christopher Nelson 12, Mark Worthy 12, Greg Dolan 11, Cody Sanford 11, Josh Foster 11, Anthony Lombardo 11, Robert Richards 11, John Goetzmann 11, Jacob Weinstein 11, Dan Proch 11, Devin Degree 10

Amherst:  Marcellus Cooper 12, Da'Shawn Hines 12, Jordan Barr 12, Richard Kay 12, Michael Walsh 12, Will Alfieri 12, Jake Funderburk 12, Brian Fulford 12, Brandon Fowler 11, Chris Patterson 11, Jake Mullen 10, Ja'Kye Womack 10, Jackson Tan 10, Daesean Ashley 9

Hamburg:  Patrick Hart 12, Devon Crowley 12, Jack Lacina 12, Kevin Mahoney 12, Lucas Winslow 12, Jacob Genzel 11, Mark Henry 11, Brett Hall 11, Max Schuman 11, Jack Rettig 11, Evan Robillard 11, Marcus Wloch 11

West Seneca East:  Anthony Roncone 12, Justin Gospodarski 12, Dominic Farszmil 12, Ryan Jasinski 12, Cedric Paulfrey 12, Payton Mroz 11, Dylan Deneka 11, Andrew Weiner 11, Greg Radka 11, Nick Birke 11, Christian Rodriguez 11, Chris Stineman 10, Zamari Mitchell 10

Sweet Home: Luke Pappogallo 12, Darryl Barrons 12, Kelsey Lash 12, Titus Fairclough 12, Stephon Trueheart 11, Ryan Harris 11, Anthony Frascatore 11, Brian Lovering 11, Jahad Abdo 11, Evan John 10, Ki'aiir Brunner 10, Maurice Robinson 10, Matthew Nix 10, Jamel Lucas 9

Williamsville East:  Andrew Kleinmann 12, Drew Butler 12, Matt Gelder 12, Ali Khadra 12, Sean Keenan 11, Cameron Williams 11, Connor Williams 11, Nicholas Kieffer 11, Daniel Doyle 11, Seth Blum 11, Brian Comerford 11, Justin O'Neal 11, Patrick Ranallo 11, Brian Suk 11

Iroquois:  Jack Edwards 12, Matt Whalen 12, Daniel Quinn 12, Tyler Tait 11, Andrew Hetzendorfer 11, Chris Perillo 11, S. Zachary Popovski 11, Josh Zon 11, Josh Kowalski 11, Luca Amarena 11, Charlie Ottomano 10, Maxwell Derrick 10

 

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ECIC III

The last time Cheektowaga won a division title in ECIC was 1963.  With a talented, athletic, and experienced team led by the sensational Dominick Welch, the Warriors should be all in for a league title and more this season.  Add Adrian Baugh, Vaughn Burdette, Alex Bryant, & Rudy Bragg to the mix, who all saw extended action last season, and the Warriors chances are as good as they've ever been.  Maryvale may have just three seniors, but return seven players from a team that took two of three meetings against Cheektowaga last season.  Look for the Flyers to be in the large school poll conversation this year. East Aurora has a strong group of seniors and four starters back, all with at least three years on varsity.  Led by Nick Montgomery, the Blue Devils will grind through a very competitive league and be more than battle-tested when the sectional sparks start flying in Class B1.  Starpoint joins ECIC IV this season, coming off a narrow loss to Lew-Port in the Class A2 semifinals in 2016.  The Spartans return just one starter from that team, but the program has established an identity under coach Ben Scaffidi and should remain very competitive. Depew should be a fun team to watch, especially when its shots are falling as they attack from the perimeter.  The Wildcats are led by junior Chad Biersbach and hope for strong contributions from junior Jordan Cieselski and sophomore Sean Miller.  Jim Insley takes over as head coach at Pioneer and will have an opportunity to make the program his own - the team returns just four players with no experience in the starting lineup.   Lake Shore drops into ECIC IV and has three seniors back.  Eric Senior will be a dominant defensive player & a force on the boards, Andrew McDonagh will provide some offense, and Brave Williams is WNY's only player that is 7 feet tall.  John Park will work hard inside, while Jay Brueckl provides a perimeter threat.

***

Cheektowaga:  Dominick Welch 12,  Adrian Baugh 12, Vaughn Burdette 12, Myquan Barron 12, Dontay Cox 12, Kyle Monterro 12, Alex Bryant 11, Rudy Bragg 11, Davon Brown 11, Tyreek Gibson 11, Tim Moses 11, Jaquan Pugh 11, Keon White 11

Maryvale: Ted York-Brown 12, Brian Sullivan 12, Adam Meyerhofer 12, Ray Blackwell 11, Dylan Casey 11, Zach Amato 11, Marquez Greene 11, Mark Bailey 11, Rashad Law 10, Sayvon Lash 10, Jay Henley 10, Tahron Goudelock 10

East Aurora:  Josh Denz - 12, Nick Montgomery - 12, Joe Montgomery - 12, Cal McTigue - 12, Owen Smith 12, Liam Sheehan 12, Will Beavers 11, Kellan Wittman 11, Kam Kmicinski 10, Noah Denz 10, Connor Boss 9

Depew:  Eric Jarrett - 12, Jacob Mlodozeniec - 12, John Mietus - 12, Tyler Biersbach - 12, Nolan Jarmusz 12, Hunter Shipley 12, Austin Pilley 12, Chad Biersbach - 11, Jeremy Clark 11, Jordan Cieselski 11, Davion Henderson 11, Jordan Hibbs 11, AJ Hammer 11, Dylan Cwiklinski 11, Zac Dwyer 11, Sean Miller 10

Starpoint:  Adam Lasal - 12, David Clemons - 12, Derek Clemons - 12, Jeremy Arnold - 12, Hunter Lemieux 12, Austin Mennaghan 12, Kyle Schreader 11, Eric Schreader 11, Jake Walters 11, Brandon Wunderlich 11, Aaron Chase 10, Justin Mott 10, Brendan Gawel 10

Pioneer:  Josh Taylor 12, Hunter Witt 12, Ben Kaczmarek 12, Chris Flood 12, Kyle Burley 11, Kaleb Hurlburt 11, Marcus MacWilliams 11, Jared Pemberton 11, Nick Rinker 10, Jason Corbett 10

Lake Shore:  Andrew McDonaugh 12, Brave Williams 12, Eric Senior 12, Jacob John 11, Bryce Toth 11, Dakota Luke 11, Jay Brueckl 11, Kylie Mallory 11, Ryan Utley 11, John Park 11, Ajay Cybulski 10, Josh Buchanon 10

 

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ECIC IV

Lackawanna may be young with just three seniors, but they are not lacking for experience.  The Steelers return six players that earned either Second Team All League or HM last season. Add to that the additional talent from a 16-2 JV squad, and Lackawanna looks poised to take the league back.  Cleveland Hill defends ECIC IV league title with eight seniors on its roster. Veteran head coach Mike Trzybinski takes over at Alden, and will look to get the Bulldogs focused on every possession. With three of its top players back, Alden hopes to move into the top tier of its league. JFK graduated just one senior, but he will be a tough one to replace.  The Bears hope to build on strong defensive play from last season and will look to juniors Nick Baker and Jake Braniecki for scoring. Tonawanda returns seven players, led by Zachary Stapf.  Springville joins ECIC IV under second year coach Greg Miller with a deeper team at both the guard and post positions.

 ***

Lackawana:  Jaevon Nelson 12, Jordan Pacillo 12, Trequan Giddens 12, London Smith 11, Noble Smith 11, Khalil Horton 11, Robert Rice 11, Abdul Albaneh 11, Danny Elvers 11, Terrell Brower 11, Carlton Threeths 10, Harris Bekric 10, Juan Rodriguez 10, Noah Grabar 10

Cleveland Hill:  J'Son James 12,  Chase Johnson 12, Tyler Phillips 12, Paul Woodward 12, Izayah Walker 12, Naszir Nance 12, Rashawn Hicks 12, DeVonte McGee 12, Matt LaCourse 11, Kellvonta Harris 11, Freddrick Michael Johnson 10, Aaron Wahler 10

Alden:  Conrad Boucher 12, Gabe Kozak 12, Joshua Chester 12, Nathan Lund 12, Kyle Roy 12, Christian Snell 11, Riley Pastuszynski 11, Taylor Grad 11, Joshua Jeziorski 11, Bradley Kibler 11, Alexander Leigh 11, Matthew Schuh 11

JFK:  Thomas Isbrandt - 12, Brandon Kohl - 12, Dalton Fischer - 12, Austin Nowinski 12, Connor Ricotta 12, Donta Daniels 12, Khaleed Wallace 12, Ke'von Bell 12, Jake Braniecki 11, Nick Baker 11, Jordan Snyder 11, Robert Burgstahler 11, Michael Nawojski 11

Tonawanda:  Zachary Stapf 12, Trey Lilly 12, Nick Bitter 12, Adam Haentges 12, Charles Moore 12, Naz Gonzalez 12, Collin Smith 12, Henry Palermo 11, Marc Titterington 11, James Regdos 11, Joshua Mouton 11, Guage Considine 11, Khristian Velazquez 10, Hayden Lilly 10, Owen Baker 10

Springville:  John Domes 12, Greg Cooney 12, Austin Coon 12, Connor O'Brien 12, Marcus James 12, Lexus Pollard 12, Tyler Kostelny 11, Anthony Lasker 11, Matt Sion 11, Michael Place 11, Peter Cooney 11, Mason Goodridge 10, Adam Pruitt 10

Holland: no information provided by coach

Eden: no information provided by coach

 

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Niagara Frontier League

Defending Class AA Champion, Niagara Falls, returns several players that saw significant time during last season's run.  Syquan Ralands, who showed more than a few flashes as a sophomore, should emerge as one of the areas best interior players, with his combination of size, skill and intensity. North Tonawanda has much to be excited about, returning 12 players with varsity experience, led by junior Trevor Book. The Lumberjacks are deep, talented and play for each other with a unified team attitude. Kenmore West has an outstanding senior backcourt in Tyler Aquilina, Tal James, and Kyle LaPlante.  Look for the Blue Devils to play fast, create opportunities with a dialed-in defense, and run.  Grand Island has sectional wins in consecutive seasons and looks to extend that streak behind talented sophomore point guard Cam Sionko, who also quarterbacked the football team.  Garrett Robinson is a third-year starter for the Vikings, who will also seek strong contributions from Mario Wright and JB Wilkes.  Lockport has a good mix of juniors and seniors that will rely on speed to overcome a lack of any significant size.  Niagara Wheatfield has seven players back, led by 6-5 senior Jaeger Martino and junior Anthony Ruffino.  The Falcons point duties will be in the hands of 8th grader Jalen Bradberry, a player with a very big future in hoops, that will share the backcourt with sophomore Davon Ware.  Life after Jernard Jackson won't be easy at Lew-Port, but Dawson Bailey, Dylan Milbrand, William Duff, and Steve Mansour are all back for the Lancers.  CSAT is very young and athletic, excited to compete in the NFL.  They have a mix of skill, athleticism, and size that should allow them to play fast and hard for 32 minutes.   

 ***

Niagara Falls:  Charles Lamar 12, Devin Sanders 12, Tyler Sanders 12,  Jhamir Isom 12, Cortese Myles 12, Syquan Ralands 11, Jamel Burton 11, Marques Miller 11, Tazaun Rose 11, Quaran Dubois 11, Roderick Arrington 11

North Tonawanda:  Alex Quinn 12, Brandon Casterline 12, Zack Woodard 12, Jordan Fox 12, Alex Johnson 12, Joseph Kish 12, Rory Farkas 12, Patrick Milbrand 12, Vincent Trippi 12, Trevor Book 11, Codie Cronk 11, Sean Ferry 11, Kyle McNeill 11

Kenmore West: Tyler Aquilina - 12, Tal James - 12, Kyle Laplante - 12, Kevin Carpenter 12, Tyler White 12, Rob Burns 12, Erick Rainey 11, Jake Poummit 11, Ronnie Martinez 11, Andrew Fron 11, Jaylan Young 11, Jack Stoerr 11, Jacob Robb 11, Dylan James 10

Niagara Wheatfield:  Phillip Bassham - 12, Noah Klettke - 12, Emilio Tripp - 12, Jaeger Martino - 12, Matt Gibson - 12, Peter Mulcahy - 12, Anthony Ruffino - 11, William Scullion 11, Ben Devantier 11, Nick Cloudin 11, Jared Domaradzki 11, Davon Ware 10, Jalen Bradberry 8

Lockport:  Anthonyo Lloyd 12, Cordell McDowell 12,  Kyle Brown 12, Dorian Byrd 12, Tavon Chamber 12, Kya Doxey 12, Isiah Johnson 11, Rashaun Johnson 11, Luke Lawrence 11, Devin Leatherman 11,  Tivon White 11, Malik Brooks 10, Jayln Jones 10

CSAT:  Emeka Uzomba 12, Ricky Smith 12, Luis Dejesus 12, Mitch Middlebrooks 12, James Stehens 11, Jayden Gulledge 11, Deshawn Williams 11, Mark Greamen 11, Devin Ashley 11, Dayvion Johnson 10, Daighlyon Willoughby 10, 

Grand Island:  Conner Buzby 12, Garrett Robinson 12, JB Wilkes 12,  Roman Cacciatore 12, Mario Wright 12, Ray Cleveland 12, Devin Brandon 12, Liam Carey 11, Derek Callen 11, Cam Sionko 10, JJ Wilkes 10

Lew-Port:  Dylan Milbrand 12, Dawson Bailey 12, Liam Brennan 12, Gabe Colangelo 12, Steve Mansour 12, Ryan Swearengen 12, Dylan Morrissette 11, William Duff 11, Brendan Perreault 11, Joe Powers 10, Trent Scott 10

Kenmore East: no information provided by coach

 

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Niagara-Orleans

 Medina looks to defend its league title and make a return trip to Buffalo State, behind returning All-Centercourt HM Jalin Cooper.  The Mustangs will be tough in transition, and should benefit from the return of a pair of players who will play valuable minutes, after missing last season. With just two seniors, Newfane appears built for the future.  But the Panthers are optimistic the future is underway, and for good reason. Their talented backcourt of Max Weber & Kyle DeVoogel should rival that of any small school in WNY.  Barker has a new coach that is a veteran with a winning pedigree in Don Baker.  His job will be made easier with talented senior guard Nate Luckman, one of the league's very best who can shake you down and bury shots from all over. Wilson returns eight players and also will have Justin Daul this season, who was forced out of action last year with a knee injury.  Roy-Hart had its best season last year and played under the bright lights at Buffalo State in Class B2.  The Rams bring back three talented players from last season's team in Tim Moriarity, Matt Borel, and Jake Bruning.  Albion returns six players, including two that were part of the Purple Eagles' Section VI Class B1 title in 2015.  Between their height and depth, they should make things interesting in league play.  Akron fields a team with just two seniors, but returns several players as the Tigers look to see who will emerge for the program.

***

Medina:  Tyler Howard 12, Tyrellis Atkins 12, Jalin Cooper 11, Mason Lewis 11, Alex Allis 11, Brendan Luthart 11, Jorge Phillips 11, Trenton Jones 11, Johnny Salone 10, Izaiah Rhim 10, Vincent Montague 10

Newfane:  Caleb Russell 12, Albert Kramp 12, Max Weber 11, Kyle DeVoogel 11, Chad Dunbar 11, Connor Hill 11, Brandon Gross 11, Drew Boudeman 11, Samuel Auernhamer 11, Caleb Auernhamer 11, Thorne Geise 11, Cameron Stanton 11, Sam Kline 9

Barker:  Nathan Luckman 12, Jake Arnold 12, Eddie Wasnock 12, Kyle Moeller 12, Shawn Callaghan 12, Devon Mangan 12, Ryan Voss 12, Nick Sutch 12, Derek Uschold 12, Jake Meister 12, Jack Hopkins 12, Austin Sullivan 11, Evan Ecker 11, Malik Smith 11

Wilson:   Steve Lewis 12, Jonah Miller 12, Connor Seeley 12, Kevin Skavinsky 12, Kyle Wiesinger 12, Justin Daul 12, Mike Pazik 12, Jared Carney 11, Mac Musall 11, Matt Daul 11, Eric Britton 11, Nate Fox 11, Steve Frerichs 10

Roy-Hart:  DJ Davis 12, Eric Fitch 12, Tim Moriarity 12, Justin Czaja 12, Paul Ragonese 12, Cam Meadows 12, Brendon Hess 12, Matt Borel 11, Jake Bruning 11, Jon Huntington 11, Noah Kindron 11, Charlie Brigham 10

Albion: Tommy Mattison 12, Kory Reynolds 12, Chase Hall 12, Lamar Chambers 12, Jacob Buzard 12, Tanner Ferris 12, Jacques Harrison 11, Hunter Webster 11, Bradley Sanford 11, Shyheim Jakes 11, Demetrius Gardner 11, Bryce Pritchard 10, Liam Ward 9

Akron: Elias Johnson 12, Austin Ladd 12, Weylon Abrams 11, Owen Hill 11, Derek Holtz 11, Nelson Logan 11, Morgan Smith 11, Ethan Martin 11, Mason Schultz 11, Wyatt Martin 11, Stephen Wagner 11

 

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CCAA I West 

Olean mowed down the competition last season, took an undefeated record to Glens Falls, and left with its second state championship since 2008.  With just one starter back (Monty Shoemaker) and a move up to Class A2, things will be tougher for the Huskies this season. Sophomore Mike Schmidt takes over at the point after being a Sixth Man of the Year candidate as a freshman.  Chautauqua Lake is a team that should be on everyone's radar.  The Thunderbirds return four starters, including Devin Pope who was All-CC Honorable Mention as a sophomore, to the squad that eliminated East and dropped a three-point thriller in the Class C1 final to Olmsted.  Dunkirk will be young but hungry, coming off a great football season a the school.  They had a very good JV team last year and return some key contributors.  Fredonia will be very young and inexperienced at the varsity level, returning only one player (Lucas Voss) who saw significant time during last season's sectional run.  

***

Olean: Monty Shoemaker 12, Luke Rogers 12, Derek Dandrea 12, Johnathan Magro 12, Tristen Snyder 12, Zach Parr 11, Luke Chapman 11, Alex Jodush 11, Thomas Klein 11, Mike Schmidt 10, Josh Bihler 10, Matt Droney 10

Chautauqua Lake: Bryce Bentley 12, Drew Gleason 12, Nate Hammond 12, Tyler Meredith 12, Nate Rivera 12, Collin Sargent 12, Aaron Swan 12, Joel Vinciguerra 12, Reagan Ellis 11, Devin Pope 11, Collin Wood 11, Alex Gleason 10, Kyler Majka 11

Dunkirk:  Tyreek Buchanon Ruiz 12, Evon Hernandez 12, Caleb Rasmus 12, Seth Rasmus 12, Jarrett Waclawski 12, Devaun Farnham DeJesus 11, Darnell Butts 11, Issiah Velez 11, Andre Lockett 11, Noah Sobilo 11, Tyreese Kristan-Johnson 11, Rahleek Moseley 11, Felix Garcia 11, Quantavius Kleckley 10 

Fredonia:  Lucas Voss 12, Azeem Zaidi 12, Nick Ruckman 12, Nick Piper 12, Matt Tintsman 11, Jared Kowalski 11, Reid Tarnowski 11, Brendan Plaister 11, John Delrio 11, Bo Huggins 11, Andrew Field 11, Nate Shuart 10, Nicholas Pucci 10

Maple Grove: no information provided by coach

 Southwestern: no information provided by coach

Falconer: no information provided by coach

 

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CCAA I East

Randolph has four starters back on the team that led Middle College at half of the Class C2 Final at JCC.  Add freshman sniper Tyler Hind to the mix, who spent his 8th grade season playing valuable minutes at Jamestown and the return of former head coach Kevin Hind, and the Cardinals could be dangerous.  They have a mix of everything, including size, toughness, scoring, and experience. With talent at all skilled positions, Gowanda is hoping to repeat as league champions and make a stronger showing during the playoffs this upcoming season.  The Panthers return a pair of starters in Nate Brawdy and Dakota Perdue, that will anchor the backcourt and post, respectively.  Silver Creek graduated four starters and lost a fifth to prep school for lacrosse.  The Black Knights have made it to the Section VI finals six concecutive years and will continue to play an uptempo style offense behind speedy Chris Williams, Tucker Gates and freshman Dom Jamison.  They will rely heavily on their bigs, Brady Woeleben and Bryant Jones, for leadership and points in the paint.  Allegany-Limestone has just one starter back in Zach Hemphill, but the Gators will have quality depth, thanks to the underclassmen additions from a 17-1 JV team.   Two seasons ago at Portville, the JV team finished 17-2. That same unit hits this varsity season with three returning starters and two of its three leading scorers back.  Salamanca is a senior laden team that returns seven players, including three starters, and will look to dictate the pace of games with defensive pressure.

***

Gowanda:  Matt Kruszka 12, Matthew Dodolak 12, Lauritz Predelli 12, Nate Brawdy 11, Dakota Perdue 11, Jarmani Benton 11, Ryan John 11, Stevie John 11, Nolan Rosier 11, Max Lindgren 11, Tristan Jensen 11, Damen MacLeod 10, Efrain Barreto 9

Randolph:  Jarrett Lecceadone 12,  Jake Beaver 12, Nick Martonis 12,  John Ling 12, Kaleb Frink 12, Isaac Wakefield 11, Kane Carlson 11, Dakota Donaldson 11, Tres Sherman 11, Jordan Higbee 11, Joe Carlson 11, Calvin George 11, Andrew Bernard 10, Tyler Hind 9

Portville: Ron Lott 12, Colin Kloc 12, Nick Stein 12, Donovan Gayton 12, Jaeden Harris 11, Jonah Watson 11, Brendan Tobola 11, Kyle Murray 11, Adam Wray 11, Izack Kauhl 10

Salamanca: Michael Collins 12, Zeus Enriquez 12, Derek McClure 12, Nelson Rivera 12, Jake DeKay 12, Chandler Armstrong 12, Marc Canella 12, Steve Jimerson 12, Jay Nosie 12, Joe Sherlock 12, Hercules Rasha 11, Braden Siebert 11, Tyler Hedlund 10 

Allegany-Limestone:  Zach Hemphill 12, Jordan Moore 12, Mike McMullen 12, Marcus Grove 12, Sean McAfee 11, Grant Davis 11, Roman Napoleon 11, Michael Nye 11, Tommy Moran 11, Brad Barton 11, Sam Flanders 10, Conner Golley 10, Casey Curran 9, Michael Wolfgang 9

Silver Creek:  Toby Daminguez 12, Noah Restivo 12, Chris Williams 12, Dylan Slaght 12, Eagle-Eye Stevens 12, Bryant Jones 12, Chad Yochum 11, Tom Galfo 11, Tucker Gates 10, Braeden Woleben 10, Dominic Jamison 9

 

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CCAA II West 

Sherman has a lot of depth & speed, and will use both of those qualities to its advantage.  Senior Chris Robson is one of the very best shooters in WNY.  Panama is coming off its best season in program history - one that ended with a tough loss in Glens Falls.  The Panthers graduated all five starters from that team, one that could shoot the lights out.  Look for them to pound the ball inside more this season and for this group to find its own identity.   Brocton lost four key starters from last year that will be difficult to replace, and hope the leadership of Garrett McFadden & Johnethen Spicer are able to steady the ship as the younger players develop.

***

Sherman:  Chris Robson 12,  Kolby Parks 12, Kyle Carpenter 12, Mike Delcamp 12, Korey Ayers 12, Johnny Mendoza 12, Brandon Nickerson 12, Jared Gleason 11, Gavin Kahle 11, Tanner Ramsey 11, Dylan Mitchell 11, Caleb Burick 11, Darren Kopta 11, Chance Meeder 10

Clymer:  Dylan Neckers 12, Dylan Davis 12, Justin Svetz 12, Josh Van Earden 12, Henry Sullivan 12, Dan Gustafson 12, Colt Miller 12, James Wade 12, Mackenzie Bestine 12, Dustin Neckers 11

Panama: Tristen Frye 12, Nolan Eggleston 12, Dylan Marsh 12, Lucas Golden 12, Devyn Chase 12, Jacob Smith 12, Tom Delahoy 12, Carter Morse 12

Brocton:  Garrett McFadden 12, Johnethen Spicer 12, Tyler DeRosier 12, William Powless 12, Gabe Rosas 11, Hunter Rizzo 11, Charles Rexford 11, Jason Caldwell 11, Tim O'Dell 11, Riley Rivera 10, Ronald Brown 10

Westfield: no information provided by coach

Frewsburg: no information provided by coach

Cassadaga Valley: no information provided by coach

 

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CCAA II East 

Ellicottville has its top three scorers back from a season ago, including junior big man Elliot Bowen, an All-Centercourt HM who also led the team in boards, averaging a double-double.  The Eagles lost to state semifinalist Panama in the Class D Final in March, and hope a beefed up nonleague schedule has them ready to defend their league title and then take the next step. Pine Valley will be fast and athletic, with four starters back.  The Panthers are led by Dylan Chase, an All-State Honorable Mention as a junior that averaged 15 ppg. Sam Erickson leads a Franklinville team that should contend in both league and Class D. Brock Blecha will add to the team's athleticism, while Isaac Kopp can really shoot the ball and will be counted on for more rebounding this year.  Cattaraugus/Little Valley has a core of seniors back, including Kellen Martin, along with some nice size from the junior class joining the team.  North Collins looks to improve upon scoring through a faster tempo and better defense, and improve upon last season's total in the win column.  Forestville has six players back after falling in the postseason to Panama and will look to improve its win total and make some noise in league play.

***

Ellicottville:  Chad Boldt 12, Elliot Bowen 11, Austin Grinols 11, Griffin Chudy 11, Deric Leiper 11, Noah Stuve 11, Mitchell Sexton 11, Matt Grigsby 11, Evan Palmatier 11, Cody Keller 11, Robert Neumann 11, RJ Alvarez 11, Steven Rowland 10

Franklinville:  Tyler Pitner 12, Dylan Pixley 12, DJ Pfeiffer 12, Tim Knight 12, Isaac Kopp 11, Sam Erickson 11, Brock Blecha 11, Dylan Burton 11, Kaleb Watts 11, Darren Clark 11, Josh Haskell 7

Pine Valley:  Dylan Chase 12, Austin Butcher 12, Trent Mihalko 11, Zachary Mansfield 11, Stephen Crisanti 11, Robbie Clutter 11, Dakota Loop 11, Ben Distasio 11, Marcus Cislo 11, Bayley Finch 10

Cattaraugus/Little Valley: Kellen Martin 12, Andrew Hutchison 12, TJ Southwick 12, Drew Stevens 12, Robert Blakely 12, Christian Given 12, Cooper Pritchard 12, Austin Baker 11, Andrew Minnekine 11, Jacob Goodenow 11, Tim Ulinger 11, Scott O'Donnell 11, Anthony Manning 11, Cody Luder 11

Forestville: Austin Pierce 12, Pat Parker 12, Trent Hartloff 12, Liam O'Brien 12, Bret Weaver 12, Kalvin Stanbro 12, Phil Narraway 11, Hector West 11, Brent Geise 11, Lewis Markham 11, Luke Szumigala 10, Travis Drozdziel 10, Macadam Gadewoltz 10

North Collins:  Harley Mehnert 12, Zachary Schroeder 12, Sabian Bosinski 12, Dylan Mercado 12, Eli Strauss 12, Michael Gullo 11, Trevor Mercado 11, Kevin Spicola 11, Tanner Loretto 11, Brandan Zielinski 11, Alec Pagels 11

 

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Charter Schools

Health Sciences will be a lot like they were last season - fast, athletic, deep, and talented.  The bad news for Falcons' opponents, they should be even better this year.  Juniors Tyron Lott and Davonte Gaines, along with sophomore Kameron Briggs, can all fill the net up.  At Oracle, Michael Ernst takes the reigns as head coach and will be led by Shakur Bridges, a Second Team All-charter selection as a junior.  

***

Health Sciences:  Kavon Fears 12, Wize Threat 12, Jaqon Renfro 12, Tajh Dickson 12, Antwan Stewart 12, Jaden Horn 12, Amon Smith 12, Jerome Costner 12, Davonte Gaines 11, Tyron Lott 11, Tayvion Nelson 11, Aquell Crosby 11, Shakir Cook 11, Tyseen Lott 10, Kameron Briggs 10

Oracle:  Shakur Bridges 12, Cheron Wilson 12, David Edwards 12, Abdi Ahmed 12, Joe Perez 11, Gary Marshall 11, James Myree Jr 11, Delmareion White 11, Bonifasi Luundo 11, Aaron Rogers 11, Steve Simpson Jr 11, Dontae Acker 11

BASCS:  Julian Johnson 12, Deonte Brown 12, Jovonte Davis 12, Wayne Carter 12, Georges Cortez 12, Jamie Eutsey 12,Milan Taznum 11, Trevor Mosley 11, Sean Johnson 10, Ibrahim osmani 10, Jabari Nettles 10, Jaquan Wingard 10

Tapestry: no information provided by coach

Maritime: no information provided by coach

Global Concepts: no information provided by coach

 

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Teams with New Coaches

Darren Fenn - Nichols

Michael Trzybinski - Alden

Don Baker - Barker

Jim Insley - Pioneer

Kevin Hind - Randolph

Geoff Hurley - Riverside

Adam Bennett - Salamanca

Aaron Emley - Southwestern

Matt Marinaro - West Seneca West

Brian Ellsworth - Maritime

Russ Barnes - Global Concepts

Jeff Liebner - Tapestry

Michael Ernst - Oracle

Gerald Briggs - BASCS

Randy Rakowski - Emerson

 

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Classification Changes

West Seneca West moves down from Class AA to Class A1

South Park moves down from Class A1 to Class A2

Olean moves up from Class B1 to Class A2

Riverside moves down from Class A2 to Class B1

Emerson moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

I-Prep moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

MST Seneca moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

Fredonia moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

Medina moves down from Class B1 to Class B2

Lafayette moves down from Class B1 to Class B2

Eden moves down from Class B1 to Class B2

Buffalo Arts moves up from Class C1 to Class B2

Middle College moves up from Class C2 to Class B2

Olmsted moves up from Class C1 to Class B2

Falconer moves down from Class B2 to Class C1

DaVinci moves down from Class B2 to Class C1

Portville moves up from Class C2 to Class C1

East moves down from Class C1 to Class C2

Westfield moves up from Class D to Class C2

 

**********************************************

 

Preseason Polls

**  While I have a good idea of which teams will be good and challenge for league and sectional titles, putting the top 10 large & small schools together in order before I've seen anyone play is definitely shooting with my back to the basket.  I've included a group of teams outside of the top 10 in both polls that I think could be/should be/will be in the poll at some point this season.  It's going to be an ultra competitive season in every regard - there is not a  clear cut favorite in any league or class this season.

 

Large Schools

1. Canisius (MMA)

2. Park (MMA)

3. Niagara Falls (AA)

4. Timon (MMA)

5. Williamsville South (A1)

6. St. Francis (MMA)

7. South Park (A2)

8. Jamestown (AA)

9. Cheektowaga (A2)

10. McKinley (A1)

(Olean, North Tonawanda, Maryvale, Lancaster, St. Joe's, Kenmore West, Amherst)

 

Small Schools

1. East Aurora

2. Health Sciences

3. Middle College

4. Medina

5. Cardinal O'Hara

6. East

7. Nichols

8. Gowanda

9. Newfane

10. Randolph

 (Ellicottville, Chautauqua Lake, Lackawanna, Sherman, MST Seneca, Cleveland Hill, Olmsted, Dunkirk)

********************************************

 

Predictions

 

MMA Class A - Canisius

MMA Class B - Cardinal O'Hara

Yale Cup I - South Park

Yale Cup II - MST Seneca

ECIC I - Jamestown

ECIC II - Williamsville South

ECIC III - Cheektowaga

ECIC IV - Lackawanna

NFL - Niagara Falls

N-O - Medina

CCAA I West - Olean

CCAA I East - Gowanda

CCAA II West - Sherman

CCAA II East - Ellicottville

Charters - Health Sciences

***********************************************

Manhattan Cup (A)

This is as competitive as I've ever this league heading into a season, with all five teams capable of beating one another.  When all the dust settles, I'm predicting a rematch of last season's Manhattan Cup Final between Canisius & Park.  This has been an area of weakness for me, as I've missed on predicting the correct winner for three straight seasons.  In 2014, I went with Canisius, who was upset by eventual winner Nichols in the semifinals.  The following season I predicted Nichols to win it all, but they lost a thriller in the final to Canisius.  Last year I went with Park, who also lost a thriller to Canisius.  So this should be viewed as good news if you're Timon, St. Joe's, St. Francis, or Park, but I'm not picking against the Crusaders this year.

** Canisius **

 

Manhattan Cup (B)

Last season, Walsh and St. Mary's were both state ranked all season and appeared on a collision course to play for a third time in the Manhattan Cup Final.  But the Lancers were not the same team by the time the postseason began and Walsh was stunned in the semifinals by eventual champion Nichols.  While I feel uneasy picking against Walsh & St. Mary's, that's what I'm going to do.  I'm calling for a final between Nichols and Cardinal O'Hara, with the champ repeating.

** Nichols **

 

Class AA  

Final Four to reach Buffalo State:  

Niagara Falls, Jamestown, Kenmore West, & Lancaster

** Niagara Falls **

 

Class A1

Final Four to reach Buffalo State:  Williamsville South, McKinley, North Tonawanda, & Hamburg

** Williamsville South **

 

Class A2  

Final Four to reach Buffalo State:  

South Park, Cheektowaga, Olean, & Maryvale

** South Park **

 

Class B1

Final Four to reach Buffalo State:  

East Aurora, Newfane, MST Seneca, & Depew

** East Aurora **

 

Class B2

Final Four to reach Buffalo State:

Health Sciences, Middle College, Medina, & Gowanda

** Health Sciences **

 

Class C1  

Final Four to reach JCC:

Chautauqua Lake, Cleveland Hill, Portville, & Salamanca

** Chautauqua Lake **

 

Class C2  

Final Four to reach JCC:  

East, Randolph, Barker, & Maple Grove

** East **

 

Class D

Final Four to reach JCC:  

Ellicottville, Sherman, Franklinville, & Clymer

** Ellicottville **

 

-centercourt

The Schedule: 2016-2017 Season

CLICK HERE  FOR THE 2017-2018 SCHEDULE

Class A1 & A2 Brackets - 2016 Sectionals

 

Class A1

Pre-Quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 17th

(8) Grand Island 61, (9) Sweet Home 32

(7) Williamsville East 98, (10) Hutch-Tech 72

 

Quarterfinals - Friday, February 19th

(1) Williamsville South 74, (8) Grand Island 43

(4) Hamburg 80, (5) West Seneca East 62 

 

(2) McKinley 84, (7) Williamsville East 49

(3) South Park 80, (6) North Tonawanda 59

 

Semifinals - Tuesday, February 23rd & Wednesday, February 24th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 8:15 pm

(1) Williamsville South 68, (4) Hamburg 49

(2) McKinley 84, (3) South Park 74 OT

 

 Final - Saturday, February 27th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 7 pm

 (1) Williamsville South 67, (2) McKinley 63

 

2016 Section VI Class A1 Champions - Williamsville South Billies

 

 *****************************************************

 Class A2

 

Pre-Quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 17th

(8) Pioneer 63, (9) Riverside 53

(7) Iroquois 59, (10) Kenmore East 35 

 

Quarterfinals - Friday, February 19th

(1) Amherst 85, (8) Pioneer 42 

(4) Maryvale 50, (5) Cheektowaga 42

 

(2) Starpoint 70, (7) Iroquois 29 

(3) Lew-Port 85, (6) Lake Shore 67 

 

Semifinals - Monday, February 22nd

AT BUFFALO STATE - 6 pm & 7:45 pm

(3) Lew-Port 68,  (2) Starpoint 67

(1) Amherst 65, (4) Maryvale 46

 

 Final - Saturday, February 27th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 3:30 pm

 (1) Amherst 84, (3) Lew-Port 76

 

2016 Section VI Class A2 Champions - Amherst Tigers

 

-centercourt

Top Games of the Week: 1/31/16 -- 2/6/16

(Park and Canisius will battle again this Wednesday / Photo by James McCoy)

 

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

 

Monday, February 1st

Olmsted @ I-Prep - 6 pm

Niagara Catholic @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, February 2nd

McKinley @ East - 6 pm

Medina @ Wilson - 6 pm

Lew-Port @ Niagara Wheatfield - 6:30 pm

Niagara Falls @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Kenmore West @ North Tonawanda - 7 pm

Jamestown @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

Lancaster @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm

Cheektowaga @ East Aurora - 7:30 pm

Randolph @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, February 3rd

MST Seneca @ Olmsted - 6 pm

Park @ Canisius - 6 pm

St. Joe's @ Timon - 6:30 pm

St. Mary's @ Nichols - 6:30 pm

St. Francis @ Walsh - 6:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, February 4th

South Park @ McKinley - 6 pm

Newfane @ Roy-Hart - 6:30 pm

Chautauqua Lake @ Panama - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, February 5th

Olmsted @ Emerson - 6 pm

Park @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Grand Island - 6:30 pm

Lockport @ Kenmore West - 6:30 pm

Lew-Port @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Olean @ Fredonia - 7 pm

East Aurora @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Pine Valley @ Franklinville - 7:30 pm

Randolph @ Portville - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, February 6th

St. Joe's @ Bishop Kearney - 1:30 pm

Cathedral Prep @ Canisius - 3 pm

Jamestown @ Leadership Academy - 4 pm

Battle at the Border at Niagara Falls HS

Timon vs. Sir Allan MacNab - 3 pm

Aquinas vs. Vaughn - 4:45 pm

Niagara Falls vs. Henry Carr - 6:30 pm

 

Game of the Week - Park @ Canisius on Wednesday, February 3rd

- Yes, this was the 'Game of the Week' just two weeks ago.  But let's be honest, the Bernard J. Kennedy Field House is where everyone with a pulse for the local HS hoops scene will want to be on Wednesday night for the highly anticipated regular season rematch.  For most, it will be their first look at the two giants together on the same court this season.

