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Mike White's high school sports chat: 02.23.21
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Mike White
11:00
Well, the WPIAL basketball committee is meeting as we start chattin'. They're making pairings and seedings. Good luck. With open tournament, this is hardest ever to sort out. So let's get started. Fire away with any questions. Lots to talk about.
Big Mike
11:01
Was watching the NA live stream yesterday, pretty crazy ending there. Can't believe the refs didn't notice there was 6 guys, but then I thought how does Derose not notice it ? Think he needs to pay attention to the game instead of crying to the refs. I would be embarrassed if I was him. Anyways do you think this drops NA behind pine now Mike ?
Mike White
11:03
OK. Let's explain first. Butler beat North Allegheny last night by 3. NA had the ball out of bounds after a timeout with 6 seconds left. NA hurried up the court and missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Butler had 6 players on the court for the final six seconds. I was watching video live. I saw it. Officials just missed it. They made a mistake. Yes, they should've caught it, but they simply missed it. It happens. I know that's not easy for NA to accept, but officials make mistakes. So do coaches and players. This was a glaring one, but they happen.
11:05
More on the Butler-NA game. I'm sure the officials feel horrible. But like I said, they made a mistake. I think it's ridiculous for people to say these officials should be suspended. C'mon, man! Cut officials a break. They didn't do it on purpose. NA coaches didn't see it, either. To me, the only thing that should happen is those three officials shouldn't be assigned to an NA or Butler game again this year. That's all.
Coach Z
11:06
I watched TJ girls play last night and their coaches got multiple technical fouls in the varsity and jv game.  Does the WPIAL handle technical fouls by coaches or does the individual school?
Mike White
11:09
If a coach gets two technicals, it's automatic ejection and ineligible to coach next game. But PIAA put in a new rule this year. If technicals or ejection occur because of foul language to an official, or making contact with a contestant or official, there can be a "supplemental" game supension. That means coach must sit two games. Schools can do their own disciplinary action if they want.
Coach Z
11:09
Char Valley boys and girls are both strong this year.  Who is more likely to bring home a WPIAL title?
Mike White
11:10
I'd say they are about even chances. I think Trinity undoubtedly gets No. 1 seed for girls, but Char Valley is still good enough to win it. I think Char Valley boys get No. 1 seed, but they are far from prohibitive favorite. 5A field in boys is deep.
Mr X and O
11:10
How will the WPIAL determine section champions if schools were not able to play their full schedule of games. For example Mt. Lebo and USC are both undefeated but didn't play each other and didn't play same amount of section games, Pine Richland and NA both have 4 losses but didn't play the same amount of section games.
Mike White
11:13
Section champion plaques will only be given out in sections where a definite champion can be determined. In your example, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair (boys and girls) both finished undefeated in section, but didn't play each other. So a champ can't be determined. There are a number of sections where a champ can be determined.
11:14
In Pine-Richland and NA section, yes both teams have four losses. But Pine-Richland didn't play two games against North Hills. NA finished its section schedule. So I don't know what they would do there. NA couldn't be beaten out for section championship, no matter what. Just my thinking, but shouldn't they get a section championship plaque? Worst they could do is tie for the section title.
Coach Kuzma
11:15
Are first place teams declared section champs or due to pandemic and uneven number of games played there is no designation of that this year?
Mike White
11:15
Read above.
WPIAL BOY
11:15
When can we Crown Devin Carney as the best player in the WPIAL?
Mike White
11:15
Best "offensive" player. Can't call him best player, though.
11:16
I will say this: Pfizer ..... Moderna ..... Devin Carney ..... Best shot makers in Western Pa. right now.
goirishlee
11:16
Tough job to sort out 6A brackets after USC and Fox Chapel.  Also agree that refs miss calls.  Part of game.  Overall they are very good at what they do.  More people need to become an official just to appreciate these men and women.
Mike White
11:18
Right on, goirishlee. Like I said, they made a mistake. OK. It happens. I know I never made a mistake. Oh wait, I think I made a mistake once back in 1997. But I was wrong.
Coach Z
11:18
What level in college do you think Carney can play at?  He is putting up some incredible scoring numbers.
Mike White
11:22
Division I because he has big time jump shot, extremely deep range. Also athletic. Really good 3-point shooter and pull-up jumper is big time. He won't score in college much at the rim. He isn't the biggest cat in the world and still must improve other areas. Also, colleges don't just recruit kids because they score a lot of points. Much more than that. Honestly, some of his recruitment will be determined what he does in AAU. But what he has been doing lately offensively is really something.
