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Mike White's high school sports chat: 01.15.19
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Mike White
11:01
OK we're ready. Fire away. Lots to talk about. USC hires Jim Render's replacement. ... Best night of the season for big games in WPIAL. They're everywhere. I mentioned some on Twitter. Can't mention them all in one Tweet and how dare I not mention some others. So here goes: EVERY GAME IN WPIAL IS GIGANTIC TONIGHT!!!! EVERY DANG ONE!!! DOESN'T MATTER RECORDS!!!! Even Mapletown vs. Jefferson-Morgan is gigantic. There. Does that make everyone happy?
Denise
11:02
In your opinion, what do you think Dice’s toughest game of the season is. What’s your thoughts on Number 42 Clifford?
Mike White
11:03
Well obviously Allderdice's toughest game was Lower Merion. That's the one they lost. They've beaten Latrobe and Butler. They play at Upper St. Clair tomorrow. USC is undefeated going into tonight against Mt. Lebanon. Allderdice plays Aliquippa later in year. They also play Mt. Lebanon. But I think Lower Merion was probably their toughest.
11:04
As for Bobby Clifford, I think he has taken his game to another level this year. Impressed with him. Become more athletic. Not just a stand-still shooter. He should do well at Slippery Rock. He and Blaufeld are as good as any guard tandem in WPIAL. Maybe better. They have size.
Beaver county native haha
11:04
Ambridge and qv tonight who you like and do you think whoever wins this game wins 4a championship
Mike White
11:05
Quaker Valley losing to Blackhawk Friday was absolutely shocking. Biggest upset this season. But they happen. I think QV bounces back on their home floor tonight. I'm not picking a champion yet. Still want to see a few teams.
Flounder
11:06
What’s your thoughts on the Southmoreland girls team this year?
Mike White
11:07
They are 12-2. My thoughts are that I think they  must be pretty good. And my thoughts are Dennis Zieger was one of the finest coaches Southmoreland ever had.
hoop junkie
11:07
i always compare myself and other wpial basketball players of 30 years ago to the players now .. is the talent better now or do they just get more opportunities and recognition ??
Mike White
11:09
Well, nowhere near as many kids get Div. 1 scholarships now as compared to 35 40 years ago and more. So I don't think there's any way you can say the talent is better now. Maybe they get more recognition. We like to think we cover high schools pretty well. Every Friday a special high school section Varsity Xtra that usually has 6 pages of high school stuff. But we no longer have the PG North, South, East and West. Coverage was pretty good 30 years ago also.
Al Pedrique
11:09
How good is Mars this year ? They seem to score a lot of points per game still but with the graduation of a high major D1 player in Carmody scoring the lions share of their points last year how have they made up for that ? Also how good is the Fusco kid who transferred from Clairton, is he as good on the 5A level as 1A ?
Mike White
11:11
Mars is good. They're our No. 1 team in 5A. They could win 5A again. But they are different than last year. Carmody averaged over 30 a game. They have no one like that. If you asked me right now, are they as good as they were at this point last year, I'd say no. The Fusco kid has certainly helped. Averaging double figures. He helped ease the load of losing Carmody.
11:12
BTW if you didn't know, Carmody is being redshirted at Notre Dame. Tore labrum first game. Tried to still play some games after that. But had surgery. In long run, might help him. I saw him at Shaler-Mars game. Seems very happy. Notre Dame not that good this year anyway.
hoop junkie
11:13
loved that PG south !
Mike White
11:13
Actually I think people liked all of them. But cutbacks, cutbacks, cutbacks. And I think they weren't making enough money to justify their existence. Shame we had to lose them. Did a lot for high school sports.
11:17
Big basketball event at Woodland Hills this weekend. Never seen anything like it in Western Pa. Three days. 28 games. Local teams. Some good out of town teams. Two of more interesting ones is Latrobe vs. Abington Saturday. Abington No. 3 in state. Penn Hills vs. Chester Sunday. Hope the snow doesn't kill it.
WPIAL BBALL
11:17
Mike, thoughts on USC-Lebo tonight? Big time players.... predictions? Gonna be a good one. At
Mike White
11:20
No Division I players. But just two pretty good 6A teams. Danny Holzer certainly didn't expect to be 12-0. And Joe David has yet another good team at Mt. Lebanon. He changed his style last year. Been working wonders. I wrote this year how attendance at football games has dropped some even in regular season. It's dropped big time in playoffs. But a big basketball game in regular season, especially on a Friday, still draws well. This Lebo-USC game is on Tuesday and I would expect to be packed. Nice to see. Really, with my job, one of the things I enjoy most is a packed house for a big basketball game, with student sections getting into it.