Round One went to the Crusaders.  After Park got cooking early and flew out to a 13-point lead, the Crusaders dug in and nearly came all the way back before halftime.  As the second half wore on and Stafford Trueheart's big game performance kept getting bigger, Canisius took control and looked like the better team.  Park, who can generate instant offense better than anyone, didn't turn up soon enough and a desperation heave from behind half court to tie as the buzzer sounded was as close as they got at the end.

Since the first big game, the Crusaders have played three straight state ranked teams, defeating Walsh and Aquinas, before finally seeing its 22-game win streak against teams from NYS snapped by Greece Athena at the RAP Showcase on Saturday night.  They will have a chance to get right against Cardinal O'Hara on Monday, prior to the rematch with Park.

The Pioneers have only faced St. Francis since the first showdown, who they knocked off by nearly 50 points.  They'll attempt to tune up for the Crusaders with another contest against St. Francis on Monday, this time in their gym.

While the first battle of #1 vs. #2 was awesome because we finally got to watch the defending Federation Champions square off, the rematch will offer significantly more fanfare as the amount of spectators for this one will dramatically increase due to the venue.  I expect the basketball on the court to be equally entertaining to the show we were treated to on January 23rd, but for me, the view won't change.  I'll be right back in my usual spot at...

 

-centercourt

Top Game of the Week: 1/24/16 -- 1/30/16

(Alex Damiani and Lancaster host Jamestown on Monday / Photo by Mark Mulville)

 

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

 

Monday, January 25th

Burgard @ Grand Island - 6:30 pm

Jamestown @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm

Cleveland Hill @ Depew - 7:30 pm

Silver Creek @ Randolph - 7:30 pm

Portville @ Franklinville - 7:30 pm

Chautauqua Lake @ Pine Valley - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 26th

Walsh @ Canisius - 6:30 pm

Rochester East @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Tapestry @ Grand Island - 6:30 pm

Southwestern @ Gowanda - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 27th

Pine Valley @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 28th

Health Sciences @ Timon - 6:30 pm

St. Mary's @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

Roy-Hart @ Medina - 6:30 pm

Aquinas @ Canisius - 7 pm

 

Friday, January 29th

Cardinal O'Hara @ Walsh - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

East Aurora @ Amherst - 6:30 pm

Lockport @ Lew-Port - 7 pm

Cleveland Hill @ Alden - 7 pm

Niagara Catholic @ Nichols - 7:30 pm

Chautauqua Lake @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Randolph - 7:30 pm

Gowanda @ Portville - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 30th

St. Mary's @ St. Joe's - 2 pm

Tapestry @ Health Sciences - 2:30 pm

Niagara Falls @ Bishop Kearney - 3 pm

RAP Classic at Aquinas

East Aurora vs. Livonia - 2 pm

Cheektowaga vs. West Irondequoit - 3:45 pm

Canisius vs. Greece Athena - 5:30 pm

Aquinas vs. Rush-Henrietta - 7:15 pm

 

Game of the Week - Jamestown @ Lancaster on Monday, January 25th

- On December 10, 2015, Lancaster won in Jamestown for the first time since Ben Drake took over as head coach of the Red Raiders in 1998.  It was also the first league loss Jamestown had suffered in 17 games.  Being that it was the league opener for the Red Raiders, they were suddenly 0-1 in ECIC I to start the season - something I cannot remember happening before then.

Meanwhile, the win for Lancaster propelled them to a 3-0 start in the league and a 7-0 start overall.  The Legends spent a couple weeks as a ranked large school in WNY, while Jamestown was uncharacteristically on the outside, looking in on the top 10 this season.

Coming into this game, Lancaster has a 9-4 mark overall, and a 5-1 record in league after an earlier loss to Orchard Park.  Jamestown has improved to 8-4 overall and is 5-2 in ECIC I after getting tripped up by league-leading Williamsville North, following the Lancaster loss.

While North is undefeated in ECIC I, there are still plenty of games that could effect the outcome of the league race, and this is definitely one of those games.  Lancaster is just one game behind North, and still has both its games against the Spartans coming up.  A win for Jamestown keeps the Red Raiders in contention for the league crown as well, with a rematch at North still upcoming in February.

Also impacted in this game will be the sectional seeding points.  Both teams compete in Class AA and the result of this game will help determine where the two get seeded and could be the difference between a home game & a road game in the Section VI quarterfinals.

When the Legends defeated Jamestown in December, it ended a 36-game winning streak the Red Raiders had held against Lancaster.  After Monday night, either Jamestown will have begun a new streak, or Lancaster will be boasting a 2-game streak against the defending ECIC I & Class AA champs.

 

-centercourt

Top Games of the Week: 1/17/16 -- 1/23/16

(Round 1 is almost here - Canisius at Park on Saturday, January 23rd / Photo by Buffalo News)

 

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

 

Monday, January 18th

Cheektowaga @ St. Joe's - 4:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 19th

Health Sciences @ Tapestry - 6 pm

Timon @ Park - 6:30 pm

St. Mary's @ Walsh - 6:30 pm

Medina @ Newfane - 6:30 pm

Niagara Catholic @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Kenmore West - 6:30 pm

Gowanda @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 20th

Middle College @ South Park - 6 pm

St. Joe's @ Kenmore West - 6:30 pm

Orchard Park @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

Chautauqua Lake @ Southwestern - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 21st

Silver Creek @ Portville - 6:30 pm

Nichols @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm

Randolph @ Gowanda - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 22nd

East @ Middle College - 6 pm 

St. Mary's @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Nichols @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

Lockport @ Niagara Wheatfield - 6:30 pm

Williamsville South @ Starpoint - 7 pm

Lew-Port @ North Tonawanda - 7 pm

St. Francis @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

Jamestown @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm

Cheektowaga @ Amherst - 7:30 pm

Southwestern @ Dunkirk - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 23rd

Cardinal O'Hara @ Cleveland Hill - 1:30 pm

Canisius @ Park - 3 pm

 

Game of the Week - Canisius @ Park on Saturday, January 23rd

- This weekend, the hottest ticket in town will be admission into The Park School on Harlem Road in Amherst on Saturday afternoon.  I can't remember a more highly anticipated regular season matchup in this area in my time of following high school hoops, and for good reason.  This game offers everything you could want out of a big time high school game.

Canisius & Park are the two top ranked large schools in WNY, and considered by most to be in their own tier of the top ten.  Both teams have compiled several wins over the best teams from this area already.  Canisius has beaten the likes of Aquinas, Williamsville South, McKinley, Timon, & St. Joe's.  Park owns wins over Amherst, Niagara Falls, St. Mary's, Middle College, St. Joe's, & Starpoint.  Both teams have beaten Bishop Kearney.

Last season, both teams reached the pinnacle of success for their respective classifications - NYS Federation Championships.  Canisius finished its 2015 season off by claiming the ultimate prize in Class A, while the Pioneers did the same thing in Class B, on the same weekend, one day after they watched and cheered the Crusaders on to victory.  It was likely the last time they will ever root for a Canisius victory.  While Park finished the year as the #1 ranked team in NYS Class B and Canisius earned the same distinction from Class A, the Pioneers moved up to Class A this season.  

Now that Park is in Class A with the Crusaders, both share space in the NYS rankings together.  Park has been the state's top ranked team in Class A all season, while Canisius is expected to be sitting at #3 when the new state rankings are released tomorrow.  With #1 vs. #3 getting it on in Class A this Saturday, Canisius @ Park is not only the 'Game of the Week' in WNY, we are talking about the biggest game in the entire Empire State.  Best of all, it should only be the first of an epic trilogy this season.

If you find yourself on the outside looking in this Saturday afternoon, I think you know where you can find updates.

 

-centercourt

Top Games of the Week: 1/10/16 -- 1/16/16

(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

The Polls

 

Links to every poll since the 2011 season:

 

2016 Season

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Final Poll

 

2015 Season

Getting warmed up

Merry Christmas

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5 

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Final Poll

 

2014 Season

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4 

Week 5 

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Final Poll

 

2013 Season

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4 

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Final Poll

 

2012 Season

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Final Poll

 

2011 Season

Week 1 

Week 2 

Week 3 

Week 4 

Week 5 

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Final Poll 

 

-centercourt

Season Preview: 2015-2016

 (Park & Canisius will once again be elite WNY programs, following a season where both won State & Federation titles /Photo by Dave DeLuca)

 

The 2015-2016 Pre-View From Centercourt contains:

 - What's New

- Returning 2015 All-Centercourt Players

- Player Watch List for 2015-2016

- A League-by-League look at the teams

(MMA, Yale Cup, ECIC,  NFL, N-O, CCAA, & Charters)

- Coaching Changes

- Classification Changes

- Preseason Top 10 Large & Small Schools

- Predictions 

 

What's New

- Coaches.  All sorts of new coaches.  The largest coaching turnover I've ever witnessed.  In all, of the 103 teams between Section VI & the MMA, 22 of them have a new head coach this season.

 

- Section VI teams are finally back to playing a 20-game regular season.

 

- With the way Easter falls this year, the season will end a week earlier than normal.

 

- The Canisius/St. Joe's rivalry returns to a home-court advantage format, after playing the big games at the Canisius College Koessler Center the past couple seasons to accommodate the masses.  Get there early.

 

- Middle College will play its home games at Bennett this season.  The Kats had been hosting home games at ECC since 2010.

 

- After winning the Class B Federation Championship last season, Park will move up and compete with the big dogs in the CHSAA's Class A, while Nichols will return to Class B after playing up a year ago.

 

- It wouldn't be a season preview without some divisional realignments in the CCAA :  Maple Grove & Cassadaga Valley flip leagues, with the Red Dragons joining CCAA I West, while the Cougars move to CCAA II West.  In the East, Cattaraugus/Little Valley leaves Division I to compete in II.

 

- West Valley will not field a team this season.  Students from the school have the option to play for Ellicottville.

 

- This season, the Class A1 semifinals will be split up between the Tuesday & Wednesday nights of Buffalo State week, with the Class AA semis and then the Class B2 semis played prior to each A1 semifinal.  That means the Class A2 semifinals are Monday night, leaving the Class B1 semifinals for Thursday night.  

 

- Far West Regionals are back at Buff State this year.

 

- Niagara Falls HS will host a "Battle at the Border" in February, featuring three of Canada's top teams playing Timon, Aquinas, and the host Wolverines.

 

- Depew will host this season's ADPRO Public/Private Challenge from December 17th-19th.

 

 ******************************************************

 

The Players

*** Seven of the top 15 players from the 2015 All-Centercourt Team return to the WNY high school hoops scene, along with another 10 players that received Honorable Mentions following last season.   

 

Returning 2015 1st Teamers

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, Senior

   * 16.5 PPG  /  10.0 RPG  /  2.8 BPG  /  1.0 APG *  

     * as a junior

 - After leading the Crusaders to a story book season that included Manhattan Cup, State, and Federation Championships in Class A, the best Canisius big man in the last 20 years is back for his fourth and final varsity season.  Quick, agile, and very instinctual, he's a complete game changer against the areas top competition.  Already offered by Sienna, Trueheart will look to close out his career by keeping the Crusaders on top. (Photo by Buffalo News)

Jordan Nwora - Park, Senior

* 21.5 PPG  /  6.5 RPG  /  2.4 SPG  /  1.4 APG *

     * as a junior

-  After transferring from Amherst following his sophomore campaign, Nwora exceeded all expectations in a breakout junior season, leading the Pioneers to a Federation Championship in Class B.  He became an elite scorer and is equally dangerous in half court sets and in transition.  With multiple Division I offers already on the table (South Florida, Long Beach State, Fordham, & UB), the ceiling is high for a 6-7 wing that is still improving.  He'll look to lead his team back to the successes they enjoyed last season, only this season, they'll attempt to win it all in Class A.

 

 Returning 2015 Second Teamer

  Dominick Welch - Cheektowaga, Junior

* 21.6 PPG/12.5 RPG/2.7 BPG /2.6 APG/1.7 SPG *

            * as a sophomore

-  The best bargain going in WNY is a two dollar game ticket to watch this guy play for 32 minutes.  Entering his junior season, he has already scored 1,000 career points, and even more impressive, has over 800 rebounds already.  The scary part is that he's just now starting to compete against kids his own age.  Iona, Canisius, & UB have all made offers to the explosive forward who can do anything and everything on the court.  (Photo by Nick LoVerde)

 

Returning 2015 Third Teamers

Greg Dolan - Williamsville South, Sophomore

* 13.0 PPG / 5.2 APG /4.0 RPG / 3.4 SPG *

            * as a freshman

-  One of the most impressive statistics from a season ago was his turnover total after 24 starts.  As a freshman point guard that played every crucial minute for the Billies, including two sectional title games and a regional final, he only committed 38 turnovers.  That kind of poise and decision making not only makes his team better - it's already landed him an offer from Canisius, which came during his freshman year.   (Photo by Harry Scull)

Takal Molson - St. Mary's, Senior 

* 19 .2 PPG /7.1 RPG  /2.3 APG  /2.2 SPG /1.1 BPG *

                   * as a junior

-  In my time covering high school basketball, I've never seen a better player in a Lancers uniform.  Shows raw talent and athletic ability, but it's his feel for the game, ease handling the ball, and smooth shot from all ranges that separates him. He'll be relied upon heavily to be a leader this season, which will be necessary for St. Mary's to win the Class B Manhattan Cup and beyond.

TC Brown - Amherst, Senior    

* 20.1 PPG  /  6.2 RPG  /  4.3 APG  /  3.0 SPG *

     * as a junior

- One of the most competitive players in the area who wants the ball in his hands, is fearless in crunch time, and always believes his team will win.  Led the Tigers to a third ECIC III title and sectional final in as many varsity seasons. Has his sights set on leading Amherst to its best season in school history - one that would include a trip to Glens Falls. (Photo by Buffalo News)

Gary Foster - Middle College, Senior

* 18.3 PPG /11.7 RPG  /3.0 BPG  /2.8 APG  /2.4 SPG *

                       * as a junior

 - The standout talent on a very deep Kats team.  A strong and intense player who is feisty inside, but has a great touch to his mid range game.  After leading Middle College to the Class C regionals last year, he's ready to take the Kats to Glens Falls in search of a state title after starting for the South Park football team that made a run all the way to the state championship game. (Photo by Expressed Images)

 

 

 

Returning 2015 Honorable Mentions

Maceo Jack - Sr., Williamsville North -  18.7 PPG  /  6.2 RPG  /  1.6 APG  /  1.1 SPG  as a junior

Jojo Staton - Sr., Middle College -   17.2 PPG  /  1.9 APG  /  1.7 SPG  /  1.7 RPG   as a junior

Terrell Ford - Sr., Kenmore West -   16.7 PPG  /  7.8 RPG  /  2.9 SPG  /  2.0 APG   as a junior

JaQuoine Fogan - Sr., Tapestry -   16.2 PPG  /  2.9 SPG  /  1.7 RPG  /  1.7 APG   as a junior

Christian Nodine - Sr., Starpoint -   15.4 PPG  /  9.0 RPG  /  2.9 APG  /  1.5 SPG    as a junior 

Davon Gant - Sr., I-Prep -  15.0 PPG  /  10.3 RPG  /  3.2 BPG  /  2.7 APG  /  1.2 SPG   as a junior

Brock Kroening - Sr., Starpoint -  14.4 PPG  /  9.7 RPG  /  1.3 APG  /  1.0 SPG   as a junior

Kyle Harris - Sr., Park -   10.6 PPG  /  3.6 APG  /  3.1 RPG  /  1.4 SPG   as a junior

Hunter Anderson - Sr., Park -   9.6 PPG  /  5.5 RPG  /  1.6 APG  /  1.5 SPG   as a junior

Justin Jones - Sr., Canisius -   8.0 PPG  /  6.0 RPG  /  2.0 APG  /  2.0 SPG   as a junior

 

Player Watch List:

 Joe Jones - 10 (Park),  Amadi Ikpeze - 12 (Amherst), Quinton Lamar - 12 (Timon), Madut Ayiy - 12 (Canisius), Nick Motley - 12 (St. Joe's), Grant Beyer - 12 (St. Joe's), Shaquan Jones - 12 (McKinley), Willard Anderson - 10 (East), Sean Hill - 12 (Williamsville North), Breon Harris - 12 (Niagara Falls), Isaiah Thomas - 12 (Dunkirk), Tavien Kemp - 11 (Walsh), Jake Cavana - 12 (Olean), Ben Eckstrom - 11 (Olean), Christian Snell - 10 (Alden), Jenard Jackson - 12 (Lew-Port), Kelly Brown - 12 (Lockport), Tyron Lott - 10 (Health Sciences), Graham Dolan - 12 (Williamsville South), Qeyion Williams - 11 (Niagara Falls), James Rojas - 11 (Jamestown), Charles Lamar - 11 (Niagara Falls), Brandon Roach - 12 (Olmsted), Michael Simpson - 12 (Emerson), Chad Biersbach - 10 (Depew), Shakur Harris - 12 (South Park), Andy Xaspos - 12 (Roy-Hart), Nathan Nielson - 12 (Niagara Wheatfield), Jaylin Cooper - 10 (Medina), Justin Morgan - 12 (Medina), Ryan Bradley - 10 (Wilson), Gates Abrams - 12 (Akron), Nate Luckman - 11 (Barker), Patrick Moore - 12 (Fredonia), Josh Eddy - 12 (Panama), Chris Robson - 11 (Sherman), Trevon Thompson - 12 (Silver Creek), Nate Brawdy - 10 (Gowanda)

 

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 League-By-League 

Monsignor Martin Association

 

 

 

Large Schools - CLASS A

  Canisius capped off years of local dominance by winning the state's highest honor in Class A, a Federation Championship.  The Crusaders will continue to be elite and return 1st Team All-Centercourt standout Stafford Trueheart.  After winning a Federation title in Class B one day after the Crusaders were crowned, Park moves up to Class A.  The Pioneers return three starters, including 1st Team All-Centercourt pick Jordan Nwora, who is already stock piling D-I offers.  Timon has plenty back from last year's dangerous top ten team, along with a pair of key additions and former Crusader assistant, Des Randall, taking over as head coach.  St. Joe's should have one of the best backcourts in WNY with guards Nick Motley & Naseer Jackson, along with all-around threat Grant Beyer.  St. Francis has a very young team, but many are returning and hoping to build on last season's finish.  The Red Raiders will hand the reins over to freshman point guard Julian Cunningham, cousin of Howard Washington Jr.

***

Canisius:  Stafford Trueheart - 12, Justin Jones - 12, Madut Ayiy - 12, Will Atkinson - 12, Andrew Schake - 12, Charles Hart - 12, Colby Multrie - 11, Jayce Johnson - 10

Park:  Jordan Nwora - 12, Kyle Harris - 12,, Tony Ugboma - 12, Ethan Cotrell - 12, Mariano Baldon - 12,  Hunter Anderson - 12, Joe Jones - 10, Brandon Smith - 10, Marques Lowe - 10, Chris Efretuei - 10, Noah Hutchins - 9, Jordan Gompah - 9

Timon:  Quinton Lamar - 12, Paul Lancaster Jr - 12, Benny Yu - 12, Hunter Lancaster - 12, Tyler Ringwood - 12, Joe Harrison - 11, William Lamar - 11, Davion Warren - 11, Cameron Lamar - 11, Timothy Payne - 11, Jacob Mazurkiewicz - 11, Juston Johnson - 9, Hakeem Humphrey - 9, Adrian Baugh - 9

St. Joe's:   Grant Beyer - 12, Anthony Brophy - 12, Nick Motley - 12, Jordan Jenneve - 12, Naseer Jackson - 11, Mike Motley - 11, Mike Telesco - 11, Hunter Dimitroff - 11, Brad Allan - 11, Razihque Sullivan - 11, Caleb Cockrell - 11, Jack Capen - 10, Chris Stineman - 9

St. Francis:  John Steven Zhu - 12, Roburt Welch - 11, Sean Taggart - 11, Cody Smith - 11, Michael Casciano - 11, Bo Sireika - 10, Owen Woyshner - 10, Josh Palmer - 10, Julian Cunningham - 9

 

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Small Schools - CLASS B 

 St. Mary's is young, lacks size, and is limited on varsity game experience.  What the Lancers do have is returning 3rd Team All-Centercourt selection Takal Molson, and if he embraces the leadership role that will be asked of him, they'd be my pick to win the Class B Manhattan Cup.  Niagara Catholic returns five of its top six players from last year's team, led by seniors Elijah Griggs, Jaceary Menes, & Zach Socha.  Sophomores Imean Davis and Nick Krupp will be important contributors in their second varsity season, while freshman Jaden Turner is expected to be an excellent addition to the backcourt for the Patriots.  Nichols has just three returning varsity players who were part of last year's team that beat Timon in the Class A semifinals before losing a two-point heart breaker to Canisius.  Back in Class B this season, the Vikings will be led by underclassmen Will Johnson & Marcellus Cooper.  Walsh has three starters back, including dynamic point guard, Tavien Kemp.  Cardinal O'Hara looks to improve from its 2-11 league mark last season.  The Hawks bring back a lot, returning eight players led by Nasir Benton and Charles Debose.

 ***

St. Mary's:   Takal Molson - 12, Kayson Hill - 12, Cam Dunning - 12, Joseph Stoj - 12, Daquan Hunt - 11, Colin Tyka - 11,  Kalial White - 11, Jaquari Woods - 11, Eric Brown - 10, Matt Ciezski - 10, Christian Schableski - 10

Niagara Catholic:  Elijah Griggs - 12, Jaceary Menes - 12, Zach Socha - 12, Noah Freeburger - 12, Imean Davis - 10, Nick Krupp - 10, Jaden Turner - 9

Archbishop Walsh:  Adam Moore - 12,  Christian Churakos - 12, Dom Ambroselli - 12, Tavian Kemp - 11, Noah Watson - 11, Jose Ortiz - 11, Latrell Butler Kemp - 10, Steven Watson - 9, George Lowry - 9, Cameron Kitchen-Perez - 9

Nichols:  Ted Roach - 12, Michael Hafner - 12, Brandon Rivers - 12, Luke Meyer - 12, Ed Halady - 12, Will Johnson - 11, Paul Brinson - 11, Maxwell Hall - 11, Myles Hervey - 11, Harrison Serotte - 11, Marcellus Cooper - 10, TJ Banaszak - 10

Cardinal O'Hara:  Charles Debose - 12, Curtis Johnson - 12, Ryan Hughes - 11, PJ Parker - 11, Deamontae Riley - 11, Rene Velazquez - 11, Cliff Zeigler - 11, Michon Dudley - 10, Nasir Benton-10, Mike Clark - 10, Elysee Hirwa - 10, Stephen Boyd - 9,  Justin Hemphill - 9

 

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Section VI

 

 

 

YALE CUP I

 With six of its top seven players back at Middle College, including 3rd Team All-Centercourt forward Fred Foster & Honorable Mention pick Jojo Staton, it's quite simply a state championship or bust season for the Kats.  Put me on record as predicting it happens, along with a third Yale Cup championship since  2010.  McKinley has a solid core of tenacious seniors that played a large role in the Macks winning the Yale Cup last season, led by Shaquan Jones.  East will be led by sophomore Willard Anderson, who started for the team's Class B championship team as a freshman. The Panthers look to reach a sectional title game for the seventh straight year.  Fresh off a run to the state championship in football, the pride of the city, South Park, will look to carry that momentum onto the court, led by Shakur Harris.   Burgard is coming off its best season since 2006 and returns team captain Isaiah Jamison.

***

Middle College:  Joseph Staton - 12, Gary Foster - 12, Billy Rivera - 12, Amir Jemes - 12, Brian Johnson - 12, Loronzo Truitt - 12, Claudius Thomas - 12, Terrell Jackson - 12, Dion Watkins - 12, Tyshawn Silas - 11, William Huitt - 11, Keaontea Townsend - 11, Nader Ngoopas Kompany - 10, Nathyia Jackson - 10, Hakeem Dobbins - 10, Azyion Clemons - 10

McKinley: Shaquan Jones - 12, Keyon Johnson - 12, Bruce Booker-12, Kesean Fisher-12, Raquan Goree-12

East:  Takeyo Burts - 11, Takeyo Burts-11, Romello Cox - 11, Jerimah Barney-11, Moses Hughes - 10, Willard Anderson - 10

South Park :  David Thomas - 12, Tony Robinson - 12, Daryl Moore - 12, Tyree Brown - 12, Mike McDonald - 12, Austin Neal - 12, Jaelin Watson - 12, Ellijah Winston - 11, Shakur Harris- 11, Raymond  Mushat - 10, Jeremiah Sanders - 10, Elijah Lewis - 9, David Stroud - 9

Riverside: Romero Gardner - 12, Jamal Wardlaw - 12, Alexander Johnson - 12, Asuquo "Junior" Efiong - 12

Burgard:  Isaiah Jamison - 12, Cordell Cain - 12, Keeane McCulley - 12, Diamond Allen - 12, Sharahem Austin - 12, Zion Hall - 11

Hutch-Tech

Bennett

 

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YALE CUP II

After a run to the state semifinals in Class D, which ended in a devastating loss after leading by double figures, I-Prep remains the team to beat in Yale Cup II.  The Presidents return three starters, including standout Davon Gant (6-5), along with their sixth man, as they move up in Class to B2. Olmsted has a talented trio in Brandon Roach, Daniel Reid, & Naseem Baynes and has its sights set on dethroning I-Prep. City Honors returns two starter from last years team, Ryan Langhorne & Amir Radford, and hope to rebuild its roster through valuable experience this season.  MST Seneca wants to have balanced scoring & solid defense, and will need to work hard all game. The Indians are pleasantly surprised with some underclassmen additions and also return team leaders in rebounds, blocks, & steals. DaVinci has three players back from the team that turned the corner last year under head coach Karl Maggiore, including a win over the Class D champ, I-Prep.

***

I-Prep:  Jeffrey Townsel - 12, Davon Gant - 12, Daniel Santiago - 12, Zack Bashir - 12, Will Turner - 12

Olmsted: Brandon Roach - 12, Anthony Mendrysa - 12, Christian Barnes - 12, Kaelan Clouser - 12, Daniel Reid - 11, Naseem Baynes - 11, Abbas Abajobir - 11, Drew Hough - 11, Austin Parham - 11, Master Radford - 10, Gabriel Johnson - 10 

City Honors: Ryan Langhorne - 12, Andrew Hoenig - 12, Joe Alessi - 12, Jaylen Keith - 12, Sam Battaglia - 11,  Talon Moody - 11, Brendan Bulluck - 10, Amir Radford - 9

Lafayette: Miyaga Miyaga - 12, Eugenio Viera - 12, Cesar Medina - 11, Jerrery Felix - 11, Giovanny Carrasquillo Vargas - 11, Antwaine Woodard - 11, Nick Houston - 11, Amari Guilford - 10, Noah Miranda - 10, Kenneth Grimes - 10, Andre Reynolds - 9, Deshawn Elliott - 9, Shawndale Sanders - 9

MST Seneca:  Kehri Kirk -12, Keyonte Gayles -12, Alfonce Oyoyo -12, Jermaine Jemison -12, Dom Prince -11, David Anderson -11, Davon Jones -11, Solomom Jones -11, Steven Swaggard -11, Dayshone King -11, Diallo Gray -10, Earl Howard - 9

DaVinci:  Andrew Mertz - 12, Warren Richardson - 12, Hassan Ellis - 12

Emerson: Jason Dowell - 12, Justin Acker - 12, Jeremy Sims - 12, Julian Love - 12, Donald Morrow - 12, Dimitrius Simmons - 11, Anthony Hunter - 11, Tyreek Edwards - 11, Semir Smith - 11, Dayon Rice - 11, Brandon Lamar - 11

Buffalo Arts

 

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ECIC I

Williamsville North has the league's best player in Maceo Jack and an excellent floor general in Sean Hill.  Couple that with the talent that moves up from a strong JV squad, and the Spartans look like the team to beat in ECIC I.  Jamestown enters as the defending league and Class AA champs and welcome back a pair of starters from last year, in Zacc Kinsey and James Rojas. Lancaster has a quality core of seniors in Collin Murray, Alex Damiani, & Alex Konst, who saw extended action last season, and should be ready to make a push for a league title. Clarence returns only one starter, Adam Southern,  but adds three athletic seniors who did not play as juniors.  Jake Randall and Jake Ireland, who both gained valuable varsity experience last year as sophomores will be counted on as juniors.  Orchard Park has a new coach in Jim Gibson and eight returning seniors, led by Philip Marks & Kevin Looney.  

***

Williamsville North:  Maceo Jack - 12, Sean Hill - 12, Nick Maranto - 12, Nick Konotopskyj - 12, Matt Winkler - 11, Willie Sturgis III - 11, Jairus Huggins - 11, Connor Kelly - 11, Anthony Maniscalco - 11

Jamestown: Zacc Kinsey - 12, Jeremy Lockett - 12, Luke Kindberg - 12, Noah Johnson - 12, Aaron Watson - 12, Jesus Rodriguez - 12, James Rojas - 11

Lancaster:  Alex Damiani - 12, Collin Murray - 12, Alex Konst - 12, Danny Speyer - 12, Joe Powers - 12, Sean Gill - 12, Collin Reformat - 11, Connor Duck - 11, Noah Speyer - 11, Tim Molik - 11

Clarence: Adam Southern - 12, Spencer Dimitroff - 12, Anthony Olivieri - 12, Jake Ireland - 11, Jake Randall - 11, , Jon Trapp - 11

Orchard Park:  Dan Freilicher - 12, Philip Marks - 12, Wes Seigner - 12, Max Cerone - 12, Kevin Looney - 12, Bryan Somerville - 12, Hunter Harris - 12, Chris Liberatore - 12, Joe Losardo - 12, Ben Wereski - 12, Adam Frick - 12, Nate Burnard - 12, Dan Anderson - 11, Dylan Anderson - 11, Dan Olejniczak - 11, Dan Kubik - 11

West Seneca West:  Ben Hutton  - 12 

Frontier

 

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ECIC II

 After winning the league and advancing to the regionals in Class A last season, Williamsville South has six players back from its eight man rotation.  Once again, the Billies lined up a difficult nonleague schedule to prepare for another postseason run, but will open their season without two of their key pieces as they recover from injury. Starpoint became a major player in the local hoops scene in 2015, splitting with South in league and reaching Buff State in Class A2.  The Spartans expectations are high coming into this season, with three key starters back, including a pair of All-Centercourt Honorable Mentions - Christian Nodine & Brock Kroening.  RJ Killinger takes over as head coach at Williamsville East, and inherits a balanced Flames team with five sophomores.    West Seneca East had its first winning season in 20 years last season.  The Trojans think they can make it two straight, and hope to add a trip to Buff State to this year's accomplishments.  Hamburg will look to Ryan Dils and sophomore Jacob Genzel for offensive production and leadership, as the Bulldogs will be without three-year starter Brendan Ryan for much of the season as he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery.   Iroquois has three starters back and will look for quickness and athleticism to key their 2015-16 campaign.   Lake Shore returns nine seniors this year and they bring a lot of experience.  Collin Fiutko, who was out with a torn ACL last year, he will be a big boost for a team that returns four out of five starters from last year.  Sweet Home will be a very young and energetic group, focused on implementing climate and culture.

