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Mike White's high school sports chat: 03.10.26
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Mike White
10:55
Good morning. State basketball playoffs really start heating up tonight with second round games. By next Tuesday, we'll know half the field for the championship games. And get this: Baseball and softball teams in Pa. can start playing games this Friday. So let's chat a little.
Mr Ed
10:55
When was the last losing season for Aliquippa football? Does it go back to before Don Yannessa? Come to think of it, been a good while for boys basketball too.
Mike White
10:57
Wow. Start off with an Aliquippa football question? I've got your answer. Last losing season at Aliquippa was 1994. Quips were 4-6 under Frank Marocco. Last below .500 season before that was 1970, 2-7-1 under Dave Strini, who was the coach for only two seasons.
Beaver County Fan
10:57
Hi Mike – with the P-G (sadly) going away in May, with it will most likely go many references to the legendary Deuce Skurcenski. For the uninformed, can you tell people about Deuce and maybe share a favorite Deuce story?
Mike White
10:59
Don't be totally sure P-G is going away. We'll see. Anyway, about Deuce. You can't explain him. He was a high school football-basketball statistician who attended something like 3 million games. Sadly Deuce passed away 11 years ago. Miss that guy. And the best way to describe Deuce is this way: "If you knew Deuce, no explanation is necessary. If you didn't know Deuce, no explanation is possible."
CV Fan
10:59
Is this the best Char Valley team of all time Mike?
Mike White
11:02
No. This team is good, but no way I'd call it the best. You remember that Tim McConnell had some really, really good teams. But if Char Valley can win a state championship, maybe we can talk again. Two McConnell teams lost in state finals. One was T.J. McConnell's senior year and they had only two losses. The state final was Neumann-Goretti, who had something like three Division I players, including one headed to Wake Forest? And T.J. was better than all of them.
Good data
11:02
Good morning, Mike,

Appreciated the data on 3-point shooting in WPIAL championship games at The Petersen Events Center. I'd expect you'd find similar numbers at The Giant Center.

We've heard talk about high school kids having trouble with the shooting background and confusion over which shooting arc is theirs. Kids are already excited about being on a big stage and playing for a championship. It takes at least a quarter to adjust, and by then it might be too late,

