THE VIEW FROM CENTERCOURT | Western New York Boys High School Basketball

Who should make the All-Centercourt teams?

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centercourt42

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In about three weeks, the 3rd Annual All-Centercourt team will be announced, honoring the top 60 seasons turned in by high school players this year.  The selections are broken down into a first, second, third, fourth, & fifth team, with five players on each, along with 35 honorable mention selections.  There are also both Player & Coach of the Year selections.

 

The top 60 may sound like a lot, but when you start putting names down on paper, the list fills quickly and inevitably some very good players get left off the list.  The main criteria I focus on is the 2012-2013 season, not what you did in the past, and not where you're going in the future…it's all about honoring the top 60 from this season.

 

Use the comments section below to tell us what your teams would look like and maybe even why.  If you're really ambitious, try coming up with the entire team including the HM selections.

 

Please keep all commentary appropriate when discussing high school athletes, and remember, it is lame to say someone does not belong on a team, without offering up who should be on one.

 

-centercourt

@centercourt42

148 responses to “Who should make the All-Centercourt teams?”

  1. JKW Avatar
    JKW

    Who were the players of the year for the divisions?

    Reply
  2. Chris Miller Avatar
    Chris Miller

    this site is not for kids!!!

    Reply
  3. Ronald knight Avatar
    Ronald knight

    if this goes by how far your team went and not by stats then … Taplin , carson , & mitchell should be looked at after johnathon lewis fot the simple fact he got his team further and his stats were just as good … Carson lost to the team john beat single handed when his two big men were in foul trouble agansit fredonia at buff state .. he beat mitchell twice this year BLOWOUTS and led both games in scoring . you guys have to be fair

    Reply
  4. Todd Gurski Avatar
    Todd Gurski

    The little guy from East Johnathon Lewis has battled with the big boys all year! Putting up big numbers and taking his team to sectionals…He deserves a spot on 3rd team. No less. Looking forward to seeing what he accomplishes next year!

    Reply
  5. Shadowtoad Avatar
    Shadowtoad

    Chris Miller and Just Wondering-you are both 100% correct. Too many times the big scorers are considered ballers but don’t play a lick of defense or play in a weak league. All around play should be rewarded. Not reaching in, grabb a** defense!

    Reply
  6. Game Avatar
    Game

    A little shout for my boy for his selection on honorable mention All WNY Academic Team. And the winner of the Jolly Boys Scholarship and maybe more. CC knows him and may agree from learning basketball for the first time in 8th grade modified to 1st team All League and a dazzling 101 steals this season and they were knocked out in the 1st round. He is a coaches dream as you show him once its done.Congrats “Big Game!” Waiting to see how he did in a little 3 on 3 tourney here at Ridge Bible Tourney with his older brother and Darnell Carson. they gave up some height for quickness!!WTG And its great to see these kids from schools miles apart become friends~~another thing you cant teach.

    Reply
  7. Bona fan Avatar
    Bona fan

    I guess it doesn’t matter now if Ford fits Reggie’s system. It appears Reggie didn’t fit UB’s system. I think Reggie should return to sweethome and bring them back to greatness. And I heard Sal Constantino is a finalist for the UB job.

    Reply
  8. Will Avatar
    Will

    My final team
    1st Team- Weir, Taplin, Williams, Smith, Crumpton
    2nd Team- Bathurst, Eckstrum, Morris, White, Anderson
    3rd Team- Belton, Wilkinson, Lewis, Mitchell, Carson
    4th Team- Funk, Mccdonald, Wilkins, Rath, Oliveri

    Reply
  9. centercourt Avatar
    centercourt

    Will –
    You forgot about Tommy Campion & a 5th team, so add four more to whoever you drop off 4th in the chain effect of adding Campion some place.

    Reply
  10. Tarheel23 Avatar
    Tarheel23

    I haven’t seen enough games this year to offer 2 teams, let alone 5, but I will give you my first team, player of the year, top large school, small school, and as a bonus favorite venue to see a game.
    First team: Crumpton, Weir, Taplin, Williams, Morris
    POY: Weir (Crumpton close second. Keith might make them co players of year. both great players and both received scholarship from Canisius)
    Large school: Mckinley. They lost to Canisius during the year, but macks won 6 postseason games and counting, Canisius only won 4)
    small school: Olean
    Favorite venue: Lafayette HS. Not even close

    Reply
  11. TML1000 Avatar
    TML1000

    McKinley has won 7 playoff games so far.

