As tip-off is now about 40 hours away (ish), I thought I'd get a thread going...


Who's coming to town?
Add your input to the poll if you like (lets see how many people actually read the girls forum )

Also, did a search on ESPN Rise, and found this article attached to the FAB50 for this week. Have a read if you like...


By Clay Kallam & Mark Tennis
Contributing: Ronnie Flores, Doug Huff, Paul Muyskens

"The place to be this weekend is Berlin.

No, we're not talking the Berlin on the other side of the pond. And you also wouldn't expect the best girls' basketball event in the country this weekend to be in Amish country, but that's exactly where Berlin, Ohio, happens to be -- and so is the three-day Classic in the Country.

Starting with Minster (Ohio) vs. Mogadore (Ohio) at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hiland High School in Berlin, 20 games are on the schedule, and though college coaches probably won't be congregating for the opener, you can bet they'll out in force by the time University (Newark, N.J.) and 6-foot Maryland-bound Lauren Mincy take on Regina (South Euclid, Ohio) and 5-foot-7 Florida State-bound Tay'ler Mingo.

It only gets better after that, including a battle of in-state powers Hathaway Brown of Shaker Heights and Mount Notre Dame of Cincinnati (both nationally ranked in preseason). Then, in the nightcap, FAB 50 No. 41 Potter's House Christian of Florida takes on Hiland, the host school which hasn't lost yet this season.

Since it's Amish territory, there are no games Sunday morning to allow everyone to go to church, but the gym should be packed by 3:30. The nightcap certainly is worth staying up for when Mount Notre Dame and FAB 50 No. 36 Start of Toledo, a relative newcomer to basketball prominence in Ohio, will go head-to-head.

The pace slows a little on Monday, but a game between Start (featuring Seton Hall signee Tiffani Blackman) and Potter's House (which has literally traveled all over the country this season) will have a major impact on next week's FAB 50.
And speaking of impact, No. 1 Mater Dei and No. 8 Brea Olinda will decide more than just Southern California bragging rights on Monday in Santa Ana. Mater Dei will enjoy a home-court advantage in its big new gymnasium, though not as much as in the old days, when the Monarchs played in a tiny, cramped and hot gym that was loud, intimidating and always crammed with fans.

If Brea can pull off the upset, though, it will cause a lot of confusion at the top of the FAB 50, as Brea has lost to No. 2 St. Mary's of Stockton, a team Mater Dei has already beaten. But regardless of who you're rooting for, if you want to see this one, plan to get there early -- even the big new gym is liable to be sold out."

This will be the first year I've attended this event, so I am very excited! Good luck to all the local teams!

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4746342

I went with the Hiland/Potters House matchup. I know that I should never doubt Hiland bball, but I wonder if they bit off more than they can chew this time.

On paper clearly the best match ups is Toledo Start vs Potter's House... But there are just so many good ones!

should be a great event as always!

Here is a great rundown and description of each matchup:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4748445

I really like Toledo Start. They have 2 big post players that PH will have trouble matching up with, and they have guards that are very quick. Start needs to handle the pressure, make it a grinder, and I think they will have a good shot.

Wes, the advantage Hiland has (and I'm obviously biased) is that we have the best coach bar none. I saw Dave take this team over to Maryland and play nothing but big city and/or state champions from DC, NYC/NY, MD, and NC - and beat them. It was fun to watch those opposing coaches shake their heads. Most of them were not prepared for Princeton basketball. Those teams all had players, in some cases several, who were ranked in the ESPN top 150. But in terms of PH's talent, yeah, it's a big bite!

Potters House drilled Hiland tonight.....77-54. It was about a 7 point game at halftime, but PH came out on fire in the 2nd half and forced a lot of Hiland turnovers. Hiland was completely out classed(when was the last time that happened). I wonder who the 3 teams are that beat PH?

wes_mantooth wrote: Hiland was completely out classed(when was the last time that happened).

In the finals last year by Africentric.

Winner's:
Mogadore
Brookhaven
Mc Kinley
Regina
Twinsburg
Notre Dame

I might be wrong, but wasn't Hiland leading through a good bit of that game? This PH team was on a whole different level.

