Now that the high school season has come to a close with Central Catholic’s 60-50 loss to Neumann-Goretti on Friday night, it’s time to get serious about the NCAA Tournament. I know Monday, March 17, was St. Patrick’s Day and, also, the birthday of Benito Suarez, the five-time governor of Mexico from 1861-1872. I, unfortunately, will miss both festivities because the NCAA brackets are out! March Madness has officially begun. With the assumption that you would like a little help, I am offering “valuable” inside information on the teams that I consider to be the Top 12.

Top 4 Seeds:
1. Florida – They are healthy (and they weren’t early in the season). They haven’t lost since December 2. Early problems created end-of-season depth – that’s a good thing.
2. Wichita State – 34-0! Everyone is saying they haven’t played the best college basketball has to offer. But, the nucleus of this team barely lost to Louisville, the defending national champ, last year. They have not lost a game since.
3. Arizona – This is the best defensive team in the country. If defense wins championships, they have a shot; if offense does, they can’t make a shot!
4. Virginia – Their games are slow-paced and low scoring, but it has worked for them all year. They won a tough ACC regular season and the ACC tournament. If you want to go against the experts, this is not a bad pick.

The Best of the Rest:
5. Louisville – Defending champs; near the top in both offense AND defense; playing great ball going into the tournament. Could repeat!
6. Kansas – Is Joel Embiid (back problem) able to play? If yes, they could beat anybody; if no, probably not in the final four.
7. Iowa State – They won the Big 12 and could make it to the Final Four. I’m cheering for Villanova to beat them and for the Wildcats to get to the Elite Eight.
8. Villanova – They were upset by Seton Hall in the Big East tournament. They will be rested; they win close games (4-0 in overtime); and have local product, Darren Hilliard. Go Wildcats!
9. Creighton – Villanova’s nemesis (they could only meet again in the national championship), they have the most prolific scorer in college basketball (3,000+ points) – Doug McDermott. Great players tend to carry their teams to great performances in the tournament.
10. Michigan State – Another team in the East bracket (Virginia, Iowa State, Villanova). When they want to play, they are among the very best.

Nostalgic Picks:
11. UCLA – Great offensive team; Steve Alford at the helm. But, can they beat Florida?
12. Kentucky – Their freshmen make plenty of mistakes and, also, plenty of great plays; whichever is the majority will determine their fate.

I would give you my picks, but then, I would lose the “for amusement only” office pool.
Actually, I haven’t filled out my pool yet and I am certainly skeptical of everything I have told you! Now, if I could only find a trusted source…

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. Best high school team(s) I saw this year – Neumann-Goretti’s boys’ and girls’ teams; the talent level might have been even more impressive on the girls’ team (40-3 halftime lead in the quarterfinals!) than it was on the boys’ team. I will be shocked if both of these teams are not state champions.

2. Best player I saw this year – I am happy to say he came from the Lehigh Valley. I expected Miami-bound Ja’quan Newton to fill the spot, but no one was better this year than Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, finishing his career with a 30-point performance against Neumann-Goretti. I am truly looking forward to his college choice and I hope that he chooses a school that has great TV visibility in the East.

3. Best game I saw this year – Allen at Parkland (1/24/14): Parkland won in double overtime by an 82-74 score; there was lots of scoring and plenty of dramatic moments down the stretch. It was a great high school game.

4. Best pre-game conversation (and there were plenty) – Bill Stein, assistant coach at Liberty. I knew Bill was the former athletic director at Saint Peter’s University. I did not know he was an assistant coach at Georgetown University for 10 years under head coach John Thompson. He was there when they went on to win the National Championship. His most famous recruit was Patrick Ewing.

5. Best part of the job – Watching how efficiently and seriously the crew operates each and every night to bring you the best games, the best pictures and the best replays. And a special “Thanks for a great season” to Tom Stoudt, John Leone, and “Beet” Bowman – only they know how much fun we really have!

It was another exciting high school playoff season on RCN-TV, filled with outstanding teams and athletes, and a few surprises along the way. Before we transition to the spring sports season, I wanted to highlight some of the top moments during this year’s PIAA state basketball playoffs. Keep in mind, these observations are based on the teams I had a chance to see and didn’t include the teams from the western part of Pennsylvania.

BEST TEAM I SAW—BOYS
Neumann-Goretti was not just an athletic and talented team, they were QUICK! Quick when passing, playing defense, leaping ability…even on the break. Central Catholic played a great game and is loaded with fast players themselves, but I really don’t know if there’s another team in the state that could play with Neumann-Goretti in an up-tempo style game.

http://youtu.be/hGcZqNHZAj0

Central Catholic also had a great playoff run, and I can shamelessly mention that my early January prediction that the Vikings would make it to the state quarterfinals proved correct. (RCN basketball experts Tom Stoudt and Joe Craig said I was crazy for saying that, but you can see for yourself by checking out “RCN SportsTalk” for free On-Demand). Central posted two solid wins in states before seeing their season come to an end and have a lot of to be proud of what they accomplished in 2014.