    Reply
  12. Nice topic Avatar
    Nice topic

    1st – Campion, Carson, Weir, Crumpton, Williams
    2nd – Morris, Bathurst, Eckstrum, Taplin, White
    3rd – Belton, Mitchell, L. Smith, Morris/Glover (both similar impact/stats), Anderson
    4th – Rath, Morris/Glover, Cunningham (leading scorer on a breakout team), MacDonald, D. Williams (Timon)
    5th – Owens, Oliveri, Bryant/Lewis (East), Bibbs, Wilkinson

    Reply
  13. From the North Avatar
    From the North

    Congrats to Game’s son and his accomplishments. My son has played with him and against in a couple of sports and he is a great kid! There should be more things taken into account when picking All WNY teams like sportsmen ship and character but there not. Thank God College’s don’t use these list when looking at kids.

    Reply
  14. PJB Avatar
    PJB

    POY: Weir(Crumpton lose second becuase although he was a better defensive player , his offensive game disappeared for stretches)
    1st: Weir, Crumpton, Williams, Ekstrum, Taplin
    2nd: Morris(McK), White, Bathhurst, Campion, Carson
    3rd: Belton, Glover, Lewis, Mitchell, MacDonald
    4th: L Smith, Morris(SJCI), Williams (Timon), Funk, Andersen

    Reply
  15. Nice topic Avatar
    Nice topic

    POY: Weir, for consistency.
    HM: T. Tyson, R. Jordan, Nettles, Gilchrist, Radford, Waters and Allen (Oracle), Campbell, Mosely, Kellam (?) from Jamestown, Schmidtt, Ciszeki, Brooks, Briggs, Funk, K. Barnes, W. Smith (Riverside), Fulton, C. Lewis, Shooter from E. Aurora (name escapes me), Big Kid from Amherst, Sophomore G from Will South was solid also.
    Plenty more I’m sure

    Reply
  16. Earl Schunk Avatar
    Earl Schunk

    If we are honestly talking about Player of THE YEAR (note caps), I think the two McKinley guys (Smith and Morris) have to be given serious consideration now. Who has had a better year than these two? And they aren’t finished playing yet.

    Reply
  17. just wondering Avatar
    just wondering

    pjb….nice list…this year there are guards who have the same numbers….like glover,belton, lewis, morris but they all have different impacts…..Lewis is scrappy, hustles and gets alot off of that, belton had to carry the load for his program and is steady and dependable…glover guarded, ran the team, made big shots and kept them under control, morris had huge games and guarded and made plays as well… Nice list though it will be tough……

    Reply
  18. sec6 Avatar
    sec6

    I think between the guards you mentioned above and also guys like White, wilkins, Carson, and Jordan, theres gonna be some that will left off and get HM. Just the Canisius, MCKinley, and Olean players alone will take up at least 7 spots. Only so many to go around.

    Reply
  19. Jordan Avatar
    Jordan

    I think if johnathon Lewis doesn’t make it that’s just over looking the season east had and he lead the way. And some of the players mentioned too get a spot was out played bye him but guess well just have to wait and see

    Reply
  20. just wondering Avatar
    just wondering

    I agree with you about White, Wilkins, and Carson..I didn’t forget about them ….It will be a tough decision and some very good guards will be left off one of the four teams……They are all worthy candidates and deserve a spot, however thats just how it goes…..They will have to look at OVERALL numbers, wins and impact on team…….Can’t wait to see…..

    Reply
  21. Tarheel23 Avatar
    Tarheel23

    Sorry TML 7 playoff games. Which I guess strengthens their case even more.

    Reply
  22. The Rock Avatar
    The Rock

    1- Weir Taplin Williams Morris Smith
    2- Crumpton Bathurst Eckstrum Campion White
    3- Belton Wilkinson Anderson Mitchell Carson
    4- Lewis Rath Glover MacDonald Funk
    5- Morris Oliveri Bibbs Bryant Hess

    Reply
  23. TML1000 Avatar
    TML1000

    I am surprised by the amount of people putting Zed on first team, especially over players such as Crumpton, Campion and Bathurst. I realize SC made it to GF, I saw them have a late lead slip away and what would have been a very favorable match-up in the finals disappear. If they win the title, maybe it is different in my mind.
    If you are judging the team by what players mean the most to their teams, Zed would be at the top of the list, but to me, All-WNY has always been about the top players regardless of what they had around them. To me, when placing one player over another it always comes down to if you swapped the players would they have equal, greater or less success. If you swap Zed for say, Crumpton, can you honestly say SC would have not been a better team? I would find that very hard.

