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Mike White's high school sports chat: 02.11.20
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Mike White
11:00
Well it's here. Playoff time. Great time of year is WPIAL basketball playoffs. Pairings and seedings will be announced tonight.  You ready to talk? Let's get started.
Jared Mero
11:01
Char Valley beat one of the best teams in 6A in Mt. Lebanon? Does the win for CV help their chances of getting the number one seed in 5A?
Mike White
11:02
No, it will not. WPIAL has made a point to say every year that they do not look at the Monday games on the final night of the season. At least they say they don't. WPIAL basketball committee meets Mondays and decides pairings. I understand it also because you never know how some teams treat those Monday games. Some play a lot of players and don't treat it like a regular game. So in summary, I don't think it will matter for Chartiers Valley, although it was a nice win.
Alexander Madrigal
11:02
How awesome was Ryan Feczko's shot against Pine-Richland on Monday?
Mike White
11:03
Awesome, far out and solid, dude.
Corbin Miller
11:03
I can't believe Shenango beat Mars. Do you think Mars just took the game lightly?
Mike White
11:05
Have no idea. Michael Carmody played, looking at stats. But don't forget Shenango isn't bad. I know they're Class 2A and it was surprising. But basketball is a lot different than football. Smaller class teams that are good can hang with teams from a larger class sometimes.
Zachary Bainbridge
11:05
North Hills lost by 21 to North Allegheny on Friday. What do the Indians need to do to become a legit basketball contender again?
Mike White
11:05
Win a few more games.
Luke Henne
11:05
Did you go to any of the high school basketball games yesterday?
Mike White
11:05
No.
Gian Cuchapin
11:05
Who would you say is the best duo in WPIAL basketball, this season?
Mike White
11:07
Well the best scoring duo is OLSH's Jake DiMichele and Dante Spadafora. DiMichele finished with average of 29 a game and Spadafora 22. In past 40 years, only the third time a WPIAL team has had two players average more than 22 a game in the regular season. But the best duo? I'd probably take Ethan Morton and Devin Carney - at least offensively.
Zman
11:07
You know what I miss Mike, wpial playoff Semifinal doubleheaders at Fitzgerald Field House. Do you know why that doesn’t happen anymore? Cost? It is still used for some of Pitt sports. That was a great atmosphere, fond memories of it.
Mike White
11:09
Yes, semifinal doubleheaders there were great. Same with Palumbo. But Pitt Field House isn't built for basketball games any longer. Court is a volleyball court. You can play basketball on it if you want. Pitt runs a team camp there in summer. But it's not a basketball facility any more. I'm sure cost had something to do with it. Just like Palumbo. I'm curious to see if Robert Morris' new UPMC place will have any games. There was talk of that. If I'm in charge at Robert Morris, I'd want to host games. Of course, it needs to be affordable to WPIAL.
Cam Dougherty
11:09
Can any team in 6A stop Ethan Morton and Butler?
Mike White
11:11
No. Absolutely no chance. Just send the trophy to Butler. ... C'mon, man. They beat Pine-Richland by four and five, and Mt. Lebanon by five. They will get challenged.
Basketball Fan
11:11
As you mentioned in your bracketology, a likely 5 v. 4 matchup of Pine Richland and Fox Chapel is intruging, brcause of the two conpletly different styles that each team plays, Fox Chapel slowing the game down, and Pine Richland speeding it up. Who gets your pick in that matchup?
Mike White
11:11
Tough call. Make me choose and I'll probably go Pine-Richland but a lot will depend on how Pine shoots it.
Lindsey Misci
11:11
With the regular season over, which game do you think was the most entertaining or interesting?
Mike White
11:12
I'd have to think about that one.
Sons of Hanratty
11:12
Is this the year that Ethan Morton delivers Butler a long-awaited WPIAL title in Basketball?
Mike White
11:15
Well I did a story before the season with him and it's his No. 1 goal. It's always been a big goal of his. It drives him and motivates him. They are my pick to win it this year. Funny. If they would win it this year, they would do it with a 6-6 point guard. Last time, they won it in 1991 their point guard was about 5-7 (at most). Remember Dan Heiman? Shot sort of a two-hand set shot, but man, could he shoot.
Elise Velau
11:15
Who is currently the head coach for Moon Area Girls basketball team with Powell gone?
Mike White
11:17
I understand it's Meghan Mastroianni. She's interim coach. Name might be familiar. Dad is Mike Mastroianni, ultra-successful coach at Quaker Valley. If maybe 50 percent of Mike's knowledge rubbed off on his daughter, then Moon will be in good hands.
Tom W
11:17
Salute to Coach Niederberger at Shaler for putting their Basketball Program back on the map...
Mike White
11:19
He has done very well bringing Shaler back to prominence. Kudos to Rob. But I wouldn't go as far as saying he put them on the map. They had some pretty good years not all that long ago under Paul Holzshu, who took over when Howie Ruppert passed away. Such a sad story when Howie passed. Howie had some good teams, too. I mean, it was only eight years ago that Shaler won a section and made the WPIAL semifinals and state quarterfinals.
Emma Van Wicklen
11:19
Which schools do you think have the nicest WPIAL basketball courts?
Mike White
11:20
Courts??? Do you mean gyms??? There are many nice ones. As far as history and size and other things, I really like New Castle. Beaver Falls has such a historic feel to it also.
Nicole Bohatch
11:20
Which schools do you think have the nicest basketball student sections?
Mike White
11:21
I'm not going to rate those because I obviously don't see everybody's. Upper St. Clair's is very good, though. Butler's pretty good also. Do they still dress in green at Butler?
Beaver County is for Lovers
11:22
What are your thoughts on the Girls 3A Bracket? Can 3 teams from the same section (Section 1) earn the top three 3 seeds?
Mike White
11:23
Can they? Yes. Will they? No. Beaver and Mohawk should be 1-2. But I can't see Avonworth getting No. 3 ahead of Carlynton or South Park.
Lillia Velau
11:24
Camden Polak was a stud for Steel Valley this season. Do you know if he have any college offers to play basketball?
Mike White
11:26
Yes Lilla he sure was. Averaged 31.3 in the regular season. Brad Everett did a bigger piece on him a few weeks ago. At that time, Youngstown State, Delaware and Central Connecticut State had showed a little interest in him. But more Division II schools interested in him. Personally, I think he'll end up Division II with an outside shot at low D-1.
Abby Maus
11:26
In Girls basketball, which team do you think has the best shot to knock off Chartiers Valley in the WPIAL playoffs?
Mike White
11:27
Trinity and Thomas Jefferson. Both played them close in games. It took a last second shot for CV to win at TJ.
WPIAL Fan
11:27
Mike, which team/s do you see making it to the State finals and who can win it all. thanks
Mike White
11:30
I think OLSH in 2A, Vincentian 1A and either Lincoln Park or North Catholic 3A have the best shots at making it to Hershey. Now, winning it all is a different story.
Luke Reed
11:30
In both boys and girls basketball, which team do you think has the best shot to win a PIAA title this season?
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