***

Williamsville South:   Graham Dolan - 12, Matt Foster - 12, Myles Hall - 12, Jordan Buell - 12, Ryan Philips - 12, Luke Corona - 12, Owen Maley - 12, David Akanonu - 12, Christopher Nelson - 11, Adam Braniecki - 11, Greg Dolan - 10, Cody Sanford - 10, Josh Foster - 10, Anthony Lombardo - 10

Starpoint:  Brock Kroening - 12, Christian Nodine - 12, Ben Walters - 12, Garrett Longwell - 12, Chad Lang - 12, Hudson Earl - 12, Victor Bugenhagen - 12, Adam Lasal - 11, David Clemons - 11, Derek Clemons - 11, Jeremy Arnold - 11, Hunter Lemieux

West Seneca East:  Ed Radka - 12, Dan Picciano - 12,  Jake Klubek - 12,  Jared Kania - 12, Nick Streczywilk - 12, Anthony Roncone - 11, Justin Gospodarski - 11, Dominic Farszmil - 11, Ryan Jasinski - 11, Alec Schreckengost -11

Hamburg:  Brendan Ryan - 12, Ryan Dils - 12, Sean DeLellis - 12, Ian Chavanne - 12, Jeffery Salerno - 12, Dan Henry - 12, Patrick Hart - 11, Devon Crowley - 11, Jack Lacina - 11, Kevin Mahoney - 11, Lucas Winslow - 11, Jacob Genzel - 10, Mark Henry - 10

Iroquois:  Joe Bowen - 12, Dominic Allen - 12, James Carlin - 12, Jack Edwards - 11, Matt Whalen - 11, Daniel Quinn - 11, Will Williams - 11, Tyler Tait - 10, Andrew Hetzendorfer - 10, Chris Perillo - 10, S. Zachary Popovski - 10

Williamsville East:  Alex Pieri - 12, Mike Poturalski - 12, Mike Shanahan - 12, Alex Grano - 12, Kyle Gruber - 12, Andrew Kleinmann - 11, Drew Butler - 11, Matt Gelder - 11, Jonathan Spina - 11, Sean Keenan - 10, Cameron Williams - 10, Connor Williams - 10, Nicholas Kieffer - 10, Daniel Doyle - 10

Sweet Home: Kyle Tirone - 12, Jacob Serrano - 12, Melvin Williams - 11, Cameron Gates - 11, Luke Poppogallo - 11, Darryl Barrons - 11, Kelsey Lash - 11, Titus Fairclough - 11, Stephon Trueheart - 10, Ryan Harris - 10, Tahron Goudelock - 9, Evan John - 9

Lake Shore:  Mike Braeuner - 12, AJ Bergum - 12, Collin Fiutko - 12, Cory Fiutko - 12, Joe Friedhoff - 12, Ron John - 12, Nate Myers - 12, Kyle Wishman - 12, Ayden Jimmerson - 12, Andrew McDonaugh - 11, Brave Williams - 11, Eric Senior - 11

 

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ECIC III

If ever there was a preseason when Amherst was to believe 'this is our year', it would be this year.  With three-year starter and 3rd Team All-Centercourt star TC Brown leading the charge, St. Bonaventure commit Amadi Ikpeze patrolling the paint, and an excellent supporting cast (including Hutch-Tech transfer Jaylin Rose), the Tigers should have expectations of playing basketball in March.  If there's a team that'll play spoiler to Amherst, it'll be Cheektowaga.  The Warriors have rich recent history with the Tigers, that includes six classic battles in the last two seasons.  All-Centercourt 2nd Teamer, Dominick Welch, enters his junior season as a 1,000 point scorer and is already one of the best I've ever covered. He'll team with fellow juniors, Stephan Parker and Adrian Baugh in a quest for a second sectional crown in three years.  Maryvale should have one of its best teams in recent seasons, coming off a sectional final apppearance in Class B1.  The Flyers bring back one of last year's captains in Drew Crombie, along with talented underclassmen Ted York-Brown and Ray Blackwell.  Four out of five starters return to East Aurora, with three still being underclassmen.  Depew will focus on limiting turnovers and ball movement to find good shots.  The Wildcats need a another big step forward from sophomore Chad Biersbach, who averaged 10 per game as a freshman.  Pioneer has a new coach in Keith Junik but will rely on a very talented group of seniors to play traditional pioneer basketball.  Solid defense, hustle, and timely baskets will be the keys to victories in a very deep ECIC III.  Greg Miller takes over coaching duties at Springville and will look for a big season from senior Kyle Warner.

***

Amherst:  TC Brown - 12,  Amadi Ikpeze - 12,  Nick Foster - 12,   Rory Walsh - 12, Sean Andrews - 12, Nathan Woldu - 12, Da'Shawn Hines - 12, Sean Gibson - 12, Jake Maley - 12, Caleb Moore - 12, Jaylin Rose - 11, Jordan Barr - 11, Richard Kay - 11, Michael Walsh - 11, Will Alfieri - 11, Jake Funderburk - 11, Brian Fulford - 11

Cheektowaga:  Keith Weekly - 12, Dominick Welch - 11,  Adrian Baugh - 11, Stephan Parker - 11, Vaughn Burdette - 11, Alex Bryant - 10

Maryvale: Drew Crombie - 12, Marcus Ford - 12, Floyd Remley - 12,  Mike Ferguson - 12, Kwaine Davis - 12, Travon Spencer - 12, Ted York-Brown - 11, Ray Blackwell - 10

East Aurora:  Noah Thompson - 12, Cal Dis - 12, Josh Denz - 11, Nick Montgomery - 11, Joe Montgomery - 11, Cal McTigue - 11

Depew:  Jakob Grant - 12, Ryan Guay - 12, Matt Pablocki - 12, Eric Jarrett - 11, Jacob Mlodozeniec - 11, John Mietus - 11, Tyler Biersbach - 11, Chad Biersbach - 10

Pioneer:  Kyle Eigenbrod - 12, Jake Hyman - 12, Tyler Schick - 12, Zach Fronckowiak - 12, Caleb Sayvone - 12, Dominic Sayvone - 12, Austin Kossow - 12, Ravo Root - 12, Josh Foley - 12, Josh Taylor - 11, Hunter Witt - 11, Ben Kazmarek - 11, Kyle Burley - 10

Springville: Kyle Warner - 12, Parker Rice - 12,  Colin DeWitt - 12, Justin Morley - 12, Jimmy Schearer - 12, Matt Hartman - 12, Patrick Hannon - 12, John Domes - 11, Greg Cooney - 11, Austin Coon - 11, Connor O'Brien - 11, Zach Heary - 11

 

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ECIC IV

Cleveland Hill won a third straight league title last season, going unbeaten in ECIC IV.  They will attempt to pressure the opposition with solid defense, while balance between the perimeter shooting and post play is expected offensively.  Alden returns four starters, which include its two leading scorers & its top rebounder. JFK hopes to gain some seasoning quickly, with just three returning players and a very young team.  Holland has three starters back and will look to get the ball inside, as the Dutchmen's strength will be in the post.  First-year head coach, Benjamin Kopp, looks to rejuvenate the hoops program at Eden, where its eight-man roster includes just two seniors.  Lackawanna will carry five sophomores on its roster, including the talented Smith twins.  Tonawanda has a balance of seniors and underclassmen, led by Justin Holevinski, Cody Diaz, & Tyler Stapf.

 ***

Alden:  Dylan Riddoch - 12, Jordan Stockweather - 12, Conrad Boucher - 11, Jacob Fusco - 11, Gabe Kozak - 11, Christian Snell - 10, Riley Pastuszynski - 10

Cleveland Hill:  Ramah Lassiter - 12, Nick Gamble - 12, Daytwon Burney - 12, Rodney White - 12, Paul Majorowski - 12, Tyshawn Johnson - 12, Khalil Springs - 12, J'Son James - 11,  Chase Johnson - 11, Tyler Phillips - 11, Paul Woodward - 11, Cameron Oliver - 11

Holland:  EJ Staniszewski - 12, Laine Husman - 12, Cody Slocum - 12, AJ Perlino - 12, Jacob Ratajczak - 12, Jedrek Rahn - 11, Logan Pfister - 11, Coan Relyea - 11, Pierce Gardon - 11

JFK:  Kenai Jordan - 12, Stephon Parks - 12, Lexus Pollard - 11, Thomas Isbrandt - 11, Brandon Kohl - 11, Dalton Fischer - 11, Jordan Synder - 10, Kell-Vonta Harris - 10

Eden:  Drew Palmerton - 12, Shane Martinez - 12, Jason Porter - 11, Mitch Olds - 11, Joe LoTempio - 11, Gordon Grieble - 11, Andrew Bialy - 11, Griffin Gill - 10

Lackawana:  Nedjib Karagic - 12, Zaidin Mohsin - 12, Kejuan Harmon - 12, Malik Taylor - 12, Marquez Lofton - 11, Chris Hopkins - 11, Devon Feaster - 11, Jaevon Nelson - 11, Fred Hanyon - 11, Jordan Pacillo - 11, London Smith - 10, Noble Smith - 10, Khalil Horton - 10, Carlton Threeths - 10, Bekric Harris - 10

Tonawanda:  Cody Diaz - 12, Tyler Stapf - 12, Jordan Ulett - 12, Marshall Marsh - 12, Justin Holevinski - 12, Bryce Pieszala - 12, Zack Stapf - 11, Trey Lilly - 11, Nick Bitter - 11, Adam Haentges - 11, Charles Moore - 11, Collin Smith - 11, Henry Palermo - 10

 

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Niagara Frontier League

Niagara Falls looks ready to strike fear into league opponents again, as used to be commonplace during the Wolverines NFL dominance in the years that followed the merger.  NFHS has its best team since 2013, and most have been together for three seasons now.  They feature an elite defender in Breon Harris and play a brutally difficult nonleague schedule.   Kenmore West may have the league's most athletic player in Terrell Ford, while junior Tyler Aquilina has good game instincts and a great touch from the perimeter.   North Tonawanda graduated some key pieces from last season's NFL champion & A1 finalist unit, but retools thanks impart from a JV team that finished 15-3 in 2015.  Last season, Grand Island won its first sectional game since 2008.  The Vikings look to keep the momentum going with a deep squad, led by returning starter Joe Kulikowski.  Lockport returns six players from last season, led by Kelly Brown.  Niagara Wheatfield will put the ball in the hands of senior leader and point guard, Nathan Nielson, and look for an even bigger contribution this year from 6-5 wing Denzel Fuller.  At Kenmore East, the Bulldogs have the talent to compete in the NFL and hope to put it all together this season.  Lew-Port will again be competitive in league play, led by senior Jenard Jackson.

 ***

Niagara Falls:  Breon Harris - 12, Daquan Hubbard - 12, Devin Sanders - 11, Tyler Sanders - 11, Charles Lamar - 11, Qeyion Williams - 11, Jhamir Isom - 11, Marques Miller - 10,  Syquan Ralands - 10

Kenmore West: Terrell Ford - 12, Aaron Tucker - 12, Jason Taylor - 12, Rob Kirsits - 12, Tyler Aquilina - 11, Tal James - 11, Kyle Laplante - 11

Lockport:  Lavette Warren - 12, Andrew Austin - 12, Kelly Brown - 12, Dakota Wiley - 11, Cordell McDowell - 11

Grand Island:   Kyle Burns - 12, Joe Kulikowski - 12, Garrett Robinson - 11, Jerry Wilkes - 11, JB Wilkes - 11,  Cam Sionko - 9

North Tonawanda:  Jacob Lemke - 12, Nick Krauss - 12, Alex Quinn - 11, Brandon Casterline - 11,  Zack Woodard - 11, Trevor Book - 10

Niagara Wheatfield:  Nathan Nielson - 12,  Denzel Fuller - 12,   Austin Wangler - 12, Tom Watroba - 12, Phillip Bassham - 11, Noah Klettke - 11, Emilio Tripp - 11, Jaeger Martino - 11, Matt Gibson - 11, Peter Mulcahy - 11, Cade Mangan - 11, Anthony Ruffino - 10

Lew-Port: Jenard Jackson - 12, Donald Allender - 12, Dominic Lindhurst - 12, Nathan Nashwinter - 12, Jeremy Saunders - 11, Dylan Milbrand - 11, Dawson Bailey - 11, Liam Brennan - 11, Gabe Colangelo - 11, Steve Mansour - 11, William Duff - 10, Joseph Power - 9

Kenmore East:  Jon Donoghue - 12, Dylan Leith - 12, Anthony Luparello - 12, Nick Rice - 12, Konner Flynn - 11, Tyler Horn - 11, Ryan Moccio - 11, Ryan Williams - 11, Kahlil O'Neil - 10, Tyler Everett - 10, Nathan Murdie - 9, D'Anzo Young - 9 

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Niagara-Orleans

 Medina has its deepest unit in recent years, ranging from seniors to freshmen, with a sophomore (Jalin Cooper) poised for a breakout season.  Wilson needs to replace five starters from the team that pushed Fredonia at Buff State last March, but has a bright future with sophomore Ryan Bradley.  Newfane will be young, carrying six sophomores.  The Panthers do have a pair of starters back, along with three seniors with court experience.  Barker has just three players back, but one is the team's scoring leader - junior Nate Luckman.  Under first year head coach Josh Kraft, the Raiders will look to work hard and earn a reputation for consistent toughness.  CSAT should possess a nice combination of experience and talent, returning six players in its bid to win a second N-O title after taking the crown in 2013.  Roy-Hart returns four starters, including Andy Xapsos, a 1st Team All-League selection who led the Rams with 17.9 ppg last season.  Akron returns Gates Abrams, who opposing defenses will look to locate every trip down the court, following a junior season that saw him knock down 59 treys.  Albion didn't win the league last season, but ended the year with the most storied season of all the N-O teams, winning section title in Class B1.

***

Medina:   Dylan Lewis - 12, Jared Zinkievich - 12, Tyler Ames - 12, Brad McPherson - 12, Justin Morgan - 12, Tyrellis Atkins - Junior - 11, Michael Cardone - 11, Darryl Haynes 11, Tyler Howard - 11, Jalin Cooper - 10, Mason Lewis - 10, Ronnie Koonce - 9, Johnny Salone - 9, Izaiah Rhim - 9

CSAT:  Juan Verdejo - 12, Savio Serrano - 12, Myron Banks - 12, Jahleel Burks - 12, Navi Rodriquez - 12, Damire Grant - 12, Marcus Mccloud - 12, Darius Carson - 11, Camron Scott Williams - 11, , James Stephens - 10

Newfane:  Chad Gilson - 12, David Krull - 12, Nick Schultz - 12, Zach Lajoie - 12, Connor Duncan - 12, Albert Kramp - 11, Nick Perry - 11, Matt Vogt - 11, Calib Russell - 11, Max Weber - 10, Kyle Devogal - 10, Chad Dunbar - 10, Connor Hill - 10, Brandon Gross - 10, Drew Boudeman - 10

Wilson:   Alex Fox - 12, Andrew Eames - 12, John Carney - 12, Jordan Stoelting - 12, Steve Lewis - 11, Steve Lyman - 11, Jonah Miller - 11, Connor Seeley - 11, Kevin Skavinsky - 11, Kyle Wiesinger - 11, Michael Pazik - 11, Ryan Bradley - 10

Roy-Hart: Andy Xapsos - 12,  Ben Maynard - 12, Justin Heschke - 12, Chris Anderson - 12,   Zack Srock - 12, Austin Dodge - 12, DJ Davis - 11, Eric Fitch - 11, Tim Moriarity - 11, Justin Czaja - 11, Paul Ragonese - 11, Cam Meadows - 11, Brandon Hess - 11, Austin Walker - 11, Matt Borel - 10

Barker:  Michael Snell - 12, Kyle Secore - 12, Jared Ginther - 12, Nathan Luckman - 11, Jake Arnold - 11, Eddie Wasnock - 11, Kyle Moeller - 11, Shawn Callaghan - 11, Devon Mangan - 11

Akron: Gates Abrams - 12, Lee Abrams - 12, Jake Burns - 12, Kingsley Jonathan - 12, Ryan Akin - 11, Elias Johnson - 11, Austin Ladd - 11, Weylon Abrams - 10, Owen Hill - 10, Derek Holtz - 10, Nelson Logan - 10

Albion:  Brady Meakin - 12, Tyler Rotoli - 12, Manwell Taylor - 12, Evan Pappalardo - 12, Scott Daniels - 12, Tommy Mattison - 11, Kory Reynolds - 11, Chase Hall - 11, Lamar Chambers - 11, Jacob Buzard - 11, Tanner Ferris - 11

 

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CCAA I West 

Olean has four players back who saw extended court time last year, including three starters, from its Class A2 title team.  The Huskies have moved down to Class B1 and are eyeing another season that extends into March.  Fredonia returns Patrick Moore and Jarod Burmaster, both starters for the Hillbillies Class B2 finalist team of a year ago.  Dunkirk will be long and athletic and returns nearly all of its scoring from last year.  Look for the Marauders to compete with Olean for both league and sectional titles, while being one of the area's more exciting teams to watch.  Chautauqua Lake is a young team in a tough league, but they do return four starters, looking to catch some attention this year.  At Falconer, Jamie Glatz takes over behind the bench, while Southwestern looks to improve under new head coach Mark Sleggs.  

***

Olean:  Jake Cavana - 12, Derek Schmidt - 12, Elijah Ramadhan - 12, Malakye Wofford - 12, Zack Ryan - 12, Ben Eckstrom - 11, Monty Shoemaker - 11, , Luke Rogers - 11, Derek Dandrea - 11, Dell Butler - 11, Joe Jedrosko - 11, Dylan Spencer - 11, Mike Schmidt - 9

 Dunkirk:  Isaiah Thomas - 12, Rashad Brown - 12, Chad Butts - 12, Kobe DeJesus - 12, Davonte Grayson - 12, Tyreek Buchanon Ruiz - 11, Shamon Stewart - 11, Evon Hernandez - 11, Caleb Rasmus - 11, Seth Rasmus - 11, Jarrett Waclawski - 11, Juan Damas - 10, Devaun Farnham DeJesus - 10

Fredonia:  Patrick Moore - 12, Jared Burmaster - 12, Eric Swoyer - 12, Jovany Ruiz - 12, Michael Pucci - 12

Chautauqua Lake:  Carter Davidson - 12,  Michael Lysek - 12, Aaron Swan - 11, Devin Pope - 10, Tyler Meredith - 11, Nate Hammond - 11, Joel Vinciguerra - 11, Bryce Bentley - 11, Collin Sargent - 11

Southwestern:  Ben Burk - 12, Nick Cooper - 12,  Brendan Kennedy - 12, Jake Brecht - 12, Niko Pannes - 11, Alex Card - 9, Faizan Munir - 9

Falconer:  Tavon Fisher - 12, Ryan DePietro - 12, Brandon Curtis - 12,  Sean Nord - 12, Trevor Dykstra - 12, Justin Boedecker - 12, Nick Bollman - 12, Chase Teboe - 11, Brandon Luke - 11, Hunter Blue - 11

Maple Grove:   Matt Roach - 12, Pat Nelson - 12,  Mitch Sandberg - 12, Jeff Clauson - 12

 

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CCAA I EAST 

   Silver Creek has played in four straight Section VI championship games, and is optimistic they can keep the streak alive.  Look for "Chill Showtime" to keep the ball moving rapidly with a whole new cast from the team that ran all ther way to states in 2013.   Allegany-Limestone will challenge for the league hardware with seven players from its rotation back on the court, four of which started for the Gators in 2015.  Ike Morrison is the new head coach at Randolph, where the Cardinals are coming off back-to-back sectional final appearances.  Portville returns a pair of starters and welcomes in a young crop of talent from a JV squad that finished 17-2.  Gowanda will be led by Carter Benton & sophomore Nate Brawdy.  Salamanca fields a deep 15-man roster with 10 juniors.  The Warriors will try to win with all around solid team defense and look to run the floor to take control of games early.

***

Silver Creek:  Trevon Thompson - 12, Heron Snow - 12, Jacob Lewis - 12,  Chris Williams - 11, Chase Scanlan - 10, Bryce Shomper - 10, Tom Galfo - 10

Randolph:  Mason Bosley - 12, Tyler Stahley - 12,  Jarrett Lecceadone - 11,  Jake Beaver - 11, Nick Martonis - 11,  Ryan Shipperd - 11, John Ling - 11, Kaleb Frink - 11, Sam Jacoby - 11, Andrew Bernard - 9

Allegany-Limeston: Cole Davis - 12, Bailey Higby - 12, Brad McAfee - 12, Brad Reed - 12, Zach Hemphill - 11, Austin Dziennik - 12, Tyler Hines - 12,  Jordan Moore - 11, Mike McMullen - 11, Marcus Grove - 11

 Portville:  Nick Gehm - 12, Sean Harris - 12,  Noah Bartholomew - 12, Alek Gonzalez - 12, James Constanza - 12, Ron Lott - 11, Colin Kloc - 11, Nick Stein - 11, Donovan Gayton - 11, Jaeden Harris - 10, Jonah Watkins - 10

Gowanda:    Carter Benton - 12,  Shaun Irwin - 12, Adam John - 12, Leland John - 12, Joe Kruszka - 12, Kevin Stapleton - 12, Nate Brawdy - 10, Ryan John - 10, Dakota Perdue - 9

Salamanca:   Tate Reynolds - 12, Marcus Cooper - 12,  Luke Zurat - 12, Dylan Schwartz - 12, Zeus Enriquez - 11, Marc Canella - 11, Mike Collins - 11, Jake DeKay - 11, Derek McClure - 11, Zach Simsick - 11, Nelson Rivera - 11, Xander Edstrom - 11, Darcey Redeye - 11, Chandler Armstrong - 11, Hercules Rasha - 10

 

 

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CCAA II West 

Panama is ready to make some noise and go after a Class D title, with four starters back from a team that finished 16-5 and only lost to Glens Falls qualifier, I-Prep, in the sectional semifinals by four points.  Sherman lacks experience beyond Chris Robson & Kolby Parks, but the Wildcats run to three straight Class D Championship games suggests they'll be back in the mix again this season.  Clymer returns three of its top players from a season ago, the only seniors on the team, to compete in a deep league.  

***

Panama:    Jack Payne - 12,  Josh Odell - 12,   Josh Eddy - 12, Chris Blose - 12, Jarrett Yuchnitz - 12, Tanner Newman - 12, Cody Hadley - 12, Nolan Eggleston - 11, Dylan Marsh - 11, Tristen Frye - 11, Lucas Golden - 11, Anthony Frangione - 11

 Sherman:  Sam Vanvelkenburg - 12, Kyle Rhebergen - 12, Alex Foti - 12, Hunter Wynn - 12, Chris Robson - 11,  Kolby Parks - 11, Kyle Carpenter - 11, Mike Delcamp - 11, Ty Prarom - 11, Korey Ayers - 11, Johnny Mendoza - 11, Brandon Nickerson - 11, Jared Gleason - 10

Clymer:  Adam Honey - 12, Dylan Neckers - 11, Josh Summers - 12, Dylan Davis - 11, Justin Svetz - 11, Josh Van Earden - 11, Henry Sullivan - 11, Dan Gustafson - 11, Colt Miller - 11, James Wade - 11, Mackenzie Bestine - 11, Dustin Neckers - 10

Westfield:   Trevor North - 12,  Joe Quagliana - 12, Jon Wilson - 12, Greg Schroeder - 12, Luke Haskin - 12, David Grayson - 11, Eric Fermier - 11, Mike Poletto - 11, Max Bates - 11

Cassadaga Valley: Shane Parsons - 12,  Tyler Simpson - 12, James Cornelius - 12

Brocton:  Aaron Riforgiato - 12 

Frewsburg

 

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CCAA II East 

 Expectations are high in Ellicottville, where they bring back plenty of talent and have just one player new to the varsity level.   After an eight-win season last year, Pine Valley's team this season will be balanced, bigger, and more athletic.  Franklinville will start a pair of sophomores this season, along with three seniors - two of which were 2nd Team All-League last year.

***

Ellicottville:   Cole Lapi - 12, Cameron Eddy - 12, Robert Sawicki - 12, Matt Proctor - 12, Cameron Miller - 12, Justin Summers - 12, Tom Easton - 12, Austin Whitmer - 11, Chad Boldt - 11, Austin Gronols - 10, Griffin Chuddy - 10, Elliot Bowen - 10

Pine Valley: Kilian Abers- 12, Elijah Hall- 12, Richard Tabak- 12, Dylan Chase-11, Gilberto Ortiz- 11, Austin Butcher -11,  Trent Mihalko- 10

Cattaraugus/Little Valley:  Hunter Baker - 12, Caleb Hibit - 12, Devon Parmenter - 12, Alex Perkins - 12, Anthony Bernardi - 12, Kellen Martin - 11

Franklinville:  Dawson Bielecki - 12, Jordan Milks - 12, Wil Bays - 12, Drew Jackson - 11, Isaac Kopp - 10, Sam Erickson - 10

Forestville: Jackson Egan - 12, Tyler Spears - 12, Andrew Deszcz - 12, Derek Catalano - 12

North Collins

 

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 Charter Schools

 Tapestry graduated nine players from its Class C1 championship squad, but the cupboard isn't bare.  The Thunderhawks have athletes all over the court and love to play aggressively on both ends.  Health Sciences added Jaylen Prophet from McKinley, a new head coach in former assistant Ty Parker, and brings back a depth of talent to make a run with in Class B2.  At Oracle, Dave Hardy takes over and inherits a strong program with plenty returning.   Maritime has four players back, including senior captain Mario Washington.  The Commodores are exited about the talent they have found in newcomer James Baker, also a senior captain for the team.  Buffalo Science is young and hungry, with just two starters back.  Global Concepts has a new coach in Chuck Mancabelli and just three seniors, led by Fabian Pierce.

***

Health Sciences:    Jaylen Prophet - 12, Amarri Funderburk - 12, Ja'Hod Robinson - 12, Carson Wiseman - 12, Bobby Oliver - 12, Wize Threats - 11, Amon Smith - 11, Travonte Smith - 11, Jaquan Renfro - 11, Antwon Stuart - 11, Tyron Lott - 10, Davonte Gaines - 10, Kameron Briggs - 9

 Tapestry:  JaQuoine Fogan - 12, DaVonte Cunningham - 12, Khoron Burton-Ferguson - 12, Amir Hennegan - 12, Dominic Moore - 12, Camren Hatten - 12, Tyler Henderson - 12, Anthony Wiley - 12, Paitwan Jenifer - 11, Allen McDuffie - 11, Christian Russell - 11, Jaylin Curry - 11, Marquise Jones - 11, Kyree Edwards - 11, Che Brown - 11, Rogerick Arrington - 10

Oracle:   Kenny White - 12, Rakim Graves - 12, Darius Embry - 12,   Jamal Woods - 12, Damani Washington - 12, Khalid Ross - 12, Amani Wallel - 12, Ziere Rodolph - 12,  Shakur Bridges - 11, Cheron Wilson - 11, David Edwards - 11, Samuel Rosenthal - 11, Joseph Perez - 10, Gary Marshall - 10

Buffalo Science:  Lauren Killian - 12, David Harris - 12, Roland Taylor - 12, Adrian Hester - 12, Jiuan Jones - 12, Julian Johnson - 11, Georges Cortes - 11, JaQuez McMullin - 11, Deonte Brown - 11, ,   Jamien Eutsey - 11, Lahai Suliman - 11, Jovante Davis - 11, JaQuan Wingard - 10, Josh Workman - 10, Amar Wood-Wiley - 10, Julian Allen - 10

WNY Maritime:  James Baker - 12, Mario Washington - 12, Tyler King - 12, Malik Saunders - 12, Spencer Rhyans - 12Sean Burks - 11, Da-jon Sharp - 11, Ryan Davis - 11, Jeremy Jackson - 11, Jorge Mercado - 11, Josiah Hall - 10, Ray Rich - 10, Ke'Sean Weston - 10, Elijah Smith - 9

Global Concepts:  Lincoln Billingslea - 12, Fabian Pierce - 12, Rashawn Anderson - 12, Jajuan Billingslea - 11, Lamiere Burrough - 11, Dwight Dilbert - 11, Brandon Parker - 11, Josh Kysocki - 11, Darell Elliott - 11, Anthony Florez - 11, Donovan Vuallance - 10, George Taylor - 10

 

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Teams with New Coaches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Ron Killinger Sr (above) retired after 13 seasons coaching in the Yale Cup at Riverside & South Park, while his son, RJ Killinger, got his 1st varsity head coaching position at Williamsville East)

 

Des Randall - Timon

Ty Parker - Health Sciences

Brandon Woods - Sweet Home

RJ Killinger - Williamsville East

Kevin Shadle - Lackawanna

Peter Hudecki - South Park

Doug Ratka - Clarence

Jim Gibson - Orchard Park

Andy Bush - Olmsted

Dave Hardy - Oracle

Ike Morrison - Randolph

Andy Jacobs - Iroquois

Josh Schauman - Cassadaga Valley 

Tim Buckenmeyer - Holland

Keith Junik - Pioneer

Josh Kraft - Barker

Mark Sleggs - Southwestern

Jamie Glatz - Falconer

Benjamin Kopp - Eden

Greg Miller - Springville

Jan Warren - North Collins

Chuck Mancabelli - Global Concepts

 

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Classification Changes

West Seneca East moves up from Class A2 to Class A1

Kenmore East moves down from Class A1 to Class A2

Maryvale moves up from Class B1 to Class A2

Olean moves down from Class A2 to Class B1

Dunkirk moves down from Class A2 to Class B1

CSAT moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

I-Prep moves up from Class D to Class B2

Gowanda moves up from Class C1 to Class B2

MST Seneca moves up from Class C2 to Class B2

Bennett moves down from Class B1 to Class C1

Buffalo Arts moves down from Class B1 to Class C1

East moves down from Class B2 to Class C1

Cleveland Hill moves down from Class B2 to Class C1

Olmsted moves up from Class C2 to Class C1

Silver Creek moves down from Class C1 to Class C2

Barker moves down from Class C1 to Class C2

Cattaraugus/Little Valley moves down from Class C1 to Class C2

Maple Grove moves up from Class D to Class C2

Franklinville moves down from Class C2 to Class D

 

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Preseason Polls

Large Schools

1. Park (MMA)

2. Canisius (MMA)

3. Amherst (A2)

4. Niagara Falls (AA) 

5. Williamsville South (A1)

6. Timon (MMA)

7. St. Joe's (MMA)

8. McKinley (A1)

9. Williamsville North (AA)

10. Cheektowaga (A2)

 

Small Schools

1. Olean (B1)

2. Middle College (C2)

3. St. Mary's (MMA)

4. East (C1)

 5. Health Sciences (B2)

6. I-Prep (B2)

7. Tapestry (C1)

8. Dunkirk (B1)

9. Silver Creek (C2)

10. East Aurora (B1)

 

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Predictions

MMA Class A - Park

MMA Class B - St. Mary's

Yale Cup I - Middle College

Yale Cup II - I-Prep

ECIC I - Williamsville North

ECIC II - Williamsville South

ECIC III - Amherst

ECIC IV - Alden

NFL - Niagara Falls

N-O - Medina

CCAA I West - Olean

CCAA I East - Silver Creek

CCAA II West - Panama

CCAA II East - Ellicottville

Charters:  Health Sciences

 

Manhattan Cup (A) -  Park

Manhattan Cup (B) - St. Mary's

Class AA  -  Niagara Falls

Class A1  -  Williamsville South

Class A2  -  Amherst

Class B1  -  Olean

Class B2  -  Health Sciences

Class C1  -  East

Class C2  -  Middle College

Class D  -  Panama

 

- Amherst & Olean both make it to Glens Falls.

- Middle College makes it to Glens Falls, where they win a Class C State Championship. 

 

-centercourt

The Schedule: 2015-2016 Season

  (Williamsville South & Olean both look to repeat as Section VI champs/ Photo by Harry Scull)

                

****** To see the new schedule for the 2017 season, click HERE ******

-centercourt

The 2015 All-Centercourt Team: The Best in WNY

 

First Team All-Centercourt

LaTerrance Reed - Canisius, Senior

16.7 PPG  /  3.0 RPG  /  3.0 APG  /  2.0 SPG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention.  Exuded passion and pride for both the game of basketball and his school.  Sharp-shooter from the perimeter that heats up in a flash.  Quick and decisive with the ball.  Attacks the basket aggressively and finishes.  Delivers in the clutch.  Intense man-to-man defender.  Guided Canisius to an undefeated regular season in the Monsignor Martin, where he was named league Player of the Year in Class A.  Took the top-seeded Crusaders to a Manhattan Cup Championship.  Led Canisius to its first CHSAA State Championship in Class A, where he was named MVP after his 28 point performance.  Named MVP of the NYS Class A Federation Tournament after leading his team to the championship. Scored over 20 points 12 times, with eight of those coming after February 1st.  Shot 60% from 3-point land in the postseason.  The 2015 CC MVP.  (Photo by James McCoy)

 

Zack Panebianco - Jamestown, Senior

21.2 PPG  /  3.9 APG  /  3.0 RPG  /  2.2 SPG

A 1st Team All-Centercourt selection for the second consecutive season.  There was no player in WNY that played bigger, better, or more consistently in the clutch.  Always even-keeled, regardless of the circumstances.  Strong going to the basket, deadly on mid range jumpers, and seemingly in range from everywhere on the court.  Thrived against defenses designed specifically to stop him and always made it rain threes.  Led the Red Raiders to a third straight Class AA title and the #2 large school ranking in WNY.  Was named All-ECIC Player of the Year and repeated as ECIC I Player of the Year.  Selected as MVP of the Section VI Class AA tournament.  Awarded game MVP following Jamestown's win over Olean in the United Way Showcase.  Scored over 25 eight times, but was always at his best in big games - scored 33 vs Class A2 finalist Amherst, scored 31 on the road against the top two teams in Rochester (Greece Athena & Aquinas), and scored a game-high 26 vs. Canisius.  Jamestown's all-time 3-point leader (178) and is third all-time in scoring & assists.  Career 1,000 point scorer.  (Photo by Cameron Hurst)

 

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, Junior

 16.5 PPG  /  10.0 RPG  /  2.8 BPG  /  1.0 APG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Second Team.  Athletic and agile big man that soars.  Excellent in transition.  Fundamentally sound and very aggressive inside.  Controls opponents' inside game with his shot blocking. WNY's most frequent dunker.  Led Canisius to the top seed in the Manhattan Cup playoffs after an unbeaten regular season in the Monsignor Martin.  Was voted All-Catholic in Class A.  Selected as Second Team All-Centercourt Defender.  First Team Centercourt #BOOM Squad.  Manhattan Cup Champion.  Advanced Canisius to the CHSAA state championship game after scoring 28 points and grabbing 13 boards vs. Chaminade in the CHSAA state semifinal.  Scored 19 points for the state champion Crusaders in a win over Scotia-Glenville to snap its 53-game winning streak in the Class A Federation semifinals.  NYS Class A Federation champion, where he was named to the All-Tournament team.  Scored over 20 points 11 times.  Logged 15 double-doubles, including a 24 point, 21 rebound performance in a win over Bishop Kearney.  Career 1,000 point scorer. (Photo by Buffalo News)

Percy Bryant - East, Senior

22.2 PPG  /  3.5 SPG  /  3.5 RPG  /  2.8 APG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Fourth Team.  Has the ability to move with the ball faster than most move without it.  Fearlessly attacks the rim and finishes in traffic using his right or left.  Added a consistent perimeter shot to his repertoire that made him near impossible to defend.  His quickness, toughness, and endurance were unparalleled.  Played at an elite level despite battling injury.  Led East to a third straight Section VI title and its first regional appearance since 2011.  Was voted Yale Cup I Player of the Year.  Chosen as MVP of the Section VI Class B2 Tournament.  Named to the Aquinas All-Tournament Team and was Player of the Game at the Pastor-Cooper Showcase.  Selected as Second Team All-Centercourt Defender.  Scored a career-high 34 points on two separate occasions and went over 30 points seven times on the year.  Career 1,000 point scorer. (Photo by Buffalo News)

 

 Jordan Nwora - Park, Junior

21.5 PPG /6.5 RPG / 2.4 SPG / 1.4 APG

A sniper from long range that gets his shot off extremely quick.  Scores in bunches.  Uses his size (6-7) to shoot unaltered over defenders.  Moves very well without the ball.  Runs the floor in transition as well as any big man in WNY.  Can put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim.  Led Park to the NYS Class B Federation Championship and the CHSAA Class B State Championship.  Selected as Federation Tournament MVP.  Led Park to the Class B Manhattan Cup.  Earned Player of the Year honors in the Monsignor Martin's Class B.  Selected as MVP of the Class B Manhattan Cup playoffs.  Game MVP at Cataract City Classic.  Led WNY in 3-pointers made with 89.  Scored a career-high 33 points in a win over Niagara Catholic.  Scored over 20 points in 12 games and had 25 or more in seven games. (Photo by James McCoy)

 

*****

 

Second Team All-Centercourt

Dom Welch - Cheektowaga, Sophomore

21.6 PPG/12.5 RPG/2.7 BPG /2.6 APG/1.7 SPG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Fifth Team.  The most Division 1-ready sophomore WNY has seen since Will Regan, thanks to his combination of size, coordination, and skill set.  Soars above the rim nightly to deliver highlight dunks.  Relentless rebounder and shot blocker.  Handles the ball well in transition and can knock it down from the perimeter.  Led the Warriors back to Buff State in Class A2.  Selected to the Section VI Class A2 All-Tournament Team.  Voted to both First Team All-ECIC and First Team ECIC III.  First Team Centercourt #BOOM Squad.  Scored a career-high 34 points in a win at I-Prep.  Collected a season-high 21 boards against Amherst.  Logged 17 double-doubles.  Scored over 25 points seven times, and grabbed 15 or more rebounds seven times.  Was the All-Bee POY.  Career 1,000 point scorer - a milestone reached in just his sophomore season.  (Photo by Nick LoVerde)