    Reply
  24. centercourt Avatar
    centercourt

    TML1000 –
    I totally get where you’re coming from and in a sense, support your argument. But in the specific example swapping Crumpton for Zed, I’m not sure it works. I don’t think taking Zed off of SC and putting Crumpton on would have made them a better team, and I don’t think it would work the opposite way either (putting Zed on Falls).
    I think both would thrive at either school, but the style of play that Zed gave SC couldn’t have resulted in better chemistry. I think Crumpton would change the way they played. Falls needed Crumpton’s size, especially in AA, and SC needed Zed’s versatility (he routinely ran the point, while locking down the other team’s top scorer).
    I’m not making a case for either to be on a certain team, just offering my perspective. Both are excellent players and super kids.
    This season, there aren’t enough spots for the amount of 1st teamers in WNY.

    Reply
  25. section 6 Avatar
    section 6

    Is MIG holding out to get some inside information so he can be right again?? Is he ok? He said his picks would be up sunday?

    Reply
  26. TML1000 Avatar
    TML1000

    I get where you are coming from, but would say Crumpton can handle and defend quite well. In terms of reversing it, that is part of my point in that putting Zed on a team like the Falls
    would not make them better.
    Mostly I was using it as an example…it’s just how I like comparing players. Sure, it won’t work in every scenario but when it involves players vying for the top spots I think it can hold some weight.
    For those placing Zed on first team, when you look at the body of work, it’s common knowledge that SC’s schedule was nothing like that of NF or J’town. Thus, I do not believe in automatically placing the best player on a team who made it to GF on first team just for the hell of it…especially in class C. Another factor is that in the game in GF on Friday, Zed had possibly the worst game of his career. Thus, if you take that much stock in a player just making it to Glens Falls, then for consistency, you have to include Lovell Smith on first team as well, as he was McKinley’s best player in those two games.
    I have heard/read numerous people with the opinion of, “You can’t punish a good player for playing on a small school or playing a weak schedule.” I retort that with, “Why then punish an equally or more talented player for playing on a top large school and playing against top competition?”

    Reply
  27. John McLane Avatar
    John McLane

    section 6, has MIG ever, really been “ok”?

    Reply
  28. From the North Avatar
    From the North

    Here is the simple truth why stats are not used to pick all WNY teams it’s simple MATH. Lets say the top five teams give or take, Canisius, McKinley,Jamestown, Niagara Falls and Olean. What do all these teams have in common they all have 3 players in the top 5 of there leagues. So they have to share the work load and might not be at the top of stat lists. So a kid that scores half his teams points during a season doesn’t make him a great player it’s just there is no one to share the work load. Say such a kid who is near the top of both scoring and rebounding stat list doesn’t make him a good player it just means there isn’t anybody else to share the work load. So in summing up to make the list play on a good team the gets a lot of press!

    Reply
  29. Earl Schunk Avatar
    Earl Schunk

    There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Everyone is allowed to make their own criteria and that’s what makes this fun. My personal opinion is that how your team performs is a very important criteria, especially for selecting the first team. The object of the game is winning, and despite all the other talented players out there, the ones that in my opinion should be honored are the ones who led their teams to success. I was fortunate enough to have a lot of players who received All WNY honors, and I always believed the first team was reserved for the really good players who helped their teams to really good seasons. I had more talented players some years than guys who made first team, but those players led their teams to titles so I basically agreed with the other players’ selection to the first team. From the players that have been listed here, every single one is an excellent player. As a coach, I always respected the most the ones who were able to use their talents to help lead their teams to great seasons.

    Reply
  30. From the North Avatar
    From the North

    That’s my point it’s not hard leading a team of talented players. Most of the kids on the lists where on talented teams. I wish I had the stats from all the kids who make first team. Put that same player on a team that wasn’t as good and see where that kid would be on your list then. It’s not as hard being a winner on a winning team. By your way of picking the 5 Starters on McKinley should be first team right!!!!

    Reply
  31. PJB Avatar
    PJB

    Don’t you think it could be that those teams were good because of those players not in spite of them??

    Reply
  32. Earl Schunk Avatar
    Earl Schunk

    Actually, it’s just the opposite. It’s not hard being a star on a poor team. Somebody has to score the points, and many times a lot of those points are after the game is already decided. The point about playoff performances is you can see who the really good players are under the pressure of the playoffs, when a coach only prepares for one game at a time. Often teams devise plans to try and make sure the good players don’t beat them. The truly great players rise above hat pressure. By my way of picking, the five starters on McKinley would not be first team, but at least 1 or 2 should be. They’ve been playing an entire month longer than some of the players mentioned here. They are 2 games away from doing what Nichols did without a D1 big man. That has to account for something.

    Reply
  33. From the North Avatar
    From the North

    The Miami Heat are prime example LeBron could not get it done until he had talent around him but would you ever say he was average, NO. However the way some of you think a great player has to make his team better and that isn’t always the case.
    Just ask LeBron!!!!

