Recently here at the “SportsTalk Shop,” we brought you highlights and insights on the larger Lehigh Valley basketball teams in this winter’s playoffs.\u00a0 This week we look at some of the smaller schools, and a few of the girls teams that I had a chance to catch-up with over the last few weeks.<\/p>\n
Like most basketball seasons, Allentown Central Catholic boys team is a favorite to compete for a District XI 3A title.\u00a0 The Vikings are in search of their fifth straight championship, and may present the best chance of any team in the RCN area to win it.\u00a0 The #1 seed is Pottsville–a team that also appears quite regularly in the playoffs.\u00a0 Some winters, the Crimson Tide come into the playoffs with overwhelmingly impressive records…but that doesn’t always translate to postseason success.\u00a0 Some years their quality of competition is not nearly what teams in the Lehigh Valley face, and the result is a quick exit from districts.\u00a0 This is NOT one of those years, as Pottsville not only has played some very good teams, but also boasts some outstanding, multi-talented players.\u00a0 These players also are great all-around athletes who excel at other sports.\u00a0 Tamaqua is also having an outstanding year, but is in the “upper bracket,” meaning they’ll have to face the Tide in the district semifinal.\u00a0 A loss to Pottsville means they would have to fight for the remaining playoff berth in the consolation game (FYI: District XI 3A has three teams that can qualify for the state playoff).<\/p>\n
Speaking of “brackets,” it’s a shame that so many quality teams from the Lehigh Valley were all grouped together in the same (lower) 3A bracket, which limits the number of teams in the RCN viewing area teams to advance.\u00a0 Central Catholic will face Salisbury in this Tuesday’s semifinal matchup.\u00a0 The loser of that ball game will have to win the consolation game Friday in order to qualify for the PIAAs.<\/p>\n