BEST TEAM I SAW—GIRLS
North Penn not only had the best overall defensive team I saw all year, but they had multiple players who could score. Against Northampton, they were the only team I saw—boys or girls—that had FOUR players score 11 or more points in a game. They also brought in players off the bench that could play with most teams in the state. They have an excellent Head Coach in Mary DeMarteleire and have a ton of talent coming back next year, so I would expect their dominance in the state playoffs to continue for at least the next several years.

BIGGEST SURPRISE—GIRLS
Bethlehem Catholic’s loss to Scranton Prep in the PIAA’s 2nd round. There’s no question that the “upper bracket” of the 3A girls state playoff tournament had some incredibly good teams playing each other before you even got to the state semifinals. Becahi, Scranton Prep, Villa Maria, Archbishop Wood, Abington Heights, West Perry and Holy Redeemer all had legitimate chances go to deep, if not win, the championship—and all of those teams faced off against each other in the first three rounds. The fact that Scranton Prep completely held one of the top players in the state, Kalista Walters, in check for three-and-a-half quarters before fouling out while holding the high-powered Hawks offense (who came in averaging 59 ppg) to 21 points was a major, if not shocking, accomplishment.

Becahi returns nearly everyone for 2015 and should be one of the top teams again in the state a year from now and had an impressive showing in an earlier round game against Bonner-Predergast.

BIGGEST SURPRISE—BOYS
Delaware Valley Charter is also one of the top teams in the state, but I was impressed by how Notre Dame stayed with this team for almost a full half. The Crusaders had some tough shots bounce out that would have kept it closer, but Del Val is just loaded with talent and kept Notre Dame at arms’ length the entire second half. Dashon Giddings, Shahid Adams and CJ Wolfe are all great ball players who look to continue playing at the next level and they were a fun team to watch.

http://youtu.be/jJ00yqOr2fo

TEAMS TO WATCH FOR 2015
Two teams on the rise this year that will continue to get better next year are Emmaus and Abington. Both teams battled each other in the opening round and have a number of returning underclassmen, and should be back in states a year from now.

THE “TROJAN TAKEOVER”
Both the Parkland boys’ and girls’ basketball teams won the 4A District XI final and entered the state playoffs as #1 seeds (they’re one of only six schools to accomplish this in the same season since 1985). Both the boys’ and girls’ teams will be guests on this Thursday’s “RCN SportsTalk” show live at 6pm to talk about their successes in the state playoffs. To tease the appetites of the “Trojan Takeover” fans in the meantime, here’s some of Parkland’s highlights in the PIAAs.

Which teams do you think were the best in the state this season? Which players stuck out in your mind and which teams will be back for the 2015 state tourney? Post your comments below or email us at RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and join us this Thursday as we read and respond to your questions and comments on our final “winter sports” show of 2014.

At this time of the year only the best basketball teams, whether it be high school or college, are still playing. We have, indeed, begun March Madness. The yearly event draws its name from the frantic race to decide the various league, conference, district, state, and national championships. As we watch the teams, we are equally thrilled by the play of outstanding individuals. I mean, good teams are made up of good players.

We have certainly had our share of outstanding individuals this season on RCN TV. To name just a few, Central Catholic’s Muhammad Ali Abur-Rahkman has scored over 2,000 points as he winds down his high school career; Bethlehem Catholic’s Kalista Walters has over 1,600 points and will probably break the school record shortly; Lafayette’s Seth Hindricks went over 1,000 points this season, missed 10 games and is only a junior! And now that we are in the state playoffs, I get to see teams that have one or two individuals who are just ridiculously skilled.

If you are anything like me, you must wonder, “How did they get so good?”

A New York City tourist once asked the famous question: “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer given became equally as famous, “Practice, practice, practice!”

I would guess the answer would be the same for an outstanding basketball player. It’s practice! How many hours of work have they put in; how many shots have they taken; how many laps and suicides have they run; how many foul shots have they practiced; how many rebounding, dribbling, passing drills have they been through? How many days and years have they devoted to be the best they can be?

The answer is best exemplified by a young player driven to be not just good, but outstanding. Let me introduce you to Jordan McCabe. Take a moment and watch his YouTube video:

Jordan McCabe will be a great player some day. He can’t miss. He learned early on that he had a passion for basketball and he wanted to be the best that he could be. He knows the formula for success – “Practice, practice, practice!”

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. You probably missed the irony of Ryan Braun’s return to baseball. Braun, if you are unfamiliar with the name, plays for the Milwaukee Brewers, was the 2011 MVP, and was suspended for 65 games last season for violating MLB’s anti-drug agreement. In the spring opener this month, while a fan was yelling, “MVP-ED” (for Performance Enhancing Drugs), he stepped to the plate and hit an 0-1 pitch over the wall, 345 feet away. Go figure!

2. Is this road rage? If you smash your own car in a fit of anger, are you guilty of anything other than stupidity? Richie Incognito, of Miami Dolphins bullying infamy, took a bat to his $300,000 Ferrari, smashing the hood and the grill. The police said there was no crime because there was no victim. Mr. Incognito would not press charges against himself. Go figure!

3. It sure looked like a certainty a few years back that Tiger Woods would break Jack Nicklaus’ record for majors won. Jack has 18; Tiger-14. Not so certain anymore. Tiger is 37 years old and in the last 50 years no one over 37 has won five majors. The competition each week is now stiffer than at any other time in history. He is not in great shape physically – a reconstructed knee, a bad ankle, and, now, a back that can cause him problems every time he plays. Now, the odds seem to be against him. Go figure!

