UPDATED
11/20/09
Welcome
back to the tip-off edition of the Northeast Beat. The 2009-2010
PIAA winter sports season gets underway as practice begins today
across the District 2 hardwoods. And LLHoops.com gets ready
for another exciting season of boys and girls hoops across the 44-team
coverage area. Whether it is from West Scranton to North Pocono,
Mid Valley to Valley View, Wyoming Area to Wyoming Valley West,
Holy Redeemer to Holy Cross, or MMI Prep to Scranton Prep, the Beat
will be there. The big showdowns are always a magnet for fans
and media, but this year there will also be more focus on the traditional
rivalries that make northeastern PA basketball the truly great show
that it is every season.
This
week is just an opportunity to say hello, dust off the clipboard,
and to mention a few of the highlights gaining attention as drills
get underway. After the holiday weekend, we will take a look
at some of the opening weekend tip off action scheduled for December
11-12. Some games are not to be missed. Later in December,
previews of the Wyoming Valley Conference and Lackawanna League
will be posted. And, the often-debated District 2 Top 10 rankings
will be released, but not until teams get a chance to show off their
talents and earn their way to the top. I wonder the surprise
team will be this year?
NEW ENROLLMENT CLASSIFICATIONS FOR 2010-2012 SEASONS RELEASED
This
past week the PIAA released new senior high enrollment figures for
classifying boys and girls basketball programs for the next two-year
cycle (2010-2011 and 2011-2012). As far as District 2 boys
are concerned, it is simple, there will be no changes. That
is not to say that there were no close calls. Abington Heights
will stay in AAA, but by only two students (444, the cutoff for
4A is 446). Pittston Area also remains in 3A by margin of
4 students. On the girls side, there are several changes in
store. Abington Heights will move back to quad-A while Pittston
moves down to 3A. The single-A classification will gain Blue
Ridge and Northwest Area from 2A. Blue Ridge was one student
below the cutoff of 135. It should be noted that schools do
have the option of opting-up to higher classifications if they choose
to do so.
LEAGUEN PLAY BEGINS IN JANUARY THIS YEAR
Unlike
previous seasons when most teams played one or two league game before
the New Year, action in the Lackawanna League and Wyoming Valley
Conference will not tip-off until 2010 this year. Boys play
is set to begin on Tuesday, January 5 and girls play gets underway
on Monday, January 4. Divisions remain the same as last year.
There will be four divisions in the WVC and three in the LL.
HOLIDAY ON THE HARDWOODS SET FOR DECEMBER 20
Local
hoops fans have long anticipated the day when District 2 playoff
action would make a debut at the Wachovia Arena located in Wilkes-Barre
Township. And while those visions still remain unrealized,
maybe the one-day quadruple-header set for the venue on Sunday,
December 20 will prove successful and highly entertaining.
Born from his own excitement to play in the local arena and the
experience of competing in hoops shootouts across the region, Hazleton
Area head coach Mike Joseph got together with arena director Steve
Poremba to get the idea developed. All seats will be general
admission ($7 for adults and $5 for students) but will be good for
all four games. Tickets are now on sale at the arena box office.
Below is the current lineup and schedule.
Noon
(Crestwood vs. Wilkes-Barre GAR)
2
pm (Hazleton Area vs. St. Alban, Washington DC)
4
pm (Holy Redeemer vs. Bethlehem Freedom)
6
pm (Holy Cross vs. Binghamton, NY)
SCRIMMAGES DOT POST-TURKEY CELEBRATIONS
Glancing
across the District, there are some interesting scrimmage matchups
for the last weekend of November. West Scranton, fresh off
one of their most impressive hoops season in memory takes on perennial
District 2 powerhouse Holy Cross. Scranton Prep, always a
team that seems to reload, visits Crestwood. Nanticoke, an
improving program will head over to Wilkes-Barre Coughlin.
On the girls side, Hazleton hosts Cumberland Valley, Downingtown,
and North Schuylkill. Several Lackawanna teams anticipating
successful campaigns, Abington Heights and Riverside get together,
as do Forest City and Carbondale. Other girls squads that
have their sights high, Holy Redeemer and Mid Valley visit Parkland
for some pre-season scrimmaging.
That's
it for the early edition of the NEP Beat. See you next time!
Question
or Comments, email us at LLHoops.NEP-Beat@comcast.net
Jon
K.