    Reply
  34. Earl Schunk Avatar
    Earl Schunk

    Can’t compare high school with the NBA. All those guys were first teamers all their lives. As I said at the beginning, everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this. I’ve been fortunate enough to coach 14 guys who made one of the all WNY teams. What set the great ones apart were their ability to make their other teammates better.

    Reply
  35. sec6 Avatar
    sec6

    If this is a campaign for Taplin to make 1st team i don’t think you need to worry. Both CC and Keith had him there as a sophmore and he was a better player this year. Don’t think losing 1 game earlier hurts his chances any.

    Reply
  36. Earl Schunk Avatar
    Earl Schunk

    I’m not for or against any individual player, my point was more general. I don’t believe that first team status should necessarily carry over though. People were picking the team week 1. I respect anyone’s right to pick but people who say somebody clinched something in January can’t be taken seriously.

    Reply
  37. From the North Avatar
    From the North

    No it’s for a kid who is the only kid who is in the top 5 of two of section six’s new stat columns and in the top ten of another. You don’t probably know his name because he plays for a team most haven’t seen play. He also had game high score for half the season at 40 points and 19 rebounds in a game he only played half the game. Section 6 couldn’t even get his name right, that is in the program they sold a sectionals it was his teams picture with the team they beat to get there teams roster.

    Reply
  38. Gus Buster Avatar
    Gus Buster

    Well stop beating around the bush! Who is this LeBron like player that most of us haven’t seen play?

    Reply
  39. From the North Avatar
    From the North

    Again your missing the point I use this kids stats as an example. If he was in any other league you would know his name.I’m trying to represent the NO league, I know I’ve heard it a million time it’s a week league I get that. However the buffalo news and section 6 does it’s best to ignore it. Can anybody answer this how many games did it take Adam Weir to reach 1000 points? Darnell Carson did it in I believe 54, again it’s a stat. There is another NO league kid who gets no mention Darnell. Lets see where he ends up on Sundays list.

    Reply
  40. Earl Schunk Avatar
    Earl Schunk

    I’ve seen Darnell play multiple times and I’m sure he will end up in the top 20. We are talking about the Top 5 here, and for that honor your teams’ success will play a large part. No knock on Darnell at all. He’d be a great player in any league.

    Reply
  41. old desales fan Avatar
    old desales fan

    Thanks to all the kids who don’t make the lists,
    the ones that always show up for practice, that
    make the “stars” shine, that maybe play 1 to 2 minutes at the end of the games. Also kudos to
    ALL the WNY scholar athletes. Looking forward
    to the cc team lists.

    Reply
  42. East fan Avatar
    East fan

    Tyree Tyson is a sophomore and Johnathan Lewis is a junior. Their year is incorrect in the Yale cup teams

    Reply
  43. A list Avatar
    A list

    Tyree Tyson is a junior going into his senior year … Him and Lewis both

    Reply
  44. Bball Booster Avatar
    Bball Booster

    I think Darrin Haight should stick to critiquing the quality of the pizza at these high school games. It’s a well known fact that Darrin spends more time at the snack shack than actually watching the games.
    Should’ve put Jake in a private school. They order the good pizza.

    Reply
  45. From the North Avatar
    From the North

    Well put and you do have one thing right I should of put Jake in a private school! Your right I never claimed to be an expert, I just believe in a level playing field when judging these kids.

    Reply
  46. Tarheel23 Avatar
    Tarheel23

    You guys are right, there are many factors to consider in evaluating all-wny teams. Here’s one that I don’t think has been mentioned. How about just rolling the ball out there and playing? I believe Zeddie would beat everyone in the section in a one on one game except Weir, Crumpton, Taplin and Morris. In my opinion that puts him on first team. Campions a good player, but I got a thou that says Zeddie would beat him at least 7 out of ten times.

    Reply
  47. Fair Play Avatar
    Fair Play

    I know of someone who hasn’t been mentioned at all in any list, who goes to a Catholic High School, from the north, but was overshadowed by the High School’s Head Coach’s son (mostly due to stuffing stats), & St. Mary’s would have not been mentioned this year if it wasn’t for him. Same league he plays in there are two players from Nichols chosen for second team. If’s about what you did THIS year, not what you could do, or what you might do then why were they chosen instead of a kid who was instrumental in both win’s against them, taking 1st in the MMA (Small Catholic School) and representing them in states? Where as I understand it, he was the high scorer of a two point loss to Monsignor Scanlon and is a junior.

    Reply
  48. Stat boy Avatar
    Stat boy

    Fair Play, stuffing stats?really?from what I saw that “team” had a number of different leading scorers and it didn’t matter who it was. The son you spoke of did whatever he could to help the team. Stop being an overbearing parent thinking your son is a superstar. Last game I saw that team play, which was one of many,was a 60pt loss so not sure it’s worth discussing further.

    Reply

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