1.Neumann- Goretti. District 12 AAA 2.Archbishop Carroll. District 12 AAA 3.Roman Catholic. District
12 AAAA 4.Imhotep. District 12 AAA 5.Plymouth Whitemarsh. District 1 AAAA 6.Downingtown West. District 1
AAAA 7.Parkland. District 11 AAAA 8.Reading. District 3 AAAA 9.Harrisburg. District 3 AAAA 10.Coatesville
. District 1 AAAA 11. Lasalle College HS. District 12 AAAA 12.Abington Heights. District 2 AAAA 13.Ridley.
District 1 AAAA 14.Archbishop Wood. District 12 AAAA 15.Cheltenham. District 1 AAAA 16.Martin Luther King.
District 12 AAAA 17.Del Val Charter. District 12 AAA 18.Scranton Prep. District 2 AAA 19.Constitution. District
12 A 20.Lancaster McCaskey. District 3 AAAA 21.Conwell Egan. District 12 AA 22.Abington. District 1 AAAA 23.Central York. District 3 AAAA 24.Pottsville. District 11 AAA 25.Milton Hershey.
District 3 AAA
Pottsville Basketball Rankings Mascot Crimson
Tide Team Varsity 2015-16 Colors Crimson, White Coach David Mullaney Address 16th St, Pottsville, PA 17901 Overall 24-0 Conference
14-0 National Rank 115State (PA) Rank 6
Central Catholic/Bethlehem Catholic. We're cheating a little bit here to mention two teams. The Vikings have looked
very good at times this season and not-so-good at other times. Consistency has been elusive and many believe that the team
will be better in the next two years as its core of sophomores matures and starts to establish themselves. Much of the same
could be said of the Golden Hawks, who have been good enough to beat Pocono Mountain West and Allen, but shaky enough to lose
to a 4-18 Dieruff squad.
Four potential difference-makers
1. Zay Jennings, Central Catholic. The senior and 1,000-point is the last link to that great Vikings squad of two
years ago. He has more big-game experience than anyone on the roster. If he plays well, CCHS can beat anyone in this bracket.
2. Jordan Melochick, Pottsville. The senior and four-year starter
has helped the Crimson Tide win three Schuylkill League titles. He had 11 points and 12 rebounds in Pottsville's 65-47 win
over Blue Mountain for the league title on Friday and figures to be clutch again in districts.
3. Tevon Weber, Salisbury. The senior can be a rebounding machine and a force inside for the Falcons, who seem to
have a received a favorable bracket position and can avoid meeting Pottsville, Becahi or Central until the championship game.
4. Kweku Dawson-Amoah, Bethlehem Catholic. The senior who transferred from Phillipsburg is a hard worker inside for
the Golden Hawks. While there are plenty of outside threats, the Becahi offense needs to go through him to be most effective.
Best possible non-final matchup
No. 5 Bethlehem Catholic vs. No. 4 Central
Catholic. It will unfold Friday night at Allen, the latest version of the local "Holy War." And it might be played
at championship-game intensity. They haven't met this season, which should only add to the intrigue of this battle, plus the
fact that this is an elimination game makes it even more dramatic. The winner will likely get Pottsville in the semis.
The pick
Pottsville. The Schuylkill
League is not the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference when it comes to overall competition and that should give either Central
Catholic or Becahi a smidge of hope. However, 24-0 is 24-0 and 52-1 is 52-1 - that's the Tide's record over the past two seasons.
A winning culture is a powerful thing and Pottsville definitely has it. It will take an extraordinary effort to prevent a
second straight title.
Neumann-Goretti still the best in PennLive's Class 3A state boys' basketball rankings
By John Tuscano | jtuscano@pennlive.com on February 15, 2016 9:05
Neumann-Goretti, now winners of 18 straight, remain in the No. 1 spot in the PennLive's Class 3A boys' basketball
state rankings. The Saints produced a 104-65 haymaker over Bonner Prendergast in the Philadelphia Catholic League quarterfinals.
Archbishop Carroll, meanwhile, holds on to No. 2 after a 77-70 (2 OT) win over Class 4A honorable mention Archbishop
Wood. Despite a lopsided loss, we'll keep New Castle at No. 3 since they went up against Class 4A No. 1 Allderdice.
Mid-Penn Conference champ Milton Hershey moved up to No. 9, while unbeaten Pottsville jumps into this week's top
10.
