TJ’s Top Ten: 2.0
Written by: TJ Eck on January 8, 2024
Lancaster-Lebanon League boys basketball power rankings according to TJ Eck. New rankings will be released each Monday until the start of the L-L League playoffs.
NOTE: Statistics via our friends at LancasterOnline.com and Llhoops.com
1. Cedar Crest (7-2 Overall, Last Week: No. 2)
The Falcons played just once last week but handled their business in a 30-point win over rival Lebanon. Cedar Crest is in the driver’s seat in Section 1 with a 3-0 league record thanks to wins over the Cedars, Hempfield, and Penn Manor by an average of 31.0 points per game. The Falcons have won five in a row with a big week coming up: at Manhiem Township (Tuesday), at McCaskey (Thursday) and vs. Wilson (Saturday).
2. Octorara (11-1 Overall, Last Week: No. 4)
It was a great week for the Braves. Octorara picked up a pair of wins over other Section 3 contenders by winning at Donegal and at home against Cocalico. Senior guard Zach Kirk scored 45 points combined in the two victories as Octorara extended its winning streak to six games. Next up is a massive matchup at Lampeter-Strasburg Tuesday night with first place in Section 3 on the line.
3. Columbia (7-2 Overall, Last Week: No. 5)
Columbia might boast the most athletic starting five in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. The Crimson Tide play in-your-face defense and get up and down the floor on offense. Strong play on both ends of the court was on display this past week in a 63-53 victory over Kennard-Dale. Columbia guards Jordan Poole (14.7 ppg) and Artie Poindexter (13.7 ppg) make up a formidable backcourt. The Tide has four consecutive games this week: at Annville-Cleona (Thursday), vs. Lancaster Catholic (Friday), vs. Berlin Brothers Valley (Saturday – Hoops for Harmony), and vs. Severn School (Sunday – Hoops for Harmony).
4. Lancaster Mennonite (9-3 Overall, Last Week: No. 6)
It wasn’t always pretty but Lancaster Mennonite got the job done last week with a pair of L-L League Section 4 wins over Lancaster Country Day (50-44) and Pequea Valley (41-30). The Blazers have won four straight and nine of ten after an 0-2 start. LMHS is currently the No. 1 team in the Class AA District 3 power ratings.
5. Hempfield (6-4 Overall, Last Week: No. 7)
Hempfield posted the best win in the league last week with a 20-point victory over Penn Manor. The result could go a long way in the race to earn a L-L League playoff berth. The Black Knights followed up the triumph over the Comets with a heart-breaking loss at the buzzer to York less than 24 hours later. Senior forward Ben Troyer made a statement in both games by scoring 28 points in each contest. He’s averaging a league-best 24.1 points per game.
6. Ephrata (7-3 Overall, Last Week: No. 9)
Ephrata put the rest of the L-L League and all of Section 2 on notice by handing Manheim Central its first defeat of the season with a 41-37 victory Friday night. Junior guard Marqus Hardin scored 17 points in the win over the Barons and is averaging 15.1 points per game. The Mounts lost their first two games of the 2023-2024 campaign but have rebounded to win seven of their last eight. Mark down Friday night as a game to watch when the Mounts host Warwick. Both squads are 3-0 in league play.
7. Manheim Central (9-1 Overall, Last Week: No. 1)
Dropping the Barons six spots might seem a bit too harsh. Manheim Central has the second best winning percentage in the L-L League and the Barons carried a perfect record into the new year. But Central is coming off a week in which it needed a late run to knock off Garden Spot before falling on the road at Ephrata. The Barons can play defense, they’re allowing 43.3 points per game and haven’t surrendered more than 55 points in a contest this season.
8. Penn Manor (9-3 Overall, Last Week: No. 3)
Penn Manor is a hard team to figure out. The Comets looked like a squad that could win the L-L League when it took home the Warwick Holiday Tournament championship. PM then dispatched of Conestoga Valley with a 27-point victory before suffering a 20-point defeat at Hempfield in a highly-anticipated Section 1 showdown. With two league losses already on the ledger, it’ll be an uphill battle to make the L-L League playoffs but the Comets still boast one of the most talented starting lineups around, led by senior forward Ethan Benne (23.3 ppg).
9. Lampeter-Strasburg (6-4 Overall, Last Week: No. 8)
It was a relatively quiet week for Lampeter-Strasburg. The Pioneers played just once with L-S needing a fourth-quarter rally to defeat a struggling Lancaster Catholic squad, 64-55. Senior forward Justin Glick shined against the Crusaders with a 24-point effort. We’ll learn more about the Pioneers Tuesday night when they host Octorara in a huge Section 3 showdown.
10. Warwick (6-5 Overall, Last Week: Not Ranked)
The Warriors enter the rankings after a 2-0 week that included an 18-point win over Elizabethtown and a 16-point triumph against Conestoga Valley. The preseason darlings in Section 2 have started to figure things out with four wins in their last five games. Caleb Johnsen (14.3 ppg) and Carter Horst (13.5 ppg) form a talented tandem of shooters, they’ve combined to make 41 three-pointers this season.
Just missed:
Donegal (7-5 Overall, Last Week: No. 10)
ELCO (6-6 Overall, Last Week: NR)
McCaskey (5-6 Overall, Last Week: NR)
Lancaster Country Day (5-4 Overall, Last Week: NR)
Annville-Cleona (6-4 Overall, Last Week: NR)
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