4. I went to the Demi Lovato concert in the Lehigh Valley last Thursday night (don’t ask!). At 4:30 when I arrived for dinner, there was a line, at least the length of a football field, of young teenage girls waiting for the doors to open at 7:00. To make a long story short (again, no questions), the show started at 7:30 with a DJ, a magician, a soloist, more DJ, more magician, a girl-group, and more magician. Demi Lovato came on at 10:00 (that’s right – 2 ½ hours after the show started)! I left after one and a half songs! Three hours of my life I will not get back. Go figure!

5. Six Lehigh Valley teams are still alive in the state basketball playoffs, as I am writing this – two boys’ teams and four girls’ teams. Take the road trips with us to Pottsville, Reading, Souderton, Hazleton, and wherever else we may travel.

One of the most animated Phillies-related discussions this winter continues to be over the team’s power-hitting first baseman/outfielder Darin Ruf. He has solidified a strong fan base in the Delaware Valley region–somewhat surprising since he has never had a full season of success at the Double-A level.

It’s partially because of his ability to rack up home runs as he did in Reading two seasons ago. Or, perhaps it’s because he was not considered a “blue chip” prospect, yet his blue collar approach which we all love a player to have, has forced the Phillies to consider this underdog in their future plans. Although he has been inconsistent in his approach at the plate for the last two years, and he doesn’t really have an available position on the team’s current roster, people have pushed hard for him to be in the ball club.

I pointed out a few weeks ago on our “RCN SportsTalk” show that, at the start of spring training, Ruf would probably not be on their Opening Day roster—not without a key injury to at least one other position player. When I said this, it drew an immediate reaction with our show viewers. Here’s one such email:

“Chris. How can you say that Ruf won’t be on the Opening Day roster this spring? He was the team’s best hitter for the second half
of last year? He showed patience at the plate, and was one of the few players who [showed] the ability to get on base. The Phillies
would be nuts if he wasn’t on the team to start the year, and I don’t know how you can think that he would not???” Dave, Allentown

Again, there are no current starting positions open (first base or corner outfield) in which Ruf could play, nor can he take over the “backup center field” spot on the roster that the Phillies like to have, because he doesn’t have enough foot speed to play that position. Which, in the Phillies’ minds, would keep him from making the team. The Phillies also desperately need to keep a roster spot open for a left-handed pinch-hitting option, which indicates Bobby Abreu or Tony Gywnn, Jr. will make the team before Ruf. However, for all the “Babe Ruf” fans out there, let’s take a realistic approach of how he could make the Opening Day roster. (Note: This would require the team’s front office to show flexibility and change its’ stance on an issue—which hasn’t occurred in quite some time. So you might have to suspend your belief in realism to read further).

Option #1:
The Phillies do without a designated player with great range and speed that would be their backup center fielder in case Ben Revere gets a minor injury or needs a day off. With the shorter dimensions of Citizens’ Bank Park (and other small stadiums around the league), you might be able to get away with Marlon Byrd or even Dom Brown (if your stomach can handle his routes) patrolling the center field for a game or two. This would mean that John Mayberry, Jr.’s role on the team is no longer needed (wouldn’t that kill a second bird with one stone?) and Ruf could make the team as a right-handed pinch hitter, who could spell Ryan Howard at first on occasion, and play a corner outfield spot here and there. If the Phillies do need a long-term center fielder due to a serious injury to Revere (again, like last year), they could bring someone up from Triple-A.

Option #2:
The Phillies could cut another fan favorite, Kevin Frandsen, and go with Freddy Galvis as the lone backup infielder. This might seem the most logical as Frandsen is not a power hitter that the team likes to have coming off the bench (see Abreu, below). Also, Frandsen can only play two or three positions—all of which Galvis and/or Ruf (first base) could man in the case of an slump, double switch or day-to-day injury. However, Ryne Sandberg raved about Frandsen’s pinch-hitting ability a year ago and Frandsen also has a guaranteed contract, so the team would lose arguably their most consistent bat off the bench and be forced to pay him for NOT playing, if they chose this option.

Option #3:
They could keep Gwynn, a player who spent all of last season in the minor leagues, as their primary left-handed pinch hitter. Since Gwynn also has speed and plays center field, it would make either Abreu or Mayberry expendable and clear a spot for Ruf. However, the Phillies love Abreu’s patient approach at the plate (despite his batting average now under .200), and his ability to still hit homers in a pinch–a trait they typically like to have in their first left-handed option (a la Matt Stairs, Lance Nix, Jim Thome, et al). Since Gywnn has minimal power and hasn’t overwhelmed anyone with his bat so far in spring training, this is the least likely option to occur.

