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Mike White's high school sports chat: 01.19.21
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Mike White
11:04
Good morning. Snow on the ground. It's cold out. Feels like high school basketball time in Pennsylvania. Let's go. Fire away any questions.
Frank
11:04
Hey Mike, is char valley a serious contender? The teams they’ve beat this year so far is very impressive.
Mike White
11:06
Ahhhhh, yeah. To be frank, Frank, I think they give New Castle a serious tussle tonight. Could be a really fun game to watch. Char Valley has proven to be one of the best teams in 5A definitely. So far, Brayden Reynolds one of WPIAL's best players. Great start to season.
Wpial 17
11:06
Who is the best player you’ve seen in person so far this year?
Mike White
11:08
To be honest, I've only seen two games live in person so far - because I had to quarantine for 10 days, too. Watched some other games on Hudl and internet. So I can't really say who is the best person I've seen in person so far.
GH
11:08
CV girls set a new winning streak record at 63 games and counting. What is the boys record for most games consecutively won?
Mike White
11:11
Two teams tied. Uniontown 52 in a row from 1963-65. Great teams under Abe Everhart. And Washington 52 in a row from 1983-85. The Popeck brothers. Brian Davis. Coach Ron Faust. The Popeck brothers - one looked like Larry Bird. The other looked like a guy from Revenge of the Nerds. I saw that streak end with a loss to Serra in PIAA playoffs. Pretty sure that Serra team had smokin Joe Bende.
Marky
11:11
How come there was no coverage of the Norwin coach allegedly shoving a Central Catholic player during a game?  Has the WPIAL imposed any penalties yet?
Mike White
11:12
Don't know a ton about it other than Norwin supposedly handled in house and WPIAL not involved. And coach is back coaching.
Todd
11:12
Big game in AAA girls basketball next Thursday, January 28 - Mohawk at North Catholic.  Who do you like?  Could this be a WPIAL championship preview?
Mike White
11:13
Yes, it could be. I'll go Mohawk.
Joe
11:13
Hi Mike, will you and the colleagues be coming back with any high school hoops podcast?
Mike White
11:14
Well, Joe, we're working on the bosses at the Post-Gazette to start it back up. We need to pressure them because we know it has been wildly popular. And a sponsor always makes it easier. So if you have some extra cash ... I can meet you in the alley-way behind Archie's on the South Side.
WPIALMAN
11:14
Flat out amazing Coach McConnells success.  Mike, what feats would you compare it to in other sports?  How does it stack up to the other all time greats in other sports.
Mike White
11:16
Tim McConnell is one of the greatest coaches in WPIAL history - in any sport. Won 500 games with boys faster than any coach WPIAL history. Won six WPIAL titles. Won two more with girls. The streak shouldn't be looked at lightly. Belongs right up there with Clairton football 66-game streak and Brendan McKay's 70-some inning scoreless streak in baseball. Interesting game Saturday, though. Char Valley plays Trinity, coached by Tim's sister. Trinity could give them a handful.
Pittsburgh fan
11:16
Mike, do you think any teams in 1a would be able to compete with Vincentian if they hadn’t closed?
Mike White
11:17
Yes, Bishop Canevin. They could compete with Vincentian. But beating them? I don't know. But Canevin is very good for Class 1A.
Zman
11:17
Seems like especially strong contingent of good teams in Lawrence County this year. Between girls and boys potentially could have 4 WPIAL champs in 1A, 3A, 5A boys and 3 A girls. Whaddya think?
Mike White
11:18
Haven't really spent a lot of time thinking about championships for Lawrence County. Sorry.
Lebo fan
11:18
I keep hearing about what happened in norwin central game. Can you comment?
Mike White
11:19
I don't know a lot about what happened. Another paper had a story that Norwin was looking at it. But the coach is back now apparently.
Jimmy
11:19
Seeing all of the Vincentian players do so well this year around the wpial (McDounough 36 points for NA, Reeves and Griggs starting for first love, Ryan lighting it up in Ohio, Jagers had 30 for Naz prep and even guys succeeding in other sports is it fair to say they would have been favorite in 1a to repeat and even go for state gold?
Mike White
11:20
As I said above, Vincentian would've definitely been favorite in 1A and yes they would've challenged for state 1A title. No doubt. They were in state title game few years ago.