 

Bill Brooks - Silver Creek, Senior

21.0 PPG /10.1 RPG /5.9 BPG/4.2 APG  /3.0 SPG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Third Team.  A selfless 6-8 big man with the coordination of a skilled point guard.   Mastered the lost art of using the backboard.  Can bring the ball up against the press and shoot the '3' when not dominating the post.  Has some of the best court vision and passing of any player in WNY.  Led Silver Creek to the league title in CCAA I East, the top seed in Class C1, and a fourth consecutive Section VI title game.  Voted CCAA I East Player of the Year.  Selected to the Section VI Class C1 All-Tournament Team.  Scored a season-high 36 points as part of a triple-double performance in a win over O'Hara and had 23 rebounds in a win over Maple Grove.  Scored over 28 points four times, had at least 15 rebounds in nine games, blocked seven or more shots in nine games, and had at least five steals in four games.  Career 1,000 point scorer. (Photo by Expressed Images)

 

Devin Morris - McKinley, Senior

19.0 PPG /9.0 RPG  /4.0 APG  /3.0 SPG  

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Fifth Team.  Took his game to another level after already establishing himself as the go-to scorer for the Macks.  Deep shooting range and very accurate from the perimeter even when guarded.  Mastered the floater in the lane.  Got to the basket with ease and could hang in the air until he was able to finish.  Wanted the ball in his hands in crunch time. Solid defender with very good instincts.  Led the Macks to an undefeated record in the city and brought the Yale Cup back to Mack High.  Voted Player of the Year in Yale Cup I.  Helped advance McKinley to Buff State for a 16th consecutive season and was selected to the Section VI All-Tournament Team in Class A1.  MVP of the McKinley Tournament.  Scored a career-high 33 points in a win over East and had 30 against East Aurora.  Went over 20 points in 12 games, including a game-high 26 against Canisius.  Recorded 15 double-doubles and was the team-high scorer in 15 of 21 games for the Macks.  (Photo by Buffalo News)

 

Chris Miner - Nichols, Senior

14.8 PPG/11.7 PPG /1.5 APG /1.5 BPG /0.7 SPG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Third Team.  Led the massive Vikings' front line in rebounding for a third straight season and was second in scoring.  The most consistent player on a talented Nichols team.  A true post player that always used his size as an advantage.  Helped lead the Vikings back to the Manhattan Cup Final.  Voted All-Catholic in Class A. Scored a season-high 27 points in a win over Tapestry.  Recorded 16 double-doubles and scored over 20 points seven times.  Career 1,000 point scorer. (Photo by Buffalo News)

 

Cam Lewis - Nichols, Senior

15.7 PPG/8.8 RPG/1.2 APG/1.0 SPG /0.7 BPG

 Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Third Team.  The leading scorer and second leading rebounder for the Vikings.  Wants the ball in his hands.  Can take an entry pass in the paint or come out for the ball and work his way back inside.  Improved his perimeter shooting and became a legitimate 3-point threat.  A good ball handler who used length to his advantage shielding defenders.  Helped lead Nichols back to the Manhattan Cup Final.  Voted All-Catholic in Class A.   Scored a season-high 26 points against Canisius.  Recorded 17 double-doubles and scored over 20 points six times.  Career 1,000 point scorer. (Photo by Buffalo News)

 

 *****

 Third Team All-Centercourt

TC Brown - Amherst, Junior

20.1 PPG  /  6.2 RPG  /  4.3 APG  /  3.0 SPG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Fifth Team.  Great instincts and skill set makes him one the most well-rounded players in WNY.  Can drive, pull up from mid-range, or hit the trey.  Can create his own shot.  Excellent court vision.  Tremendous free throw shooter.  Scored the game-winner against Cheektowaga twice this season, including a drive to advance the tigers to the Class A2 Final.  Led Amherst to a third ECIC III title and sectional final in as many varsity seasons.  Voted 1st Team All-ECIC and POY in ECIC III.  Selected to the Section VI Class A2 All-Tournament Team.  Chosen for Jolly Boys All-Tournament Team.  Selected as MVP of the Bob Hettler Tip-Off Classic. (Photo by Harry Scull)

 

Gary Foster - Middle College, Junior

18.3 PPG  /  11.7 RPG  /  3.0 BPG  /  2.8 APG  /  2.4 SPG 

Explosive leaper with the most powerful finishes in WNY.  May shatter a backboard before his prep days are over.  Relentless rebounder.  Shows a soft touch around the basket.  Uses his elevation and touch to drain mid-range jumpers.  Led Middle College to the top seed in Class C2, where they advanced to the Far West Regionals in Class C after the Kats won the overall Class C title in Section VI.  Voted to 1st Team in Yale Cup I.  Selected as MVP of the Section VI Tournament in Class C2. First Team Centercourt #BOOM Squad.  (Photo by Harry Scull)

 

Takal Molson - St. Mary's, Junior

19.2 PPG  /  7.1 RPG  /  2.3 APG  /  2.2 SPG  /  1.1 BPG

The do-it-all leader of the Lancers who makes it all look easy and effortless.  Showed off the area's most deadly mid-range game.  Knows when to assert himself and is very difficult to stop when he looks to score.  Accurate from the perimeter, but equally effective driving to the basket and finishing.  Explosive leaper with some spectacular rim-rocking finishes.  Led St. Mary's to the Manhattan Cup championship game in Class B.  Voted to All-Catholic in Class B.  Named game MVP at the Pastor-Cooper Showcase.  Awarded MVP of the Depew Tournament.  Made the Five Guys All-Tournament Team.  Second Team Centercourt #BOOM Squad.  Scored a career-high 38 points against both Nichols and Cardinal O'Hara.  Had four games with over 30 points.  Registered eight double-doubles.  Team leader in scoring, steals, & blocks, and second in rebounding.  (Photo by Buffalo News)

 

Greg Dolan - Williamsville South, Freshman

13.0 PPG  /  5.2 APG  /  4.0 RPG  /  3.4 SPG  

The best pure point guard in WNY.  A savvy floor general who was trusted with the majority of play calling as a freshman.  His one of the highest basketball IQs of any player in WNY, regardless of age.  A pass-first facilitator that made his teammates better.   Demonstrates good body control when going to the basket.  Excellent defender who commonly strips his opponent and heads the other way for two.  Had 10 steals in a win at Iroquois.  Recorded a triple-double in a win over Lake Shore.  Had just 38 turnovers all season (24 starts).  Led the Billies to the outright title in ECIC II.  Was selected to the Section VI Class A1 All-Tournament Team after leading South to a sectional title.  Guided his team to an overall Section VI Class A title and to the Far West Regionals.  Voted 1st Team ECIC II.  Already has a Division I scholarship offer from Canisius College. (Photo by Buffalo News)

 

Josh Huffman - Canisius, Senior

10.0 PPG / 3.0 APG  /  4.0 RPG  /  3.0 SPG  

The 2014 Centercourt Sixth Man of the Year became an invaluable piece of the championship puzzle for Canisius this season.  A lock down defender and the very best one in WNY.  Tough as nails, both physically and mentally.  Smart and patient facilitator on offense.  Lights out with his jumper from mid range.  Able to get to the basket and was good at drawing contact once there.  Selected as First Team All-Centercourt Defender.  Helped Canisius to an undefeated regular season in the Monsignor Martin.  Tom Keenan Memorial tournament MVP.  Chosen as MVP following the Crusaders' Manhattan Cup Championship.  CHSAA State Champion.  Named to the All-Tournament team following Canisius' Class A NYS Federation Championship. Averaged 14.6 points in Canisius' final five contests, all elimination championship games. (Photo by James McCoy)

 

*****

F0urth Team All-Centercourt

Derek Cheatom - Park, Senior

 10.7 PPG  /  6.2 RPG  /  3.0 APG  /  2.2 SPG  /  1.3 BPG

Moves up from 2014 All-Centercourt Team's Honorable Mention.  The quiet team leader of the Pioneers and the ultimate glue guy.  One of the area's most selfless players who always put team success first.  A high-motor player that was always focused on the court.  Has a college basketball skill set and is capable of doing everything.  A very active zone defender and a lock down man defender.  Helped lead Park to the Class B Manhattan Cup, the Class B CHSAA State Championship, and the NYS Class B Federation Championship.  Earned All-Tournament Team honors following the Federation title.  Selected to 1st Team All-Catholic in Class B.  Selected as First Team All-Centercourt Defender.  Had three double-doubles. (Photo by James McCoy)

 

Chris Woodard - North Tonawanda, Senior

13.5 PPG  /  9.7 RPG  /  4.5 SPG  /  3.5 APG  /  1.9 BPG

Athletic big man (6-4) who keyed the best zone defense in Section VI.  Beat defenders around the basket with a combination of strength and finesse.  Enjoyed one of the best seasons ever turned by a player at North Tonawanda.  Winner of the 2015 Niagara PAL Male Athlete of the Year.  Voted 1st Team NFL after receiving the top vote from five of seven opposing coaches.  Led the Jacks to a share of the NFL title and the top seed in Class A1.  Selected to the Section VI All-Tournament Team in Class A1.  Selected as First Team All-Centercourt Defender.  Led his team in scoring (shooting 55%), assists, rebounds, steals, and deflections (131).  His 100 steals broke the school record and he finishes his career as North Tonawanda 2nd in steals, 4th in rebounding, and 9th in scoring.  (Photo by Harry Scull)

 

Stephen Carlson - Jamestown, Senior

14.3 PPG  /  8.4 RPG  /  1.4 BPG  /  1.4 SPG

Followed up his Connolly Cup award as WNY's top football player with an exceptional hoops season.  The most improved player in WNY from last season.  Strong presence in the paint that routinely outworked his opponents.  Led the Red Raiders in rebounding and blocked shots.  Added a polished set of post moves to his game this season.  Regularly threw down dunks when the lob play was run for him.  Voted 1st Team ECIC I and 2nd Team All-ECIC.  Helped lead Jamestown to an undefeated ECIC I championship, the top seed in Class AA and a third sectional title in as many seasons.  Selected to the Section VI Class AA All-Tournament Team.  Awarded Game MVP in both of Jamestown's Untied Way Showcase contests.  Second Team Centercourt #BOOM Squad. Had nine double-doubles on the season, including both games against league rival Williamsville North.  Scored a season-high 23 points in a double-double winning performance over Olean.  Finishes career with 456 rebounds. (Photo by Harry Scull)

 

Sam Castronova - Williamsville South, Senior

15.5 PPG  /  5.1 RPG  /  3.3 APG  /  1.9 SPG  /  0.8 BPG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention.  A classic team leader with an outstanding court demeanor.  Deceptively athletic and strong.  Smooth in transition.  Excellent perimeter shooter that always provided the Billies with timely scoring.  Improved his defense considerably from last season.  Guided South to a league title in ECIC II and was voted 1st Team A-ECIC and 1st Team ECIC I.  Led South to the Far West Regionals after winning the overall Class A championship.  Was selected as MVP of the Section VI Class A1 Tournament.  Made the Jolly Boys All-Tournament Team.  Career 1,000 point scorer. (Photo by Buffalo News)

 

Xavier Maye - I-Prep, Senior  

 18.3 PPG  /  10.0 RPG  /  1.0 BPG  /  0.5 SPG  

A dominant force inside the paint for the Presidents.  Grabs every rebound in his vicinity.  Goes up strong with the ball and stays with the play until his team scores.  Can step out and hit from the perimeter.  Runs the floor well and finishes on the break.  Guided the Presidents to the league title in Yale Cup II.  Voted Yale Cup II Player of the Year.  Helped his team earn the top seed in Class D.  Led I-Prep to the Section VI Class D title.  Was selected as MVP of the Section VI Class D Tournament.  Was chosen by the Buffalo News as the MVP of Championship Week, after his 27 points and 15 boards in the final.  Followed that up with 20 points and 15 rebounds in a Far West Regional victory to advance his squad to Glens Falls.  (Photo by Post Star)

 

*****

 Fifth Team All-Centercourt

Kordell Holness-Lightbody - St. Francis, Senior

22.5 PPG  /  4.9 RPG  /  3.1 APG  /  1.7 SPG  / 0.5 BPG

Moves up from the 2014 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention.  A dynamic scorer who can hurt you in a variety of ways from all over the court.  Excellent passer adept at locating the open man when the double team came.  Thrived despite being the focus of every opposing defense he faced.  Led the Red Raiders in scoring, assists, deflections, and steals.  Scored a career-high 40 points against West Seneca East.  Scored over 30 points on five different occasions and went over 20 points in nine games.  The leading scorer in the Monsignor Martin's Class A while shooting 47 % from the field.  An All-Catholic selection in Class A.   Was the Hamburg Sun POY.  Career 1,000 point scorer in just two varsity seasons.  (Photo by Gerald Gorczyca)

 

Kyle Bradley - Wilson, Senior

21.6 PPG  /  7.8 RPG  /  1.9 SPG  /  1.4 APG  /  1.0 BPG

A classic scorer with a sound fundamental style.  A throw back player who will pull up and beat you from mid range and could use the glass.  Displayed strong moves to work his way into and through the paint.  Could create his own shot and made contested shots from the perimeter.  Voted 1st Team N-O, leading player voting in that league.  Led Wilson to the N-O league crown.  Selected to the Section VI Class B2 All-Tournament Team.  Scored over 20 points in 12 games and reached 30 points in three games, including the 'Kyle Bradley Show' against Fredonia, where 21 of his points came in the 2nd half of the Class B2 semifinal.  Was the Niagara Gazette and Lockport Star POY. (Photo by Ed Goodnight)

 

Dylan Lambert - Williamsville North, Senior

20.2 PPG  /  4.6 RPG  /  2.1 APG  /  1.9 SPG  /  0.5 BPG

 A natural 3-point shooter with a quick release.  Very good with the show & go, slashing through a defense on his way to the hole.  Can transition from scorer to passer.  Handled the ball well and showed good court sense.  A high-riser who could put it down on the break.  Became a team leader for the Spartans this season.  Led Williamsville North to a top 10 large school ranking all season and an appearance at Buff State in Class AA.  Chosen as team MVP after leading the Spartans in scoring & blocks and finishing second in assists & steals.  Selected as the MVP of the Five Guys Tournament.  Scored over 20 points nine times, including three games over 30 points, while shooting 58%.

 

Randy Golda - Park, Senior

12.5 PPG  /  8.2 RPG  /  2.2 APG  /  1.9 SPG  /  1.5 BPG  

A well-rounded player who was dominant in the paint.  Aggressive rebounder on both ends.  Attacked interior defenses as well as any player in WNY.  Masterful at taking the ball in the high post and knifing through the defenses to get to the basket.  Very good post defender.  All-Catholic Selection in Class B.  Preserved the Pioneers Federation semifinal win over Westhill by blocking the potential game-winning shot.  Helped lead Park to a NYS Federation title in Class B, where he was named to the All-Tournament team. (Photo by James McCoy)

 

Zak Ciezki - Cheektowaga, Senior

16.0 PPG  /  6.3 RPG  /  3.1 APG 

 Combines a non-chalant demeanor with a flashy brand of basketball that made him a fan favorite at Cheektowaga.  Very athletic and strong.  Can run the point or play on the wing and does many things well.  Sees the floor better than most and finds the open man.  Seems to have an innate feel for the game and has excellent body control.  An unorthodoxed but very effective 3-point shooter, who never met an off-balance 3-pointer he didn't like, while rarely spotting up.  One of the area's best at creating his own shot.  Voted 1st Team ECIC III  and 2nd Team All-ECIC.  Helped lead the Warriors back to Buff State in Class A2.  Finishes his career with the school-record for 3-pointers made with 172, putting him in WNY's top 10.  Career 1,000 point scorer.  (Photo by Harry Scull)

 

*****

 Honorable Mention

Donel Cathcart - Cardinal O'Hara, Senior

22.6 PPG  /  8.1 RPG  /  2.6 SPG  /  1.9 APG  /  0.7 BPG  -  All Catholic selection in Class B

 

Jay Bergmann - Frontier, Senior

21.8 PPG  /  6.0 APG  /  5.0 RPG  /  2.0 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC I

 

Clay Lewis - Holland, Senior

 21.6 PPG  /  6.3 RPG  /  3.3 APG  /  3.1 SPG  -  Player of the Year - ECIC IV  -  1st Team All ECIC

 

Cody Johnson - Cassadaga Valley, Senior

 21.5 PPG  /  12.8 RPG  /  2.4 BPG  /  1.5 SPG  - 1st Team CCAA I West - 39 pts & 20 reb vs Falconer

 

Fred Searles - Global Concepts, Senior

20.8 PPG  /  9.7 RPG  /  3.1 SPG  /  2.5 APG  -  Player of the Year in Charter Schools

 

Nick Parucki - West Seneca East, Senior

20.8 PPG  /  10.1 RPG  /  2.5 BPG  /  1.7 APG  -  Player of the Year in ECIC II - 1st Team All-ECIC

 

Matt Cieslik - City Honors, Senior

19.7 PPG  /  5.8 RPG  /  2.3 SPG  /  2.1 APG  -  1st Team Yale Cup II

 

DeJuan Owens - Tapestry, Senior

19.3 PPG  /  7.0 RPG  /  1.8 SPG  / 1.0 BPG  - 1st Team All-Charter- Class C1 All-Tournament Team

 

Nicholas Clough - Williamsville East, Senior

19.1 PPG  /  6.4 RPG  /  1.9 APG  /  1.9 SPG  -  2nd Team ECIC II

 

Joey Braniecki - JFK, Senior

19.1 PPG  /  7.9 RPG  /  3.8 BPG  /  1.3 APG  /  1.0 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC IV 

 

Craig Paige - Lew-Port, Senior

19.0 PPG  /  8.0 RPG  /  3.0 SPG  -  1st Team NFL - Career high 39 points vs. Ken West

 

Bryce Morrison - Randolph, Senior

 19.0 PPG  /  6.0 RPG  /  5.0 APG  /  2.9 SPG  /  2.3 BPG  -  1st Team CCAA I East

 

John Piper - Fredonia, Senior

18.5 PPG  /  3.1 RPG  /  1.7 APG  /  1.7 SPG -   Player of the Year in CCAA I West

 

Dylan Granger - Pine Valley, Senior

18.1 PPG  /  7.1 RPG  /  3.5 APG  /  2.5 SPG  /  0.5 BPG  -  CCAA II East Player of the Year

 

Graham Soffel - Maple Grove, Senior

16.8 PPG  /  7.3 RPG  /  3.6 SPG  /  3.4 APG  /  0.3 BPG  -  Player of the Year in CCAA II West

 

Cort Williams - Williamsville East, Senior

16.6 PPG  /  9.7 RPG  /  2.3 APG  /  1.5 SPG  /  1.0 BPG  -  1st Team ECIC II - 2nd Team All-ECIC

 

Terrance James - I-Prep, Senior

16.0 PPG  /  5.2 APG  /  1.0 SPG  /  0.5 BPG  -  1st Team Yale Cup II 

 

Derick Simpson - Timon, Senior

 14.0 PPG  /  10.1 RPG  /  2.0 SPG  /  1.5 BPG  /  1.2 APG  -  All Catholic selection in Class A

 

 Tanner Schmit - Nichols, Senior

13.4 PPG  /  7.6 RPG  /  2.0 BPG  /  0.8 APG  /  0.7 SPG  -  Commited to D1 Central Arkansas 

 

Cam Voss - Fredonia, Senior

13.0 PPG  /  9.4 RPG  /  2.4 SPG  /  1.4 APG  /  1.3 BPG   -  1st Team CCAA I West

 

Chucky Martin - Olean, Senior

12.3 PPG  /  7.3 RPG  /  1.4 SPG  /  1.0 APG  -  1st Team CCAA I West

 

Juwan Tolliver - McKinley, Senior

 10.0 PPG  /  5.0 APG  /  4.0 RPG  /  1.0 BPG  -  1st Team Yale Cup I

 

Jermaine Hairston - Cleveland Hill, Senior

12.3 PPG  /  7.9 RPG  /  1.6 SPG  /  1.3 APG  -  1st Team ECIC IV - Class B2 All-Tournament Team

 

Marcell Davis - St. Joe's, Senior

11.6 PPG  /  7.3 RPG  /  2.2 SPG  /  1.2 BPG  /  0.7 APG  -  All-Catholic selection in Class A

 

Dorian Billups - Amherst, Senior

10.3 PPG  /  6.8 RPG  /  3.7 APG  /  2.8 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC III

 

Maceo Jack - Williamsville North, Junior

18.7 PPG  /  6.2 RPG  /  1.6 APG  /  1.1 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC I  -  Class AA All-Tournament Team

 

Jojo Staton - Middle College, Junior

17.2 PPG  /  1.9 APG  /  1.7 SPG  /  1.7 RPG  -  1st Team Yale Cup I - Class C2 All-Tournament Team

 

Terrell Ford - Kenmore West, Junior

16.7 PPG  /  7.8 RPG  /  2.9 SPG  /  2.0 APG  -  1st Team NFL  - Career-High 32 pts vs Lew-Port

 

JaQuoine Fogan - Tapestry, Junior

16.2 PPG  /  2.9 SPG  /  1.7 RPG  /  1.7 APG  -  MVP of Section VI Class C1 Tournament

 

Christian Nodine - Starpoint, Junior

15.4 PPG  /  9.0 RPG  /  2.9 APG  /  1.5 SPG  /  0.9 BPG   - 1st Team ECIC II - Class A2 All-Tournament Team

 

Davon Gant - I-Prep, Junior

15.0 PPG  /  10.3 RPG  /  3.2 BPG  /  2.7 APG  /  1.2 SPG  -  27 pts, 19 reb, 9 blks at regionals

 

Brock Kroening - Starpoint, Junior

14.4 PPG  /  9.7 RPG  /  1.3 APG  /  1.0 SPG  /  0.8 BPG  -  2nd Team ECIC II - 11 double-doubles

 

Kyle Harris - Park, Junior

10.6 PPG  /  3.6 APG  /  3.1 RPG  /  1.4 SPG  -  Started for NYS Class B Federation Champion

 

Hunter Anderson - Park, Junior

9.6 PPG  /  5.5 RPG  /  1.6 APG  /  1.5 SPG  -  Started for NYS Class B Federation Champion

 

Justin Jones - Canisius, Junior 

8.0 PPG  /  6.0 RPG  /  2.0 APG  /  2.0 SPG  -  Started for NYS Class A Federation Champion

 

*******

 

Coach of the Year 

Kyle Husband, Canisius

 

Sixth Man of the Year

Myles Hall, Williamsville South

 

All-Centercourt Defenders

First Team

Josh Huffman - Canisius, Senior

Chris Woodard - North Tonawanda, Senior

Graham Dolan - Williamsville South, Junior

Derek Cheatom - Park, Senior

Shaquan Jones - McKinley, Junior

 

Second Team 

Breon Harris - Niagara Falls, Junior

Percy Bryant - East, Senior

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, Junior

Devon Camel - Cheektowaga, Senior

Terrell Ford - Kenmore West, Junior

 

*******

 

Centercourt #BOOM Squad

First Team

Dominick Welch - Cheektowaga, Sophomore

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, Junior

Fred Foster - Middle College, Junior

Isaac Hilyer - Portville, Senior

Joey Branecki - JFK, Senior

 

Second Team

Takal Molson - St. Mary's, Junior

Maceo Jack - Williamsville North, Junior

Derick Simpson - Timon, Senior

Tanner Schmit - Nichols, Senior

Stephen Carlson - Jamestown, Senior

 

 

 -centercourt

All-League Teams - 2015

 

 

MONSIGNOR MARTIN ASSOCIATION

Class A

Player of the Year:

LaTerrance Reed - Canisius, 12

 

All-Catholic

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, 11

Chris Miner - Nichols, 12

Cam Lewis - Nichols, 12

Marcell Davis - St. Joe's, 12

Kordell Holness-Lightbody, St. Francis, 12

Derick Simpson - Timon, 12

 

Class B

Player of the Year:

Jordan Nwora - Park, 11

 

All-Catholic

Takal Molson - St. Mary's, 11

Derek Cheatom - Park, 12

Randy Golda - Park, 12

Buzz Watson - Walsh, 12

Tavien Kemp - Walsh, 10

Donel Cathcart - Cardinal O'Hara, 12

Sean Wilson - St. Mary's, 12

 

************************************************

 

YALE CUP I

Co-Players of the Year:

Percy Bryant - East, 12 / Devin Morris - McKinley, 12

 

First Team

Juwan Tolliver - McKinley, 12

Shaquan Jones - McKinley, 11

Fred Foster - Middle College, 11

JoJo Staton - Middle College, 11

 

Second Team

Damone Brown - East, 12

Amir Jemes - Middle College, 11

Brian Johnson - Middle College, 11

Isaiah Jamison - Burgard, 11

Jovell Littlejohn - East, 12

 

Third Team

Keyshawn Ridgeway - McKinley, 12

Dion Morrison - East, 12

Shakur Harris - South Park, 10

Jaylen Hall - Burgard, 12

Dante Campbell - Hutch-Tech, 12

 

Honorable Mention

 McKinley:  Bruce Booker - 11, Keyon Johnson - 11, Kesean Fisher - 11, Jaylen Prophet - 11

East:  Willard Anderson - 9, Malik Doughty - 12, Jamil Reynolds - 12, Daquan Williams - 12

Middle College:  Isaiah Jenkins - 12, Billy Rivera - 11, Lorenzo Truitt - 11

Burgard:  Rodderick Morrow - 12, Emmanuel Moss - 12

South Park:  James Baker - 11

Riverside:  Alexander Johnson - 11, Damone McNamee - 12

Bennett:  Jose Rivera - 11, Alex Lofton - 12

Hutch-Tech:  Josh Bonilla - 12, Jaylen Rose - 11

 

************************************************

 

YALE CUP II

Player of the Year:

Xavier Maye - I-Prep, 12

 

First Team

Terrance James - I-Prep, 12

Michael Simpson - Emerson, 11

Aaron Woods - Buffalo Arts, 12

Matt Cieslik - City Honors, 12

Brandon Roach - Olmsted, 11

Kyle Davis - DaVinci, 12

 

Second Team

Davon Gant - I-Prep, 11

JeQuan Wilson - MST Seneca, 11

Dominic Prince - MST Seneca, 10

Demetrius Brown - Buffalo Arts, 11

Jason Dowell - Emerson, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Lafayatte:  Julio Muriel - 12

MST Seneca:  Alfonse Oyoyo - 11, David Anderson - 10

Emerson:  Justin Acker - 11

Olmsted:  Dan Reid - 10

City Honors:  Jordahn Summers - 12, Ryan Langhorne - 11, Amir Radford - 8

DaVinci:  Mike Horton - 10, Devonte Robinson - 12

 

*************************************************

 

ALL-ECIC

Player of the Year:

Zack Panebianco - Jamestown, 12

 

First Team

Zack Panebianco - Jamestown, 12

TC Brown - Amherst, 11

Dominick Welch - Cheektowaga, 10

Clay Lewis - Holland, 12

Sam Castronova - Williamsville South, 12

Nick Parucki - West Seneca East, 12

 

Second Team

Greg Dolan - Williamsville South, 9

Dylan Lambert - Williamsville North, 12

Zak Ciezki - Cheektowaga, 12

Cort Williams - Williamsville East, 12

Stephen Carlson - Jamestown, 12

Maceo Jack - Williamsville North, 11

 

*************************************************

 

ECIC I

Player of the Year:

Zack Panebianco - Jamestown, 12

 

First Team

Stephen Carlson - Jamestown, 12

Dylan Lambert - Williamsville North, 12

Maceo Jack - Williamsville North, 12

Jay Bergmann - Frontier, 12

Matt Sadowy - Clarence, 12

 

Second Team

Tyler Lis - Lancaster, 12

Alex Konst - Lancaster - 11

Frank Borzillieri - West Seneca West, 12

Sean Hill - Williamsville North, 11

Bryan Pulli - Clarence, 12

 

 Honorable Mention

Frontier:  David Estrada - 12, Jake Gleason - 12

Orchard Park:  Dan Freilicher - 11

Jamestown:  Zacc Kinsey - 11

 

****************************************************

 

ECIC II

Player of the Year:

Nick Parucki - West Seneca East 12

 

First Team

Greg Dolan - Williamsville South, 9

Sam Castronova - Williamsville South, 12

Christian Nodine - Starpoint, 11

Cort Williams - Williamsville East, 12

 

Second Team

Nicholas Clough - Williamsville East, 12

Brock Kroening - Starpoint, 11

Jordan Heine - Sweet Home, 12

Ben Walters - Starpoint, 11

Brendan Ryan - Hamburg, 11

 

 Honorable Mention

Williamsville South:  Graham Dolan - 11, Matt Foster - 11

Sweet Home:  Brandon Smiley - 12

Hamburg:  Caleb Wood - 12

West Seneca East:  Ed Radka - 11, Matt Kumro - 12

Iroquois:  Zach Emer - 12, Lucas Tait - 12

 

****************************************************

 

ECIC III

Player of the Year:

TC Brown - Amherst, 11

 

First Team

Zak Cieszki - Cheektowaga, 12

Dominik Welch - Cheektowaga, 10

Dorian Billups - Amherst, 12

Darien Lowe - Amherst, 12

Collin Gemerek - Depew, 12

 

Second Team

Noah Thompson - East Aurora, 11

Amadi Ikpeze - Amherst, 11

Mike Kelleher - Maryvale, 12

Vince Nourse - Pioneer, 12

Kyle Warner - Springville, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Depew:  Tyler Anna - 12, Dylan Sekuterski - 12, Chad Biersbach - 9

Cheektowaga:  Patrick Plummer - 12, Devon Camel - 12

East Aurora:  Mike Coatsworth - 12

Maryvale:  Ray Blackwell - 9

 

**************************************************

 

ECIC IV

Player of the Year:

Clay Lewis - Holland, 12

 

First Team

Jeremiah Jones - Lackawanna, 12

Joe Braniecki - JFK, 12

Anthony Sullivan - Cleveland Hill, 12

Larry Fields - Lackawanna, 12

Jermaine Hairston - Cleveland Hill, 12

Tristan Boling - Tonawanda, 12

 

Second Team

Rodney White - Cleveland Hill, 11

Jordan Stockweather - Alden, 11

Christian Snell - Alden, 9

Cale Byczkowski - JFK, 12

AJ Perlino - Holland, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Alden:  Dylan Riddoch - 11

Holland:  Matt Farrant - 12, EJ Staniszewski - 11

JFK:  Brendan Fox - 12

Lackawanna:  Jaelin Watson - 11, Darius Cleveland - 12

Tonawanda:  Cody Diaz - 11, Larenz Jefferson - 12

 

***************************************************

 

NIAGARA FRONTIER LEAGUE

First  Team

Chris Woodard - North Tonawanda, 12

Craig Paige - Lew-Port, 12

Jenard Jackson - Lew-Port, 11

Terrell Ford - Kenmore West, 11

Kelly Brown - Lockport, 11

 

Second Team

Breon Harris - Niagara Falls, 11

Nathan Nielson - Niagara Wheatfield, 11

Joe Kulikowski - Grand Island, 11

Qeyion Williams - Niagara Falls, 11

Ryan Gilbert - North Tonawanda, 11

 

Third Team

Mikey Bermudez - Niagara Falls, 12

Colin Carrey - Grand Island, 12

Trent White - Kenmore West, 12

Nathan Williams - Niagara Wheatfield, 12

Adam McNeill - North Tonawanda, 12

 

*******************************************************

 

NIAGARA-ORLEANS

First Team

Kyle Bradley - Wilson, 12

Jason Hellwig - Medina, 12

Dylanta Carson - CSAT, 12

Andy Xaspos - Roy-Hart, 11

Gates Abrams - Akron, 11

 

Second Team

Evan Shank - Wilson, 12

Chris Sweeney - Barker, 12

Clayton Stanton - Albion, 12

Kyle Burdick - Newfane, 12

Justin Morgan - Medina, 11

 

 Honorable Mention

Albion:  Desmond Blackmon - 12, Manny Thompson - 12, Austin Lloyd - 12, Alex Bison - 12, Tommy Mattison - 10

Barker:  Nate Luckman - 10, Tom Callaghan - 12

Roy-Hart:  Chris Anderson - 11, Nelson Andrade - 12

 

****************************************************

 

CCAA I WEST

Player of the Year:

John Piper - Fredonia, 12

 

First Team

Cam Voss - Fredonia, 12

Cody Johnson - Cassadaga Valley, 12

Patrick Moore - Fredonia, 11

Chucky Martin - Olean, 12

Isaiah Thomas - Dunkirk, 11

 

Second Team

Elijah Ramadhan - Olean, 11

Jake Cavana - Olean, 11

Ben Eckstrom - Olean, 10

Shamon Stewart - Dunkirk, 10

Ben Burk - Southwestern, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Chautauqua Lake:  Carter Davidson - 11, Aaron Swan - 10

Fredonia:  Jarod Burmaster - 11

Olean:  Connor Prizel - 12

Falconer:  Sean Nord - 11, Ryan DePietro - 11

Dunkirk:  Rashad Brown - 11, Richard Pickens - 12

 

***************************************************

 

CCAA II WEST

Player of the Year:

Graham Soffel - Maple Grove, 12

 

First Team

Jake Card - Sherman, 12

Nathan Ottaway - Sherman, 12

Liam Tennies - Westfield, 12

Josh Eddy - Panama, 11

Chris Robson - Sherman, 10

 

Second Team

Tanner Dahl - Westfield, 12

Matt Hair - Frewsburg, 11

Jake Card - Sherman, 11

Chris Blose - Panama, 11

Cordell O'Brien - Frewsburg, 10

Josh Odell - Panama, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Panama:  Jack Payne - 11

Sherman:  Jeremy Cole - 12, Stephen Walczak - 12, Kolby Parks - 10

Clymer:  Adam Honey - 11, Josh Summers - 11, Jared Dunnewold - 12, Dylan Neckers - 11, Evan Legters - 12

Brocton:  Aaron Rifigiato - 10, Bryan Graves - 12

Frewsburg:  Kole Brink - 11

Westfield:  Trevor North - 11

Maple Grove:  Pat Nelson - 11

 

**************************************************

 

CCAA I EAST

Player of the Year:

 Bill Brooks - Silver Creek, 11

 

First Team

Bryce Morrison - Randolph, 12

Trevon Thompson - Silver Creek, 11

Isaac Hilyer  - Portville, 12

Jared Fish - Salamanca, 12

Tyler Siperek - Salamanca, 12

Cole Davis - Allegany-Limestone, 11

 

Second Team

Mason Bosley - Randolph, 12

Connor Gates - Silver Creek, 11

Andy Crandall - Salamanca, 12

Nate Brawdy - Gowanda, 9

Randy Jimerson - Gowanda, 12

Dominic Conroy - Allegany-Limestone, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Portville:  Zach Ewings - 12, Andrew Sarber - 12

Cattaraugus/Little Valley:  Darnell Pritchard - 12

Silver Creek:  Sherman Williams - 12

Gowanda:  Les Young - 12

Randolph:  Derek Young - 12

Salamanca:  Austin Elliott - 12

Allegany-Limestone:  Bailey Higby - 11

 

*************************************************** 

 

CCAA II EAST

Player of the Year:

Dylan Granger - Pine Valley, 12

 

First Team

Phalla Musall - Ellicottville, 12

Logan Youngberg - Forestville, 12

Caleb Makuch - Forestville, 12

Elliott Bowen - Ellicottville, 9

Ben Erickson - Franklinville, 12

Dylan Granger - Pine Valley, 12

 

Second Team

Dylan Szumigala - Forestville, 11

Dawson Bielecki - Franklinville, 11

Jordan Milks - Franklinville, 11

Kilian Abers - PineValley, 11

Austin Grinols - Ellicottville, 9

Emil Erlandson - West Valley, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Forestville:  Ryan Forbes - 12, Jeff Van Vlack - 12

Franklinville:  Isaac Kopp - 9, Drew Jackson - 10, Wil Bays - 11, 

Ellicottville:  Jonas Hurlburt - 11, Cole Lapi - 11, Griffin Chudy - 9

Pine Valley:  Russell Hayes - 12

West Valley:  Patrick Enser - 12. Jared Ras - 12, Justin Summers - 11, Chad Boldt - 10

 

*******************************************************

 

Charter Schools

Player of the Year:

Fred Searles - Global Concepts, 12

 

First Team

DeJuan Owens - Tapestry, 12

Tyrin Lott - Health Sciences, 9

Kenny White - Oracle, 11

Damon Glenn - Maritime, 12

Jordan Maxey - Tapestry, 12

 

Second Team

JaQuoine Fogan - Tapestry, 11

Kam Rashada - Health Sciences, 11

Naz Flood - Health Sciences, 12

Andre Bragg - Tapestry, 12

Fabian Pierce - Global Concepts, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Buffalo Science:  David Harris - 12

Oracle:  Shaundez Davis - 12, Shakur Bridges - 10

Global Concepts:  Dwight Dilbert - 10

Health Sciences:  Amarri Funderburk - 11

 

-centercourt

Who deserves a spot on All-Centercourt?