Jordan
11:26
5A seems to be incredibly deep this year. Besides char valley, there seems to be a dozen teams that could go into multiple spots. Do you think the committee will focus on quality of wins over everything else and will last night’s games matter?
Mike White
11:27
I think 5A is very good field. But there were only a handful of 5A game last night and none that will matter.
Guest
11:27
I play for Neshannock, we are unsure if we are going to be play our playoff games at home because of how small our court is. Do you see the WPIAL making teams with smaller courts/gymnasiums play at a larger gymnasium close to them?
Mike White
11:28
The rule is this. You need capacity of 700 to at least host a game. The thing is this. The WPIAL said if a team can't host a game, the opponent can possibly host. I don't agree with that. That means lower seed gets home game. It should go to a neutral court.
Big Nate
11:29
Can't believe some of these schools with zero and 1 losses are entering the playoffs. Shameful one team not going to single them out hasn't won a game and is losing by an average of almost 40 points per game. To me shame on that coach and any coach that enters the playoffs with those kind of records. It takes away from the teams that truly earned a spot.
Mike White
11:31
This is a season like no other. I know it doesn't make a lot of sense for teams with terrible record to go into playoffs. But what's it hurt? Lot of these teams played so few games. If it gives them a chance to play another game, why not? Again, who does it hurt? And besides, in a lot of these classes, it's no like the No. 1 team is playing the No. 23 seed. A No. 23 plays a No. 10. Maybe they can be a little more competitive.
Todd
11:31
I was watching the Univ. of Kentucky game over the weekend  and didn’t see the DeGregorio kid from Hampton/North Catholic on the bench nor is he on the roster.  I thought he was playing at Kentucky?
Mike White
11:32
He was going to be a walk-on but hasn't been on team since start of season. Obviously, that's one of the main reasons Cal's team is struggling.
1A guy
11:32
Mike - Haven't heard much on eligibility, when reading "bracketology".  Both Canevin and Rochester, 2 projected top seeds in 1A, both have impact players (Laure - Roch, and Spears/Gales - Canevin) that are transfers -- after the start of 10th grade to be more specific.  Are they all ineligible, and does that play into seeding?
Mike White
11:32
I don't know all of the transfers at those schools. But I do know a few of the Canevin transfers were from Vincentian and they were automatically eligible for the playoffs because school closed.
goirishlee
11:32
I hope you have seen Devin Carney live this year.  Quite the player.  Have you seen Vinnie Cuguni and any comparison?
Mike White
11:36
Yes, I have seen Devin Carney live. And about 5 games on film. Have not seen Vinnie Cugini. But from coaches I talk to, they are two totally different type of players. Different styles on much different teams. Obviously, Vinnie is a good player, but Carney scores with much less volume of shots attempted. He doesn't regularly attempt 40 shots. Carney is usually in the 20-some attempts. Many times low 20s.
Buff Donelli
11:37
Mike do you follow High School wrestling? Because we have some of the best high school wrestlers in the country here in Western Pennsylvania Pennsylvania in high school wrestling is like Texas and Florida high school football
Mike White
11:39
No doubt, wrestling in Western Pa. is tremendous. We produce many All-Americans and even NCAA champs. No, I don't follow wrestling a ton, but I do like the tag-team matches and when someone flies off the turnbuckle and brings in the foreign object that official never sees.
WPIAL Lifer
11:39
With the change to PIAA playoffs only including District champs, what's the status of the City League? Will its boys-girls champions advance to PIAA?
Mike White
11:39
Yes. They will go into sub regionals.
6A
11:39
Rank these shooters, Micah, TJ and Carney
Mike White
11:41
You would have to do that just on the high school level because T.J.'s game has changed immensely and Carney still has a year left of high school Micah Mason still unquestionably the best. Heck, he's I think No. 7 3-point shooter in NCAA history. Again, we're talking high school shooting. I'd give T.J. just a little edge right now, but that could change.
6A best A
11:43
I think theres a chance Carney finishes with 2000 points next year. How many schools have two 2,000 point scorers in their history?
Mike White
11:44
Yes, Carney very good chance for 2,000 next year. But four other schools have two 2,000 scorers in boys. Blackhawk, Neshannock, Beaver Falls have two. Chartiers Valley has three - T.J. and Matty McConnell, and Mike Colbert.
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