Looks like they got handed their hat, and it may happen again in the next game, but they are willing to take on all comers and try to expose their weaknesses and then try to fix them afterwards. Hiland doesn't have the greatest athletes. They just work twice as hard as everyone else to be ready.

id say weaver and yoder are both as athletic as they come...

Mr. 300 wrote:

wes_mantooth wrote: Hiland was completely out classed(when was the last time that happened).

In the finals last year by Africentric.

They lost that game, but were not outclassed. Weren't they up something like 17 at halftime?

I'm very proud of how Hilary Weaver showed up last night. The score probably doesn't indicate it, but she single handedly dribbled through their press and busted traps all over the floor for 3 1/2 quarters last night. The younger players showed that they weren't yet able play at that speed, but the seniors for the most part executed the game plan.

We spotted them 16 points to start the 3rd quarter, but that means that for the rest of the game played within 7 of them. And if they bring it home in March, a lot of that will be because nothing they see this season will in any way compare to the defensive pressure they faced in this game, and that includes Regina, Mason, and Lutheran East and any other D4 schools we face come tournament time.

On a side note: Hope that PH #12 is alright. She went down with a knee injury with about 2:30 to go.

And to put things in perspective for the State of Ohio vs. Potter's House...
Game One: Potter's House 84 - D4 Regional Finalist Lutheran East 44
Game Two: Potter's House 79 - D1 defending champ MND 60
Game Three: Potter's House 77 - Hiland 54

Hiland was up 25-11 against Africentric at half, and lost 55-46 in a championship game. I call that outcoached and outclassed. Not whizzing on anyone here, but was just replying to Mantoof's question.

How was attendance at day one for CITC???

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4749833

Was it Lowellville or Lutheran East that was so young last year at Regionals???

lowellville... started 3 freshmen

but LE will still be very good.

And Mogadore's PG had a triple double in the first game yesterday

Mr. 300 wrote:
How was attendance at day one for CITC???

I guess when I think outclassed, I think "not in the same class of team"... last night we were outclassed. I don't feel we were in March. If you think we couldn't have won that game, then yes they were outclassed. But once again, probably my opinion of the word's meaning versus yours.

Anyway, attendance... Steadily picked up over the day. Probably 900-1000 for Africentric - McKinley. Got to about 1300 by tip for HB & MND, and was jammed in both corners and the press box for Mr. Blanks speech. Not many left after that until the start of the 4th quarter

Full house on Sunday, good games lots of fun working and being a part of the event.

I initially thought Potter's was being nice to the hosts and had it throttled down in the 1st half, let it go in the 3rd, and then throttled down again in the 4th. But I talked to their head coach last night and he said that his girls are not used to playing in front of crowds that big. They usually play in front of more college scouts than fans. He said they were all excited to show all those people what they could do which led to individual play. He corrected that at half and he said they played more like he expected in the 3rd. He did back off the pressure in the 4th because the game was in hand.

He said their losses came against some very good teams where they just didn't bring it. He said they are just like all other girls, they get distracted and with the travel they do, they don't always show up with their best.

I'd say we were "out-classed" only in the sense that those Lions had the quickest hands I've ever seen. Not very tall but all strong and can leap. Coach Bannister said all 5 starters will sign for major DI college scholarships.

Hoover beat West Holmes 51-25. It was all Hoover all the time. WH really never in the game. Just didn't hit shots.

Smithville had a nice win over Westlake. Love the Smithie's point guard, Liester, and Pew.

I tuned in and the WH/Hoover score was notted at 8...........then the next time I tuned in it was 29-13. Same old problem for the Knights. Against a tough team, no one can fill the bucket.

Toledo Start and Potter's House lived up to the billing.


The sour grapes in me wishes Hiland would have had this reffing crew, but it wouldn't have changed the outcome, so, oh well


Anyway, PH jumped out 9-2 in the first minute, but from there Start was very steady. Their freshman PG looks like she's 8 year old, but she's got ice water in her veins for sure.

PH wasn't hitting like Sat, but it was a possession or two the whole way through except for a point around halftime where Start pushed it to 10.

Final: 61-57

Does anyone have scores? Its not on the Website?