 

The 2015 All-Centercourt Team & CC MVP will be published on Thursday, April 16th

 

** Link to Brackets Central ** 

 

You think it's easy to come up a top 60?  How about about separating it into a top 25 first? Give it shot. Five teams, with five players on each team, and another 35 players for honorable mention.

 

In about three weeks, the 5th Annual All-Centercourt team will be announced, honoring the top 60 seasons turned in by WNY high school players this year.  The selections are broken down into a first, second, third, fourth, & fifth team, with five players on each, along with 35 honorable mention selections.  There is also an award for the CC MVP (the WNY Player of the Year), Coach of the Year, and Sixth Man of the Year.

 

The top 60 may sound like a lot, but when you start putting names down on paper, the list fills quickly and inevitably some very good players get left off the list.  The main criteria I focus on is the 2014-2015 season, not what you did in the past, and not where you're going in the future...it's all about honoring the top 60 from this season.

 

Use the comments section below to tell us what your 5 teams would look like and maybe even why.  If you're really ambitious, try coming up with the entire team including the HM selections.  

 

Please keep all commentary appropriate when discussing high school athletes, and remember, it is lame to say someone does not belong on a team, without offering up who should be on one.  It might be even more lame to give only one or two teams.  Show us you've paid attention this season and provide all five teams.

 

-centercourt

Section VI All-Tournament Teams - 2015

 

Section VI All-Tournament Teams are selected based on games played during the semifinal and championship rounds of sectionals, and do not include crossover or quarterfinal rounds.

 

Click here to see All-Tournament Teams from other sections, or to view the playoff brackets fro every section in NYS.  You will also find the teams listed below while you are there.  This is a great site during the postseason for keeping track of things across the state.  I highly recommend bookmarking it or saving it to your favorites.

 

Class AA

MVP - Zack Panebianco - Jamestown

 

Stephen Carlson - Jamestown

Charles Lamar - Niagara Falls

Mikey Bermudez - Niagara Falls

Sean Hill - Williamsville North

Maceo Jack - Williamsville North

 

Character Awards:  Zack Panebianco (Jamestown)   &  Mikey Bermudez (Niagara Falls)

 

************************

 

Class A1

MVP - Sam Castronova - Williamsville South

 

Greg Dolan - Williamsville South

Kam Varner - Williamsville South

Chris Woodard - North Tonawanda

Colby Moultrie - North Tonawanda

Juwan Tolliver - McKinley

 

Character Awards:   Sam Castronova (Williamsville South)  &   Adam McNeill - (North Tonwanda)

 

************************

 

Class A2

MVP - Chucky Martin - Olean

 

Ben Eckstrom - Olean

Jake Cavana - Olean

TC Brown - Amherst

Dominick Welch - Cheektowaga

Christian Nodine - Starpoint

 

Character Awards:   Jake Cavana (Olean)   &  Darien Lowe (Amherst)

 

****************************

 

Class B1

MVP - Desmond Blackmon - Albion

 

Clayton Stanton - Albion

Mike Kelleher - Maryvale

Ted York-Brown - Maryvale

Zion Hall - Burgard

Jalin Cooper - Medina

 

Character Awards:  Clayton Stanton (Albion)  &  Mike Kelleher (Maryvale)

 

**************************

 

Class B2

MVP - Percy Bryant - East

 

Daquan Williams - East

John Piper - Fredonia

Cam Voss - Fredonia

Jermaine Hairston - Cleveland Hill

Kyle Bradley - Wilson

 

Character Awards:   Percy Bryant (East)  &  Cam Voss (Fredonia)

 

*******************************

 

Class C1

MVP - JaQuoine Fogan - Tapestry

 

DeJuan Owens - Tapestry

Bill Brooks - Silver Creek

Jake Lewis - Silver Creek

Andy Crandall - Salamanca

Carter Davidson - Chautauqua Lake

 

Character Awards:  Jordan Maxey (Tapestry)  &  Sherman Williams (Silver Creek)

 

*****************************

 

Class C2

MVP - Fred Foster - Middle College

 

JoJo Staton - Middle College

Mason Bosley - Randolph

Bryce Morrison - Randolph

Clay Lewis - Holland

Ben Erickson - Franklinville

 

Character Awards:  Brian Johnson (Middle College)  &  Jarrett Lecceadone (Randolph)

 

********************************

 

Class D

MVP - Xavier Maye - I-Prep

 

Terrance James - I-Prep

Chris Robson - Sherman

Jake Card - Sherman

Chris Blose - Panama

Tanner Dahl - Westfield

 

Character Awards:   Xavier Maye (I-Prep)  &  Chris Robson (Sherman)

 

-centercourt

 

Championship Saturday - 2015

 

 

Class AA Final:  Jamestown 48, Niagara Falls 38

Zack Panebianco and Stephen Carlson each scored 16 points, leading the Red Raiders to a three-peat in Class AA and the fifth sectional title in six seasons.  Jamestown never trailed in the defensive struggle that was tied late in the first half, before they closed on a 5-0 run to take a 26-21 halftime lead.

 

Niagara Falls stayed with the defending state finalists, trailing just 39-33 heading into the fourth quarter, before the Red Raiders pulled away in the closing minutes of the game.  Panebianco did most of his damage in the first half, while Jamestown looked inside to Carlson at the end to close out the game.

 

"I'm blessed to coach the Jamestown Red Raiders", said Jamestown coach Ben Drake, who won his 300th career game with the Red Raiders in just his 17th season.  "It's certainly better to get that milestone win tonight than it would have been in the first game of next season".

 

Sophomore Charles Lamar led Niagara Falls with a game-high 19 points.

 

Class A1 Final:   Williamsville South 63, North Tonawanda 41

The Billies got a balanced performance with five players scoring in double figures and their senior leader, Sam Castronova, reaching the 1,000 point milestone along the way.  North Tonawanda was a game opponent for most of the first half, playing even with South until midway through the second quarter, when Jacks' senior Chris Woodard (10 points) had to go to the bench with his third foul.  South took full advantage, closing the half on a 10-2 run to take a 29-21 lead into the break.  The Jacks would never get any closer than that eight point deficit the rest of the way.

 

Greg Dolan led the way with 15 points, Castronova and Matt Foster each scored 11 points, while Graham Dolan and Myles Hall each added 10 points.  The Billies advance to Tuesday's regional qualifier to face Olean.

 

"It's all about the program, we talk about being a family and I'm sure every program does, but we believe in that", South coach Gabe Michael said.  "I'm really proud and happy for them because they get to go out winners".

 

When asked for his thoughts facing Olean, who has won sectional titles in eight of the last nine seasons,  Michael replied with: "This is their house, we're just guests in it".

 

Class A2 Final:   Olean 58, Amherst 49

For a second straight time at Buff State, the Huskies fell behind early, only to win the final three quarters and the game.  The result was a fourth straight sectional championship for Olean, and its eighth in nine years.  The Huskies got 16 points apiece from senior Chucky Martin and sophomore Ben Eckstrom, along with 15 points on five 3-pointers from guard Jake Cavana to knock off the top seeded Tigers, who have been ranked as a top five large school all season.

 

The 2014 Centercourt Coach of the Year, Jeff Anastasia, showed WNY why he's the winningest active coach with over 500 career victories to his credit.  Olean graduated all five starters from last season's Class B state finalist team and also moved up in classification, from Class B1 to Class A2.  It was the first ever sectional crown in Class A for Anastasia.

 

"They're just a bunch of blue collar kids who work really hard", said Anastasia.  "Each year is a new year - last year it was expected, this year it was not".

 

Class B1 Final:   Albion 65, Maryvale 57

After a 43-year drought, a Section VI champion's plaque for boys varsity basketball will make its way into Orleans County.  The Purple Eagles pulled off the improbable after finishing third in the Niagara-Orleans league, by winning the Class B1 title as the #4 seed.  Desmond Blackmon scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Purple Eagles to the title in their first appearance at Buff State, while Clayton Stanton added 16 points in the win.

 

Albion, who knocked off the top seeded Burgard Bulldogs to arrive here, spotted Maryvale the first three points, before taking an early 11-3 lead and never trailing the rest of the way.  The Purple Eagles led by double figures for much of the contest, playing an entertaining brand of basketball, sharing the ball, and making plays in transition.  

 

Albion advances to Tuesday's Class B regional qualifier at Buff State, where they'll take on the champs from Class B2, East High at 7 pm.

 

"I told them we didn't get here by accident", Albion coach Brett Meakin said.  "I knew we would have to play our best game to win it.  I feel minus a couple bad decisions, we played a pretty complete game".

 

Class B2 Final:   East 54, Fredonia 51

The Panthers, reigning champions from the last two seasons, made it a three-peat in Class B2 and won their fifth Section VI title in six seasons, the 13th overall for head coach Starling Bryant in his 19th season.  They will face Albion in the Class B crossover on Tuesday, looking to advance to regionals for the first time since 2011 when they went as a Class A school.

 

After seven lead changes and four ties in the first half, Daquan Williams drilled a 3-pointer with four seconds left in the half to put the Panthers up three at the break.  East never relinquished the lead for the rest of the game.  Percy Bryant scored a game-high 25 points, while Williams added 10 points for the Panthers, while they held the Hillbillies' Patrick Moore without a field goal in the game.

 

John Piper finished his career at Fredonia with seven 3-pointers and a team-high 23 points, while senior Cam Voss added 19 points.

 

"We tried to build up to be at our peak this time of year", said East coach Starling Bryant.  "I feel pretty confident with our tradition once we get here, it's a different ball game".

 

When asked about the big game performances from returning 2014 4th Team All-Centercourt selection Percy Bryant, the coach added:

"He's a true winner and he gives it all he has.  He does it in practice and he does it in games.  The bigger the game, the bigger the heart".

 

-centercourt

South ends McKinley's season, NT advances

(Graham Dolan had one of several standout performances for South / Photo by Dave DeLuca)

 

All season long, it seemed they were on a collision course to meet up in the Class A1 Final.  They've been the only two teams from Class A1 that were ranked in the top five all season. What a game it would be at 6:30 pm on Championship Saturday.  But then late in the season, the Billies lost to Starpoint, surrendering the top seed in A1 and setting the stage for South to play the Macks in the semifinals instead.  Ultimately, it didn't matter when they played.  As it turned out, Williamsville South was the better team this year.  They proved it on the court at Buff State, the place the Macks practically call home, and earned a trip back to the Class A1 Finals, looking to settle what they view as some unfinished business.  Awaiting them will be North Tonawanda, a crew as gritty as they come, that hangs its hat on protecting the paint with perhaps the best 2-3 zone in the section.

 

Williamsville South 65, McKinley 61

Sam Castronova scored off the opening tip for the Billies on a confident move to the basket.  There was no hesitation, just an aggressive, controlled finish at the basket. It was a definite sign of things to come.  Midway through the opening quarter, the Billies took a 10-3 lead.  The start of the game saw South getting good looks inside and finishing them with ease.  Five different players scored for South in the first eight minutes, led by Kam Varner scoring six of his 16 points in the frame.  McKinley scored just its second field goal of the quarter in the closing seconds and trailed 18-7 heading into the second quarter.

 

The Macks cut the deficit to 20-15 with an 8-2 run to start the second quarter.  After a timeout, South got a basket from Varner.  After getting a stop, Graham Dolan banged a '3' for the Billies, followed by a three-point play from Matt Foster, and with three minutes left before halftime, South had its largest lead of the game, 28-15.  Just two seconds before halftime, Juwan Tolliver finished at the basket to cut the Billies' advantage to 32-23 at the intermission.

 

At the midway point of the third quarter, with South in front, 41-29, McKinley made its move.  A 14-4 push to close the third quarter, with half of those points coming from Tolliver, got the Macks to within two, 45-43 heading into the final stanza.  Just over a minute into the fourth, Devin Morris tied the game for McKinley at 45 apiece, and the Buff State Sports Arena was electric.  McKinley had the momentum, and it looked like a good game plan from South had run its course.  The Macks were about to wear another opponent down.

 

Instead, the complete opposite occured.  Will South settled and got back to doing what had helped them to control the tempo for most of the game up to that point.  Varner scored six more points to lead a 10-0 charge for the Billies and give them a 55-45 lead with 4:37 to go.  McKinley got to within six points at the four minute mark, but it was the closest they would get until the buzzer sounded to end the game.

 

"We have so much respect for that program", Williamsville South coach Gabe Michael said.  "I thought we were going to win, but I've got to say, they're tough.  That's why we've had this game circled - and it wasn't even on our schedule".

 

South junior Graham Dolan had a standout performance defensively, limiting the penetration of McKinley's leading scorer, Morris, who was held to seven points in his final game.  Dolan also scored six of his nine points over the last six minutes of the game.

 

The things that most stood out about what enabled the Billies to control the game against McKinley were rebounding, getting back defensively, not allowing McKinley to gain points in the paint, and handling their pressure.  South had 12 team blocks in the first half, while out-rebounding McKinley by eight.

 

Varner, (16 points) who shared team-high scoring honors with Castronova, was a fierce rebounder throughout and played his best game in a Billies uniform in their biggest game of his tenure.  Matt Foster was the other glass cleaner for the Billies, limiting second chance opportunities for the Macks, and scoring 11 points along the way.  It prevented McKinley from getting out in transition and turned it into a half court game, which favored South.  When the Macks were able to make their run to eventually tie the game at the start of the fourth quarter, Foster was resting up on the bench.  Upon his return, South went on the decisive 10-0 run.  

 

"We only rebounded offensively with two guys (Varner & Foster), so we had three guys getting back.  and we talked about getting all the way back, because even if you're back, they're still going", Michael said.  

 

Freshman point guard Greg Dolan scored eight points, while taking care of the ball and not allowing the vaunted McKinley pressure to be a factor.  He never got rattled and continually made the right decisions with the ball.

 

"It came down to executing not just the game plan, but fundamentals", Michael said. "The big thing was how we handled pressure, because it didn't bother us at all".

 

Tolliver finished with 19 points for the Macks, while Shaquan Jones added 11 points.

 

North Tonawanda 46, Sweet Home 35

Just seconds into the game, Brandon Smiley flushed a lob for Sweet Home to get the party started.  But after a quick 4-2 start for the Panthers, North Tonawanda settled in and finished the opening quarter on a 10-1 run to lead 12-5.

 

After a basket from Colby Moultrie to put the Jacks up 14-5 to start the second quarter, Sweet Home put the clamps on defensively and didn't allow another point from the Jacks for the rest of the half.  Sweet Home won the quarter, 8-2, and trailed 14-13 at halftime.  

 

After an even third quarter had the score 24-23 in favor of North Tonawanda, the Jacks began to pull away.  Donovin Book and Ryan Gilbert each connected from downtown to start the final stanza, followed by a layup from Gilbert, to tale a 32-23 lead.  With two minutes remaining, the Panthers got to within five points, but never any closer in a game where points came at a premium.

 

Chris Woodard led the Jacks with a game-high 12 points, while Book & Gilbert each finished with 10 points.

 

Jordan Evert and Asa'd Myles each scored 10 points for Sweet Home in the loss.

 

Williamsville South and North Tonawanda will play for the Class A1 Section VI title on Saturday, March 7th at 6:30 pm at Buffalo State.

 

-centercourt

Buff State Semifinal Guide - 2015

 

 

 

Monday, March 2nd

Class A1 Semifinals at 6 pm & 7:45 pm

 #1 North Tonawanda (15-4) vs. #4 Sweet Home  (10-9)

- The Jacks finished as co-champs of the NFL with Niagara Falls, the Panthers tied for 3rd in ECIC II

- NT is led by Chris Woodard & Ryan Gilbert.

-  Sweet Home is led by Jordan Heine and Brandon Smiley.

- The Jacks lost in the semifinals to Will South at Buff State last season

- The Panthers last appearance at Buff State was in 2013, when they lost to Hutch-Tech, 67-47, in the Class A1 semifinals.

- Last season, NT ended Sweet Home's season in the Class A1 quarterfinals.

-  Best win for NT was at Niagara Falls.

- Best win for Sweet Home was against Williamsville East.

- I did not for for either team in this week's large school poll

 

#2 Williamsville South (17-2) vs. #3 McKinley (17-2)

- McKinley went unbeaten in the city to win the Yale Cup, South won league in ECIC II.

- South is led by Sam Castronova (returning All-Centercourt Honorable Mention selection) and freshman Greg Dolan.

- McKinley is led by Devin Morris (returning 5th Team All-Centercourt selection) and Shaquan Jones.

- These two met in the Class A1 final last season. McKinley won, 71-66.

- Best win for Williamsville South was at Williamsville North

- Best win for McKinley was at Williamsville North

- I voted McKinley #3 and South #5 in this week's large school poll.

 

***********************

 

Tuesday, March 3rd

Class B2 Semifinals at 5:15 pm & 6:45 pm

#1 Cleveland Hill (16-3) vs. #5 East (11-8) 

- The Golden Eagles were unbeaten ECIC IV champs, East finished 4th in Yale Cup I.

- Cleveland Hill is led by Jermaine Hairston & Anthony Sullivan.

- East is led by Percy Bryant (returning 4th Team All-Centercourt selection and 1,000 point scorer) and Damone Brown

- These two met in the Class B2 final last season. East won, 58-49.

- Best win for Cleveland Hill was against Salamanca.

- Best win for East was against Middle College.

- I voted East #6 and did not vote for Cleveland Hill in this week's small school poll.

 

#2 Fredonia (17-2) vs. #3 Wilson (16-3)

- The Hillbillies were co-champs with Olean in CCAA I West.  Wilson won the N-O.

- Fredonia is led by John Piper (1,000 point scorer) and Patrick Moore.

- Wilson is led by Kyle Bradley and Evan Shank.

- The Hillbillies lost to Olean in the Class B1 final last season.

- Wilson's last appearance at Buff State was in 2012 when lost lost to CSAT in the Class B2 final.

- Best win for Fredonia was at St. Mary's.

- Best win for Wilson was against Niagara Catholic.

- I voted Fredonia #2 in this week's small school poll.  I did not vote for the Lakemen.

 

Class AA Semifinal at 8:15 pm

#1 Jamestown (16-3) vs. #4 Lancaster (11-8)

- The Red Raiders were unbeaten champs of ECIC I, Lancaster finished 3rd.

- Jamestown is led by Zack Panebianco & Stephen Carlson.

- The Redskins are led by Alex Damiani and Collin Murray.

- Jamestown won Class AA last season and advanced to the NYSPHAA Class AA state championship.

- Lancaster's last trip to Buff State was in 2011, where they lost to Jamestown in the Class AA semifinals.

- Best win for Jamestown was against Amherst.

- Best win for Lancaster was against Cleveland Hill.

- I voted Jamestown #2 in this week's large school poll.  I did not vote for the Redskins.

 

 **********************************

 

Wednesday, March 4th

Class B1 Semifinals at 5:15 pm & 6:45 pm

#1 Burgard (13-6) vs. #5 Alboin (8-11)

- The Bulldogs finished 3rd in Yale Cup I, the Purple Eagles tied for 3rd in the N-O.

- Burgard is led by Jaelyn Hall and Isaiah Jamison.

- Albion is led by Austin Lloyd and Dez Blackmon.

- Burgard's last trip to Buff State was in 2006, when they lost to eventual state champion, Lackawanna, by two points in the Class B1 final.

- The Purple Eagles will make their first trip to Buff State. It's on Grant Street in Buffalo.

- Best win for Burgard was against East.

- Best win for Albion was against St. Francis.

- I voted Burgard #10 and did not vote for Albion in the small school poll.

 

#3 Medina (10-9) vs. #10 Maryvale (9-10)

- The Mustangs finished 2nd in the N-O, the Flyers finished 5th in ECIC III.

- Medina is led by Jason Hellwig and Justin Morgan.

- Maryvale is led by Mike Kelleher and Ray Blackwell.

- The Mustangs last trip to Buff State was in 2009, where they lost to Olean in the Class B1 semifinals.

- The Flyers lost to Cheektowaga, 72-53, in the Class A2 semifinals last season.

- Best win for Medina was against Wilson.

- Best win for Maryvale was at Depew.

- I did not vote for either team in the small school poll.

 

 Class AA Semifinal at 8:15 pm

#2 Williamsville North (15-4) vs. #3 Niagara Falls (13-6)

- The Spartans finished 2nd in ECIC I, the Wolverines were co-champs with NT in the NFL.

- North is led by Dylan Lambert and Maceo Jack.

- Niagara Falls is led by Mikey Bermudez and Qeyion Williams.

- The Spartans lost in the Class AA semifinals last season to Clarence, 49-39.

- Niagara Falls' last trip to Buff State was in 2013, when they lost in the Class AA final to Jamestown, 46-39.

- Best win for Will North was against Timon.

- Best win for Niagara Falls was at North Tonawanda.

- I voted North #6 in this week's large school poll.  I did not vote for Niagara Falls.

 

********************************

 

Thursday, March 5th

Class A2 Semifinals

 #1 Amherst (17-2) vs. #4 Cheektowaga (15-4)

- The Tigers were undefeated in ECIC III, the Warriors finished 2nd in ECIC III.

- Amherst is led by TC Brown and Dorian Billups.

- Cheektowaga is led by Dominick Welch and Zak Ciezki.

- They played in the Class A2 final last season, with Cheektowaga winning in OT, 69-68.

- Best win for Amherst was at Cheektowaga.

- Best win for Cheektowaga was against East.

- I voted Amherst #4 and did not vote for Cheektowaga  in the large school poll.

 

#2 Starpoint (16-3) vs. #3 Olean (15-4)

- The Spartans finished 2nd in ECIC II, the Huskies were co-champs of CCAA I West with Fredonia.

- Starpoint is led by Brock Kroening and Christian Nodine.

- Olean is led by Chucky Martin and Connor Prizel.

- Starpoint's last trip to Buff State was in 2003.

- Olean won the overall Section VI Class B title last year and advanced to the NYSPHAA Class B state championship.

- Best win for Starpoint was at Williamsville South.

- Best win for Olean was against Fredonia.

- I voted Starpoint #10 in this week's large school poll.  I did not vote for Olean.

 

-centercourt

Brackets Central - 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below are links to each bracket, along with some other postseason-related content:

 

Brackets Central 2014   Brackets Central 2013   Brackets Central 2012    Brackets Central 2011

 

 Manhattan Cup Playoffs

Class AA Bracket

Class A1 Bracket

Class A2 Bracket

Class B1 Bracket

Class B2 Bracket

Class C1 Bracket

Class C2 Bracket

Class D Bracket 

 

Far West Regional - 2015

Section VI All-Tournament Teams

All-League from every league - 2015

Schedule of remaining postseason games

Crossover Tuesday at Buff State

Championship Saturday - 2015 (with video)

JCC Friday - 2015

Crusaders advance to the CHSAA state championship

Canisius wins the Manhattan Cup

Park wins Class B Manhattan Cup

Amherst & Olean win Class A2 semifinals, will meet up in final

Class A1 semifinals: South & NT advance

Buff State Tuesday: East, Fredonia, & Jamestown march on

Buff State Week Viewing Guide

Manhattan Cup Semifinals Recap

Sectional Preview

Manhattan Cup Play-in games

Maryvale advances

Cheektowaga is going back to Buff State

My Poll Ballots heading into championship week

 Final regular season standings

WHO DESERVES A SPOT ON ALL-CENTERCOURT?

 

-centercourt

Sectional Preview - 2015

(It's that time of year again - High School basketball sectionals / Photo by Dave DeLuca)

 

The Section VI postseason begins tonight with first round games, and the winners move on to participate in the pre-quarterfinal games played on Wednesday.  Friday night is when the action really kicks up, as 32 quarterfinal games will decide which teams move on to Buffalo State and JCC for the semifinals. 

 

Below I take a look at some of the best matchups we could potentially see in the pre-quarterfinals, quarterfinals, semifinals, and even the championship games, along with sleepers, some winning streaks, and predictions.

 

** Please note that many of the games below are based on my predictions of who will win in prior rounds 

 

Teams who opted out of sectionals:

- Falconer

- Cattaraugus Little Valley

 

Most exciting bracket

Class A2

 

Sleepers for each bracket:

Class AA - Kenmore West

Class A1 - Williamsville East

Class A2 - Lew-Port

Class B1 - East Aurora

Class B2 - Emerson

Class C1 - Chautauqua Lake

Class C2 - Global Concepts

Class D - Maple Grove

 

 

Top 10 Pre-Quarterfinal Games (Wednesday, 2/25)

10. Niagara Wheatfield @ Clarence

9. Orchard Park @ Kenmore West

8. Akron vs. CSAT

7. Buffalo Science @ Olmsted

6. Southwestern vs. East

5. Bennett @ Buffalo Arts

4. JFK @ Lackawanna

3. Maryvale @ City Honors

2. DaVinci vs. Emerson 

1. Riverside @ West Seneca East

 

Top 10 Quarterfinal Games (Friday, 2/27) 

10. Williamsville East @ Sweet Home

9. Lockport @ Lancaster

8. Frontier @ Niagara Falls

7. Maryvale @ Depew

6. East Aurora @ Albion

5. Maple Grove @ Sherman

4. Kenmore West @ Williamsville North

3. Emerson @ Wilson

2. East vs. Health Sciences *at Nichols

1. Lew-Port @ Cheektowaga

 

Most Exciting Potential Semifinals

6. Tapestry vs. Salamanca

5. East/Health Sciences vs. Cleveland Hill

4. Niagara Falls vs. Williamsville North

3. Starpoint vs. Olean

2. Lew-Port/Cheektowaga vs. Amherst

1. McKinley vs. Williamsville South

 

Most Exciting Potential Championship Games

5. Class AA Final

4. Class B2 Final

3. Class C1 Final

2. Class D Final

1. Class A2 Final

 

Win Streaks heading into sectionals

Sherman 19 

Health Sciences 12 

Fredonia 11 

Silver Creek 10

Cleveland Hill 8 

Cheektowaga 8

McKinley 7

Amherst 7

Jamestown 6

 

Predictions

Class AA - Jamestown

Class A1 - McKinley

Class A2 - Amherst

Class B1 - Depew

Class B2 - Fredonia

Class C1 - Silver Creek

Class C2 - Middle College

Class D - Sherman

 

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Class A1 & A2 Brackets - 2015 Sectionals

 

Class A1

 

Pre-Quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 25th

(9) South Park 63, (8) Hutch-Tech 61

 

(7) Grand Island 56, (10) Kenmore East 45

 

Quarterfinals - Friday, February 27th

(1) North Tonawanda 64, (9) South Park 49

(4) Sweet Home 70,  (5) Williamsville East 55

 

(2) Williamsville South 63, (7) Grand Island 35

 (3) McKinley 75, (6) Hamburg 47

 

Semifinals - Monday, March 2nd

AT BUFFALO STATE - 6 pm & 7:45 pm

(1) North Tonawanda 46, (4) Sweet Home 35

(2) Williamsville South 65, (3) McKinley 61

 

Final - Saturday, March 7th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 6:30 pm

(2) Williamsville South 63, (1) North Tonawanda 41 

 

2015 Section VI Class A1 Champions:

Williamsville South Billies

 

*******************************************************

 

Class A2

 

Pre-Quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 25th

(8) Iroquois 60, (9) Pioneer 55

 

(7) West Seneca East 73, (10) Riverside 45 

(6) Dunkirk 67, (11) Lake Shore 61

 

Quarterfinals - Friday, February 27th

(1) Amherst 75, (8) Iroquois 50

(4) Cheektowaga 64, (5) Lew-Port 51

 

(2) Starpoint 68, (7) West Seneca East 56

(3) Olean 66, (6) Dunkirk 45

 

Semifinals - Thursday, March 5th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 6 pm & 7:45 pm

(3) Olean 62, (2) Starpoint 51

(1) Amherst 54, (4) Cheektowaga 53

 

Final - Saturday, March 7th

AT BUFFALO STATE - 3:30 pm

(3) Olean 58, (1) Amherst 49

 

2015 Section VI Class A2 Champions:

Olean Huskies

 

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Top games of the week ending 2/15/15

(Trevon Thompson & Silver Creek are eager for Salamanca's visit on Thursday)

 

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

 

Monday, February 9th

Cheektowaga @ I-Prep - 5:30 pm

Randolph @ Salamanca - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, February 10th

McKinley @ East - 5:30 pm

Wilson @ Medina - 6:30 pm

Walsh @ St. Mary's - 6:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Nichols - 6:30 pm

Lockport @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Lew-Port - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Kenmore West - 6:30 pm

Canisius @ Aquinas - 7 pm

Cleveland Hill @ JFK - 7 pm

West Seneca East @ Williamsville East - 7:30 pm

Maple Grove @ Sherman - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, February 11th

Bishop Kearney @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

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

 

Thursday, February 12th

Park @ Nichols - 6 pm

Salamanca @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, February 13th

Niagara Catholic @ Walsh - 6:30 pm

Kenmore West @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Niagara Falls @ Lew-Port - 6:30 pm

Canisius @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Williamsville East @ Starpoint - 7:30 pm

Lancaster @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

Tapestry @ Health Sciences - 7:30 pm

 

Sunday, February 15th

Timon @ Park - 2 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ Walsh - 2 pm

St. Francis @ Nichols - 3:30 pm

Niagara Catholic @ St. Joe's - 3:30 pm 

St. Mary's @ Canisius - 4 pm

 

Game of the Week - Salamanca @ Silver Creek on Thursday, February 12th

- Since the start of the season, I've been beating the drum for CCAA I East, saying how competitive the league would be this year.  After Thursday night's big game, we should know who will emerge as the this year's division champs.  As of today, Salamanca & Silver Creek have identical 8-1 records in CCAA I East.

The two teams have plenty in common.  Both are class C1 schools that expect to contend for a sectional title this season, after both reached the sectional semifinals last year (Silver Creek went a game farther, reaching the sectional final).  Each team is led by a young, enthusiastic coach.  The two best big men in the CCAA leagues play for these two:  Bill Brooks of Silver Creek & Jared Fish of Salamanca.  Brooks was a 2014 All-Centercourt 3rd Team selection, while Fish was HM in '14.  And both teams have won this season, despite missing a key starter due to injury.  Fish missed a few weeks with an ankle injury, while the Black Knights were without second leading scorer, Trevon Thompson, for several games.  Both are healthy now and should start on Thursday.

Silver Creek's lone league loss came at Salamanca on January 16th, by 13 points. Both Fish and Thompson missed that game.  Salamanca's league loss came at Randolph on January 13th, a team the Black Knights have already swept.  Prior to arriving at Silver Creek on Thursday, the Warriors will try to avenge the loss at Randolph when they host the Cardinals on Monday night.  Even if Salamanca losses a second time to Randolph, a win at Silver Creek would keep them tied for first place.  But if Silver Creek wins on Thursday, they are alone at the top of CCAA I East.

Neither team is lacking for confidence coming in to this game, and both feel they are the better squad and this is their year.  On Thusday we will find out if the recent success Silver Creek is enjoying is due to them taking the next step, or if Salamanca really does have the Black Knights' number and are a cut above the competitive CCAA I East.  

 

-centercourt

Top games of the week ending 2/8/15

 (Zack Panebianco shoots a free throw against ECIC I rival Will North. Photo by Cameron Hurst)

 

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

 

Tuesday, February 3rd

Nichols @ Canisius - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Lew-Port - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ St. Francis - 6:30 pm

West Seneca East @ Sweet Home - 6:30 pm

St. Mary's @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, February 4th

Timon @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

 

Thursday, February 5th

Hamburg @ West Seneca East - 7:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

Canisius @ Cathedral Prep - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, February 6th

Lew-Port @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Niagara Falls @ North Tonawanda - 6:30 pm

Nichols @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm

Williamsville North @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, February 7th

Henry Carr @ Niagara Falls - 1 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ Fredonia - 3 pm

 

Game of the Week - Williamsville North @ Jamestown on Friday, February 6th

- There's all kind of things at stake as these two get together on the first Friday night of February.

For starters, both teams are indefeated in ECIC I, making this a game for first place in the league.  In the competitive league of all Class AA schools, these two have been a cut above the rest against the others all season, and thanks to a snow storm postponing the first scheduled meeting in January, both teams have had a chance to knock everyone else in league off already.

This is also a huge game in the realm of how the seeding will shake out in the upcoming sectionals a month from now.  The schools are not only the class of ECIC I, but also viewed as the two best teams in Class AA.  The winner will have a leg up on securing the top seed.

The Spartans and Red Raiders are currently the only two teams from Class AA ranked in the large school poll.  North will enter as the #6 team, while Jamestown will come in as #3.  Regardless of who wins, the game could have poll implications.  The Spartans sit one spot behind Amherst, who is ranked #5.  The Tigers just made the trip to Jamestown and lost by 10 points.  Even in a loss, North could move past Amherst in the poll with a better showing, although I'm sure they aren't concerned with moral victories at the moment.

 Every season this series tends to produce some classics, and here's hoping for more of the same.  It's the first of two regular season meetings, and chances are, it could be the first of three games between them this season.  See you in Jamestown on Friday for the 'Game of the Week'.

 

-centercourt

Random Smatterings Dos

(McKinley & South could play earlier than anticipated. Photo by Buffalo News)

 

- Fans who have been checking the polls, reading box scores, or actually getting out to the games, and drooling about the potential of McKinley/Williamsville South sectional final in Class A1 might get that matchup much sooner than expected.  Based on the way sectional power points are shaking out, it looks like they would be on course to meet up in the semifinals instead.  Furthermore, that would be played on the first night of Buff State week.

 

- 20 games are back!!!  The NYSPHAA voted to approve the maximum number of varsity contests inceasing back to 20 games.  The vote passed by a 20-2 margin.  This means more nonleague games and the potential for many more high profile games between the area's top programs.  I will be throwing out plenty of suggestions.

 

- In CCAA I East, Salamanca beat Silver Creek, but lost to Randolph.  Randolph beat Salamanca, but lost to Silver Creek.  Silver Creek hosts Salamanca on February 12th in a game that could decide the league champ.  I think tip should be moved to 8 pm that night, so I can catch it all after the Nichols/Park game that night (6 pm tip).

 

- Most impressive about Salamanca & Silver Creek being tied for first place in the competitive CCAA I East - both have had to win with key starters missing extended time due to ankle injuries, Jared Fish for the Warriors and Trevon Thompson for the Black Knights.

 

- Cheektowaga's Zak Ciezki, Silver Creek's Bill Brooks, and Williamsville East's Nicholas Clough are all recent additions to the 1,000 point club.

