Thursday, January 30, 2014

Wednesday recaps include D11-clinchers for Catty and Moravian Academy, plus updated boys hoops standings

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER


There were only a handful of games on Wednesday, but several had an impact on the standings in the Lehigh Valley Conference and Colonial League as the race to the tournaments in each league intensfies.
Remember, the regular season is supposed to end a week from Friday with the tournaments to follow the following week.
Here's a look at Wednesday's results:
Becahi 53, Parkland 51 -- This is the game I covered and it had quite a different atmosphere than the electric scene at Rockne Hall the previous night. Perhaps that was the problem for the Trojans, who were flat for a long time. An even bigger problem was the absence of Nick Rindock, who said he's expected to return next week from his sprained ankle. He might play against Lower Merion on Monday or Northampton on Tuesday, but definitely will be back for the season finale against Whitehall, which could determine the division title. Andrew Hudak had a night to remember with 19 points, including the game-winner. Had the wrong total for him in the print editions of today's Morning Call.
Nazareth 51, Easton 49 -- This might be the signature win of the season for the improved Blue Eagles. It also hurts the Red Rovers chances in the bunched-up LVC North. Brett Kline had a game-high 21 for Nazareth, which made eight 3s.
PM West 63, Freedom 59 -- While this one really doesn't hurt Freedom's chances in the LVC East, another loss can't help morale for a team that has really struggled in the month of January. Joe Wiggins put on another show against a LVC team with 23 and Lance Singh, another of the area's talented freshmen, had 12.
Central Catholic 86, Stroudsburg 65 -- No letdown after the Parkland game for the 18-0 Vikings, who got a big night from Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman, who scored 32, and birthday boy Jeanlee Baez, who added 20. Jacob Battle scored 26 for the Mounties, who had won eight straight before this one.
Salisbury 58, Northern Lehigh 49 -- Falcons moved another step closer to nailing down a Colonial League playoff berth. The Bulldogs got 44 of their 49 points from three guys -- Matt Egan, Tyler Dibilio and Josh Landsberger. It looks more and more like the South Division will get three of the four spots in the league tournament.
Pen Argyl 44, Wilson 33 -- The Warriors have really struggled without the injured Phil Pierfy, but this one gave first-year coach Kyle Hutnik the signature win he was looking for in his first year with a program that has seemingly scuffled for a decade. Devin LaBarre had 16 for Pen Argyl.
Catasauqua 71, Brandywine 48 -- The Roughies clinched a district playoff berth this rout. Derrick Bond led way with 25, who would like to make the CL tournament or else could have a long layoff going into districts again.
Southern Lehigh 71, Schuylkill Valley 42 -- Another team getting a Berks break from the Colonial League race and a chance to play a lot of people in a lopsided game. Four Spartans reached double figures, led by Mike Zabrecky's 18.
Moravian Academy 50, Weatherly 38 -- This was not as close as it looked because Weatherly outscored Moravian 21-2 in the fourth quarter after John Donmoyer cleared his bench. The Lions clinched a District 11 playoff berth for the 12th year in a row and the 14th time in 17 seasons under Donmoyer, who now has 623 career victories.
UPDATED STANDINGS
COLONIAL LEAGUE
NORTH DIVISION
Team                       CL    All
X-Bangor                11-1     13-4
X-Catasauqua         8-4      11-7
X-Northern Lehigh    8-5      11-8
Pen Argyl              5-8        7-11
Northwestern         1-12       4-14
Palmerton              0-13     1-16
SOUTH DIVISION
Team                         CL         All
X-Salisbury             11-2       14-5
X-Southern Lehigh    8-4       12-6
X-Saucon Valley       8-5       10-9
X-Notre Dame          8-5        10-9
Wilson                    5-7         9-9
Palisades                3-10       5-12
LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE
WEST DIVISION
Team,                        LVC     All
X-Central Catholic         10-0  18-0
X-Emmaus                   8-3    14-4
Allen                           6-4    10-7
Dieruff                         3-6     8-8
NORTH DIVISION
Team                       LVC     All
X-Parkland                7-4     14-4
X-Whitehall               6-5     11-7
Nazareth                  3-7    7-10
Northampton            0-9     2-14
EAST DIVISION
Team                 LVC     All
Becahi                 6-5     9-9
Easton                 4-6     10-8
Freedom              5-6     6-12
Liberty                 4-7     8-8
X--Clinched District 11 berth.
MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE
Team                     MVC     All
X-Stroudsburg       9-1     11-7
X-E.S. North         7-2     13-4
X-P.M. West         6-2     12-4
E.S. South           4-4     7-10
Lehighton             3-6     10-7
Pleasant Valley    2-7     6-10
P.M. East            0-9      1-15
X-Clinced District 11 tournament berths
Stroudsburg has clinched a MVC playoff berth.

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