Option #4:
Perhaps the most intriguing possibility: infielder Freddy Galvis becomes your “other” center fielder, thus opening up a spot on the bench for Ruf. Galvis, much like Ruf, does not have an available starting spot. While his glove is better than any infielder on the roster, he struggled at the plate in Triple-A (he actually hit better when in the Big Leagues). The team would love to have him start the year in the minors to improve his hitting so that he can become a middle infield starter for the near future. The high payroll, however, dictates the team must play him—and win—now. Having him learn center field would be another way to try to get him more at-bats. (He actually hits better from the right side of the plate and could spell Revere against a tough lefty, if needed). This idea may sound far-fetched, but Ryne Sandberg, who has pretty much guaranteed Galvis a spot on the roster, started him in center over the weekend. Look for that experiment to continue as spring training rolls on.

Are you a fan of Darin Ruf? Do you think he should make the team for Opening Day, and which other players do you think should travel north when the team breaks camp in a few weeks? Hey, Sandberg dropped Howard down to the fifth spot in the batting order for Monday’s game, so maybe anything is possible?! Post a comment below and/or send your comments to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and join us on Thursdays at 6pm as we discuss the team on future shows!

The Pennsylvania state basketball playoffs will be commencing this weekend. It’s an exciting time of year—no more safety nets, as it’s a single-elimination tournament and the most talented players in the state might have their season, if not their scholastic careers, come to an end on a given night. We’re going to be broadcasting a number of exciting PIAA playoff games over the next few weeks and it’s going to be fun seeing the top players and teams across the state on RCN-TV.

We’re coming off of a thrilling District XI playoffs season in our RCN viewing area. In preparation for the state games, here are notes and video highlights of some of the teams we’ve had the pleasure of seeing over the last few weeks in postseason action.

PARKLAND (girls and boys teams)
Both teams are playing their best brand of basketball of the season as they head into the PIAAs. The boys team is incredibly deep and have been getting solid performances from all their starters, but what makes them even more dangerous are the players coming off the bench contributing without missing a beat. They pretty much dismantled all their opponents in the district playoffs and made this year’s district championship look easy.

Parkland has momentum and really has not shown any glaring weaknesses, save a slow first-half stretch to Stroudsburg in the semifinal game (the Mountaineers also got a gritty performance from Jacob Battle in the consolation game, which hopefully will propel them to a few wins in states).

The Parkland girls team also has a multitude of talent among both their starters and role players. Olivia Brown led her team in the girls district championship with a great all-around game and a clutch basket down the stretch run.

Erin Bross, Erica Bross, Aubrey Beidelman, Sarash Stagaard and Kristen McCarty are all solid ball handlers who can shoot, and the Trojans have a strong inside presence anchored by Brynne Brouse, Nadine Ewald and Brooke Robertson. They have a very formidable opponent in Central Bucks East, a team known this year for a stifling defense (allowing just 33 ppg) and an offense led by a double-double threat, Courtney Webster.

CENTRAL CATHOLIC (boys and girls)
The Vikettes battled state championship contender Bethlehem Catholic, but lost for a third time to the Hawks in the District XI Final. However, I was very impressed by the efforts of Olivia Roseman, Ashley Bross, Alyssa Mack and Emma Redding in their last two meetings with the Hawks, and they all made big plays again keeping the district title game close. They draw a tough opening round opponent in Abington Heights, a squad RCN SportsTalk guest Dave Troxell labeled a tremendous team on last week’s show. However, they have played—and defeated—a number of teams still alive in the state playoffs. They have solid balance and show great ball handling ability, and I see no reason why they can’t advance at least a couple rounds in states.

The boys team continues to dominate. Everyone knew they were going to be a great team this year, but to have the focus, night-in and night-out and be as solid a team throughout an entire season (they still haven’t lost a game all year) is truly a remarkable accomplishment. In addition to being outstanding athletes, the tandem of Muhammed-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Jean Lee Baez has guided a steady ship with no noticeable blemishes, on or off the court, this season. We debated on SportsTalk last month (the show is available on RCN On-Demand) about their state title chances, and I’ll stick with my prediction that, at worst, they reach the state quarterfinals.

http://youtu.be/g7ESdylhXQs

EMMAUS (Boys)
I finally got a chance to see Emmaus in person last week, and I was tremendously impressed with their win over Liberty. I knew Nate Feirertag was a great all-around player who plays with as much heart as anyone in our coverage area. Fellow senior forward Joe Nicolini stepped up big time with 19 points (17 in the 2nd half) for the Hornets to advance to the district championship.

This team has lots of talent on the way up and should be vying for state playoff spots for the next several seasons. I know Emmaus fans were disappointed by their loss to Parkland in the district final, and face a tough matchup in District I power Abington, a team loaded with size, speed and several players looking to play at the quality college programs. But Emmaus has bounced back from a tough loss on more than one occasion this year and I would expect a hard fought game this weekend.

NORTHAMPTON (Girls)
The K-Kids shook off a tough loss to Parkland in the semifinals to beat a quality Pleasant Valley team and earn a state playoff bid.

Leandra Sterner is quietly having one of the top all-around performances of the entire high school sports year. Coming off an historic performance on the soccer field this fall, she currently leads the team in points per game, assists and steals. Ali Reppert has a smooth-looking jump shot and Aja Blount might become the best center in the area in the very near future. I think they have a favorable matchup facing Wallenpaupack this weekend and see no reason why the Kids can’t advance into the next round.

NOTRE DAME (Boys)
If you like “shoot-out” games, you would have loved the performances of Tannor Reed, Vicent Eze and the Notre Dame boys team in their District XI 2A Boys Championship.