 

- How about this stat line from Silver Creek's Bill Brooks:  20 points, 23 rebounds, 10 blocks, & five assists in a 74-33 win against Maple Grove.  

 

- To the best of my knowledge, the season-high for points scored in a game in WNY is 40, scored by St. Francis' Kordell Holness-Lightbody and Health Sciences' Tyron Lott.  Cody Johnson of Cassadaga Valley and Craig Paige of Lew-Port have both turned in 39-point games, and Takal Molson of St. Mary's scored 38 points last night.

 

- The above mentioned Tyron Lott scored 40 points coming off of a 35-point night.  He's a freshman.

 

- On the last day of January, I'll try to predict the four team that will arrive at Buffalo State in March for the Class B1 semifinals:

Depew, Burgard, Albion, & East Aurora

 

- Unfortunately, the Manhattan Cup Finals at Canisius College are the same night as the Class B1 semifinals and one of the Class AA finals at Buffalo State.

 

- East Aurora has been a pretty scrappy team this season, considering its lineup has been almost exclusively underclassmen and its senior scoring leader, Mike Coatsworth, is out for the season with an injury.

 

- Speaking of season-ending injuries, St. Joe's lost senior starting center Ed Tabone last week to a broken wrist.

 

- Two MMA teams hoping for a boost from returning big men - Canisius & Timon.  The Crusaders have been winning without TJ Wheatley, as he takes his time taking visits and making the right choice about where he'll attend college to play D1 football next year.  Timon awaits the return of Tyree Coble, who will provide some needed size for the Tigers.  Coble started for Timon last year.

 

- In the crazy NFL, once ruled by Niagara Falls, the one team that has yet to falter is North Tonawanda.  They survived a scare from Ken West and needed overtime to get past Falls, but the Lumberjacks are the league's lone unbeaten.

 

- Wilson, who saw its streak of six straight appearances at Buff State end two seasons ago, is unbeaten in the N-O and appears to be a school with a good chance to get back to the dance.

 

- Health Sciences threw 117 points on the scoreboard in a win, the most I've seen scored in WNY in years.  The Falcons' leading scorer that night equaled the total scored by the opposition (35 pts).

 

- Lew-Port has scored over 80 points in five wins this season.  I'm hoping that scoring punch arrives at Buff State in a month from now so we can all see it.

 

- Student sections are on the rise everywhere and it makes high school basketball environments so much better.  

 

- The entire Lancaster basketball team, including the coach, shaved their heads for Bald for Bucks, a cancer fundraiser.

 

-centercourt

2015 WNY postseason schedule

  

 

Monday, February 23, 2015

MMA #4 seed vs. #5 seed play-in games at a neutral HS

Class B - 6 pm

Class A - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Sectionals - Round One

 

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Sectionals - Round Two

 

Friday, February 27, 2015

Sectionals - Quarterfinals

 

Sunday, March 1, 2015

MMA semifinals @ Canisius College

Class B - 9:30 am & 11:15 am

Class A - 1 pm & 2:45 pm

 

Monday, March 2, 2015

Class A1 Semifinals @ Buff State - 6 & 7:45 pm

Class C1 Semifinals @ JCC - 5:15 & 6:45 pm

Class D Semifinal @ JCC - 8:15 pm

 

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Class B2 Semifinals @ Buff State - 5:15 & 6:45 pm

Class AA Semifinal @ Buff State - 8:15 pm

Class C2 Semifinals @ JCC - 5:15 & 6:45 pm

Class D Semifinal @ JCC - 8:15 pm

 

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Class B Manhattan Cup Final @ Canisius College -6 pm

Class A Manhattan Cup Final @ Canisius College - 7:45 pm

Class B1 Semifinals @ Buff State - 5:15 & 6:45 pm

Class AA Semifinal @ Buff State - 8:15 pm

 

 Thursday, March 5, 2015

Class A2 Semifinals @ Buff State - 6 & 7:45 pm

 

Friday, March 6, 2015

Section VI Championships @ JCC

Class D - 5:15 pm

Class C2 - 6:45 pm

Class C1 - 8:15 pm

 

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Section VI Championships @ Buff State

Class B2 - 12 pm

Class B1 - 1:45 pm

Class A2 - 3:30 pm

Class A1 - 6:30 pm

Class AA - 8:15 pm

 

Sunday, March 8, 2015

CHSAA Class A state semifinal @ Niagara University - 1 pm

 

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Regional Qualifiers @ Buff State

Class C1 vs. C2 - 5:15 pm

Class B1 vs B2 - 6:45 pm

Class A1 vs. A2 - 8:15 pm

 

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Far West Regionals (Section VI vs. Section V) - Site TBD in Rochester

Class D - 12 pm

Class C - 1:45 pm

Class B - 3:30 pm

Class A - 6:30 pm

Class AA - 8:15 pm

 

-centercourt

Top games of the week ending 2/1/15

(Jamestown faces Athena in a rematch of last year's Class AA regional. Photo by Scott Kindberg)

 

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

 

Monday, January 26th

Niagara Falls @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Park @ Walsh - 6:30 pm

Maple Grove @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 27th

North Tonawanda @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Amherst @ Jamestown - 7 pm

Lew-Port @ Niagara Catholic - 7 pm

 

Wednesday, January 28th

Grand Island @ Tapestry - 6 pm

Timon @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Park @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

JFL @ West Seneca West - 7:30 pm

Randolph @ Portville - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 29th

Middle College @ McKinley - 6 pm

Canisius @ Walsh - 6:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Salamanca - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 30th

Lockport @ North Tonawanda - 6:30 pm

Williamsville North @ Bennett - 6:30 pm

Sweet Home @ Starpoint - 7 pm

JFK @ Lackawanna - 7 pm

Depew @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Panama @ Maple Grove - 7:30 pm

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

 

Saturday, January 31st

St. Joe's vs. Canisius - 1 pm **at Canisius College

Randolph @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

RAP Showcase at Aquinas

Cardinal O'Hara vs. Charlotte - 12 pm

Jamestown vs. Greece Athena - 6:45 pm

 

Game of the Week - Middle College at McKinley on Thursday, January 29th

This game was originally supposed to be played on January 9th, but was postponed.

- After breaking the Yale Cup winning streak by winning 33 straight games against its competition from the Buffalo Public Schools, McKinley saw its run end at the hands of Middle College on January 31, 2014.  The Kats proceeded to go into Mack High a week later and defeat McKinley for a second time and went on to win the Yale Cup.

McKinley would go on to win a third straight Section VI title in Class A1, while Middle College also earned a third straight Section VI crown, and made it all the way to the NYSPHAA Class C state championship game.

Once again this season, the two programs are considered elite in both the city and in their respective classifications in the section.  The two games played between these annual powers will likely determine this year's Yale Cup champion just like a season ago.  The Kats  have already faced East twice and split with them.  The Macks defeated East in their first meeting with the Panthers and will enter the game unbeaten in the city.  A win on Thursday for the Kats is crucial to their chances of repeating as Yale Cup champions, as they will enter a game behind McKinley in Yale Cup I.  A win for McKinley would have them well on their way to a returning to the status of Yale Cup Champs, and re-establish them as the city's top program.

As of now, McKinley is the #2 ranked large school in WNY, while Middle College is ranked #3 among WNY small schools.

 

Since the above game is a repeat from weeks earlier:

 

Game of the Week II - Jamestown vs. Greece Athena on Sat., January 31st

- Last season, Greece Athena spent the season as the favorite to win Class AA in Section V, and were also viewed as the team that would advance to Glens Falls to represent the Far West Region (Sections V & VI).  The Trojans did capture the Class AA crown in Rochester, but Jamestown had other plans for who would be making the trip to Glens.

In a memorable championship game performance, Zack Panebianco took over for the Red Raiders and put the team on his back, enroute to a 34-point performance that helped advance his team all the way to the Class AA state title game.

This year, both teams from that regional game brought back four starters and are once again favorites to win their respective sections.  One big change, Greece Athena is now in Class A, meaning there is no chance of the two meeting up in the postseason.  Luckily, good teams get invited to showcases like the one held at Aquinas, and we'll get to see these two go at it once more.  A rematch of last year's Class AA regional with eight of ten starters back?  That's gotta be 'Game of the Week' material.

 

-centercourt

Gilbert's late '3' lifts NT

 

So I didn't pick Kenmore West at North Tonawanda as the "Game of the Week", but it did have it as one of the week's top battles to watch for.  Thankfully, I ended up at the Lumberyard on Tuesday night, the nickname of the gym where the Jacks play ball.  I ended up seeing the finish of the week, and got to witness one of those moments that stays in your head forever - the type of moment that sports is all about.

 

Ryan Gilbert buried a 3-pointer from the corner with 1.8 seconds remaining, to lift his Jacks over visiting Kenmore West, 48-46.  The win keeps North Tonawanda unbeaten in the NFL, improving them to 4-0 in the league.

 

"I was nervous obviously, but my coach and my team had faith in me to take that shot",  an ecstatic Gilbert said following the game.  "I wouldn't have even gotten open without that screen - perfect play".

 

North Tonawanda head coach Ryan Mountain knew Gilbert was the player he wanted shooting, and felt good about the shot before it even went in.

 

"As soon as he let that shot go, the prayers were answered", Mountain said.  "He held the follow through and actually took a little contact there".

 

North Tonawanda spent most of the first half playing a step behind the aggressive Blue Devils.  Kenmore West did a good job scoring points against the stingy Jacks with a combination of transition points and knocking down a few of its jumpers.  The Blue Devils also showed North Tonawanda a 2-3 zone of their own, something the Jacks haven't faced very often this year.  Kenmore West's halftime lead of 22-16 matched its largest lead of the half.

 

Terrell Ford opened the second half with a bust from long range, giving the Blue Devils the largest advantage they would hold all evening - a nine-point lead.  Trailing 27-18, North Tonawanda gained some momentum after one of the Blue Devils players was whistled for a technical foul.  While the Jacks surged ahead, Kenmore West seemed to takes its foot off the pedal briefly.  The result was a 19-3 run, keyed by 3-pointers from James Garavaglia, Colby Moultrie, & Gilbert (who converted his into a four-point play) and a pair of buckets from Chris Woodard.  Suddenly the Jacks looked largely in control of things and had the home crowd rocking with a 37-30 lead late in the third quarter.  But a trey by the Blue Devils' Jay Taylor toned the crowd down and led to a 7-2 finish over the quarter's final two minutes, taking the Jacks into the final stanza with a 39-37 lead.

 

Gilbert and Garavaglia struck in concession from beyond the arc to start the final eight minute frame off, and suddenly NT was on top 45-37.  But then the sense of urgency set in for Kenmore West.  The Blue Devils began trapping.  NT buckled a bit under the pressure.  Taylor scored again for Kenmore West.  Aaron Tucker hit one of two from the stripe.  Then Tyler Aquilla scored.  Another turnover got Terrell Ford loose in transition - score.  Then with 26 seconds left, Tucker earned a steal and found Ford streaking towards the basket again for another layup.  With the shot clock off, North Tonawanda found themselves down 46-45 after holding an eight point edge minutes earlier.

 

That's when the Jacks drew up a play they had worked on, trusted what they had practiced, and then executed it.  You already know how it ends - in the right corner closest to the NT bench, the ball gets kicked out to Gilbert, a southpaw senior, who lets a '3' go without hesitation...swish!  

 

"I think people would have a deeper appreciation for what we do if they knew how hard we work", said Mountain.  "You hope all that hard work pays off and you have a few memories along the way.  Now Ryan has one that will last a lifetime".

 

 Gilbert finished with a team-high 18 points, that included three 3-pointers, three more FGs, and a 3/3 night from the charity stripe.  Chris Woodard added 10 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks for the Jacks.

 

Ford scored a game-high 22 points for the Blue Devils in the loss.

 

-centercourt

Top games of the week ending 1/18/15

(Freshman Joe Jones & the Park Pioneers invade Canisius on Tuesday. Photo by Buffalo News)

 

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

 

Monday, January 12th

Walsh @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

Sherman @ Maple Grove - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 13th

Park @ Canisius - 6:30 pm

Medina @ Wilson - 6:30 pm

Niagara Falls @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Williamsville South @ Sweet Home - 6:30 pm

Kenmore West @ North Tonawanda - 7 pm

Williamsville East @ West Seneca East - 7:30 pm

Portville @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 14th

Timon @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Starpoint - 7 pm

 

Thursday, January 15th

Tapestry @ Randolph - 7 pm

Clymer @ Sherman - 7:30 pm

Cleveland Hill @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 16th

Lew-Port @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Lockport @ Kenmore West - 6:30 pm

Nichols @ St. Joe's - 7 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm

Starpoint @ Williamsville East - 7:30 pm

Iroquois @ West Seneca East - 7:30 pm

Williamsville North @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm

Silver Creek @ Salamanca - 7:30 pm

MLK Classic **at City Honors

City Honors vs. Health Sciences - 4:30 pm

I-Prep vs. Maritime - 6 pm

Middle College vs. St. Francis - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 17th

MLK Classic **at City Honors

Olmsted vs. Sherman - 11 am

Riverside vs. East Aurora - 12:30 pm

Hutch-Tech vs. Sweet Home - 2 pm

McKinley vs. Canisius - 5:15 pm

 

Game of the Week - Park @ Canisius on Tuesday, January 13th

- Two years ago, before I was aware of the influx of talent making its way to The Park School, a respected coach said to me, "I'm going to tell you right now, Park could win the Monsignor Martin".  At the time I laughed, literally, and thought of it as one of the more outlandish things I'd heard someone say to me with a straight face.   I'm no longer laughing.  These days, I'm the one saying that same thing to others.

The Park Pioneers will enter the game as WNY's top ranked small school, while Canisius, who needs no introduction in local high school hoop circles, is the top ranked large school and regarded as the benchmark program of the area.  This season, the Crusaders have already defeated the #2 large school and Class AA finalist from last season, Jamestown, along with turning in a resounding victory over the defending Manhattan Cup champs, Nichols.  

Meanwhile, Park has been wowing crowds on hand to witness the display they put on during games, and those who have yet to see them in person have done a double take when checking box scores.  Of the seven area teams the Pioneers have faced this season, none have gotten closer than 20 points, and only Lew-Port even competed, yet still trailed by 15 points through three quarters.  Park's seven wins have come by an average of 37.5 points.  The Pioneers hold the season-high for points in a game with 105, scored in a 59-point win over Hutch-Tech.

The two schools have only one prior meeting to look back at, a 12-point win for Canisius at Park last season.   While there is a growing sentiment that this year's Crusader squad may be even better than last's years buzz saw,  there is little debate when comparing last season to this year's version of the Pioneers - they have significantly upgraded.  Most notably, Park added 6-7 Jordan Nwora from Amherst, an inside/outside threat, and Joe Jones, a 6-8 freshman who mans the middle and gives them a legitimate post presence.

With the change in format to the Manhattan Cup playoffs, both teams will have a chance to compete for CHSAA state championships - Canisius in Class A and Park in Class B - if they can emerge as the champions of the MMA.  But there is no chance that these two cross paths in the postseason and there will be no rematch this year.  The winner of this game will be considered the best in WNY, which made this game an easy choice for the Game of the Week.

 

-centercourt

Top games of the week ending 1/11/15

(Middle College at McKinley on 2/8/14. Photo by John Hickey/Buffalo News)

 

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

 

Monday, January 5th

Bennett @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

Panama @ Clymer - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 6th

Canisius @ Nichols - 6:30 pm

St. Mary's @ Walsh - 6:30 pm

Maryvale @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Timon - 7 pm

Lew-Port @ North Tonawanda - 7 pm

Fredonia @ Olean - 7:30 pm

Sweet Home @ West Seneca East - 7:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Randolph - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 7th

East @ McKinley - 6 pm

 

Thursday, January 8th

Cleveland Hill @ Tonawanda - 6:30 pm

Iroquois @ Starpoint - 7 pm

Amherst @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Jamestown @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

Williamsville East @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 9th

Middle College @ McKinley - 6 pm

Lockport @ Lew-Port - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Walsh @ Park - 6:30 pm

Amherst @ Sweet Home - 7 pm

Silver Creek @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm

Randolph @ Portville - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 10th

Canisius @ St. Joe's - 2 pm

Niagara Falls @ Aquinas - 5 pm

 

Game of the Week - Middle College @ McKinley on Friday, January 9th

- After breaking the Yale Cup winning streak by winning 33 straight games against its competition from the Buffalo Public Schools, McKinley saw its run end at the hands of Middle College on January 31, 2014.  The Kats proceeded to go into Mack High a week later and defeat McKinley for a second time and went on to win the Yale Cup.

McKinley would go on to win a third straight Section VI title in Class A1, while Middle College also earned a third straight Section VI crown, and made it all the way to the NYSPHAA Class C state championship game.

Once again this season, the two programs are considered elite in both the city and in their respective classifications in the section.  The two games played between these annual powers will likely determine this year's Yale Cup champion just like a season ago.  The Kats already own a victory over East, the only other team likely to challenge these two in the city, who McKinley hosts prior to facing the Kats, on Wednesday.  A win on Friday for the Kats would have them well on their way to a repeat, while a McKinley victory would establish a clear pecking order of the city's top programs.

As of now, McKinley is the #4 ranked large school in WNY, while Middle College is ranked #4 among WNY small schools.

 

-centercourt

The Standings

 

* Overall record followed by league record

 

Yale Cup I

McKinley.................17-2  (12-0)

Middle College.........14-5  (9-3)

Burgard....................13-6  (9-3)

East.........................11-8  (8-4)

Bennett....................4-15  (3-9)

South Park...............6-12  (2-10)

Riverside..................5-14  (2-10)

Hutch-Tech..............3-16  (2-10)

 

 Yale Cup II

I-Prep.....................15-4  (11-1)

Emerson.................12-6  (8-4) 

MST Seneca............8-11  (7-5)

DaVinci...................8-6  (7-5)

City Honors............7-12  (6-6)

Buffalo Arts.............8-9  (6-6)

Olmsted..................7-12  (4-8)

Lafayette................0-18  (0-12)

 

ECIC I

Jamestown...........16-3  (12-0)

Will North............15-4  (10-2)

Lancaster...............11-8  (7-5)

Frontier.................10-8  (6-6)

Clarence...............5-14  (4-8)

Orchard Park..........6-13  (2-10)

W.Seneca West.......2-17  (1-11)

 

 ECIC II

Will South.............17-2  (13-1)

Starpoint..............16-3  (12-2)

Sweet Home...........10-9  (7-7)

Will East................9-10  (7-7)

Hamburg...............8-11  (6-8)

W.Seneca East.......10-9  (5-9)

Iroquois................7-12  (4-10)

 Lake Shore............4-18  (2-12)

 

ECIC III

Amherst............17-2  (12-0)

Cheektowaga.....15-4  (10-2)

Depew................10-9  (8-4)

East Aurora........8-11  (6-6)

Maryvale............9-10  (3-9)

Pioneer...............6-13  (3-9)

Springville..........3-15  (0-12)

 

 ECIC IV

Cleveland Hill............16-3  (12-0)

Lackawanna...............9-9  (9-3)

Holland......................9-10  (6-6)

Tonawanda................10-9  (6-6)

JFK.............................11-8  (6-6)

Alden.........................4-15  (3-9)

Eden..........................2-17  (0-12)

 

Niagara Frontier League

North Tonawanda...........15-4  (12-2)

Niagara Falls...................13-6  (12-2)

Lockport.........................11-8  (9-5)

Lew-Port.........................11-8  (8-6)

Kenmore West................7-12  (6-8)

Grand Island...................7-12  (5-9)

Niagara Wheatfield.........6-13  (4-10)

Kenmore East.................1-17  (0-14)

 

Niagara-Orleans

Wilson.................16-3  (13-1)

Medina................10-9  (10-4)

Akron..................11-9  (8-6)

CSAT...................10-7  (8-6)

Albion.................10-9  (8-6)

Newfane..............5-14  (4-10)

Roy-Hart.............6-13  (3-11)

Barker.................3-18  (2-12)

 

CCAA West I

Fredonia.......................17-2  (11-1)

Olean............................15-4  (11-1)

Dunkirk........................12-7  (8-4)

Southwestern................10-9  (5-7)

Chautauqua Lake..........5-14  (4-8)

Falconer.......................3-15  (2-10)

Cassadaga Valley..........6-14  (1-11)

 

CCAA East I

Silver Creek.......................17-2  (11-1)

Randolph..........................13-6  (10-2)

Salamanca.........................13-6  (9-3)

Portville............................12-7  (6-6)

Allegany-Limestone..........9-10  (4-8)

Gowanda...........................7-12  (2-10)

Catt Little/Valley...............2-17  (0-12)

 

 

CCAA West II

Sherman.......................19-0  (12-0)

Panama.........................15-4  (9-3)

Westfield.......................11-8 (8-4)

Maple Grove..................9-10  (7-5)

Frewsburg.....................4-15  (3-9)

Brocton.........................5-14  (2-10)

Clymer.........................5-14  (1-11)

 

 

 CCAA East II

Forestville.................12-7  (9-1)

Franklinville..............10-9  (8-2)

Ellicottville................12-7 (7-3)

Pine Valley................7-12  (3-7)

West Valley................8-11  (3-7)

North Collins.............0-18  (0-10)

 

Charter Schools 

Health Sciences...................16-3

Tapestry..............................15-3

Global Concepts...................10-9

Oracle..................................5-14

WNY Maritime.....................3-15

Buffalo Science.....................5-11

 

Monsignor Martin - Large Schools

Canisius.......................19-5  (13-0)

Nichols........................15-9  (8-5)

Timon.........................13-11  (7-6)

St. Joe's......................11-13  (7-6)

St. Francis....................5-19  (1-12)

 

Monsignor Martin - Small Schools

Park.............................17-3  (11-2)

St. Mary's....................15-9  (7-6)

Archbishop Walsh........14-10  (6-7)

Niagara Catholic...........10-13  (3-10)

Cardinal O'Hara............7-17   (2-11)

 

-centercourt

Season Preview: 2014-2015

 

(Nichols celebrates its 2014 Manhattan Cup Championship. Photo by Buffalo News)

 

Below, in this year's version of the Pre-View From Centercourt, you will find:

 - What's New

- Returning 2014 All-Centercourt Players

- Player Watch List for 2014-2015

- A League-by-League look at teams players 

- Coaching Changes

- Classification Changes

- Predictions 

 

What's New

- Section VI teams got one of their games back and are now eligible to play a 19-game regular season.

- The Manhattan Cup is now a tournament for the Class A teams only.  The small schools in the MMA will now compete in a separate playoff, with the winner moving on in the CHSAA Class B postseason.

- Slight divisional realignments once again in the CCAA.  Based on geography...no, based on school size...no, let's try geography again.

- Buffalo Science is back.

- Falconer & Frewsburg are once again separate programs, and face each other in Round One of the Frewsburg Tournament.  Falconer's JV coach from last season, Dan Molfino, now leads the varsity squad at Frewsburg.

- Lake Shore moves back into ECIC II after playing in ECIC III last season.

- This season, the Class AA semifinals will be split up between the Tuesday & Wednesday nights of Buffalo State week, with the Class B2 semis and then the Class B1 semis played prior to each AA semifinal.  That means the Class A1 semifinals are Monday night, leaving the Class A2 semifinals for Thursday night.  

- JCC will squeeze all the magic of semifinal week into two nights.  The Class C1 semifinals will preceed the first Class D semifinal on Monday, with the Class C2 semifinals preceeding the second Class D semifinal on Tuesday.

- Far West Regionals are in Rochester this year

- A master schedule for every WNY team, along with regularly updated standings will be available on this site all season.

 

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The Players

Nine of the top 25 players from the 2014 All-Centercourt teams return to the WNY high school hoops scene, along with another 14 players that received Honorable Mentions following last season.  In addition, many others are primed to have breakout seasons, while the influx of talented underclassmen continues to surface at multiple schools throughout WNY.

 

Reigning Player of the Year & Returning 2014 1st Teamer

Zack Panebianco - Sr., Jamestown:     19.1 PPG  /  4.1 APG  /  3.5 RPG  /  2.2 SPG   as a junior

- Elite two-sport athlete and the reigning Centercourt Player of the Year who led the Red Raiders to the Class AA state title game last year.  Deadly from outside, but equally effective knifing through defenses. Can score in bunches and is highly efficient on offense.  Looks to lead the Red Raiders to a third consecutive Section VI crown - something that has never been achieved in program history.

 

 Returning 2014 Second Teamer

 Stafford Trueheart - Jr., Canisius:  13.0 PPG  /  10.0 RPG  /  4.5 BPG   as a sophomore

-  Already receiving offers as he enters his junior year.  A polished big man with explosivness, touch around the rim, and outstanding anticipation.  Has a summer home in "Lob City".  Looks to get Canisius back to the status of Manhattan Cup champions and beyond.

 

Returning 2014 Third Teamers

Billy Brooks - Sr., Silver Creek:  19.1 PPG  /  14.4 RPG  /  6.7 BPG  /  4.2 APG  as a junior

- Will be getting looks from college coaches all season and turning the heads of local fans along the way.  Completely alters the game for the Black Knights' opponents with his post presence.  Led WNY in shots blocked as a junior and is also the best passing big man in the area.  Look for even bigger strides this season as he assumes the leadership role for his team.

Cam Lewis - Sr., Nichols:   16.1 PPG  /  7.7 RPG  /  2.0 APG  /  1.4 SPG   as a junior

- A star with a skill set tailor made for the next level.  At 6-8, Lewis is just as comfortable with the ball in his hands out on the perimeter as he is banging on the block down low.  Was selected as Manhattan Cup MVP after his big game performances in the postseason.  Already a career 1,000 point scorer.

Chris Miner - Sr., Nichols:   16.4 PPG  /  12.9 RPG  /  2.1 BPG  /  1.8 SPG    as a junior

- Uses his broad frame inside to out-muscle opponents for buckets and rebounds.  A double-double machine who led the Manhattan Cup champs in both scoring and rebounding a season ago.  Also already a career 1,000 point scorer.

 

Returning 2014 Fourth Teamer

Percy Bryant - Sr., East:    17.4 PPG  /  6.2 APG  /  4.7 SPG  /  3.5 RPG    as a junior

- An ultra-quick point guard with a masterful handle.  Provides equal energy on the defensive end and creates countless turnovers.  Led his team in both assists and steals last year, and may add scoring leader to that resume this season.  When his shot is falling, he's practically unstoppable.

 

Returning 2014 Fifth Teamers

Dominick Welch - So., Cheektowaga:  19.5 PPG  /  13.3 RPG  /  3.6 BPG  /  1.4 APG  /  1.2 SPG   as a freshman

- Led the Warriors to their first ever sectional crown as a freshman and averaged a double-double along the way.  Can play all five positions and will hurt you from anywhere on the court - a special talent in this area.  Will look to lead his team past Amherst in the division and then aim for a repeat in sectionals.

TC Brown - Jr., Amherst:   18.2 PPG  /  6.0 RPG  /  5.6 APG  /  3.9 SPG   as a sophomore

- Plays bigger than his size and older than his age.  Competitive and highly confident leader for the Tigers.  Looking to add a third ECIC III title to his resume in his third varsity season, and hopes to help return Amherst to the top of Class A2.

Devin Morris - Sr., McKinley:   15 PPG  /  11 RPG  /  2 BPG  /  2 SPG   as a junior

 - Stands out on a deep Macks team.  Moves fluidly with the ball and excels at getting his shot off in the face of the defense.  Excellent shooter and rebounds well for his size, thanks to good instincts.  Attempting to lead McKinley to a fourth straight Section VI title.

 

Returning 2014 Honorable Mentions

LaTerrance Reed - 12 (Canisius), Zak Cieski - 12 (Cheektowaga), Nicholas Clough - 12 (Williamsville East), Cort Williams - 12 (Williamsville East), Clay Lewis - 12 (Holland), Tanner Schmit - 12 (Nichols), Bryce Morrison - 12 (Randolph), Kordell Holness-Lightbody - 12 (St. Francis), Derick Simpson - 12 (Timon), Derek Cheatom - 12 (Timon),  Sam Castronova - 12 (Williamsville South), Jared Fish - 12 (Salamanca), Cody Johnson - 12 (Cassadaga Valley), Brandon Roach - 11 (Olmsted)

 

Player Watch List:  other names you'll hear from this season 

 Justin Jones - 11 (Canisius), Dorian Billups - 12 (Amherst), John Piper - 12 (Fredonia), JaQuoine Fogan - 11 (Tapestry), Greg Dolan - 9 (Williamsville South), Kam Varner - 12 (Williamsville South), Graham Dolan - 11 (Williamsville South), Maceo Jack - 11 (Williamsville North), William Lamar - 10 (Timon), Fred Foster - 11 (Middle College), Jordan Nwora - 11 (Park), Donell Cathcart - 12 (Cardinal O'Hara), Buzz Watson - 12 (Walsh), Qeyion Williams - 10 (Niagara Falls), Jaylin Rose - 11 (Hutch-Tech), Chris Woodard - 12 (North Tonawanda), Matt Cieslik - 12 (City Honors), Terrance James - 12 (I-Prep), Xavier Maye - 12 (I-Prep), Michael Simpson - 11 (Emerson), Jay Bergmann - 12 (Frontier), Christian Nodine - 11 (Starpoint), Nick Parucki - 12 (West Seneca East), Jordan Heine - 12 (Sweet Home), Tristan Boling - 12 (Tonawanda), Jermaine Hairston - 12 (Cleveland Hill), Craig Paige - 12 (Lew-Port), Jenard Jackson - 11 (Lew-Port), Kyle Bradley - 12 (Wilson), Jason Hellwig - 12 (Medina), Darius Carson - 10 (CSAT), Isaiah Thomas - 11 (Dunkirk), Patrick Moore - 11 (Fredonia), Tanner Dahl - 12 (Westfield), Fred Searles - 12 (Global Concepts), Corey Wiseman - 12 (Health Sciences)

 

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 League-By-League

 

 MONSIGNOR MARTIN CLASS A

The defending Manhattan Cup champs, Nichols, are back in a BIG way.  Not only are three of its starters enormous (6-8, 6-7, 6-5), but they are also phenomenal basketball talents.  Cam Lewis & Chris Miner are both career 1,000 point scorers entering their senior campaigns, while Tanner Schmit is already commited to play at the D1 level for Central Arkansas.  Canisius lost the area's most highly touted player in Howard Washington to a transfer, but also benefited from the arrival of transfer Justin Jones from St. Joe's.  With the size and athleticism of what returns, including Second Team All-Centercourt selection Stafford Trueheart and HM LaTerrance Reed, the Crusaders will continue to be one of the most dominant programs in WNY.  Timon will focus on ball movement and defensive pressure in a bid to return to a third straight Manhattan Cup Final, with its goal being to win it this time.  St. Joe's welcomes back eight players (seven seniors) and adds Grant Beyer from Williamsville South.  With a deep bench and a focus on balance, the Marauders like their chances in the competitive and talent-rich MMA.  St. Francis has its leading scorer and All-Centercourt HM returning, Kordell Holness-Lightbody.  With Holness-Lightbody certain to be the focus of opposing defenses, the young Red Raider lineup will have to grow up quickly and contribute.

***

Nichols: Christopher Miner - 12, Cam Lewis - 12,  Tanner Schmit - 12, Zach Serotte - 12, Ken Williams - 12, Steve Foley - 12, Ben Sendziak - 12, Will Johnson - 10, Marcellus Cooper - 9

Canisius:  Stafford Trueheart - 11, LaTerrence Reed - 12, TJ Wheatley - 12, Josh Huffman - 12, Zachary Koch - 12, Andrew Heitzhaus - 12, Patrick Viola - 12, David Keil - 12, Patrick Crangle - 12,  Justin Jones - 11

St. Joe's:  Mathew Fritz - 12, Naseer Jackson - 10, Antonio Morreale - 12, John Scaglione - 12, David Maher - 12, Marcell Davis - 12, Edward Tabone Jr - 12, Grant Beyer - 11, Anthony Brophy - 11, Nick Motley - 11

Bishop Timon/St. Jude: Derick Simpson - 12, William Lamar - 10, Quinton Lamar - 11, Claudius Modi - 12, Hunter Lancaster - 11, Tyler Ringwood - 11, Joe Harrison - 10

St. Francis:  Kordell Holness-Lightbody - 12, Bo Sireika - 9, Roburt Welch - 10, John Steven Zhu - 11, Cody Smith - 10, Isiah Utley - 11

 

**********************************************

 

MONSIGNOR MARTIN CLASS B 

Park brings back four starters and welcomes in Jordan Nwora from Amherst.  The Pioneers will focus on more consistent pressure defensively, as they have the talent to win the league.  If this new format had existed over the past several years, St. Mary's would have owned it.  The Lancers look to continue their recent success with a brand new starting lineup, as they've done in the past.  Tony Pulvirenti takes over the varsity reigns at Cardinal O'Hara after guiding the JV Hawks over the last three seasons.  He'll have a young team with just one senior, but that didn't stop him from bulking up O'Hara's nonleague schedule.  Walsh has a pair from the basketball-famed Moore family of Olean in head coach Andy and junior Adam.  Combine that with the return of 6-6 senior Buzz Watson (18.5 ppg), along with an Olean transfer, and the Eagles should be contenders.  Niagara Catholic's young team will look to grow under the leadership of a new coach with a pair of Class AA state championship game appearances on his resume, Giulio Colangelo.

 ***

Park:  Derek Cheatom - 12, Randy Golda - 12, Jordan Nwora - 11, Kyle Harris - 11, Hunter Anderson - 11, Tony Ugboma - 11, Ethan Cotrell - 11, Joe Jones - 9

St. Mary's:   Jake Concannon - 12, Takal Molson - 11, Sean Wilson - 12, Austin Oakes - 12, Mark O'Neill - 12, Chris Peete - 12, Kayson Hill - 11, Tony Robinson - 11, Jordan MacKinnon - 11, Cam Dunning - 11, Joseph Stoj - 11, Daquan Hunt - 10, Eric Brown - 9

Cardinal O'Hara:  Donel Cathcart - 12, Charles Debose  - 11, Clifford Ziegler - 10, William Turner - 11, Deamontae Riley - 10, Michon Dudley - 9

Archbishop Walsh:  Adam Moore - 11, John "Buzz" Watson - 12, Noah Watson - 10, Christian Churakos - 10, Ethan Clarke - 12, Tavian Kemp - 10

Niagara Catholic:  Elijah Griggs - 11, Jaceary Menes - 11, Jake Socha - 12, Zach Socha - 11, Connor Freeburger - 12

 

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YALE CUP I

McKinley has become the model of consistency for basketball programs in WNY.  Do I even need to tell you what the Macks will look like this season?  Fast, deep, and intense, are the first three words that come to mind.  They bring back plenty from another defending Section VI championship team.  Defending Yale Cup champion Middle College added one of the most athletically gifted players in all of WNY to its roster with the offseason addition of Park transfer Fred Foster (6-5).  He, along with another always deep roster, will have the Kats eyeing another Yale Cup & another run at states in Class C.  East has dynamic guard Percy Bryant back for his senior season and hopes to have O'Hara transfer Jovell Littlejohn ready to man the middle when the season tips.  The Panthers also have some talented underclassmen that should rapidly improve throughout the year.  South Park will rely on tempo and pressure defense, with no player on its roster over 6-feet tall.  Riverside has a pair of starters back, and a good amount of depth competing for the remaining spots.  Bennett & Burgard did not provide team information.