The Ghost of Mark Jula
11:20
5 best pure shooters you’ve ever seen in western PA boys’ BB, not named Dante Calabria...Ho
Mike White
11:25
Dante is up there. But no doubt in my mind who is No. 1: Definitely Micah Mason of Highlands. Holds record for WPIAL 3-pointers with 346. Heck, he's one of the best 3-point shooters in NCAA history. I once was at a workout with one of my sons and also Micah when Micah was in high school. Micah did a drill "SUM." Stood for "shoot until you miss" from five different 3-point spots. In other words, you're going to have 5 misses at the end. Micah made 42 of 47.
11:27
T.J. McConnell was one of the other greats. Heck, he scored 1,000 points in ONE SEASON ALONE!!! He's second in WPIAL in 30-pointers with 334. Just funny to see him now and how he is totally different player in NBA. Rarely shoots a 3. But he has stuck in NBA and is having a very good season as backup point guard at Indiana.
Mel
11:27
What's going on at Moon?  Haven't been competitive in a game this season?  I know they have a new coach but seems like a huge drop off since winning 5A state title in 2019.
Mike White
11:30
New coach this year now that Adam Kaufman is there. But new coach isn't reason they're struggling. They just don't have much of anything. But they're young. Younger brother of Cam and Puff Johnson is a freshman and starting. He has a long way to go but reminds me some of two older brothers. He's long and slender, like the other two. Will be interesting to watch his development.
Hoops lover
11:31
Mike Why have a mask rule when players are wearing them like chinstraps!
Mike White
11:34
Ahhhh, so wonderful to hear from Hoops lover. OK, time for me to make a statement and you prompted it, Hoops lover. I understand school boards wanting players to wear masks for safety reasons. If you believe that is needed, fine. But for most places, it's a joke. Just get rid of them. I have seen games on film and we have pictures from games where players who are supposed to wear masks have them at their chin the entire time. I don't fault players, either. But it seems to me that, if the masks are going to be below the nose, and many times at the chin, what's the point? And PIAA keeps saying they have not received one report where virus was transferred from one team to another from a game without masks.
11:37
There are some schools that make their teams wear masks and forbid them to play teams that don't wear masks. Come playoff time, if a team won't play because of a mask, they will forfeit. I want to see the first school board keep its team out of the playoffs because of masks. Yikes! Will parents crush them. And if you're going to change your rule about masks come playoffs, then change it now.
D9 Dave
11:37
Upper St. Clair at Seneca Valley tonight. Who ya got?
Mike White
11:39
Really interesting game. USC No. 1 in Class 6A. But have had three close games lately - Bethel Park, Canon-Mac and Hempfield. That makes you think Seneca might be in this one. Seneca playing new style. Pressing everywhere. Trying to play fast. They give up a lot of baskets, but the pace is fast. Cole Brooks for Seneca Valley. Cole has been very hot. Has 31 3-pointers in five games. Averaging 28.8. One to watch.
D9 Dave
11:40
Your take on the Matt Furjanic situation at Woodland Hills?  Do you think the WPIAL should be monitoring coaches Twitter activity?
Mike White
11:42
It's a story with many layers. Nothing would've happened if Furjanic didn't Tweet something. And tagging the WPIAL wasn't the smartest thing. Matt said at WPIAL hearing he was wrong for that. No, WPIAL shouldn't have to monitor player and coach Tweets. They don't have staff for that. But PIAA rule says coaches aren't supposed to criticize officials in media. I think it's kind of silly for WPIAL to monitor Tweets. But on other hand, coach Furjanic brought it on himself. Parents always tell their kids be careful of what you put on social media. It could be held against you if the wrong person sees it. Well, I don't think Matt has parents.
Dave
11:42
Was a big fan of Joe Dunn’s coaching. How’s his kid, Michael, doing at Trinity this year?
Mike White
11:43
Haven't seen him yet this year, but is a very nice player. Underrated. Big game against New Castle. Worthy keeping an eye on.
Buff Donelli
11:49
Who is the best team in the state on the boys side in basketball regardless of classification?
Mike White
11:51
Well Buff, I would say it has to be someone from Philly. Would've been Roman Catholic but 6-10 Jalen Duren, No. 3 nationally in the class of 2022, left for Montverde in Fla., along with another Roman player. But Roman supposedly got a few transfers in also. As usual, lots of transferring in Philly. Still have Neumann-Goretti and Imhotep.
D9 Dave
11:51
do you think OLSH could hang in 4A-6A?
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