It would seem that teams that score more in the paint should be favored in these venues. If you look at the teams that won, like Sewickley Academy and Knoch, it played out that way. Maybe the best team won't always win, but the team best suited for the environment.
Mike White
11:05
I'd say yes and no on your points. A number of teams don't shoot well in the big arenas. But teams win championships by shooting well in bigger arenas and don't have a strong inside presence. I mean, let's look. Mt Lebanon won title in 2020 and had 10 3's in the championship vs. Butler. New Castle had 12 3's in 2013 victory against Hampton. New Castle 10 3's in 2017 final against Quaker Valley. Aliquippa made 12 3's in 2024 win against Greensburg C.C. So teams do win titles without strong inside game and shooting ball well.
footbaw
11:06
I am ready for the footbaw sections, Mike! Have you heard?
Mike White
11:07
WPIAL releases them Thursday. A lot of guessing going on out there. Yes, it's easy to predict where many teams will fall, but no one knows for sure until WPIAL releases them.
hsfan
11:07
Is there any way you would fix the issue of teams having to drive 5-6 hours for a first round playoff game? I understand rewarding higher seeds, but this is too extreme.
Mike White
11:09
I hear ya. But PIAA went to first-round home sites a few years ago and they seem to like it. It helps attendance I believe. It could be fixed by going to neutral sites again and true east-west brackets. But I don't know if either is going to happen. Definitely not true east-west brackets. Not enough balance with number of teams in east and west in some of the classifications.
QuipNation
11:09
Mike Bariski raided the Quips of Josh and Jeremiah Pratt and failed to make state playoffs while Quips win another WPIAL championship. Karma.
Mike White
11:09
I think it was more a case of the Pratts wanting to leave Aliquippa.
Who are they ?
11:10
Do you know anything about Red Lion's Boys team other than they're in York County ? My ex brother in law went to HS there. I dislike him intensely so I hope USC beats them by 100
Mike White
11:15
Well then I dislike your ex brother-in-law, too, even though I have no idea who the heck he is. As for Red Lion, they are 24-5. Apparently, a good shooting team. Not a lot of size. Like to shoot the 3. Isaiah Ogurcak is a 6-2 point guard who averages 21 and Ben Martin averages 15. They have five guys averaging between 8 and 21. They don't have a big guy like Mount Robbins.
hsfan
11:17
Some big upsets in the eastern bracket, Wood, Coatesville, and Berks Catholic, plus Roman Catholic didn't even qualify, certainly opens some paths for WPIAL schools.
Mike White
11:19
Yes, there are some teams we're used to seeing that are not knocked out. You are right in that Roman didn't even qualify and Wood and Coatesville are out. But don't be fooled. There is still defending 6A state champ Father Judge. Plymouth Whitemarsh is District 1 champ in 6A. Imhotep Charter in 6A. Still Neumann-Goretti. So it won't be easy for WPIAL teams.
5a
11:19
TJ vs moon prediction
Mike White
11:20
TJ got swamped in WPIAL final and had a close game in first round of states. Moon is good, but not great. Just a hunch. If TJ shoots it halfway decently, I'll take them. A win would put Thomas Jefferson in quarterfinals for only second time in school history. Last time was 39 years ago.
Hoops
11:22
Knoch vs north catholic prediction
Mike White
11:25
I'll go Knoch. They played two close games in regular season and Knoch blew them out in WPIAL semis. Honestly, I think it all comes down to North Catholic's shooting. Fredericks, Rottman, Pickett have to shoot well. But it's not easy getting open shots against that Knoch zone with size. Plus, don't forget that Knoch has some players who can do some things offensively. NC defense will be key. But I really think biggest key is North Catholic's shooting and they have to keep Knoch off the offensive boards. I'll be there covering it.
V
11:27
You have been covering high school sports for a long time.  In terms of most promising basketball players who did not play college (for whatever reasons) who was the best you can recall?  Tino Hunter from Shaler is one that comes to mind.
Mike White
11:29
Yes, Tino would be one. He did go to, I believe Minnesota and North Carolina State, but never played. He's definitely one that comes to mind right away. But how about "Onion" from Schenley on the great team with Blair, Kennedy and Kane. He could've played Div. 11 somewhere, but never made it. I know he had planned to go to Slippery Rock at one point, but he could never get it together for college. There have been others, too. But they come to mind.
Mr Ed
11:30
Plymouth Whitemarsh. Big John Naponik from Norwin! I think that is my first memory ever of high school sports watching that championship game. Do you know if Big John ever had a successful college career?
Mike White
11:31
Big John Naponick was a folk hero at Norwin in the 1960s. Sold out Civic Arena in first high school game at Arena. He was 6-9 and went to University of Virginia where played football AND basketball. Quite an accomplishment.
City league
11:31
I got a couple questions for you, Mike first one does Obama have enough to beat Erie Cathedral. if history serves me correct Erie cathedral is the same team that defeated coach Naron Jackson Spartans back in 1996 before going on to play Merion  that featured Kobe Bryant
Mike White
11:39
Sure Obama could win. Will they? I don't think so. I'll take Erie Prep. But good memory by you. Prep did indeed beat Schenley in quarterfinals in 1996. It was at Grove City. Prep won 60-44. Randy "Stork" Stoernell covered the game for P-G. Naron Jackson led Schenley in scoring with 20. Prep's coach was a fellow named Marcel Arribi. And yes, Prep lost to Lower Merion and Kobe Bryant in the title game. Low scoring 48-43. I was there. I remember, Prep would double team Kobe if he got the ball. If he put it on the floor and tried to drive, they would send a third man at him. Kobe had 17 points, made 6 of 13 shots. A week or so later, I sat in the Pitt Field House interviewing Kobe after a practice for the McDonald's Game. Never forget it. Just me and Kobe by ourselves. Interview over eating Big Macs. He was so engaging to talk to. Mature beyond years. Was great interview. That night was the dunk contest. I had my two oldest sons then. Kobe saw me, came over and took photo with my sons with his arms around them.
By the way, I still have that photo of Kobe and my sons.
Nigel Thornberry
11:40
Baseball Baseball Baseball! How about two WPIAL kids being on team USA for the WBC?
Mike White
11:41
It's Elizabeth Forward's Dan Altavilla on Team Italy. Pardone me, but who is the other?
Coach Ed
11:41
Thinking ab taking my son to the Knoch v NC game tn. Will there be a good crowd? We went to CC vs NC and it was obviously phenomenal. Don't want to drive to Plum if it will be a bad atmosphere...
Mike White
11:41
Sorry I really don't predict crowds or where parents should take their kids.
Love is Love
11:42
Here’s another one for you, Mike one of the players at Taylor Alderdice was in eligible to play in the PIAA playoffs, But he was able to play in the CITY league playoffs. Is there different rules for district playoffs and PIAA playoffs. His name is Keenu Brooks
Mike White
11:42
I don't know particulars about that one. But it's supposed to be for postseason games.
Coach Ed
11:42
Does Allderdice have enough to make a state championship run next year in boys basketball?
Mike White
11:42
No
SOUTH PARK FAN
11:42
YOU THINK THE PIAA WILL LET US BORROW A COUPLE KIDS FROM BETHEL PARK TO PLAY TOMORROW NIGHT AGAINST THAT TEAM FROM ALTOONA? HOW BOUT THE 6'8 KID FROM BRENTWOOD?
Mike White
11:43
Go back to bed.
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