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Mike White's high school sports chat: 03.21.23
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Mike White
10:56
Half of the state basketball semifinals were played last night. Other half tonight. Spring sports have started. Plenty to talk about. Let's go.
Sweet16
10:56
Hey Mike, Can you quickly go over the success points that schools need to go up or down a classification? How many points for district champ? State champ? and anything points in between?
Mike White
10:59
OK I'll try to explain best I can. The success formula can bump a team up in classification for the next two-year cycle. I'm sure almost all of you have heard that. It's only for football and basketball right now. If a team goes far in the postseason two years in a row and has a certain number of transfers, it will be bumped up in class. I'll start another post explaining the points.
11:01
Success points are earned by how far a team goes in the postseason. Making it to PIAA championship game gives a team four points, the semifinals three, the quarterfinals two and the first round 1. A team must get six success points over two seasons to be bumped up. In football, if a team has six success points over two years and three transfers, it is bumped up one classification. In basketball, if a team has six success points over two years and one transfer, it is bumped up one classification. Got it?
11:02
But with the success points and competitive balance rule, the PIAA thought about getting rid of the transfer part. But it was voted down. Right now, the competitive balance rule and the success points are what I said above.
HoopMan
11:02
Imani, what a story! One of the smallest schools in all of the state, and they have made the state finals! They have been talking about hard work, and boy did it pay off. Similar to Hoosiers if you ask me! No idea how they were able to overcome these odds Mike
Mike White
11:02
Maybe it's just me, but I think I detect a litte sarcasm in your post.
The South Hills
11:02
Imani vs Berlin what’s your take. Believe Berlins fast play will catch imani off guard early but imani will come back in win. Also believe that Pace Prosser will be the best player on the court.
Mike White
11:05
It will take a great effort to beat Imani. So much size - and skill. You are talking about Berlin Brothersvalley, Imani's opponent in the state final. Berlin Brothersvalley doesn't have a player taller than 6-2. So that's a problem for them. They do have guards and shooters, though. Three players average between 17 and 23 points. And those three have 27, 69 and 91 3-pointers. Berlin has to shoot it really well to have a chance. But I think the other big key is they have to handle Imani's pressure. Can't have too many live ball turnovers. Imani thrives on those.
11:07
As for more on Berlin Brothersvalley, they lost to Imani, 79-70, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs last year. Berlin led at halftime, 35-31. But that was before Imani had Dame Givner and R.J. Sledge, two guards who transferred in this year. They make a world of difference. By the way, Berlin Brothersvalley is coached by Tanner Prosser, former Brentwood High standout player who played at Grove City. He's done a great job there. Berlin lost in the 2021 state final.
In the end, I can't see Imani losing.
WPIAL FAN
11:08
What are you're thoughts on the Imani Berlin State Championship Game?
Mike White
11:08
See above.
WPIAL FAN
11:08
Do you think there needs to be reforms with how hs playoff games are policed in terms of fans. The incident at the Aliquippa Canevin was bad. I think people need to realize while teams want to win at the end of the day they are just kids out there. Youth sports can get out of hand at times. People need to let the refs ref the coaches coach and the kids play
Mike White
11:10
I was not there and don't know of incident. Yes, there needs to be police presence at state playoff games. Or security from a school. I think there usually is. But it doesn't matter if you have 50 policemen. It doesn't matter how many announcements you make about sportsmanship and behavior. There's a good chance there will still be idiot fans and parents. It will never end.
WPIAL
11:10
Who do you think are the top 5 boys basketball teams in the WPIAL since 2010?
Mike White
11:11
Too hard to think right off the top of my head. I'd have to look back.
WPIAL
11:11
Who do you have winning the boys 4A title?
Mike White
11:14
That's Lincoln Park vs. Neumann-Goretti. I think it might be the best matchup of boys games - at least going into state finals. I think Lincoln Park can be right in the game and make it close. Some really good individuals in this game. Robert Wright for N-G is a Baylor recruit, one of top juniors in country. What Neumann-Goretti has that most Lincoln Park opponents didn't is size. At least a few players with size who can play, too. Sultan Adewale is 6-8 and has offers from Arizona State, Clemson, Memphis, Rutgers and others. I saw where coach said last night that Montana State might be his leader. No matter what, don't be surprised if Lincoln Park wins, but I'll still take N-G.
Jock Sutherland
11:14
Hi Mike.  I know not your expertise but will PG be putting out a HS Volleyball preview this season?  Thanks
Mike White
11:14
Either Thursday or Friday.
