(Coach O'Bryan wishes everybody a Merry Christmas 🎅🏻🎄🎁)

 

Large Schools

1. Niagara Falls (AA) – Moved to 5-0 on the season with a 96-48 thrashing of Ken West, followed by a tough road win against rival Lockport on Saturday.  On Tuesday night, they'll head to Kenmore Avenue for a date with a St. Joe's squad that knocked off Canisius on the same court a week earlier.  Then on Friday morning defending league champion Niagara Wheatfield comes in to the Falls for a gift exchange.

2. Amherst (A2) – So far my 'Tigers win ECIC II' prediction looks pretty safe.  They just handed Will South a 31-point loss and made them take the backroads home on Friday night, after a 49-point win over Sweet Home a week earlier.  Best of luck to Starpoint on Thursday night with the way Amherst is playing right now and something tells me they'll be even better in a few weeks…

3. St. Joe's (A) – Turned in a thoroughly impressive performance against Canisius on Tuesday night, making more plays and playing tougher than the defending state champs.  Then on Friday, the Marauders were shorthanded against visiting McQuaid, but found a way to get it done and pull out a victory in double overtime.  One week after knocking off #1 in WNY, Joe’s gets a chance to do it all over again versus new #1 Niagara Falls.

4. Canisius (A) – The Crusaders really turned things around from Tuesday night to Friday night.  After starting off the Monsignor Martin regular season with a league loss at rival St. Joe’s, Canisius found itself trailing by eight points midway through the final frame against Timon, before digging out with a gritty comeback spearheaded by Shane Cercone.  This Thursday, they will try to make it two wins in-a-row when they head to Aquinas.

5. Jamestown (AA) – The Red Raiders began this season 2-0 with an average win margin of 39 points and I drop them from #2 to #5.  It has everything to do with big victories by other teams and I promise I’m not holding it against them for postponing the Park game.  Jamestown hosts Frontier on Tuesday. 

6. Health Sciences (AA) – Winners of four straight games, including victories this week over Park, St. Mary’s, & South Park (by 32 points).   The Falcons are off until after Christmas, so that Ty Parker can focus on spreading holiday cheer all week. 

7. St. Francis (A) – Took care of business against visiting Williamsville North on Tuesday, earning a 70–53 win.  Frannies heads to Aquinas on Monday night.

8. Lancaster (AA) – Off to a 4-0 start to the season after most recently defeating Clarence on Thursday.  The Legends put their undefeated record on the line at Orchard Park Tuesday night.

9. McKinley (A1) – The Macks went from a 52-point win over Middle College to a buzzer-beating road loss at unranked small school East Aurora.  Perhaps Wednesday night will give us some clarity on where the team stands when they host East.

10. Lockport (AA) – It was a tough week in the win loss column for the Lions, but those losses came against the top ranked large school & the top ranked small school, Falls & Timon, respectively.  Getting back to the winning ways won’t be easy this week, with a road trip on tap to Niagara Wheatfield, followed by a visit from North Tonawanda.  

 

Small Schools

1. Timon (B) – To be the best, you have to beat the best, and that will remain a goal this season for Timon after failing to do so on Friday night in it’s first crack at Canisius.  Three victories this season have come by an average margin of 32 points and the Tigers will try to maintain that average when Southwestern visits Tuesday night. 

2. Nichols (B) – The team improved to 4-0 after a 31-point win at City Honors and will remain undefeated at least until after Christmas, as Matt Bradshaw will join Ty Parker for caroling in the square this week.  

3. Lew-Port (B1) – The Lancers made it through the first quarter of their regular season unblemished and hope to keep the good times rolling this week with a big nonleague game against Clarence looming on Thursday, following a trip first to Kenmore East on Monday 

4. Allegany-Limestone (B2) – The Gators are 3–0, and earned their third victory of at least by at least 24 points when they knocked off Pioneer on Tuesday.  One of the biggest games in the Southern Tier this season could be going down on Tuesday night, when Randolph visits the defending Class B champions.

5. Randolph (C) – The Cardinals came back from 12 points down in the third quarter to defeat the defending Class C champions from Salamanca on Friday.  This was after pulling away in the fourth quarter against Silver Creek earlier in the week.  Should be a great defensive battle on Tuesday at Allegany-Limestone.

6. Depew (B1) – All they do is beat defending champs!  Took down Niagara Wheatfield on Thursday, and then outlasted St. Mary's in three overtimes as the flakes were flying, to win the Wildcat Holiday Tournament.  Depew will take one more swing at a defending champ before Christmas on Wednesday night when Salamanca comes to town.

7. Salamanca (B2) – Took their first loss of the year at Randolph on Friday night after leading by double figures in the second half.  To avoid losing two in a row, the Warriors will have to win a game at red hot Depew this Wednesday.

8. St. Mary's (B) – The Lancers showed the heart of a champion on Thursday night when they refused to go away down 22 points, and came all the way back to earn a victory against Orchard Park.  The epic win was sandwiched between losses to Health Sciences and Depew.  This week, they draw Tapestry on Monday night and head to Williamsville North on Thursday.

9. Holland (C) – I think they should be called the Flying Dutchmen, because these guys came out soaring this season.  I can’t find another team with more victories this early – Holland is 6–0 already.  I predict they don’t lose another game this year.

10. Fredonia (B2) – The Hillbillies started the season with a win over East Aurora, who just knocked off McKinley.  Their only loss on the season was at Harbor Creek and the only thing I know about those guys is that they don’t play with the shot clock.  Defending Class D champion Westfield visits Fredonia this Friday. 

 

-centercourt