***

East:  Damone Brown - 11, Percy Byrant - 11, Jovell Littlejohn - 11, Takeyo Burts - 10, Malik Doughty - 12, Willard Anderson - 9

McKinley: Devin Morris - 12, Shaquan Jones - 11, Keyon Johnson - 11, Juwan Tolliver - 12, Jaylen Prophet - 11

Riverside: Romero Gardner - 11, Tim Manney - 12, Jamal Wardlaw - 11, Alexander Johnson - 11, Asuquo "Junior" Efiong - 11, Roberto Rodriguez - 12, Mohammed Ali - 12, Claudio Olympio - 12, Jewimaer Toussaint - 12, Damone McNamee - 12

Middle College:  Isaiah Jenkins - 12, Joseph Staton - 11, Fred Foster - 11, Billy Rivera - 11, Royce Burks - 12, Amir Jemes - 11, Brian Johnson - 11, Loronzo Truitt - 11, Claudius Thomas - 11, Dajon Johnson - 11, Dion Watkins - 11, Tyshawn Silas - 10, Nate Jackson - 9, Hakeem Dobbins - 9, Azyion Clemons - 9

Hutch-Tech: Jailyn Rose - 11

South Park : James Baker - 11, John Vallone - 12, D'Angelo Allen - 12, Shakur Harris - 10, Antonio Leonard - 12, Darrel Moore - 12, Mike McDonald - 12

Burgard

Bennett

 

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YALE CUP II

I-Prep has its sights set on a repeat in Yale Cup II and a run in the Class D sectionals this year, with three key pieces back from the undefeated league championship team of '14.  City Honors will be a guard-oriented team, led by four-year varsity player, Matt Cieslik.  Olmsted will have a formidible backcourt and one of the top players in the city in Brandon Roach, but lack size.  Lafayette has a fill lineup of players this season, described as young, energetic, and optimistic, led by Jovanny Aviles-Vargas.  Emerson, MST Seneca, Buffalo Arts, & DaVinci did not provide any information.

***

I-Prep:  Xavier Maye - 12, Terrance James - 12, Jeffrey Townsel - 11, Davon Gant - 11

City Honors: Matt Cieslik - 12, Jordahn Summers - 12, John Seitz - 12, David Lippman - 12, Alfred Gary - 11, Caleb Lee - 12

Olmsted: Brandon Roach - 11, Dan Reid - 10, Athan Kaudeyr - 12, Anthony Mendrysa - 11, Austin Carter - 12

Lafayette: Jovanny Aviles-Vargas - 12, Christian Tarado-Suarez - 10, Erik Aponte - 9, Cesar Medina - 10, Justin Galvin - 11, Miyaga Miyaga - 11, Demetrius White-Zinermon - 9, Daniel Gonzales - 11, Abdi Malako - 11, Stephan Thomas - 10, Julio Muriel - 12, Eugenio Vira - 11, Derek Ramdhansingh - 12, Luis Plaza - 10

Emerson:  Michael Simpson - 11, Jason Dowell - 11

MST Seneca

Buffalo Arts

DaVinci

 

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ECIC I

Three teams (Jamestown, Clarence, & Williamsville North) all shared the league title a season ago, so the Red Raiders settled things by advancing far past the others in the postseason - all the way to the Class AA state championship game.  Jamestown will be a step behind to start the season thanks to the success of the football team, but after the way Zack Panebianco finished the season last year, they shouldn't be overly concerned.  Lancaster should have its best and most balanced unit in several seasons.  The Redskins showed flashes last year with a very young team, and now they'll have eight players with a lot of varsity experience.  Clarence graduated all five starters from its Class AA finalist team, but does have a pair of returning players who saw considerable action.  Williamsville North will look different without Sterling Taplin in the starting lineup for the first time in five seasons, but the Spartans have no shortage of talent or experience, and will challenge for the top spot in ECIC I once again.  Orchard Park fields a young, defensive-minded team with three returnees.  Frontier & West Seneca West did not provide team information.

***

Jamestown: Zack Panebianco - 12, Stephen Carlson - 12,  Zacc Kinsey - 11, Ben Larson - 12

Lancaster:  Tyler Lis - 12, Griffin O'Brien - 12,  Alex Damiani - 11, Collin Murray - 11, Alex Konst - 11, Andy Fellner - 12, Matt Devic - 12, LG Castillo - 10

Williamsville North:  George Attea - 12, Maceo Jack - 11, Sean Hill - 11, Dylan Lambert - 12, Tim Kreuze - 12, Chad Steinwachs - 12, Sam Cimato - 12, Nick Maranto - 11, Jeff Calderon - 12

Clarence: Matt Sadowy - 12, Kyle Stevens - 12, Dave Cummisky - 12, Bryan Pulli - 12, Hunter Harris - 12, Adam Southern - 11, Jake Ireland - 10, Jake Randall - 10

Orchard Park:  Kevin Goltz - 12,  Jake Heath - 12, Dan Freilicher - 11, Phil Marks - 11, Wes Seigner - 11, Max Cerone - 11, Kevin Looney - 11, Bryan Somerville - 11, Hunter Harris - 11, Chris Liberatore - 11 

West Seneca West: Frank Borzillieri   - 12, DJ Ulmer – 12, Ben Hutton  - 11, Lou DiChristopher  - 12

Frontier

 

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ECIC II

Williamsville South has plenty of pieces back from last year's team that fell short of finishing off McKinley in the Class A1 final last season.  The Billies have talent everywhere and will focus on cohesiveness and team-first basketball.  Williamsville East will play uptempo and look for mismatches.  The Flames should find plenty, with a pair of returning All-Centercourt HM selections and four-year varsity players back in Cort Williams and Nicholas Clough.  Sweet Home will be an experienced and athletic team, returning over 37 points per game from last season.  Starpoint has its best team in recent seasons, and with a good mix of seniors and underclassmen.  The Spartans have four starters back and should challenge the division's top squads.  West Seneca East may have the most experienced unit in the division, as last year's group was void of any seniors.  Both co-captains, along with the school's all-time 3-point leader, are back for the Trojans.  Hamburg returns four players that saw quality minutes during its run to the Class A1 semifinals last year.  Couple that with some talented additions from their 16-win JV team, and the Bulldogs optimistic about making a return trip to Buffalo State.  With just a single senior back, a young team, and a move up to ECIC II, Lake Shore hopes to rebuild its roster through valuable experience this season.  After two straight successful campaigns, Iroquois will look to its five seniors for leadership and rely on size & athleticism.

***

Williamsville East: Cort Williams - 12, Nicholas Clough - 12, Kyle Williams - 12, Joe Adcock - 12, Greg Cook - 12, Alex Pieri - 11, Mike Garafalo - 12, Mike Poturalski - 11

Williamsville South:  Sam Castronova - 12, Kam Varner - 12, Graham Dolan - 11, Greg Dolan - 9, Matt Foster - 11, Myles Hall - 11, Jordan Buell - 11, Dave Isselbaecher - 12, Ryan Phillips - 11, JP Rehak - 12

Iroquois: Zach Emer - 12, Coyote Sokolski - 12, Lucas Tait - 12, Kyle Seifert - 12, Joe Bowen - 11, Dominic Allen - 11, James Carlin - 11, Jack Edwards - 10, Matt Whalen - 10

Sweet Home: Jordan Heine - 11, Asa'd Myles - 12, Milton Zielger - 12, Brandon Smiley - 12, Jordan Evert - 12, Adrian Drake - 12, Josh Hammer - 12, Dylan McDuffie - 9

Hamburg: Joe DeGrood - 12, Brendan Ryan - 11, Kyle Munro - 12, Caleb Wood - 12, Mark Myles - 12, Doug Horbachewski - 12, Matt Snyder - 12, Ryan Dils - 11, Sean DeLellis - 11

West Seneca East: Matt Kumro - 12, Nick Parucki - 12, Ed Radka - 11, Dan Picciano - 11, DJ Schiersing - 12, Jake Klubek - 11, Dale Nicosia - 12, Evin Ksiezarczyk - 12, Jared Kania - 11, Anthony Roncone - 10, Justin Gospodarski - 10

Starpoint: Ian Emerick - 12, Dennis Held - 12, Eric Yaeger - 12, Brock Kroening - 11, Christian Nodine - 11, Ben Walters - 11, Adam Lasal - 10

Lake Shore:  Andrew Bush - 12, Brandon Buchanon - 12, Alec Lezama - 12, Mike Braeuner - 11, Alec Bergum - 11, Collin Fiutko - 11, Cory Fiutko - 11, Joe Friedhoff - 11, Ron John - 11, Nate Myers - 11, Kyle Wishman - 11, Andrew McDonaugh - 10

 

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ECIC III

Amherst has claimed the last three league titles and have reason to believe they're the favorites to do it again.  TC Brown leads a Tigers team that has confidence, size, and depth.  Despite Amherst winning ECIC III last year, it was Cheektowaga who edged them out in the postseason after sweeping them in the regular season.  The Warriors have nearly the entire squad back, including Dominick Welch & Zak Ciezki, and hope that by season's end, they'll have three more wins over Amherst.  The future looks great at East Aurora, and if they are able to compete with the top teams in this league - look out.  The Blue Devils have just one senior in their regular rotation, one that will include four sophomores.  Springville hopes to get strong guard play on an inexperienced team that returns just one starter.  Balance will be the theme at Maryvale after graduating its top three scorers.  The Flyers will use as many as 12 players in their rotation and keep the energy level up.  Depew will look to develop team chemistry and form an identity, after losing some key team leaders and significant size inside.  The Wildcats could be a team that blossoms in the later half of the season.

***

Cheektowaga:  Dominick Welch - 10, Zak Ciezki - 12, Patrick Plummer - 12, Khaya Dlodlo - 12, Drequon Trotter - 12, Devon Camel - 12, Hakiem Black - 12, Adrian Baugh - 10, Stephan Parker - 10

Amherst: Dorian Billups - 12, TC Brown - 11, Darien Lowe - 12, Amadi Ikpeze - 11, Nick Foster - 11, Nathan Russell-Webster - 12, Bryon Fowler - 12, Rory Walsh - 11, Sean Andrews - 11, Nathan Waldu - 11, Sean Gibson - 11, Jake Maley - 11, Da'Shawn Hines - 10, Jordan Barr - 10, Richard Kay - 10

East Aurora: Mike Coatsworth - 12, Noah Thompson - 11, Josh Denz - 10, Nick Montgomery - 10, Joe Montgomery - 10, Cal McTigue - 10

Depew: Tyler Anna - 12, Dylan Sekuterski - 12, Collin Gemerek - 12, Jakob Grant - 11, Ryan Guay - 11, Tyler Biersbach - 9

Maryvale: Drew Crombie - 11, Mike Kelleher - 12, Jeremia Pace - 12, Marcus Ford - 11, Eric Graham - 12, Floyd Remley - 11, Steve Mason - 12, Matt Mason - 12, Mike Ferguson - 11

Pioneer:  Bryce Little - 12,  Matt Haggerty - 12, Andrew Hyman - 12, Vince Nourse - 12, Ravo Root - 11, Caleb Sayvone - 11, Dominic Sayvone - 11

Springville:  Kyle Crotty - 12, Devin Pazzuti - 12, Kyle Warner - 11, John Domes - 10, Parker Rice - 11, Pat Emmick - 12, Colin DeWitt - 11

 

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ECIC IV

After two straight division titles, expectations remain high at Cleveland Hill.  Jermaine Hairston, who is one of six returning seniors for the Golden Eagles, is a prime candidate to have a breakout season.  Lackawanna would like to end Cleveland Hill's league run and reclaim ECIC IV.  The Steelers brought back all five starters to a team with nine seniors.  JFK finished at the bottom of the league last season, but has all five starters back, including size (6-6 & 6-4) and high hopes coming into the year.  Tonawanda has a pair of starters returning from the team that reached Buffalo State last season for the second time in four years.  Alden will have a presence inside and versatility, but will need its young backcourt to get acclimated with the varsity level as the year wears on.  Eden did not provide team information.

 ***

Cleveland Hill: Jermaine Hairston - 12, Anthony Sullivan - 12, Zach Lewandowski - 12, Ramah Lassiter - 11, Nick Gamble - 11

Lackawana: Larry Fields - 12, Jeremiah Jones - 12, Darius Cleveland - 12, Jaelin Watson - 11, Quinton Robinson - 12, Yousef Yahya - 12, Johan Santiago - 12

Tonawanda: Tristan Bolling - 12, Brandon Frye - 12, Larenz Jefferson - 12, Adrian Hall - 11, Cody Diaz - 11, Tyler Staff - 11

Holland:  Clay Lewis - 12, JR Kline - 12, Matt Farant - 12, Cooper Rahn - 12, EJ Staniszewski - 11, Laine Husman - 11, Pierce Gardon - 10

JFK:  Joe Braniecki - 12, Josh McMahon - 12, Cale Byczkowski - 12, Shawn McPhail - 12, Hunter Kowal - 12, Brendan Fox - 12, Aaron Urbanczyk - 12, Nathan Pazderski - 12, Lexus Pollard - 10, Aaron Poniwas - 12, Collin Snyder - 12

Alden:  Austin Zelasko - 12, Dylan Riddoch - 11, Jordan Stockweather - 11, Conrad Boucher - 10, Christian Snell - 9, Brandon Bojt - 12

Eden 

 

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Niagara Frontier League

Niagara Falls brings back nearly its entire team, including four starters.  The Wolverines also welcome in sophomore point guard, Qeyion Williams, who transferred from Niagara Catholic, and should find themselves back in the company of WNY's elite teams.  Kenmore West has just one starter back, along with its sixth man who'll now enter the starting lineup.  They'll have to rely on athleticism and energy until experience is on their side.  Lew-Port has a pair of playmakers back on a team that reached Buff State last season.  The Lancers should make a return trip again this season, after making noise in the NFL first.  North Tonawanda will once again be difficult to rebound against or score inside on, as the Jacks return three players who are 6-4 or taller, including the active double-double machine, Chris Woodard.  Grand Island has improved its record over each of the past two seasons, and hopes to continue the trend with a deep rotation led by captain Colin Carrey.  Lockport's senior laden Class AA semifinalist team from last season gave way to a young squad with just one senior and limited experience, who hope to improve as the season goes on.  Niagara Wheatfield took its lumps during a winless season in NFL action last year, but now are back with all of its core players and a much more confident group.   As always, Kenmore East did not provide any team information.

 ***

Niagara Falls: Devin Scarbourough - 12, Mikey Bermudez - 12, Breon Harris - 11, Devin Sanders - 10, Tyler Sanders - 10, Charles Lamar - 10, Jamal Harris - 12, Qeyion Williams - 10

Kenmore West: Terrell Ford - 11, Trent White - 12, Aaron Tucker - 11, Jason Taylor - 11, Mark Taylor - 11, DeAngelo Walker - 11

Grand Island:  Colin Carrey - 12, Kyle Burns - 11, Joe Kulikowski - 11, Mark Montes - 12, Manny Montes - 11, Justin Figler - 12, Mike Podgorny - 12, Devin Brandon - 10, Colton Czajka - 12

North Tonawanda: Chris Woodard - 12, Donovin Book - 12, Adam McNeil - 12, Ryan Gilbert - 12, Ryan McDonough - 12, James Garavagli - 12, Drew Krantz - 12, Jacob Lemke - 11, Jacob Krauss - 11, Colby Moultrie - 10, Alex Quinn - 10, Brandon Casterline - 10

Niagara Wheatfield:  Nathan Nielson - 11, Nathan Williams - 12, Denzel Fuller - 11, Justin Eaton - 12, Brandon Funderburk - 12, Ty Parmentier - 12, Ken Camidge - 12, Austin Wangler - 11

Lockport:  Lavette Warren - 11, Andrew Austin - 11, Kelly Brown - 11, Dakota Wiley - 10

Lew-Port:  Craig Paige - 12, Jenard Jackson - 11, Jacob Eoute - 12, Dane Parlato - 12, Jacob Rizzo - 12, Jordan Willard - 12, Colton Stallard - 12, Anthony Dipasquale - 12

Kenmore East:

 

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Niagara-Orleans

Newfane & Wilson each enjoyed a string of success over several seasons, which made the local rivalry between the two that much more intense.  Both teams have returning players, expect to be compete for the league, and are looking forward to overflow crowds once again when they get together on the court.  Medina likes its combination of returning talent and mental toughness, and expects to compete for the league crown.  The Mustangs have beefed up their nonleague schedule to challenge this group. Barker returns five seniors - but just one starter from its unbeaten league championship team from last year.  CSAT has a new coach, along with a pair of Carson brothers, which make the Eagles contenders for that reason alone.  Roy-Hart welcomes first year head coach Joe Pawlak, who will look to put his own stamp on the Rams program, which he characterizes as an extremely hard working group.  With just four players back and two of those coming off surgery, Akron will have some work to put in before they're completely up tp speed.  The Tigers do have talented underclassmen and could be a dangerous team in the later half of the season.  

***

Akron: Larson Sundown - 12, Caleb Martin - 12, Chaunce Hill - 12, Brendan Weirerheiser - 11

Newfane: Sam Watkins - 12, Kyle Guerriera - 12, Chad Gilson - 11, Kyle Burdick - 12, Tyler Jordan - 12, MaxWeber - 9, Al Kramp - 10, David Krull - 11, Nick Schultz - 11, Zach Lajoie - 11

CSAT: Dylanta Carson - 12, Bryan Locke - 12, Darius Carson - 10, Will Fletcher - 12, Jahleel Burks - 11

Medina:  Jason Hellwig - 12, Dylan Lewis - 11, Aaron Feltz - 12, Brennan Zinkievich - 12, David Garrow - 12, Devonte Howard - 12, Jared Zinkievich - 11, Tyler Ames - 11, Dylan Lewis - 11, Brad McPherson - 11, Justin Morgan - 11, Jalin Cooper - 9

Barker: Chris Sweeney - 12, Sean Benoit - 12, Thomas Callaghan - 12, Tanner Gregorie - 12, Joshua Mead - 12, Tristan Payne - 12, Michael Snell - 11, Kyle Secor - 11, Nathan Luckman - 10

Roy-Hart: Andy Xapsos - 11, Sam White - 12, Nelson Andrade - 12, Bailey Hudson - 12, Aaron Metz - 12, Ben Maynard - 11, Justin Heschke - 11, Chris Anderson - 11, James DiLorenzo - 12, Zack Srock - 11, Austin Dodge - 11

Wilson:  Evan Shank - 12, Kyle Bradley - 12, Zac Sarratori - 12, Joe Littere - 12, Jarret Johnston - 12, Adam Murray - 12, Alex Fox - 11, Andrew Eames - 11

Albion:  Dez Blackmon - 12, Austin Loyd - 12, Emanuel Thompson - 12, Alex Bison - 12, Clayton Stanton - 12, Gary Moore - 12

 

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CCAA West I

Defending league champion, Fredonia, should be in great shape for another run this season.  The Hillbillies will start five players who are 6-feet or taller and have a combined 13 years of varsity experience between them.  Olean starts over after reaching the Class B state title game a year ago.  The Huskies graduated five senior starters and return just two players who saw any action.  Reining Centercourt Coach of the Year, Jeff Anastasia, will embrace the challenge and make household names out of the Huskies' players soon enough.  Southwestern lost some of its size, but brings back three starters, accounting for much of its scoring.  The Trojans will look to push the pace and wreak havoc on teams defensively.  Rich Clifford is back behind the bench for another season at Cassadaga Valley and the veteran coach returns three starters, including 2014 All-Centercourt HM Cody Johnson (20.5 ppg).  After two seasons coaching the JV team, Jack O'Brien takes over varsity duties at Dunkirk and will have some senior leadership, along with a trio of 6-3 juniors.  Chautauqua Lake fields a young & passionate group that hopes league competition will prepare them for the playoffs.  After being combined with Frewsburg in hoops a season ago, Falconer is back on its own, returning just four returning players, each with little varsity experience.

***

Fredonia: John Piper - 12, Cam Voss - 12, Anhel Epps - 12, Noah Voss - 12, Patrick Moore - 11

Olean: Connor Prizel - 12, Chucky Martin - 12, Blake Covert - 12, Colden Dwaileebe - 12, John Zamites - 12, Jake Cavana - 11, Derek Schmidt - 11, Levi Johnson - 11, Elijah Ramadhan - 11, Ben Eckstrom - 10

Southwestern: Pat Mogenhan - 12, Jack Carlson - 12, Mike Sandbloom - 12, Billy Johnston - 12, Ben Burk - 11, Brendan Kennedy - 11, Nick Cooper - 11, Niko Pannes - 10

 Dunkirk:  Isaiah Thomas - 11, Rashad Brown - 11, Chad Butts - 11, Shamron Stewart - 10, Richard Pickens - 12, Leroy Gilbert - 12, Gemaro Collazo - 12  

Cassadaga Valley:  Cody Johnson - 12, Chase Jones - 12, Shane Parsons - 11, Tony Mangine - 12, Jaquan Watts - 12, Jerimiah Jones - 12, Tyler Simpson - 11, James Cornelius - 11

Chautauqua Lake:  Carter Davidson - 11,  Michael Lysek - 11, Aaron Swan - 10, Devin Pope - 9, Tyler Meredith - 10, David Applegarth - 12, Erik Szymanowski - 12, Cody Latimer - 12, Ben Stahlsmith - 11

Falconer:  Gavin Beaumont - 12, Chris Elderkin - 12, Andrew Ward - 12, Tavon Fisher - 11, Ryan DePietro - 11, Jackson Teboe - 11, Brandon Curtis - 11, Drew Beckerink - 12, Sean Nord - 11, Trevor Dykstra - 11, Tareek Hannold - 12, Colin Boutelle - 12, Manny Machado - 12, Dillon Johnson - 12, Sean Dudenhoffer - 12

 

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CCAA EAST I

Three of the seven teams in this league (Silver Creek, Randolph, Portville) have reached sectional title games in the last two years, and a fourth team (Salamanca) won its league last year.  Needless to say, this should be one of the more competitive league races in WNY this season.  Silver Creek looks forward to an above-the-rim season from 2014 3rd Team All-Centercourt selection Billy Brooks, but the Black Knights are even more excited about the energy and team commitment of their players at early season practices.  Salamanca returns a talented tandem in its backcourt, along with 6-6 2014 All-Centercourt HM Jared Fish, who together, accounted for 40 ppg last year.   Randolph, maybe Section VI's most storied football program ever, will again be a force on the court as well, once it gets its basketball legs under them.  Portville returns two of its three leading scorers for first year head coach Bill Torrey to work with.  Gowanda has athletes who can get up and down the floor, so transition offense will be key for the Panthers.  Cattaraugus/Little Valley has just four seniors on its young team.  Allegany-Limestone has a pair of starters back and will look to push the tempo and press.

***

Silver Creek:  Billy Brooks - 12, Sherman Williams - 12, Connor Gates - 11, Trevon Thompson - 11, Chance Gates - 12, Chris Williams - 10, Heron Snow - 11, Jacob Lewis - 11, James Corbin - 12

Salamanca:  Jared Fish - 12, Tyler Siperek - 12, Andrew Crandall - 12, Jake Dowdy - 12, Tate Reynolds - 11, Marcus Cooper - 11, Eric George - 12, Luke Zurat - 11, Zeus Enriquez - 10, Austin Elliott - 12

Randolph:  Bryce Morrison - 12, Connor McAllister - 12, Mason Bosley - 11, Jarrett Lecceadone - 10, Derek Young - 12, Nick Carpenter - 12, Kyle Beaver - 12, Tyler Stahley - 11

Allegany-Limeston: Dom Conroy - 12, Cole Davis - 11, Bailey Higby - 11, Brad McAfee - 11, Brad Reed - 11, Zach Hemphill - 10, Austin Dziennik - 11, Tyler Hines - 11, Garrett Johnston - 12, TJ McMullen - 12

Gowanda:  Jordan Young - 12, carter Benton - 11, Lucas Brawdy - 11, Randy Jimerson - 12, Les Young - 12

 Portville: Zack Ewings - 12, Isaac Hilyer - 12, Andrew Sarber - 12, Nick Stein - 10, Nick Gehm - 11, Sean Harris - 11, Chase Swetland - 12

Cattaraugus Little Valley: DJ Steven - 12, Darnell Pritchard - 12, Kodie Skeels - 12, Kyle O'Donnell - 12, Hunter Baker - 11, Caleb Hibit - 11, Devon Parmenter - 11, Alex Perkins - 11, Anthony Bernardi - 11, Kellen Martin - 10

 

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CCAA West II

Panama reached the Class D final with a young team last season , but fell to Sherman.  The Panthers have matured both mentally and physically, and should contend in league with a solid point guard, a sharp-shooter in Josh Odell, and 6-6 Josh Eddy inside.  Westfield returns five players that contributed in 2014, including one of the league's best in Tanner Dahl.  Sherman was hit hard by graduation following two consecutive Class D sectional championships, and will look to find a new identity with this year's team.  Maple Grove will be very good, they always are.  I can't tell you much else, because their very successful coach who's teams have received significant press from me over the years, never responds to email requests for information.  The Red Dragons listed below were listed as underclassmen in the 2014 Section VI program.   Brocton, Clymer, & Frewsburg did not send information.

***

Maple Grove:  Graham Soffel - 12, Matt Roach - 11, Jonah Tanner - 12, Pat Nelson - 11, Nolan Knipe - 12, Mitch Sandberg - 11, Jeff Clauson - 11

Westfield:  Tanner Dahl - 12, Liam Tennies - 12, Trevor North - 11, Nolan Hunt - 12, Steven DeMarco - 12, Joe Quagliana - 11, Jon Wilson - 11, Greg Schroeder - 11, Luke Haskin - 11

Panama:  David O'Dell - 12, Greg Delahoy - 12, Jack Payne - 11, Chris Blose - 12, Josh Odell - 11, Dillon Mescall - 12, Josh Eddy - 11, Chris Blose - 11, Jarrett Yuchnitz - 11

 Sherman:  Jake Card - 12, Nathan Ottaway - 12, Jeremy Cole - 12, Stephen Walczak - 12, Chris Robson - 10, Jake Ames - 12, Kolby Parks - 10, Kyle Carpenter - 10, Sam Vanvelkenburg - 11, Kyle Rhebergen - 11

Brocton:  Aaron Riforgiato - 11, Derek Walter - 12, Daultan Remington - 12

Clymer

Frewsburg

 

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CCAA East II 

After finishing 9-1 in league action last season Forestville, returns six players and has its sights set on a repeat.  Ellicottville will look to the dynamic Phalla Musall, a returning all-league selection, to guide a very young team.  No other teams from this league had coaches respond with the requested team information.  My apologies to the players in this league.

Ellicottville:  Phalla Musall - 12, Calum Watt - 12, Austin Gronols - 9, Griffin Chuddy - 9, Elliot Bowen - 9, Cole Lapi - 11, Jonas Hurlburt - 11, Cameron Eddy - 11

Forestville:  Caleb Makuch - 12, Dylan Szumigala - 12, Logan Youngberg - 12, Jeff VanVlack - 12, Ryan Forbes - 12, Chris Sheldon - 12, Jackson Egan - 11, Tyler Spears - 11, Andrew Deszcz - 11, Derek Catalano - 11

Pine Valley:  Dylan Granger - 12, Russell Hayes - 12, Kilian Abers - 11

North Collins

West Valley

Franklinville

 

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 Charter Schools

Tapestry enters the season as the favorite to win the Charter Cup and make serious noise come sectional time, thanks to returning nine seniors and junior scoring machine, JaQuoine Fogan.   Oracle has length and quickness, and is excited about the potential growth of its young team with just three seniors back.  Health Sciences is the defending Charter Cup champion and the third-year program will seek a repeat, despite graduating 12 seniors.  Maritime has just one player back with varsity experience and will hand point guard duties over to a freshman.  After a season with just a JV squad, Buffalo Science returns to varsity competition, hoping that developing chemistry and playing smart will result in some wins.  Global Concepts will lean on the leadership and experience of returning First-Team All-Charter player Fred Searles.

***

Tapestry:  JaQuoine Fogan - 11, DeJuan Owens - 12, Jordan Maxey - 12, DaVonte Cunningham - 11, Marques Perkins - 12, Jesus McClain - 12, Poshine Jenifer - 12, Andre Bragg  - 12, Keith Littlejohn - 12, Joe Henderson - 12, Kaleb King - 12, Chemar Pilot - 12

Oracle:  Shaundez Davis - 12, Kenny White - 11, Shakur Bridges - 10, Rakim Graves - 11, Darius Embry - 11, Andra Austin - 12, Jamal Woods - 11

Health Sciences:  Malik Walker - 12, Nasir Flood - 12, Mikel Carr - 12, Dayquan Williams - 11, Tyquan Jordan - 11, Carson Wiseman - 11, Kam Rashada - 11, Tyrin Lott - 9

WNY Maritime:  Damon Glenn - 12, Arkeil Gaskins - 12, DeQuan Sanders - 9

Global Concepts:  Fred Searles - 12, Nick Moylan - 12, Lincoln Billingslea - 11, Fabian Pierce - 11 

Buffalo Science:  Joe Owens - 12, Neil squires - 12, Jazzmone Brown - 12, Abdullah Farah - 12, Aristotle Copeland - 12, Lauren Killian - 11, David Harris - 11, Roland Taylor - 11, Julian Johnson - 10, Georges Cortes - 10, JaQuez McMullin - 10, Deonte Brown - 10, Julian Allen - 9

 

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New Coaches

Giulio Colangelo - Niagara Catholic

Tony Pulvirenti - Cardinal O'Hara

Karl Maggiore - DaVinci

Pat Foster - Lafayette

Joe Pawlak - Roy-Hart

Jack O'Brien - Dunkirk

Bill Torrey - Portville 

David Phiblad - Pine Valley

Camilo Hoyos - CSAT

Ben Ganschow - Buffalo Science

 

***********************************************

 

Classification Changes

South Park moves up from Class A2 to Class A1

Starpoint moves down from Class A1 to Class A2

Iroquois moves down from Class A1 to Class A2

West Seneca East moves down from Class A1 to Class A2

East Aurora moves down from Class A2 to Class B1

Springville moves down from Class A2 to Class B1

Albion moves down from Class A2 to Class B1

Maryvale moves down from Class A2 to Class B1

Olean moves up from Class B1 to Class A2

Dunkirk moves up from Class B1 to Class A2

Fredonia moves down from Class B1 to Class B2

Falconer moves down from Class B1 to Class B2

City Honors moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

Fredonia moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

Falconer moves up from Class B2 to Class B1

Salamanca moves down from Class B2 to Class C1

Gowanda moves down from Class B2 to Class C1

Middle College moves down from Class C1 to Class C2

Holland moves down from Class C1 to Class C2

Portville moves down from Class C1 to Class C2

Maple Grove moves down from Class C2 to Class D

I-Prep moves down from Class C2 to Class D

Westfield moves down from Class C2 to Class D

 

************************************************

 

Predictions

MMA - Canisius

Yale Cup I - McKinley

Yale Cup II - I-Prep

ECIC I - Jamestown

ECIC II - Williamsville South

ECIC III - Cheektowaga

ECIC IV - Lackawanna

NFL - Niagara Falls

N-O - Wilson

CCAA I West - Fredonia

CCAA I East - Silver Creek

CCAA II West - Maple Grove

CCAA II East - Franklinville

Charters:  Tapestry

 

Manhattan Cup: Nichols

Class AA: Jamestown

Class A1: McKinley 

Class A2: Cheektowaga

Class B1: Depew

Class B2: East

Class C1: Silver Creek

Class C2: Middle College

Class D: Maple Grove

 

-centercourt

Classifications for 2014-2015

    Class AA   (11 Teams)                                           Monsignor Martin Class A 

    Jamestown - ECIC I                                                      Canisius 

    Niagara Falls - NFL                                                        Nichols 

    Kenmore West - NFL                                                    Timon 

    Lancaster - ECIC I                                                          St. Joe's 

    Clarence - ECIC I                                                           St. Francis 

    Williamsville North - ECIC I                                                 

    Lockport - NFL                                                               Monsignor Martin Class B

    Frontier - ECIC I                                                            Park

    West Seneca West - ECIC I                                       St. Mary's

    Orchard Park - ECIC I                                                 Cardinal O'Hara

    Niagara Wheatfield - NFL                                          Archbishop Walsh

                                                                                                  Niagara Catholic                                                                          

   

 Class A1 (10 Teams)                                   Class A2 (11 Teams)

 

    McKinley - Yale Cup I                                                 Amherst - ECIC III        

    Williamsville South - ECIC II                                  Cheektowaga - ECIC III

    Williamsville East - ECIC II                                      Lew-Port - NFL

    North Tonawanda - NFL                                            Olean - CCAA

    Sweet Home - ECIC II                                                 Iroquois - ECIC II

    Hutch-Tech - Yale Cup I                                            Riverside - Yale Cup I

    South Park - Yale Cup I                                              West Seneca East - ECIC II

    Grand Island - NFL                                                       Starpoint - ECIC II

    Hamburg - ECIC II                                                       Lake Shore - ECIC II

    Kenmore East - NFL                                                    Pioneer - ECIC III

                                                                                                  Dunkirk - CCAA                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                              

    Class B1 (15 Teams)                                                 Class B2  (15 Teams)    

    Maryvale - ECIC III                                                       East - Yale Cup I

    East Aurora - ECIC III                                                  Fredonia - CCAA I West

    Depew - ECIC III                                                             Cleveland Hill - ECIC IV

    City Honors - Yale Cup II                                            Lackawanna - ECIC IV

    Tonawanda - ECIC IV                                                   Oracle - Charter

    Bennett - Yale Cup I                                                       Health Sciences - Charter

    Medina - N-O                                                                     CSAT - N-O

    Newfane - N-O                                                                  Wilson - N-O

    Burgard - Yale Cup I                                                       Emerson - Yale Cup II

    Alden - ECIC IV                                                                Falconer - CCAA West I

    Buffalo Arts - Yale Cup II                                             Roy-Hart - N-O

    Lafayette - Yale Cup II                                                   Southwestern - CCAA West I

    Albion - N-O                                                                       Akron - N-O

    Springville - ECIC III                                                     JFK - ECIC IV

    Eden - ECIC IV                                                                  DaVinci - Yale Cup II   

 

     

   Class C1 (10 Teams)                                                       Class C2 (10 Schools)

    Silver Creek - CCAA East I                                          Middle College - Yale Cup I

    Tapestry - Charter                                                          Olmsted - Yale Cup II

    Salamanca - CCAA East I                                             Randolph - CCAA East I

    Allegany-Limestone - CCAA East I                          Holland - ECIC IV

    Cassadaga Valley - CCAA West I                              MST Seneca - Yale Cup II

    Chautauqua Lake - CCAA West I                              Global Concepts - Charter

    Maritime - Charter                                                          Portville - CCAA East I

    Gowanda - CCAA East I                                                Franklinville - CCAA East II

    Barker - N-O                                                                      Frewsburg - CCAA West II

    Cattaraugus/Little Valley - CCAA West I             Buffalo Science - Charter

 

 

   Class D (12 Teams)

    Maple Grove - CCAA West II

    I-Prep - Yale Cup II

    Westfield - CCAA West II

    Sherman - CCAA West II

    Clymer - CCAA West II

    Panama - CCAA West II

    Pine Valley - CCAA East II

    Brocton - CCAA West II

    Ellicottville - CCAA East II

    West Valley - CCAA East II

    Forestville - CCAA East II

    North Collins - CCAA East II

 

    -centercourt

The 2014 All-Centercourt Team: The Best in WNY

 

FIRST TEAM ALL-CENTERCOURT

Zack Panebianco - Jamestown, Junior  *2014 Centercourt Player of the Year*

19.1 PPG  /  4.1 APG  /  3.5 RPG  /  2.2 SPG

 Simply stated, he's a gamer.  Seems to understand exactly what his team needs and then delivers it at the right moment.  As humble and level-headed a player as you will find.  Led Jamestown to the Class AA state championship game.  Voted 1st Team All-ECIC & 1st Team ECIC I.  Selected to the Section VI Class AA All-Tournament Team.  Earned a spot on the NYSPHAA Class AA Tournament Team.  Shot 49% from the field & 41% from beyond the arc.  Averaged 24.3 points per game in six playoff outings.  Scored 30+ points in five games.  Scored a career-high 37 points in three quarters against Lancaster.  Scored 34 points in a regional win over Greece Athena and followed it up with a 31-point performance in the Class AA state semifinal win over Union-Endicott.  Broke the record for most 3-pointers in two games at the NYSPHAA Class AA Tournament.  Click here to read more on Zack's Player of the Year season.