I think the Crusaders will be the first to admit that their defense needs to play better to defeat Delaware Valley Charter this weekend, but their game might be the most entertaining of all the contests on RCN Saturday night. The Crusaders play extremely well as a team, have a balanced attack and come in with plenty of momentum (they’ve won 13 consecutive games). Tuning in just to see Reed shoot should be worth your time and Eze has improved all facets of his game (he’s averaging 14 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks per game), including his ability to score when given the ball outside the paint.

BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC (Girls)
The reigning LVC and District XI 3A Champs will be our guests on RCN SportsTalk this Thursday (live at 6pm), so you can tune in for in-depth conversations with their coaches and players. We’ll also showcase some of their awesome highlights so far this season, and get their expectations on the state playoffs. You can also email us comments and questions to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and we’ll read and respond to your opinions live on the air!

Be sure to check back for more highlights and notes on the teams playing in this year’s state playoffs. Also, feel free to email us or post your feelings about the schools competing for titles this winter.

On Wednesday, February 26, the new Phillies’ announcers, Jamie Moyer and Matt Stairs, made their announcing debut when the Phillies played a rain-shortened game against the Toronto Blue Jays. They certainly got off to a good start, and play-by-play man, Tom McCarthy, did a nice job directing traffic (three in a booth can be difficult). With that said, I thought you might be interested in the tips I give to a “newbie” when we are going to work together for the first time:

MY TOP 10 ANNOUNCER TIPS

1. BE PREPARED
a. Follow all the games each week so you get a feel for the top players, the teams, and the conference.

2. BE NATURAL
a. Try to stay conversational and relaxed.
b. With TV, the pictures can speak for themselves – just try to add interest to the game.
c. Relax and respond to the situation and the play-by-play guy.

3. KNOW THE NAMES
a. Learn the proper pronunciation prior to the game. Take time to find the names before talking about a play. It is not a panic situation. There is time to find the number and the name in the program. This will become second nature to you with experience.

4. DON’T HESITATE TO BE HUMOROUS
a. The only caution is try not to demean a player; you certainly can point out a mistake (but it is still better to give the player who did the right thing more air time).

5. IF YOU THINK YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN’T SAY SOMETHING – DON’T!

6. POINT OUT AND CLARIFY
a. You can truly add to the game by pointing out things, emphasizing a player’s skills, clarifying why a play worked, etc.

7. DON’T RESPOND TO THE DIRECTOR IN THE HEADSET – THE PEOPLE AT HOME CAN’T HEAR HIM
a. If a question is asked by the director, work the answer into the conversation.
b. P.S. – the crew will always try to test a rookie and make him answer a question on the air. You’ve been warned.

8. DON’T TALK OVER THE PLAY-BY-PLAY MAN
a. There is ample time to get your analysis in after the play has been called. Relax and jump in at the appropriate time. Remember – “Dead ball is you”; “Live ball is not you”.

9. LISTEN
a. To coaches, sportswriters, players, and play-by-play announcers.

10. BE READY TO BE NOTICED
a. People will eventually get to know you and talk to you at the mall, on the street, at the corner store like you are their friend. I have found that a simple “Thank you” for a compliment and an “I’m sorry you feel that way” or “I hope not to do that again” for a valid criticism works pretty well.
b. Remember – you are a representative of RCN.

ALSO, REMEMBER – PEOPLE TUNE IN TO WATCH THE GAME – YOU SHOULD, HOPEFULLY, JUST ADD TO THEIR ENJOYMENT!!

I have been so fortunate to work with the likes of Dick Tracy, Tom Stoudt, John Leone, Mike Joseph, Scott Barr, etc. They truly understood what our roles as announcers are. I already get a sense the new Phillies’ announcers do, too.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. Speaking of the Phillies, they ended the Philadelphia championship drought (NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB) of 25 years in 2008 when they won the World Series. None since for any franchise and, the way the four professional teams are looking, it could be another long time before a Philadelphia team wins the overall championship again.

2. Did you know that Allen High School is the 7th winningest boys’ basketball program in Pennsylvania with @1680 wins? Central Catholic is 10th. By the way Reading is #1 and Chester is #2.

3. I enjoy watching Villanova basketball these days because of Darrun Hilliard of Liberty High School. This is what a Philadelphia sportswriter said about Hilliard after a Feb. 2, Sunday game with Marquette:

No. 8 Villanova beat Marquette 73-56 in Philadelphia. The leader, offensively speaking, on Sunday was junior guard Darrun Hilliard. Hilliard made seven of his eleven shot attempts, finishing with a game-high 26 points to go along with four assists and three rebounds. Averaging 13.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, Hilliard’s versatility is one asset that has helped propel Villanova to the top of the Big East. Hilliard’s a capable perimeter shooter, as evidenced by his 5-for-8 afternoon against Marquette and the fact that he’s shooting 40.9% from deep on the season. He’s also good off the dribble, and from a decision-making standpoint Hilliard committed just one turnover on Sunday.

Not bad for our local kid!

4. Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman broke the Central school career scoring record on Friday night with his 34 points giving him 2,052 points. Larry Miller (1960-64) of Catasauqua holds the Lehigh Valley boys’ record with 2,722 points. One other Lehigh Valley player is ahead of Abdur-Rahkman by just 25 points, but that is my trivia question on Friday night. Tune in for the answer.

5. Congratulations to the Parkland, Central Catholic, and Notre Dame boys for their District Championships. Ironically, they all repeated as champions. Also, to the girls’ champions – Parkland and Bethlehem Catholic. Bethlehem Catholic was, also, a repeat champion. It is now time for the PIAA state playoffs. Please join us.

If you watch our Lafayette basketball games on RCN-TV or WBPH Channel 60, the name Joey Ptasinski should ring a bell… well, three bells, actually. I have been broadcasting basketball games for a long time (43 years to be exact) and Lafayette games for 17 years. I can safely say I have not seen a 3-point shooter quite like Joey Ptasinski. He is accurate, his release is exceptionally quick, and his vertical jump is exceptional. He has made 72-3’s this season alone to hold a comfortable lead in that department in the Patriot League. Joey has made 169–3’s in his career and currently sits in 5th place all-time in the Lafayette record book. You should know that he has done this in less than three seasons, with at least three more games to play this year. He also missed nine games as a freshman due to shin splints. The Lafayette record is held by Andrew Brown who had 285. Joey has a shot at that record.

This past Sunday Ptasinski made five 3-pointers, scored a career-tying 23 points and led the Leopards to a six-point win over arch-rival Lehigh. He shot with his usual deadly accuracy, making five of eight 3-point shots taken, 6-9 overall and was 6-6 from the foul line. In the previous game, he made 4-3’s out of six shots. He is good – he is really good!

However, he didn’t even have the best 3-point shooting week in his own family! Joey’s sister, Anna, set a new school record this past Tuesday with a jaw-dropping 10-12 performance from beyond the 3-point line for Regis Jesuit High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Anna’s head coach, Carl Mattei, said he had never seen anything like it. She tied the state record with three other girls, the most recent in 2012. Amazingly, because the game turned into a route, Anna spent a great deal of time on the bench. She now has 57-3’s for the season in 22 games. Joey’s 72-3’s has come in 27 games. Anna has one more regular season game and then on to the Class 5A state playoffs.

Joey’s career high is seven, both in a game at Regis Jesuit and again in college against Morehead State. No big deal for Anna – she hit seven in a game just two weeks prior! And this sibling rivalry will not end when Anna plays her final high school game. You see, she has enrolled at Lafayette College (poor Joey) and will play basketball for the Leopards.

Anna and her father were at the Kirby Sports Center on Sunday afternoon to watch Joey’s performance. I am sure John Ptasinski was really pleased with Joey’s performance. If Anna is anything like my sisters, she probably just yawned! But, after having met Anna, I don’t think she is anything like my sisters.

P.S. Joey, I feel for you, man!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. It sure looked like the US hockey team would accept no less than a gold medal in Sochi. They accomplished that goal. No gold and no medal. They were shut out in the bronze medal game. No “miracle on ice” this time.
2. The University of Oklahoma turned itself in to the NCAA this past May because three of their student-athletes ate too much pasta! In violation of NCAA rules, the three were served an extra pasta buffet at a graduation banquet (they all returned for an additional year of competition). They were required to donate $3.83 to a charity of their choice in order to be reinstated. They decided to donate $5.
3. Congratulations to Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman for attaining 2000 points in his high school career at Allentown Central Catholic High School. The boys’ school record is 2051 points by Billy McCaffrey. Muhammad has at least two more games and probably a few more than that. By the way, there have been four 3,000 point scorers in the state.
4. Wouldn’t you know, however, that the Central scoring record is held by a girl (seems to be the theme this week). Michelle Marciniak scored 3,025 points and is ninth all-time in the state.
5. The District XI basketball champions for boys and girls will be crowned this weekend in four classifications. Then on to the state playoffs. You’re always invited to join us!

The District XI boys basketball playoffs are heading up…and RCN-TV will have you covered!

This week, we’ll have a full breakdown of all this weekend’s boys and girls high school championship games on our live “RCN SportsTalk” this Thursday at 6pm. Local coaches will be on our show dissecting all the playoff games and giving their insights, keys to victory and strategies for all of the big matchups this weekend. We’ll also have several title games broadcast Friday and Saturday on RCN (keep checking our website for our broadcast schedule).

In the meantime, here are several thoughts and video highlights of some of the teams in our coverage area still alive in the playoffs!

PARKLAND
With the return of Nick Rindock, the Parkland basketball team looks like it is playing its best basketball of the year at just the right time. It has an outstanding point guard in Jimmy Hahn, an exciting freshman who does a ton of things well in Sam Iorio, and looked solid defensively in its last two games (which included a tight ball game with undefeated Central Catholic).

The Trojans are playing like the best team in this classification right now, and, should it continue, could play several rounds into the state tournament.

EMMAUS
The Hornets got a scare Saturday as they had to fight off a scrappy Bangor ball club. However, this year’s group of players has had success at all younger levels and is ready for prime time. They have a ton of talent who have had big games throughout this season, including David Kachelries, Joe Nicolini, Nate Feiertag and Joe Polczynski. I think they might have been looking past the Slaters a bit, but that won’t happen this week and I expect Emmaus to give Liberty a solid game this Wednesday (LIVE on RCN-4 this Wednesday at 6pm).

