TJ’s Top Ten: 5.0
Written by: TJ Eck on January 29, 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. Octorara (16-2 Overall, Last Week: No. 1)
The cardiac kids were at it again last week. Octorara earned a victory over Lancaster Catholic before junior guard Jason Johnson’s late heroics lifted the Braves to a one-point win over Donegal. Octorara has eight victories by eight points or less this season. This team just knows how to win and executes when the game is on the line. The Braves are 8-0 in league play and can clinch a Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3 title this week. Octorara visits Cocalico Tuesday night before visiting Lampeter-Strasburg Friday evening.
2. Cedar Crest (13-4 Overall, Last Week: No. 2)
Last week was a busy one for the Falcons. Cedar Crest played four games and went 3-1. The lone loss came at Penn Manor and is the first league defeat for the Falcons this season. Prior to the result in Millersville, Cedar Crest played a complete game in dismantling Hempfield on the road. The Falcons remain alone in first place in Section 1. Senior wing Fernando Marquez (15.5 ppg) is making a case that he’s one of the top players in the league while junior forward R.J. Young (7 blocks against Hempfield) is a rising star. Mark down Tuesday night’s non-league road contest at Lampeter-Strasburg as one of the most intriguing games this week.
3. Warwick (12-5 Overall, Last Week: No. 3)
Warwick extended its winning streak to eight games with three victories last week. Senior guard Carter Horst averaged 19.0 points per game in that three-game stretch as the Warriors move to 8-0 in league play. Warwick has shown it can win anywhere with its last five triumphs all coming on the road. Three of Warwick’s final four games are at home.
4. Columbia (12-6 Overall, Last Week: No. 7)
The Crimson Tide started last week with a loss to a strong York Suburban team before winning three straight. The victories included Section 4 triumphs over Lancaster Country Day and Lancaster Mennonite before defeating Eastern York in an intense, non-league rivalry game. Columbia is in the driver’s seat in Section 4 with a 4-0 league record. This squad might just be on a collision course with Trinity for the Class AAA District 3 title.
5. Lampeter-Strasburg (11-6 Overall, Last Week: No. 5)
After a loss at the buzzer at Donegal, L-S responded with a comeback win at Lancaster Catholic. Junior guard Chase Smucker scored 28 points against the Indians before netting 21 against the Crusaders. He’s averaging 17.5 points per game, which ranks fifth in the L-L League. L-S has a critical week coming up with non-league games against Cedar Crest and Wyomissing with a Section 3 contest at Octorara sandwiched in between.
6. Manheim Central (15-3 Overall, Last Week: No. 9)
The Barons enter this week on a roll. Manheim Central has won its last three games, including a 12-point victory on the road in a hostile environment at Garden Spot. The Barons trailed the Spartans by 10 in the first quarter before mounting an impressive comeback. Senior forward Aaron Enterline is averaging 20.3 points per game over the last three contests, due in part to a 32-point outburst in a road win at Elizabethtown. Manheim Central has a 0.5 game lead over Ephrata for the second L-L League playoff spot in Section 2. The Barons and Mountaineers meet Tuesday night in Manheim. Ephrata defeated Manheim Central in the first matchup earlier this season.
7. Lancaster Mennonite (13-4 Overall, Last Week: No. 4)
Through the first 2.5 quarters of last Wednesday’s home game against Columbia, it appeared like Lancaster Mennonite was about to extend its winning streak to seven and take over first place in Section 4. However, the Blazers squandered a double-digit, second-half lead in a 61-54 loss. The defeat dropped Lancaster Mennonite to second place in Section 4 but the Blazers are still in prime position to earn a L-L League playoff berth. They followed up the setback against Columbia with road wins over Pequea Valley and Dock Mennonite.
8. Hempfield (10-6 Overall, Last Week: No. 6)
Hempfield is looking to reset after an up-and-down week. The Black Knights looked outmatched in a 15-point, home loss to Cedar Crest before bouncing back with a hard-fought win over Manheim Township in Landisville. HHS made the trip to Millersville last Friday night for a much-anticipated game against Penn Manor but the game was suspended in the third quarter due to a scary injury.
9. Penn Manor (12-5 Overall, Last Week: No. 10)
Penn Manor picked up one of the biggest wins of the Larry Bellew era when the Comets took down Cedar Crest last week in Millersville. Star senior forward Ethan Benne became just the 6th Penn Manor player in history to join the 1,000-point club in that victory. The Comets were looking to continue momentum when they played host to Hempfield last Friday but the game came to an early halt due to a serious injury to Penn Manor senior guard Devin Figueroa. Thankfully Figueroa has recovered and is doing well.
10. Ephrata (11-5 Overall, Last Week: No. 8)
Ephrata’s league playoff hopes took a hit when the Mounts dropped a home game to Garden Spot last week. But Ephrata responded by picking up a pair of league wins against Solanco and ETown. Tuesday night the Mounts will travel to Manheim Central for what is essentially a postseason game with the winner controlling its own destiny in search of a L-L League playoff berth.
Just missed:
ELCO (9-8 Overall, Last Week: NR)
Garden Spot (9-8 Overall, Last Week: NR)
Cocalico (8-8 Overall, Last Week: NR)
Donegal (9-10 Overall, Last Week: NR)
Lancaster Country Day (10-6 Overall, Last Week: NR)
Follow LLhoops on Twitter @LLhoops