Hoops
11:14
Did you see the Aliquippa broadcast call bishop canevins geno defrank a quarterback in football
Mike White
11:14
No.
Chief Powhatan
11:15
Are there any D-1 pitchers to keep an eye on this season in the WPIAL?
Mike White
11:19
Yes, a number of them. Too many to mention all of them, but Butler's Madden Clement (son of basketball coach former MLB pitcher Matt) is going to Virginia Tech. South Fayette's Chase Krewson is going to Notre Dame. Cade O'Leary is a junior at Central Catholic going to Mississippi State. Seneca Valley's Owen Yarussi is going to Auburn. Mt. Lebanon's David Shields Miami and Tyler Smith to Auburn. Those are a few.
Sportsmanship
11:19
The boys' 4A game between N-G and Lincoln Park has some big time skill on both sides.   To me, the difference is coaching in the matchup.  LP's coach doesn't seem to be able to put a game plan together when matched with an equal (or better) opponent.  What's your take on that one?
Mike White
11:21
You're talking about Mike Bariski. I mean, Lincoln Park has faced some really good teams (they beat Archbishop Wood). They've faced man-to-mans, zones, junk defenses. Yes, you can sit here and say they have talent. But the man has won 28 of 29 games. But you want to question his game plans? The plan is to WIN THE GAME!!!! They usually do that. With the talent they have, there really isn't a need to have some elaborate game plan.
Jchaz
11:21
Rod’s best seasons: Soph-Fr-Jr-Sr. “Above avg” looking at full year. Maybe “Fab 10”- no way Fab 5. Will hype and reputation put him on the list?
Mike White
11:25
You're talking Laurel Highlands' Rodney Gallagher. His stats this year are as good, if not better, than other years. Hype and reputation will have nothing to do whether he makes or doesn't make Fab 5. You have your opinion. Others have theirs. Bottom line is kid is still a really, really good basketball player.
Coach O
11:25
In your baseball preview you mentioned Riverside baseball coach Dan Oliastro(?) is 79. And still doing a tremendous job. Is he the oldest WPIAL head coach you can ever recall?
Mike White
11:27
That's a good question, but he is not the oldest ever. Just last year, Tony Ruscitto took over the Beth-Center football job at age 80 and I believe he is still the coach there. At least he was this past season. But Dan Oliastro is definitely one of the oldest ever. But I love it that he's still coaching. And still putting together good teams.
Torts
11:27
Mike are you sad that the OLSH Boys didn't make the state final this year.
Mike White
11:28
No idea what that's supposed to mean.
Sportsmanship
11:28
I thought the addition of the playback games in the WPIAL Playoffs was a success this year.  Look Uniontown boys and GCC girls got to the 4A Western Finals through them.  Will the WPIAL keep them?
Mike White
11:28
I like them. I think most people do and the WPIAL boesses say they are committed to them for at least one more year, I believe.
Mike white III
11:29
Basketball is different than football when it comes to enrollment size. There is no reason when a school only has 12-15 players on a roster that they have to play schools with equal enrollment. I know I’m living in the past but I wish they would go back to the old sections when teams like Jeannette, Latrobe, Norwin, Greensburg, MtPleasant, Derry, Southmoreland and Hempfield were all in the same section. This would create so much less travel, better crowds and a better rivalries.
Mike White
11:30
Yes, the old sections were great. Some rivalries were lost. But things change. Look at the changes in conferences in college football. The world changes. I go to a lot of the best games during regular season. All I know is the games are very crowded most of the times, especially on Friday nights.
Taber
11:31
Enough of the fab five talk. No way the writers can see evaluate all the top players this season. This is just a big name list not top five players in the area. This for entertainment purposes, everyone needs to get over it.
Mike White
11:35
Sorry. Totally disagree. There are usually maybe 10 players that you would consider for Fab 5 every year. At least for the boys, I usually see every one of them in person and also on film. We have other high school staff members who see players, too. And don't forget, we get opinions from a number of coaches who see many of the players. So it's not just a "big name" list. Every year there are players who don't make it that you could make a point for. It's always easy to say, "This person should've made it." But then who do you take off? We take a person off and someone else says, "Oh, I can't believe he or she didn't make it." The first 3 or maybe four are pretty easy. It's that last one or two spots that are hard. And usually, you could make a point for two or three who don't make it.
Yinz
11:35
How about a prediction for Deer lakes versus Penn Cambria tonight? And and deer lakes chances in the final
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