LIBERTY
Both RCN Basketball analyst Tom Stoudt and I said back on “SportsTalk” in January that if Liberty got into the playoffs, they could be the most dangerous 4A team. Even with some roster subtractions, it looks like our prediction is coming true. They manhandled Whitehall in the first round and upset the number-one seed Pocono Mountain West. They have four players, DeShawn Oyeniyi, Ludwin Gonzalez, Jaevan Dobbins and Trenton Coleman-Bishop, all playing at a high level right now. With the exception of the third quarter versus the Zephyrs, everyone has been playing solid defense. I don’t know how he does it every year, but Head Coach Chad Landis always has his team playing well at just the right time and probably deserves to be the LVC Coach-of-the-Year for what he’s done this season. Even if Liberty loses Wednesday, they could still reach the state playoffs with a win in the consolation round on Saturday, which would be a major accomplishment given all this team has been through this winter.

STROUDSBURG
It’s becoming a tradition for the Mountaineers to play in the final rounds of the district playoffs, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of Stroudsburg during the regular season once they merge with the LVC for the next school year. Shawn Thornton is one of the top coaches in the district, and the team has tons of talent once again this season, led by three players (Danny Cuevas, Edwin Lopez, Jacob Battle) all averaging in double figures. They have a tough matchup in Parkland this Wednesday, but if they can pound the ball inside and open up their great perimeter shooters, we should be in for a great contest (LIVE on RCN-4 this Wednesday at 7:30 pm).

CENTRAL CATHOLIC & BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC
We’ve talked quite a bit about both of these teams in an earlier blog post as well as on “SportsTalk” and neither team has done anything recently to derail their outstanding seasons. While the first meeting between these two 3A powers went decisively to the Vikings (highlights below), I would not be surprised if the Hawks challenge them a bit more here in round two (LIVE on RCN-4 this Tuesday at 7:30 pm). Remember, three teams can reach the PIAA playoffs in this classification, so the loser of the semifinal game will still have a chance to play on.

NOTRE DAME
No boys’ basketball team in the Lehigh Valley, with the exception of Central Catholic, comes into the postseason with more consecutive wins. I was promoting Tannor Reed for a Colonial League MVP award when we did their game against Salisbury in January, and he has truly carried this team through their ups-and-downs this year. With the 6’8” Vincent Eze back and doing so many things well at both ends of the floor, this team looks nearly unbeatable against most teams in Eastern Pennsylvania. They also have the momentum following their thrilling buzzer-beating win in the Colonial League championship.
http://youtu.be/AjV6O-yqFS8

CATASAUQUA
Despite the loss to the Crusaders, Catty has a lot to be proud of with reasons for optimism. They did not play well in the first half of their league championship game, yet went down to the wire and did not let a very talented Notre Dame team run away with the game. The Rough Riders are used to having players battling through tough injuries and this week will not be an exception. However, Catty has already defeated other, larger playoff-bound teams in Bangor (a 4A team) and Salisbury (3A) and could make for another thrilling title game if they dispatch North Schuylkill in the semifinals.

Which teams do you think will win championships this weekend? Which players will step up big and help their squads to victory? Email your opinions to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and we’ll read your thoughts live on this Thursday’s show at 6pm.

I find it a bit harder to watch the Winter Olympics than I do the Summer Olympics, especially when it seems so much nicer there, weather-wise, than it does here. I find that one of the major problems for me is just plain ignorance. I can relate to swimming, baseball, basketball, track and field, etc. during the Summer Olympics. The Winter Olympic events, however, just do not compute for me. Let me explain:

• Alpine skiing – Too long and too cold.
• Biathlon – Shoot at something when I am exhausted? Not so far in my life.
• Bobsleigh – Closest thing to a childhood pastime, but still looks awfully dangerous.
• Cross-country skiing – I don’t look forward to cross-country DRIVING!
• Curling – What weekend college party led to this sport?
• Figure skating – Can’t skate, let alone make figures.
• Freestyle skiing – This probably WOULD describe my skiing if I actually skied.
• Ice Hockey – Right. A hard, rubber puck flying around my head and body while I am NOT skating  because I can’t – SERIOUSLY?
• Luge – Claustrophobic, speedophobic; dangerous-phobic; chicken-phobic – GOT IT?
• Nordic combined biathlon – I can’t comprehend a sport where I only understand one of the words.
• Short track speed skating – I would like this if I COULD skate because it always appears to me that you can CHEAT your way to victory!
• Skeleton – Huh? This is what eventually you become if you stay in this sport too long.
• Ski jumping – Sliding board maybe; with snow and ice on it and 300 times longer – nah!
• Snowboarding – Jump on one FAT ski and do gymnastics. What planet are these people from?

You may notice, if you are a Winter Olympics elitist, that I did not mention slopestyle, mixed parallel snowboard slalom, halfpipe, or mixed-relay biathlon (do they shoot at each other?) I didn’t mention them because I don’t know what the hell they are!!