Indian Fan
11:20
Mike - how long has the new coach at USC been on Coach Render's staff?  Do you think he will make sweeping changes?
Mike White
11:20
He was on Render's staff for only two years. But 11 years previously at Mt. Lebanon with Haering and Melnyk. Have no idea what he'll do with staff. I'm sure he will keep some.
11:21
And Mike Melnyk is really good friends, maybe even best friends, with the one and only Sean Casey. Nice company Melnyk keeps.
11:22
And how about this one for memory and for useless trivia stuff that's in my head. In 1992, Melnyk was the catcher for the Upper St. Clair baseball team that played in the WPIAL championship at Flaherty Field in New Castle. There was a newspaper strike then. Didn't get much coverage. But who knew that game had two future MLB players. Sean Casey played first base for USC and Matt Clement played third for Butler.
PRs gym
11:23
Will pine Richland ever get a bigger gym?
Mike White
11:23
I know it does seem crazy with how good their football stadium is, and then there is gym. I wouldn't call it small. But it's not big for a school like Pine. Especially side where visitors are supposed to sit.
Indian Fan
11:24
What about West A?  Has a successor been named there?
Mike White
11:26
That was decided last winter. Kim Niedbala. He had been an assistant for Palko. He worked this year as an assistant again and then will take over next year. Before West A was assistant coach on Division II level. Played at Blackhawk. Dad was a great coach at Western Beaver. And piece of trivia: Kim was point guard on great 1992 Blackhawk team that lost 2 games in two years, had Dante Calabria and won state title in 1992.
Thing about Kim Niedbala at West A. Pretty sure much of Palko's staff also is staying.
MonValleyRivalry
11:27
Number of mon valley schools looking for football coaches: Ringgold, Bentworth, and West Greene...any front runners for those openings?
Mike White
11:28
No idea. Maybe Ringgold can get Joe Montana to come back or Ken Griffey Sr.
Lee
11:29
Do you know of any scholarship offers for Allderdice's 6ft6 center Duggar? I know he was the city league football player as well.
Mike White
11:31
I think they would be for football. Allderdice football coach Jerry Haslett told me in December that some Division II schools were recruiting him some for football. With that size, you'd think those D-2 schools would be all over him. I know he might need some refinement, but oh, the potential.
RollDiceRoll
11:37
Mike-- I have seen you predict that Allderdice does not have the firepower to get to the state championship this year... What team from the WPIAL do you envision them running into? They beat Butler by almost 40. Can they beat Kennedy Christian?
Mike White
11:38
I didn't say they would lose to WPIAL team. But at some point they will have to probably face Kennedy Catholic. Kennedy is loaded. Then Allderdice would probably have to beat a good eastern Pa. team in semis. Not saying Allderdice can't make it, but Kennedy is undoubtedly the favorite to make it. Allderdice is best 6A team I think in west outside of Kennedy.
WPIAL Lifer
11:38
Do you see Kennedy Catholic staying a PIAA school for boys b-ball or are they looking to transition to more of a "national" program, i.e. Oak Hill, IMG, First Love, etc.?
Mike White
11:40
One of the reasons they moved up to 6A was to play more of a national schedule. Only couple 6A teams in District 10. That allowed them to play more of a national schedule. But Oscar, Maceo Austin, Acunzo are all gone after this year. Unless they get some more players in, they will be nowhere near this level next year. You have to understand, Oscar puts that team on a totally different level. He's a future NBA player.
hoop junkie
11:41
do you like lebo or u st clair tonight ? i think lebo is a better all around  balanced team. they shut down morton.. however they may have a hard time with gensler? no one really to match up with him ??
Mike White
11:42
I'll go Lebo. But I would expect a close game. A key to the game will be if USC turns ball over much and how well Lebo shoots the 3.
WPIAL Lifer
11:45
I'd like to see Kennedy Catholic play just for the sheer talent on its roster. However, I remember the days when PIAA champions actually had rosters made up of PA residents. Not to go down this rabbit hole again, but its really ridiculous that a school with so much foreign and/or out of state talent can claim be a "state" champion. Just venting...
Mike White
11:46
I've never heard anyone say that before. Ha ha.
Mike
11:53
Mapletown- 77 in a row... When does it end?
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