District Six Boys Basketball Quick Championship Outlook.

Jim Hammett
D6SN  Sports Editor
Follow me @JimHammett @D6SN

Class A

2. Bishop Guilfoyle (19-5) vs. 1. Bishop Carroll (24-0)

Friday 8:30 DeGol Arena Saint Francis University

PIAA Playoff Implications: Winner plays District 9 #4 seed (Johnsonburg/Clarion Limestone)

Loser plays District 5 #2 (Forbes Road)

Bishop Carroll and Bishop Guilfoyle will get together for the third time this season on Friday night for all the marbles. This is a rematch of last year's championship that saw the Marauders upset Bishop Carroll by a score of 42-39. Things are a little different, and this game brings some different story lines to the table.

Martinazzi

Bishop Carroll comes into this game with a perfect record, and the state's number three ranking. The Huskies have been a machine that have rolled through the Laurel Highlands with relative ease, and have won their postseason games in convincing fashion.  The only problems the Huskies ran into at all this season have been their two meetings with Bishop Guilfoyle.  The other 22 games have typically been blowouts by halftime. Carroll runs a up-tempo pressing game that leads to a lot of steals and layups.  The leader of the attack is junior guard, Brandon Martinazzi. The speedy guard leads the team with 20 points a game. Also, the Huskies have a pretty good big man in 6-6 Marcus Lee, who averages 17 and 7 per game. Scott Lucas, Mitchell Madonna, and David Maruca round out the Huskies four guard lineup. Lucas brings a good scoring spark, while Madonna and Maruca handle the ball and create havoc in the press. Nick Suckinos plays the sixth man role very well, and comes in can make shots.  This team works together, and they all understand their roles very well. They haven't been tested a lot this year, but they all went through a deep run into states last year, and the benefit of those big games should help in this one as the Huskies look for their first title since 2011. 

Fulare

Bishop Guilfoyle comes in as the defending champions, and they are not short on confidence. They have proven twice this year they belong on the floor with Bishop Carroll, as they played two classic games with the Huskies.The Marauders' offensive game starts with senior forward,  Damon Rickens.  Rickens has had the most success in games with Bishop Carroll this year, as he is averaging 18.5 in those contests.The Marauders can also ride the hot hand of junior guard, Sam McCloskey. McCloskey posted a team high 25 points in a win over Homer Center in the semifinals.  CJ Fulare is another key player for BG, and the senior guard has come up big all year.  Guilfoyle's game plan revolves around their depth, and ability to throw multiple defenders on Carroll. Guys like Brandon Chadbourn, Owen Wolf, and Nick Little add a solid and versatile post presence. Guilfoyle got the last laugh in this rivalry last season, but they did not come out strong in the state tournament. Guilfoyle will be looking to pull the upset Friday, and perhaps take some momentum into a run in the PIAA tournament.

My Thoughts - I look for this game to be very much like the first two. Bishop Guilfoyle has ball handlers to withstand the pressure, and they also have the depth to throw Carroll different looks. It will come down to a few things for each side

Can Bishop Guilfoyle match Bishop Carroll offensively?  Carroll gets a lot of their points off the press, but are more than capable of putting up numbers in the half court as well. BG will be tested in the half court game once they get into their offense.

Will Bishop Carroll's depth be tested if the game becomes physical?  Bishop Carroll runs with their first five a good bit, and will go probably eight deep if they have to. Still, BG is comfortable going 11 deep if need be, and their bench can bring more to the table.

I picked Bishop Carroll at the onset of the playoffs, and I'll be sticking with that pick.

Class AA

7. Central (17-7) vs. 1. Richland (19-5)

Saturday 8:30 DeGol Arena Saint Francis University

PIAA Playoff Implications: Winner plays District 7 #6 seed (Quaker Valley or Summit Academy)

Loser plays District 7 #3 (Beaver Falls or Aliquippa)

Much like the A game, we have a rematch on our hands, although of a different kind. Back on November 22, these two schools met at Mansion Park for a memorable District Six football final with Central taking down top seeded Richland 27-22. Now the two teams meet on the hardwood, and they are the two teams left standing in a very difficult, and wide open AA field. 

Richland makes it back to championship weekend for the first time since 2011, and they are seeking their first title since 1975. Richland rides the play of an experienced group of seniors that have improved each and every season. From 6 wins in 2012, to 10 wins last year, to now Richland going for a District Title and win number 20 is a tremendous job by Coach Greg Burke and this senior class. Richland is paced by their senior guard, Kyle Flick. Flick runs the point and averages 13 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds a contest.  Flick is a 1,000 point scorer, and was a key player for the 2011 District runner up team.  Matt Shaffer leads the team in scoring and rebounding by posting 13 and 6 a night. Jacob Lushko and Aaron Miller are Richland's outside shooting threats. Ryan Ball rounds out the starting lineup, and brings a big 6-4 presence to the court.  Richland's main production comes from these five guys.  Linnie Joy and Johnny Kutchman can come in and make things happen, but the first five do the majority of the damage. Richland has a toughness about them, and they are definitely hot right now having won 4 straight, all in convincing fashion. 