And that’s really not the worst of it. For me the hardest thing to relate to is putting on those skintight outfits. That should be an Olympic event – Donning the Outfit. It would be far more interesting than cross-country skiing. Unless, of course, once again, I was the one doing the “donning”. Not so interesting and no chance at GOLD!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. Should the goal of an interviewer be to make the subject cry? Christin Cooper went way too far to drain the emotion out of US skier, Bode Miller, after his third place finish in the men’s Super G. She was relentless in her questions about the death of Bode’s brother. Shame on her.

2. It has been a long time since I watched a sporting event with the excitement of the USA’s hockey win over Russia Saturday morning in eight overtime shootouts. The drama was riveting and gut-wrenching. They may meet again for the gold. Don’t miss it.

3. Did it cost Russia $7 billion, as Putin claimed, or $50 billion, as Russian officials claim, to put on these Olympics? Would Putin lie? Does he want the names of those Russian officials?

4. Unlike the Summer Olympics, there is a scarcity of prominent black athletes in these events. I can only think of Shani Davis, a US speed skater. Is it the type of sport exhibited here or does this deserve further sociological research?

5. Now that we have crowned League and Conference champions, phase three (regular season and league championships being the first two) of the basketball season takes center court this week leading to the District XI championships for boys and girls on February 28 and March 1. Come along with us on RCNTV.

The biggest weekend for high school wrestling fans is nearly upon us and RCN will look to feed its rabid fans’ appetites over the next several days. A full preview of all of the weekend’s weight classes will be on our “RCN SportsTalk” show this Thursday live at 6pm (we’ll also talk a little Penn State football as well). Also, RCN-TV will broadcast the District 3A Championships on February 22. In the meantime, here are a few notes on several of the schools that should do very well in the tournament, along with video highlights of the area’s top wrestlers and teams.

BECAHI
Clearly, the best team in this tournament. The Golden Hawks cruised to their fourth straight 2A district championship and are coming off their fourth straight team state title, beating their four opponents by a whopping 235-18 (they also owned 27 of the first 28 takedowns registered in their dual meets). The program is so much on a roll that Becahi hasn’t lost a dual meet since February 16, 2011 (to Easton). Luke Karam (currently 28-2) and Zeke Moisey (32-0) lead an uber-talented squad that figures to dominate eight or nine of the 14 weight classes. Anything less than seven gold medals this weekend would be a major shock.

http://youtu.be/fdFTxOYaWrs

LIBERTY
The Hurricanes had a banner season under Jody Karam this year. His team beat Easton for the first time since 1991, they won the competitive Virginia Duals American Division, they finished second at the Penn Manor Tournament and battled Parkland before losing by a close margin in the first ever “Ultimate Qualifier” dual meet. Jake Gunning and Orlando Miller, who never wrestled prior to high school, both own 27 wins a piece heading into the tourney. Noah Klingborg and Andrew Gunning both had exceptional years, and K.J. Fenstermacher proved to be one of the most exciting freshman wrestlers in the area. For more on the Hurricanes, check out their recent appearance on “RCN SportsTalk” on free RCN On Demand (the show entitled “Bethlehem Wrestling”).

http://youtu.be/pJZRz1WPRSY

NAZARETH
If not for Becahi, Nazareth would be getting a lot more attention. Sage Karam (if he’s not racing in Daytona) is one of the key wrestlers to watch at 145 lbs. Tyrone Klump (who pinned in a big state semifinal bout at 120 lbs.), Brandon Lane (285 lbs.), Travis Smith (113 lbs.), Josh Golden (220 lbs.) and Tyson Klump (106 lbs.) are just a few of the wrestlers with chances to medal this weekend. The Blue Eagles, fresh off their 3A District XI team title and a bronze finish in the PIAAs, are the tournament’s favorites to capture the most gold medals in individuals if all goes right.

EASTON
First of all, congratulations to Head Coach Steve Powell for earning his 500th coaching victory during the team district tournament this year. Don’t know of a classier wrestling coach in the area, nor do I know of anyone in the state that would ever say a bad word about him.

This wasn’t quite the typical Easton year. Although they had a very good squad, they lacked the one or two dominant standout wrestlers, like a Jordan Oliver-type, that you could almost guarantee a gold medal coming out of the district tournament. Nevertheless, they have several solid wrestlers in the middle-to-heavier weight classes who could contend, and two or three gold medals for the Rovers would not be out of the question.

PARKLAND
After beating Easton early in the season, it looked like the Trojans could be the team to beat in 3A. They battled Nazareth in an exciting District Championship Battle Royale before dropping the meet, but came back strong and had an impressive run in the PIAAs. Their list of candidates to contest for gold this weekend is quite long, including Jacob and Ethan Lizak, Josh Ortman, Marques Sturdivant and Omar and Nezar Haddad. There will be some exciting bouts all throughout the tournament, but it would not surprise me if Parkland comes away with the most medals.

http://youtu.be/y1-t662w04Y

Who else do you feel has a chance to medal at this year’s District XI Individual Wrestling Tournament? What do you think of the dominant run of Bethlehem Catholic, the possibility of them jumping up to 3A and all the other issues surrounding their program? Send an email to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com with your opinions and thoughts and tune in to RCN-TV this Thursday at 6pm to hear your comments read on-air, plus a full preview of this year’s tourney.