CLASS AAA Getting 18 points apiece from Geno Stone and
Marcus Hooker, No. 4 New Castle remained unbeaten by turning away No. 7 Beaver Falls 60-49 on the road. Tuesday’s
win gave Ralph Blundo’s Hurricanes a sweep of their WPIAL playmates. … Scranton Prep claimed
its scrap with rival Abington Heights, winning 73-61 behind 22 points from Logan Bailey and 14 more from
Nick Dende. Prep sported a 36-19 lead at the halftime break. … And on Sunday in Philadelphia, Archbishop
Carroll collared the No. 2 seed in the Catholic League playoffs by squeezing past Archbishop Wood 67-65. Ryan Daly
netted 26 points for the Patriots, including a trey with seconds to go.
Intriguing matchups of the week: All of
western Pennsylvania — and maybe plenty of others across the Commonwealth — will be on full alert Monday night
when No. 4 New Castle wheels confidently into Pittsburgh for a matchup with Class AAAA No. 1 Allderdice. One night later,
in suburban Harrisburg, a possible District 3-AAA championship preview may unfold when No. 10 Milton Hershey opens the four-team
Mid-Penn Conference playoffs against Bishop McDevitt.
PA High School Basketball State Wide Rankings •Rankings updated: Monday & Thursday, Last update: 2/1/2016, Minimum Games Played: 8
RANK TEAM
RECORD PREVIOUS RANK
1
Pottsville 16-0
2 2 Abington Heights 15-1 1
3 Scranton Prep
13-2
4 4 St. John Neumann 12-0
6 5 Lewisburg
14-0
7 6 Sullivan County 15-0
8 7 Shamokin
15-1
NR 8 Hazleton Area
12-3
NR
Crimson Tide's perfect march continues
Pottsville (16-0) is
six wins away from its second consecutive perfect regular season. The Crimson Tide face a big hurdle this Saturday when Salisbury
(15-1) comes to Martz Hall.
The Falcons were off to a 13-0 start before a 61-57
loss to William Allen on Jan. 18. Saturday's game could also be a potential District 11 Class AAA championship game preview.
Pottsville and Salisbury are currently ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the latest Class AAA power rankings, while Allentown
Central Catholic (12-5) is third, followed by Blue Mountain.
(Carnahan is the
boys' basketball beat writer for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on
Stepping into the top 10 for the first time
this season is an undefeated Pottsville outfit skippered by Dave Mullaney that treasures defensive play and is yielding just
over 32 points per game. And while the Crimson Tide has maneuvered past every obstacle on its slate thus far - victories at
Wilson West Lawn, Williamsport and Shamokin might be the most impressive - Mullaney's bunch must deal with dangerous Schuylkill
League foes Blue Mountain and North Schuylkill this week at Martz Hall. A date with unbeaten Salisbury later this month also
looms.
Others
to watch: Allentown Central Catholic (11) 11-4, Benjamin Franklin (12) 12-3, Bethlehem Catholic (11) 9-5, Bishop McDevitt
(3) 11-4, Blue Mountain (11) 12-3, Boys' Latin (12) 14-3, Cathedral Prep (11) 11-4, Cocalico (3) 13-3, Crestwood (2) 9-4,
Del-Val Charter (12) 12-4, Eastern Lebanon County (3) 15-2, Eastern York (3) 12-3, General McLane (10) 11-3, Girard (10) 13-1,
Highlands (7) 12-3, Hollidaysburg (6) 13-1, Holy Ghost Prep (1) 12-3, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 15-1, Lower Moreland (1) 12-3,
Manheim Central (3) 11-4, Meadville (10) 12-1, Middletown (3) 10-5, Nanticoke (2) 11-2, Octorara (1) 14-1, Palmyra (3) 13-3,
Salisbury (11) 13-0, Shamokin (4) 13-1, Somerset (5) 11-4, Steel-High (3) 8-6, Strong Vincent (10) 9-4.
Intriguing matchups of the week: No. 1 Neumann-Goretti and No. 2 Archbishop Carroll will endure grueling weeks, as
both squads will play three times against Philly Catholic League opposition - including the biggie Friday when they square
off at Goretti. Goretti, which won four times last week, also will visit Archbishop Wood on Tuesday and entertain an also-unbeaten-in-PCL-play
St. Joseph's Prep on Sunday. Carroll's slate also features dates against Prep and La Salle College.
