Whitmer 53 Waite 41

• Swamp Fox

  What a log-jam in the race for the "Final Four" in the city. Whitmer got a huge road win at Waite, who continues to be up and down. There must be about 25 teams at 4-2 now (slightly exaggerated) and someone is going to be left out. Observations on the game?
• akron hammer

  Whitmer is very, very young and show it at times. They will continue to get better. They won last night with very limited minutes from a banged up Ken Hayes and still were never threatened. The Bowsher loss will end up being a very loud wake up call to a young team that you must come to play every day. The last second loss to Columbus DeSales (ranked in top 5) and the win over Perrysburg shows the level they are capable of playing.......the rest is up to them.
• irish_buffalo

  Well said.
  
  And I also think that Nigel Hayes is coming into his own. He is getting muchmore comfortable with the HS game, as opposed to AAU, and rarely comes off the floor. When this team gels, look out.
• thechosenone

  This was a huge game for the panthers. This was a very low scoring game at halftime for both teams. Ke-Sean Harris didn't help by getting two fouls in the first minute and a half and having to sit until half time passed. He wasn't as much of a factor as he usually is.
• akron hammer

  Libbey this Friday will be an even bigger game. Interesting about a young team also, they are undefeated on the road. All three losses at home where concentrating between the lines is a problem for Freshmen and Sophomores. We shall see.
• hookshot

  Can someone from Whitmer provide a quick roster (names, hgt and year) of the starters and maybe the top 6 or 7 players? Thanks.
• irish_buffalo

  Absolutely not.
  
  They'll be selling a program Friday at Whitmer Memorial Fieldhouse.
• ross ford81

  Look for a Rogers win at home over St. John's tonight to confuse the TCL predictors even more.
• jm71witmr

  Ross^That is a real strong possibility.
• irish_buffalo

  ross ford81 wrote: Look for a Rogers win at home over St. John's tonight to confuse the TCL predictors even more.

  Good call...
• Swamp Fox

  St. John's is one of those teams that just doesn't seem to be phased by the hype of this team or that team. I also thought that this game against Rogers could very well end with a Rams victory. St. Johns dominated from the start in this "no contest" contest. I'm liking my original 'Final Four" prediction more and more as the regular City season runs its course. I think that Rogers and Waite are both very good but I question their ability to play consistently well. I like Libbey also but I think the consistency question could come into play there, as well. Whitmer meanwhile, has just picked up another huge victory over that very same Cowboy squad on two pressure free throws by a Freshman. I am a little concerned with St. Francis fading a bit but all in all, I still like the three parochial "heavy-weights" plus the Panthers.
• ross ford81

  My Rogers win guess was predicated on Norrils not even playing -- he's hurt and was slowed somewhat but played a gritty, strong game. Springs had possibly the best game of his career and Loving his best overall game of the season. I just wasn't smart enough to know all of that would happen.
• irish_buffalo

  If only Jay Springs would have played football he'd be getting interest from Big Ten schools rather than D-II ones for basketball.
  
  Anyway...
  
  Looking around the league this season, coupled with the youth, it is actually a 'down' year for TCL basketball. St. Johns is strong as always. Year in and year out Ed Heintschel's teams play and match-up well against just about everyone. I got a chance to watch the Titans-Rams game on BCSN and saw a typical Earl Morris team, fast and undisciplined. Absolutely no offensive gameplan, simply the old whoever crosses the timeline with the ball takes it to the hoop for a bad shot.
  
  SJ willl return Norrils and Loving next season, Whitmer returns everyone, Libbey returns everyone, Rogers returns Powell, Bowsher returns Davis, SF loses Stanley but returns quite a bit, Waite returns Harris, and CCHS returns Mays.
• ross ford81

  That's why they call this an "opinion board". Don't totally agree about a "down" year. In terms of "good" teams, there are as many this year in the TCL as there has been in a long time. The question is are there any "great" teams, and that can't be totally answered yet --- maybe one. SJJ returns 7 of its top 9 players for next year and some very good underclassmen not on varsity; Whitmer will be better; Libbey will be better (will there be a Libbey for another year?); Rogers returns others besides Powell plus they have a talented JV team; St. Francis mostly returnees; Waite will be down a little; CCHS returns Mays, Lehman, Washington, etc. Overall the TCL will be better next year.
• hookshot

  Wouldn't surprise me if some JV players this year on a couple of the TCL's better teams would move past some of those returning sophomores and juniors on varsity next year, and maybe a few freshmen. What some people forget is how much growth and hard work can impact progress that 14, 15 and 16 year old kids can make; and, concurrently, that some freshmen and sophomores are done growing and have near-peaked in athleticism and may not get all that much better. One example that comes to mind is Trent Brodbeck at St. John's who played freshmen ball last year and I believe mostly JV during the summer and now is starting varsity as a sophomore.
• irish_buffalo

  ross-ford, the TCL doesnt have a team in D-I ranked in the top 15. Much like last year, that means a down year (for TCL standards).
  
  As I pointed out, and which is obvious, the TCL will be much better over the next two seasons.
  
  Didnt realize Lehman was only a junior. He is a true talent.
• hookshot

  Irish: I see the TCL being better next year as you do, but I'm not certain about the year after that. The junior class seems to be very strong as does the freshmen class, but it appears to me that the sophomore class is the weakest in the city. We'll see how it plays out.
• thechosenone

  I agree with hook, this sophomore class is very down compared to all of the previous and upcoming classes.