 

Sterling Taplin - Williamsville North, Senior

22.6 PPG  /  4.9 APG  /  4.3 RPG  /  3.1 SPG

A 1st Team All-Centercourt selection for a record third-straight season.  A highly skilled player with the best court vision and passing of any player in the area.  Faced a defensive game plan designed to limit him everytime he took the court.  Chosen to play in the Jordan Classic Regional game.  Named All-ECIC Player of the Year.  Named to the Section VI Class AA All-Tournament Team.  Selected as MVP of the Five Guys Holiday Tournament.  Scored a season-high 45 points against Frontier in 27 minutes of gameplay.  Shot 57% from the field on the season.  Led the Spartans to a share of the ECIC I league title.  Finishes his career 23rd on WNY's all-time scoring list and #1 in school history with 1,877 points.  Also the all-time leader at Williamsville North in assists (371) and steals (245).  A five-year starter who never missed a game during his 99-game varsity career and averaged 19 ppg, 3.7 apg, & 2.5 spg over that span.

 

Wil Bathurst - Olean, Senior

19.8 PPG  /  7.0 RPG  /  4.0 APG  /  1.7 SPG  /  1.0 BPG

One of the very best all-around players in WNY this season.  A fan favorite and high-riser who can do everything on the court.  Helped the Huskies capture a third straight Section VI Class B title and a 20-win season against a grueling independent schedule.  Scored over 30 points in a game three times this season, including a 36 point & 12 rebound effort against Greece Athena.  Selected to the NYSPHAA Class B All-Tournament Team.  Named MVP of the Section VI Class B1 Tournament.  Was MVP of the Olean Tip-Off Tournament.  Will play Division I basketball at Cornell next season.

 

 Johnathon Lewis - East, Senior

17.6  PPG  /  5.0 RPG  /  3.2 SPG  /  2.7 APG

Brings relentless energy on both ends of the floor all game.  Whether taking a big shot or driving to the basket, was absolutely fearless.  One of the top defenders in WNY.  Led East to the Section VI Class B2 championship.  Scored 11 points in the fourth quarter of a furious comeback attempt in the Game of the Year against Olean .  Named MVP of the Aquinas Tournament.  MVP of the Section VI Class B2 Tournament. Chosen as MVP of Championship Week at Buff State by Keith McShea of the Buffalo News.  Game MVP in win over Timon at the Pastor Cooper.  Voted 1st Team Yale Cup I.  Season-highs of 33 & 32 points in wins over Middle College & Aquinas.  Considering an offer from Daemen, going to Prep School, Juco, & Buffalo State College.

 

Donte Williams - Timon, Senior

 24 PPG  /  6.8 RPG  /  3 APG

One of the area's most talented players who is built to play at the next level.  Capable of taking a game over when he was dialed in.  A high-riser who threw down some spectacular dunks in traffic.  Finished the season with 652 points, the most in WNY by any player this season, and totaled 1,133 for his three-year varsity career.  Led Timon to the second seed in the Manhattan Cup playoffs, where the Tigers reached the final.  Voted All-Catholic Co-Player of the Year.  Named Player of the Game after leading Timon to an overtime victory over Williamsville North at the Cataract Classic, following his game-winning 3-pointer.  Eclipsed the 30-point mark four times this season, twice going over 40 points, with a season-high of 43 points against UPrep of Rochester.  Undecided regarding future plans.

 

*******************************************

 

SECOND TEAM ALL-CENTERCOURT

Bri'an Brown - Middle College, Senior

18 PPG  /  11 RPG  /  6 APG

Athletically gifted player with exceptional body control and the ability to knife through a defense to get to the basket.  Showed great timing when blocking shots.  Led the Kats to the NYSPHAA Class C state championship game after they captured their second Yale Cup in program history.   Named Yale Cup I Player of the Year.  MVP of the Section VI Class C1Tournament Team.  Selected to the NYSPHAA All-Tournament Team in Class C.  Scored 30 & 40 points in a pair of meetings with Bennett.  Considering Canisius College, Hartford University, and Prep School.

 

Howard Washington - Canisius, Sophomore

15.0 PPG  /  5.5 APG  /  4.0 RPG

The floor general of WNY's most dominant team this season.  Smooth shooter from the perimeter.  A pure point guard with a team-first style.  Tremendous court vision and passing.  Already the recipient of multiple major Division I offers.  Voted All-Catholic Co-Player of the Year.  MVP of the Crudaders' win in the RAP Classic over Webster Schroeder after a 24-point performance and his first ever high school dunk.  Controlled the tempo in an 18-point win over Olean with 13 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.  Scored over 20 points in six games and seven or more assists in 10 games.

 

Quinn Lee Yaw - Jamestown, Senior

16.1 PPG  /  10.1 RPG  /  2.2 APG  /  1.4 BPG

A high-intensity player who was the team's emotional leader.  Improved significantly in each of three varsity seasons at Jamestown.  Was instrumantal in leading the Red Raiders to the NYSPHAA Class AA state championship game by being the teams major presence in the post.  Was dominant in the Section VI final against Clarence, posting 26 points and 15 rebounds and earned MVP honors of the Section VI Class AA Tournament.  Was one rebound against Greece Athena shy of having a double-double in all six of the Red Raiders' playoff games.  Named Co-Player of the Year in ECIC I, 1st Team All-ECIC, and was named to the NYSPHAA All-Tournament team in Class AA in Glens Falls.  Considering Edinboro, Hobart, & Exeter Prep after graduation.

 

Sam Eckstrom - Olean, Senior 

20.3 PPG  /  9.6 RPG  /  1.3 BPG

Smooth finisher around the basket with solid footwork.  Excellent at using pivot and going right or left.  Finishes career at Olean with 1,536 points, good for third on the school's all-time list.  His 790 career rebounds are a school record.  Shot 64% from the field on the season.  Scored over 30 points on five occasions this year, including a 38 point & 12 rebound effort in a win over Bishop Kearney and 34 points & 14 boards in a victory vs. Greece Athena.  He also netted 30 & 10 in the Class B state semifinal.  Selected to the NYSPHAA Class B and Section VI Class B1 All-Tournament Teams.  Will attend the College of St. Rose next year.

 

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, Sophomore

13.0 PPG  /  10.0 RPG  /  4.5 BPG

Provided the Crusaders with the best post presence I've ever seen at Canisius in just his sophomore season.  Exceptional timing as a shot blocker.  Plays above the rim.  Runs the floor better than any big man in WNY.  Voted 1st Team All-Catholic.  Named MVP of the Tom Keenan Memorial Tournament after Canisius upset defending CHSAA state champion Nazereth.  Selected to the Georgetown Prep All-Tournament Team.  Had a game-high 16 rebounds in the Crusaders' win over Olean.  Eclipsed the 20-point mark in four games and collected at least 15 rebounds on five separate occasions.

 

***********************************************

 

 THIRD TEAM ALL-CENTERCOURT

Billy Brooks - Silver Creek, Junior

19.1 PPG  /  14.4 RPG  /  6.7 BPG  /  4.2 APG

A highly coordinated 6-8 big man that completely dominated in the post.  Has the ability to get the fast break started with outlet passing after rebounds.  Superior ball movement skills - the best passing big man in WNY.  Aggressive shot blocker with more rejections than any other player in WNY.  Voted 1st Team CCAA West  I.  Selected to Section VI Class C1 All-Tournament Team.  Registered 18 double-doubles in 21 games.  Had a stretch of four straight triple-double games.  Scored all 16 of his team's fourth quarter points in a 31-point outing at Park.  Had 21 points, 24 boards, & nine blocks in a 14-point win against an unbeaten Barker team in the Class C1 semifinals.

 

Cam Lewis - Nichols, Junior

16.1 PPG  /  7.7 RPG  /  2.0 APG  /  1.4 SPG

A do-it-all big man who is comfortable in the paint, but routinely handles the ball.  Can serve as a press-breaker and will knock down shots from the perimeter.  Led the Vikings to a Manhattan Cup championship, where he was named MVP.  A career 1,000 point scorer heading into his senior season.  Scored a career-high 28 points in a win over Park.  Voted 1st Team All-Catholic.  Posted nine double-doubles.

 

Chris Miner - Nichols, Junior

16.4 PPG  /  12.9 RPG  /  2.1 BPG  /  1.8 SPG

A force inside for the Vikings who owns the glass and finishes with ease around the basket.  Led Nichols to the CHSAA Class A semifinal, after being the team-high scorer in the Manhattan Cup championship win.  A double-double machine, registering 20 this season after starting all 28 games.  Scored his 1,000th career point as a junior in the Manhattan Cup quarterfinals.  Voted 2nd Team All-Catholic.  Scored a career-high 27 points twice this season in wins over St. Francis & Park.

 

Colin Dougherty - Lockport, Senior

16.4 PPG  /  2.6 RPG  /  2.5 APG  /  1.6 SPG

A shifty player with an excellent handle and a high basketball IQ.  Has great shooting range and knows when to assert himself in a game.  Was a crowd favorite at Buff State after leading his team to the Class AA semifinals.  Helped Lockport earn a share of the NFL title.  Voted to 1st-Team in the NFL.  Selected to the Section VI Class AA All-Tournament Team.  Had 28 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in the quarterfinals at Kenmore West to advance his team.  Scored a game-high 26 points in the semifinals against eventual state finalist Jamestown.  Considering an offer from Daemen, along with the possibility of Nazereth, Allegany, and Prep School.

 

Ryan Funk - Clarence, Senior

18.0 PPG  /  7.0 RPG  /  1.2 APG

Moves up from Fifth Team All-Centercourt last season.  Named 1st Team All-ECIC and ECIC I.  Led the Red Devils to the Section VI Class AA championship game.  Helped his team earn a share of the league title in ECIC I and capture the Clarence Holiday Tournament championship.  Named to the Section VI Class AA All-Tournament Team.  One of WNY's deadliest shooters, made 43 three-pointers and shot 82% from the charity stripe.  Posted five double-doubles and scored 30 points twice in wins against Williamsville North and North Tonawanda.  Considering Daemen, Medaille, St. Thomas More Prep, & Lynchburg for next year.

 

***********************************************

 

FOURTH TEAM ALL-CENTERCOURT

Phil Bowen - Iroquois, Senior

 24.2 PPG  /  3.9 RPG  /  3.8 APG  /  2.1 SPG

Strong with the ball and able to penetrate.  Relied upon to both handle the ball and score for the Chiefs.  Put Iroquois on his back and carried them to the league title in ECIC II.  Voted ECIC II Player of the Year.  Had second highest scoring average in all of WNY this season.  Eclipsed the 30 point mark in a game three times.  Considering either Medaille or Hilbert for basketball next year.

 

Lester Diaz - Lafayette, Senior

31.4 PPG  /  7.0 APG  /  3.4 RPG  /  3.2 SPG

Outstanding court vision and basketball IQ.  Plays the game at full speed for 32 minutes.  In range the moment he steps over half court.  Voted Player of the Year in Yale Cup II.  Had highest scoring average in WNY while always finding an open teammate with a pass.  Had a season-high 43 points against Buffalo Arts.  Scored 41 points in a win over MST Seneca.  Finished with 39 points against top ten small school Park.  Scored 35 points against Yale Cup II champion, I-Prep.  Had 25 points at Class A2 semifinalist Lew-Port.

 

Percy Bryant - East, Junior

17.4 PPG  /  6.2 APG  /  4.7 SPG  /  3.5 RPG

Combines blistering quickness with excellent dribbling skills.  Slashes through defenses at will.  An unrelenting defender who consistently creates turnovers.  Part of the backcourt duo that led East to a second straight Class B2 championship.  Led his team in both assists and steals.  Had at least five steals in 13 games.  Voted 1st Team Yale Cup I.  Selected to the Section VI Class B2 All-Tournament Team.  Recorded a season-high 33 points, along with 10 steals, in a win at McKinley.  Scored 23 points and dished 10 assists in a sectional overtime win vs. Health Sciences.  

 

Kevin Briggs - Middle College, Senior 

17 PPG  /  6 APG  /  4 RPG  /  3 SPG 

A classic scorer who can hurt you from the perimeter or by slashing to the basket.  A high-motor player who thrived in transition.  Helped the Kats advance all the way to the NYSPHAA Class C state championship game where he was named to the state's All-Tournament Team.  Scored a game-high 31 points in a state semifinal win over Friends Academy.  Voted to 1st-Team Yale Cup I after helping Middle College capture the city's championship trophy.  Also selected to the Section VI All-Tournament Team for Class C1.  Had a pair of triple-doubles on the season, including 35 points, 11 assists, & 10 rebounds in a win over Hutch-Tech.  Will look to play JUCO following high school.

 

Nick Schmidt - Olean, Senior

17.0 PPG  /  3.1 APG

The best perimeter shooter in all of WNY.  A tough and underrated defender.  Takes care of the basketball and makes great decisions in helping to facilitate Olean's offense.  A luxury as a third option for the Huskies.  Finishes his career with 1,135 points. Ended up third all-time in steals at Olean with 198.  Shot a whopping 52% from 3-point land.  Connected on a WNY-leading and school record 97 3-pointers this season, the 4th most in a season all-time in WNY.  Named MVP of the IAABO Tournament after connecting on eight treys, including the game-winner, against Nichols.  Made seven of nine attempts from downtown in the Class B state semifinal win over Woodlands.

 

 ***************************************************

 

FIFTH TEAM ALL-CENTERCOURT

Jake Haight - Barker, Senior

18.1 PPG  /  10.0 RPG  /  4.3 SPG  /  4.2 APG

Combines size & athleticism with natural game instincts.  Well-rounded skill set allows him to play anywhere on the court.  Selected to the Section VI Class C1 All-Tournament Team.  Voted 1st Team N-O for a third consecutive season.  Led Barker to its first league championship since 1978, before they even played in the N-O.  Guided the Raiders to a 19-0 start and the last unbeaten team in WNY.  Broke the all-time scoring mark at Barker this season and finished with 1,338 for his career.

 

Dylan Meyer - Fredonia, Senior

21.7 PPG  /  4.2 RPG

Strong player inside with great instincts.  Can step out and shoot from the perimeter, or put the ball on the floor to get past you.  Voted Player of the Year in CCAA West I.  Selected to the Section VI Class B1 All-Tournament Team.  Scored a season-high 36 points against Greece Athena at the Jamestown Tournament.  Finished with 32 points in a win at Lackawanna.  Finished his career with 1,410 points and 438 rebounds for the Hillbillies.  His career point total is second only to Michael Heary in Fredonia history.  Will play D3 at Milwaukee School of Engineering.

 

Dominick Welch - Cheektowaga, Freshman

19.5 PPG  /  13.3 RPG  /  3.6 BPG  /  1.4 APG  /  1.2 SPG

The future of WNY basketball is in great hands with this young star.  Can play every position on the court.  Poised beyond his years.  Threw down the highlight dunk of postseason at Buff State.  Led the Warriors to their first ever sectional title as a freshman.  Voted 1st Team ECIC III.   Named to the Section VI Class A2 All-Tournament Team.  Set the single-season school record for blocks with 80.  Registered 19 double-doubles and one triple-double.

 

TC Brown - Amherst, Sophomore

18.2 PPG  /  6.0 RPG  /  5.6 APG  /  3.9 SPG

Confident team leader and fierce competitor who still has two varsity seasons remaining.  Led Amherst to a second straight ECIC III title and a return trip to the Section VI Class A2 final.  Voted 1st Team All-ECIC and POY in ECIC III.  Selected to the Section VI Class A2 All-Tournament Team.  MVP of the Jolly Boys Tournament.

 

Devin Morris - McKinley, Junior

15 PPG  /  11 RPG  /  2 BPG  /  2 SPG  

Excellent outside shooter with a knack for penetrating and finishing.  Led the Macks to a 3rd straight sectional title in Class A1 and back to the regionals for a second-straight year.  Voted 1st Team Yale Cup I.  Selected MVP of the Section VI Class A1 Tournament.  Logged 15 double-doubles and three triple-doubles on the season.  Connected on 36 3-pointers.  Scored a career-high 27 points against St. Joe's.

 

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HONORABLE MENTION

Justin Hollins - St. Joe's, Senior

 18.8 PPG  /  7.9 RPG  /    2.2 APG  /  1.3 SPG  -  1st Team All-Catholic - Eclipsed 30 pts three times

 

Tyler English - St. Mary's, Senior

15.3 PPG  /  6.0 RPG  /  2.6 APG  /  1.6 SPG  /  1.0 BPG -  1st Team All-Catholic

 

Matt Wrobel - St. Mary's, Senior

12.8 PPG  /  5.6 RPG  /  1.5 APG  -  25 pts, 14 rebs in win vs. Clarence - Led team in offensive reb.

 

D'Andre Steward - McKinley, Senior

14 PPG  /  8 RPG  /  3 SPG  - 1st Team Yale Cup I  -  4 triple-doubles - career-high 32 pts vs. Bennett

 

Varin Lenard - McKinley, Senior

13 PPG  /  8 RPG  /  2 SPG  - 2nd Team Yale Cup I  - Class A1 All-Tournament Team

 

Bryan Jost - Clarence, Senior

10 PPG  /  5 APG  /  3 SPG  /  3 RPG  -  1st Team ECIC I - Class AA All-Tournament Team

 

Willie Smith - Riverside, Senior

19.0 PPG  /  8.6 RPG  /  5.8 APG  /  3.3 SPG  - Career-high 38 pts, 15 rebs, 5 assists vs. East

 

Ryan Richards - Canisius, Senior

 10.0 PPG  /  7.0 RPG  /  2.0 SPG  /  1.5 BPG  -  Athletic, aggressive in post  & lockdown defender.

 

Luke Hennessy - Olean, Senior

5.7 PPG  /  6.5 APG  /  1.6 SPG -  Finished career with 421 assists & 194 steals

 

Noah Whalen - Kenmore West, Senior

17.3 PPG  /  3.8 RPG  /  2.1 SPG  - 1st Team NFL  -  Games highs 32 & 31 pts  - 64% 2 pt FGS

 

Brendan Cox - East Aurora, Senior

15.1 PPg  / 5.1 RPG  /  1.7 APG  /  1.3 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC III

 

Dylan Dussault - Alden, Senior

16.6 PPG  /  10.8 RPG  /  2.0 APG  /  2.0 SPG  /  1.5 BPG  -  1st Team ECIC IV

 

Ryan Lawrence - Lockport, Senior

13.6 PPG  /  6 RPG  -  1st Team NFL

 

Allen Wright Jr. - Health Sciences, Senior

 15.8 PPG  /  8.1 APG  /  5.2 RPG  -  Charter School Player of the Year

 

Derrick Sekuterski - Depew, Senior

11.8 PPG  /  8.9 RPG  /  4.3 APG  /  2.4 SPG  /  1.6 BPG  -  1st Team ECIC III

 

Aaron Phillips - Cleveland Hill, Senior

16.3 PPG  /  11.6 RPG  /  2.6 BPG  /  2.2 APG  /  1.4 SPG  -  ECIC IV Player of the Year

 

Dom Saglimben - Allegany-Limestone, Senior

20.9 PPG  /  3.8 RPG  /  3.6 SPG  /  3.2 APG  -  1st Team  CCAA I East 

 

Andrew Graham - Sherman, Senior

14.4 PPG  /  3.2 RPG  /  3.2 APG  /  2.0 SPG  -  1st Team CCAA II West

 

Joe Piotroski - North Tonawanda, Senior

13.0 PPG  /  2.6 APG  /  2.5 RPG  /  2.2 SPG  -  1st Team NFL

 

Ed Smith - Maryvale, Senior

17.1 PPG  /  6.6 RPG  /  4.5 APG  /  2.1 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC III

 

TJ Scott - Middle College, Senior

16 PPG  /  10 RPG  /  4 SPG  - 2nd Team Yale Cup I.  Scored 23 pts & 14 rebs in regional win.

 

LaTerrance Reed - Canisius, Junior

14.0 PPG  /  4.0 RPG  /  2.5 APG  /  2.5 SPG  -  2nd Team All-Catholic

 

Zak Ciezki - Cheektowaga, Junior

15.4 PPG  /  8.9 RPG  /  3.7 APG  /  1.8 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC III, MVP of Sec VI Class A2 Tourney

 

Nicholas Clough - Williamsville East, Junior

20.3 PPG  /  4.2 RPG  /  1.7 APG  /  1.7 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC II

 

Cort Williams - Williamsville East, Junior

18.3 PPG  /  9.2 APG  /  4.0 APG  /  2.8 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC II

 

Clay Lewis - Holland, Junior

23.2 PPG  /  6.9 RPG  /  3.6 SPG  /  2.6 APG  -  1st Team ECIC IV  - 2nd Team All-ECIC

 

Tanner Schmit - Nichols, Junior

14.0 PPG  /  7.6 RPG  /  1.3 BPG  /  1.2 SPG  /  1.0 APG  -  2nd Team All-Catholic

 

Bryce Morrison - Randolph, Junior

 18.2 PPG  /  6.5 RPG  /  6.2 APG  /  3.0 SPG  -  1st Team CCAA I East

 

Kordell Holness-Lightbody - St. Francis, Junior

17.8 PPG  /  3.7 APG  /  2.5 RPG  /  2.4 SPG  -  2nd Team All-Catholic

 

Derick Simpson - Timon, Junior

13 PPG  /  12 RPG  - 2nd Team All-Catholic

 

Derek Cheatom - Park, Junior

 16.8 PPG  / 7.5  RPG  /  2.2 APG  /  2.2 SPG  /  2.0 BPG  -  2nd Team All-Catholic

 

Sam Castronova - Williamsville South, Junior

 17.6 PPG  /  5.7 RPG  /  3.7 APG  /  1.6 SPG  -  1st Team ECIC II

 

Jared Fish - Salamanca, Junior

19.3 PPG  /  13.2 RPG  /  2.7 APG  /  1.7 SPG  - CCAA East I Player of the Year

 

Cody Johnson - Cassadaga Valley, Junior

20.7 PPG  /  9.1 RPG  /  2.1 BPG  -  CCAA West II Player of the Year

 

Brandon Roach - Olmsted, Sophomore

16.9 PPG  /  6.5 RPG  /  4.0 APG  /  3.1 SPG  - 1st Team Yale Cup II - WNY Season-high 50 pt game 

 

-centercourt

All-League Teams - 2014

 

- Monsignor Martin

- Yale Cup I, II

- All-ECIC

-ECIC I, II, III, & IV

- NFL

- N-O

-CCAA West I, II

- CCAA East I, II

- Charter Schools

 

MONSIGNOR MARTIN ASSOCIATION

Co-Players of the Year:

Donte Williams, Timon - 12

Howard Washington, Canisius - 10

 

First Team

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, 10

Tyler English - St. Mary's, 12

Cam Lewis - Nichols, 11

Justin Hollins - St. Joe's, 12

Derek Cheatom - Park, 11

 

Second Team

Chris Miner - Nichols, 11

LaTerrance Reed - Canisius, 11

Derick Simpson - Timon, 11

Tanner Schmit - Nichols, 11

Kordell Holness-Lightbody - St. Francis, 11

 

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YALE CUP I

Player of the Year:

Bri'an Brown - Middle College, 12

 

First Team

Johnathon Lewis - East, 12

Percy Bryant - East, 11

D'Andre Steward - McKinley, 12

Devin Morris - McKinley, 11

Kevin Briggs - Middle College, 12

 

Second Team

Shawn Young - East, 12

Aymanuel Ranford - Hutch-Tech, 12

Varin Lenard - McKinley, 12

Tarron Scott - Middle College, 12

Willie Smith - Riverside, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Dave Williams - Bennett, 12

AJ Ayala - East, 12

Dante Thompson - McKinley, 12

Keion Godson - South Park, 12

Austin Peach - South Park, 12

 

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YALE CUP II

Player of the Year:

Lester Diaz - Lafayette, 12

 

First Team

Terrance James - I-Prep, 11

Xavier Maye - I-Prep, 11

Michael Simpson - Emerson, 10

Ivan Harris - Buffalo Arts, 

Matt Cieslik - City Honors, 11

Brandon Roach - Olmsted, 10

 

Second Team

Damon Boykin - I-Prep, 12

Jamaal Felton - MST Seneca, 12

Jason Dowell - Emerson, 10

Jovanny Vargas - Lafayette, 10

 

Third Team

Isiah Griffin - Buffalo Arts, 12

Ballah burch - Olmsted, 12

Davon Grant - I-Prep, 10

Jordahn Summers - City Honors, 11

RaShawn Jones - MST Seneca, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Adam Figueroa - Lafayatte, 12

Jermaine Shelton - Buffalo Arts, 12

Dante Rivera - Emerson, 12

Nolan Megna - City Honors, 12

Griffin Tritto - Olmsted, 12

Divante Robinson - DaVinci, 11

 

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ALL-ECIC

Player of the Year:

Sterling Taplin - Williamsville North, 12

 

First Team

Zack Panebianco - Jamestown, 12

Quinn Lee Yaw - Jamestown, 12

Ryan Funk - Clarence, 12

Phil Bowen - Iroquois, 12

TC Brown - Amherst, 10

 

Second Team

Aaron Phillips - Cleveland Hill, 12

Dominik Welch - Cheektowaga, 9

Zak Ciezki - Cheektowaga, 11

Cort Williams - Williamsville East, 11

Clay Lewis - Holland, 11

Jay Bergmann - Frontier, 11

 

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ECIC I

Co-Players of the Year:

Sterling Taplin - Williamsville North, 12

Quinn Lee Yaw - Jamestown, 12

 

First Team

Zack Panebianco - Jamestown, 12

Ryan Funk - Clarence, 12

Bryan Jost - Clarence, 12

 Joe Jankowski - Lancaster, 12

Jay Bergmann - Frontier, 11

 

Second Team

Emaure Williams - Clarence, 12

Maceo Jack - Williamsville North, 10

Mike Spengler - Lancaster, 12

Stephen Carlson - Jamestown, 11

Nick Clancy - West Seneca West, 12

Dylan Lambert - Williamsville North, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Dave Rajski - Frontier, 12

Frank Borzillieri - West Seneca West, 11

Camron Murray - Orchard Park, 12

George Attea - Williamsville North, 11

Sean Hill - Williamsville North, 10

 

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ECIC II

Player of the Year:

Phil Bowen - Iroquois, 12

 

First Team

Sam Castronova - Williamsville South, 11

Nicholas Clough - Williamsville East, 11

Cort Williams - Williamsville East, 11

James Nix - Sweet Home, 12

Griffin Ryan - Hamburg, 12

 

Second Team

Brandon Pierce - Hamburg, 12

Josh Pieczynski - Iroquois, 12

Christian Nodine - Starpoint, 10

Kam Varner - Williamsville South, 11

Nick Parucki - West Seneca East, 11

Jordan Heine - Sweet Home, 11

 

 Honorable Mention

Brandon Smiley - Sweet Home, 11

Matt Macomber - Williamsville South, 12

Graham Dolan - Williamsville South, 11

Brock Kroening - Starpoint, 10

 

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ECIC III

Player of the Year:

TC Brown - Amherst, 10

 

First Team

Zak Cieszki - Cheektowaga, 11

Dominik Welch - Cheektowaga, 9

Ed Smith - Maryvale, 12

Brandon Cox - East Aurora, 12

Derrick Sekuterski - Depew, 12

 

Second Team

Logan Jung - Maryvale, 12

Jordan Nwora - Amherst, 10

Mike Lamb - Depew, 12

Colin Hart - Lake Shore, 12

Darien Lowe - Amherst, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Colin Gemerek - Depew, 12

Greg Beatty - Springville, 12

Preston Summers - Cheektowaga, 12

Wade Bergum - Lake Shore, 12

Noah Thompson - East Aurora, 10

Michael Coatsworth - East Aurora, 11

Bryce Little - Pioneer, 11

Dorian Billups - Amherst, 11

Denis Vanini - Depew, 12

 

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ECIC IV

Player of the Year:

Aaron Phillips - Cleveland Hill, 12

 

First Team

Clay Lewis - Holland, 11

Dylan Dussault - Alden, 12

Larry Fields - Lackawanna, 12

Bradley Palmerton - Eden, 12

Tristan Boling - Tonawanda, 11

 

Second Team

Jermaine Hairston - Cleveland Hill, 11

Ben Stich - Tonawanda, 12

Connor Pumm - Tonawanda, 12

Jared Watkins - Cleveland Hill, 12

JR Kline - Holland, 11

 

Honorable Mention

Tyler Glaser - Alden, 12

Nick Kibler - Alden, 12

Dylan Riddoch - Alden, 10

Joe Braniecki - JFK, 11

Josh McMahon - JFK, 11

Jeremiah Jones - Lackawanna, 11

Darius Cleveland - Lackawanna, 11

 

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NIAGARA FRONTIER LEAGUE

First  Team

Noah Whalen - Kenmore West, 12

Alex Price - Kenmore West, 12

Colin Dougherty - Lockport, 12

Ryan Lawrence - Lockport, 12

Ryan Ross - Grand Island, 12

 

Second Team

Charlie Sobieraski - Lockport, 12

Joe Piotroski - North Tonawanda, 12

Craig Paige - Lew-Port, 11

Chris Woodard - North Tonawanda, 11

Mike Awad - North Tonawanda, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Adam Geib - Kenmore East, 12

Adam Fron - Kenmore West, 12

Zach Keegan - Lew-Port, 12

Jenard Jackson - Lew-Port, 10

Moziah Townsend - Lockport, 12

 

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NIAGARA-ORLEANS

First Team

Jake Haight - Barker, 12

Mungie Brown - Medina, 12

Mitch Luckman - Barker, 12

Alex Stoddard - Roy-Hart, 12

Josh Kneeland - Newfane, 12

Kyle Bradley - Wilson, 11

 

Second Team

Bryce Moeller - Barker, 12

Darrell Wesley - CSAT, 12

Noah Diebel - Akron, 12

Alex Santos - CSAT, 12

Christopher Sweeney - Barker, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Ryan Fannin - Albion, 12

Jason Hellwig - Medina, 11

Desmond Blackmon - Albion, 11

DeRon Woods - Roy-Hart, 12

Andrew Xapos - Roy-Hart, 10

Hayden Gooding - Barker, 12

Sean Costello - Newfane, 12

Darius Carson - CSAT, 9

Cedric Griffith - Medina, 12

Conner Barleben - Albion, 12

Evan Shank  - Wilson, 11

 

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CCAA I WEST

Player of the Year:

Dylan Meyer - Fredonia, 12

 

First Team

Billy Brooks - Silver Creek, 11

Corey Wefing - Maple Grove, 12

Graham Soffel - Maple Grove, 11

Nick Johnston - Fredonia, 12

Michael Bess - Dunkirk, 12

 

Second Team

Josh Nelson - Falconer/Frewsburg, 12

John Piper - Fredonia, 11

Mitch Carter - Falconer/Frewsburg, 12

Isaiah Thomas - Dunkirk, 10

Kyle Moran - Southwestern, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Trevon Thompson - Silver Creek, 10

Patrick Moore - Fredonia, 10

Cam Voss - Fredonia, 11

Cody Cunningham - Fredonia, 12

Esmond Colvin - Dunkirk, 12

Kyle Peterson - Falconer/Frewsburg, 12

Mike Wilcox - Falconer/Frewsburg, 12

Riley Beaton - Maple Grove, 12

Riley Ribicki - Southwestern, 12

Jack Carlson - Southwestern, 11

Mike Sandbloom - Southwestern, 11

Patrick Mogenhan - Southwestern, 11

 

***************************************************

 

CCAA II WEST

Player of the Year:

Cody Johnson - Cassadaga Valley, 11

 

First Team

Andrew Graham - Sherman, 12

Ryan Robson - Sherman, 12

Tanner Dahl - Westfield, 11

Dan Odell - Panama, 12

Ian Clute - Chautauqua Lake, 12

 

Second Team

Mitchel Einink - Clymer, 12

Jake Card - Sherman, 11

Liam Tennies - Westfield, 11

Mike Lancaster - Cassadaga Valley, 12

Ricky Eddy - Panama, 12

Matthew Destevens - Clymer, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Gregory Delahoy - Panama, 11

Josh Odell - Panama, 10

Bryce Payne - Panama, 12

Jake Wiggers - Clymer, 12

Devin Moorehead - Sherman, 12

Ryan Myers - Sherman, 12

Jacob Gray - Westfield, 12

Jesse Rodriguez - Westfield, 12

Kyle Ruge - Cassadaga Valley, 12

Randy Dalaba - Cassadaga Valley, 12

Aaron Rifigiato - Brocton, 10

Macalum Buchanan - Brocton, 12

 

**************************************************

 

CCAA I EAST

Player of the Year:

 Jared Fish - Salamanca, 11

 

First Team

Bryce Morrison - Randolph, 11

Damien Taylor  - Salamanca, 12

Curtis Caya - Portville, 12

Dom Saglimben - Allegany-Limestone, 12

Ryan Vossler - Allegany-Limestone, 12

 

Second Team

Mitchell Maycock - Randolph, 12

Isaac Hilyer - Portville, 11

Chase Williams - Gowanda, 11

Any Crandall - Salamanca, 11

Mason Bosley - Randolph, 11

Zach Ewings - Portville, 11

Cole Davis - Allegany-Limestone, 10

 

Honorable Mention

Tyler Siperek - Salamanca, 11

Justin Forster - Cattaraugus/Little Valley, 12

Taylor Miller - Randolph, 12

Cody Oldro - Randolph, 12

Brennan Geiger - Gowanda, 12

 

*************************************************** 

 

CCAA II EAST

Player of the Year:

Ben Erickson - Franklinville, 11

 

First Team

Phalla Musall - Ellicottville, 11

Cameron Wilson - Ellicottville, 12

Wayne Hartloff - Forestville, 12

Jake Nosbisch - Forestville, 12

Collin Seamans - Franklinville, 12

 

Second Team

Caleb Makuch - Forestville, 11

Jordan Milks - Franklinville, 10

Jacob Wilcox - Pine Valley, 12

Emil Erlandson - West Valley, 11

Tanner Gregory - Ellicottville, 12

Derek Wells - West Valley, 12

 

Honorable Mention

Ryan Forbes - Forestville, 11

Dylan Szumigala - Forestville, 11

Drew Jackson - Franklinville

Tom Easton - Ellicottville, 10

Kilian Abers - Pine Valley

Bryce Jay - Pine Valley

Thomas Raiport - Pine Valley

Patrick Enser - West Valley

Collin Proctor - West Valley

Zane Lloyd - North Collins

 

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 CHARTER SCHOOLS

Player of the Year :

Allen Wright Jr. - Health Sciences, 12

 

First Team

Allen Wright - Health Sciences , 12

 

Fred Searles - Global Concepts, 11

 

Antone Gulledge - Oracle, 12

 

JaQuoine Fogan - Tapestry, 10

 

Carl Goodwin - Health Sciences, 12

 

 

Second Team

 

Aaron Day - Health Sciences, 12

 

Corey Wiseman - Health Sciences, 11

 

DeJaun Owens - Tapestry, 12

 

Isaiah Padin - Maritime, 12

 

Nelson Modi - Oracle, 12

 

 

Honorable Mention

 

Jordan Maxey - Tapestry, 11

 

Chip Davis - Maritime, 12

 

Chemar Pilot - Tapestry, 11

 

Yousef Yahya - Global Concepts, 11

 

Kenny White - Oracle, 10

 

 

-centercourt