Central is looking to win their first District Six title since 1995, and the same man is on the bench from their great teams of the 1990's. After a few years of retirement, Reggie Nevins has been back for the past two seasons and already has the Dragons playing for gold with a 17-7 record. Central is a scrappy, and resilient team. The Dragons do not have one player that stands 6-2, and they have strong guard play, and play tough defense. Austin Cunningham is a quick slashing guard that makes things happen for this Central team, and has been averaging 11 points this postseason.  Alex Lafferty is a solid junior guard, and is a very good outside shooting threat for this team. Zach Slagenweit is another quality guard that brings an outside shooting prowess to the court. The Dragons also turn to a pair of 6-1 seniors, Ben Brumbaugh and Lucas Patterson, to play down low and hang with much taller competition. If any team in this field is prepared for a slug fest, it would be Central. They are coming off a pair of hard fought playoff games against conference opponents decided by four points total. 

My Thoughts - I look for this game to be as entertaining as any on the docket this weekend. Both teams are senior laden with great, headstrong athletes. Both sets of seniors are accustomed to winning, and this will be an absolute battle all night long. I think it comes down to a few things.

Can Central hang with Richland's size? The combination of Ball and Shaffer could be a lot to handle for an undersized post tandem from Central. 

How will Richland handle Central's quickness and tough defensive pressure? Central just held a hot shooting Tyrone team to just 33 points, and did not give Bald Eagle much for most of the game. Richland has one player that can comfortably handle the ball in Flick, but the smaller Central guards can give everyone else some problems. 

I actually picked a Tyrone-Penns Valley final, and I was way off on that. AA was very wide open, and I've been saying since about early January that any of the top 7 seeds could make a run here. Central had to play some battles, while Richland calmly took care of business like a top seed should. I think this will be a spirited affair, but I like Richland to prevail. 

Class AAA

1. Somerset (15-8) vs. 2. Huntingdon (15-8)

Mount Aloysius Convocation Center

Saturday 2:00

PIAA Playoff Implications: Winner plays District 3 #7 (Lancaster Mennonite) 

Somerset and Huntingdon get together for the District Championship Saturday afternoon at the brand new Mount Aloysius Convocation Center to decide the AAA crown.  This will mark the first time since 2008 that the Johnstown Trojans will not be the District champions. Somerset is looking for their first District Six title ever, while Huntingdon is going for their first win since 2002.  

Somerset comes in as the top seed, and they have been hot of late. The Golden Eagles are currently riding a five game winning streak, and the young Golden Eagles are starting to come together. Jake Heiple and Dylan Barnes are two very good sophomore guards that are really coming on strong lately. Both players average around 16 points per game, and they both handle the ball and pass it well on top of their scoring prowess. Connor Zarefoss is a senior that is capable of knocking down three pointers in Somerset's shooting friendly offense. Michael VanLenten is also another capable and versatile player for coach Scott Close. Elliott Dick provides the post presence for Somerset at 6-3. Somerset is solid team, and when they are knocking down their three's, they are very tough to beat. 

Huntingdon started slow at 1-4, but since then, the Bearcats have really put things together. They come in winners of five of six, including a take down of the defending champions, Johnstown. Huntingdon starts their game plan with 6-4 junior wing, Nate Gearhart. The junior averages 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. He can really light up, as evidence by a 36 point performance in the season finale against Central Mountain.  Huntingdon also has a smart and heady senior guard in Devon Claar. Claar posts 13 points and 4 assists per game. One of the biggest aspects of Huntingdon's emergence can be attributed to the breakout season by Kobren Frederick. Frederick averages 10 points and 7 rebounds, and poses a presence with his 6-6 frame. Matt Speck and Tanner Cook round out the starting five, and both have the ability to make plays when needed. This Huntingdon team has a lot of firepower, and they definitely have flown a little under the radar in the Mountain League. They are coming together at the right time. 

My Thoughts - Both teams have a lot of young talent, and could be positioning themselves for a run in years to come. This will be a highly competitive game that will be worth the price of admission. 

Can Huntingdon exploit Somerset's lack of size?  The Bearcats made Johnstown pay in round one with their lack of size, and if they can work the post, it could be a tough match up for Somerset.

Can Huntingdon run with the Golden Eagles?  It seems like the Mountain League has a lot of slow and deliberate offenses, and Somerset is definitely an up and down offensive minded team. It is not always the best idea to get in a shooting game with Somerset.

I actually like what Huntingdon is bringing in this one. I like their combination and make up of their team. They blend a veteran point guard with some solid post players.  I think Somerset certainly has the ability to take this one, and it will be fun to see some new times vie for the championship.