With all of the Lehigh Valley teams now out of the running for a PIAA state football title, it’s now time to fully devote our attention to the rapidly approaching high school basketball season.
We are extremely fortunate to have some incredibly insightful people giving their opinions on the 2016-17 scholastic season. In addition to local media members (Morning Call’s Keith Groller, RCN Sports Director Gary Laubach, RCN announcers Tom Stoudt and Dennis Laub, and LehighValleyBasketballRankings.com’s Toomey Anderson), we have three distinguished head basketball coaches giving their takes on five important questions for the upcoming season. We won’t reveal the names of the head coaches to avoid any “bulletin board” material, but, just like in fall with our football poll, we are blessed to have some long-tenured and well-established basketball names with us this year!
So…let’s get started with each of our pollsters giving their opinions on:
1) 3 KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS WINTER
Toomey Anderson: We all know about the top players in the district. Here are some others to expect good seasons from:
Lehigh Valley – Jay Vaughan (ACC). Charles Hudson (Whitehall), Arnell Lewis (Easton); Colonial League- Dylan Benton (Bangor), Jack Reichenbach (Salisbury), Isaiah Graves (Catty); “Mountain teams”- Jalen Vaughns (PM West), Shon Wilson (Stroudsburg), Darin Bellinger (ES North)
Keith Groller: Talek Williams, Sam Iorio, David Kachelries
Dennis Laub: Talek Williams, Sam Iorio, Dave Kachelries…although I personally like Logan McGinley from Whitehall
Tom Stoudt: Talek Williams, David Kachelries, Tyrese Martin
Mystery Coach 1: Talek Williams and Tyrese Martin both of Allen; Sam Iorio of Parkland and the Kachelries twins of Emmaus. I know that is 5, but they are all special players.
Mystery Coach 2: Tyrese Martin (Allen); Isaiah Wiggins ((PM West); Mickey Esquilin (Whitehall)
Mystery Coach 3: Talek Williams (Allen), Sam Iorio (Parkland), Lance Singh (Poc. Mt. West)
2) “CAN’T MISS” GAME OF THE YEAR
TA: Salisbury vs. Bangor (Colonial) & Parkland vs. Allen (EPC)
KG: Parkland at Allen, Feb. 6
DL: Allen vs. Pocono Mountain West (at least 150 points scored…if not 180)
TS: Parkland vs. Allen (Oh, wait, they don’t play each other), Parkland vs. PMW (Oh, they don’t play each other, either), Parkland vs Allen on 2/6/16
MC 1: Bangor vs. any of the EPC teams they play. A good way to see how Bangor, the biggest school in the Colonial League, “hangs” with the big boys of the EPC. Also, Pocono Mt. West vs. Allen should be a heck of a game.
MC 2: Allen vs PM West; Bangor vs Easton
MC 3: Pocono Mt. West vs. Whitehall
3) “NEWCOMER” THIS SEASON
TA: Mohammed Dunbaya (Easton). New to Easton last year but didn’t play much—he will be a force defensively this year.
KG: Chico Whyte, Dieruff
DL: Aidan Ellwood returning to Northampton, where he’ll thrive again.
TS: Zach Sabol, 6’7 Sophomore at Emmaus
MC 1: Aiden Elwood and his return to Northampton. Also, the big kid Sabol from Emmaus.
MC 3: Justin Paz (Bethlehem Catholic)
4) “TEAMS TO BEAT”
TA: Bangor & Parkland
KG: Allen and Bangor
DL: Allen & Pocono Mountain West
TS: Allen & Pocono Mountain West
MC 1: Allen in the EPC-South, Bangor in the Colonial League and Pocono Mt. West (in the EPC-North). They all have a lot of talent.
MC 2: Allen; PM West
MC 3: Allen and Liberty
5) “SLEEPER TEAM”
TA: Bethlehem Catholic
KG: Bethlehem Catholic in the EPC; Southern Lehigh in the Colonial
DL: Emmaus (they have a huge advantage in their home gym)
TS: Bethlehem Catholic
MC 1: Whitehall. They finished 2nd in the Stellar and Sportsfest tournaments and won the Allentown Summer League. Also, watch out for Northampton with the return of Ellwood from CCHS.
MC 3: Parkland – people think they are down but they still have one of the best players in the league. I never thought I would say that Parkland is a sleeper, but this year they just might be
Don’t forget to catch RCN’s first broadcast high school basketball game this Tuesday, December 12, with Gary Laubach and Tom Stoudt and be sure to check out our winter sports schedule here on the RCN-TV website for all the top games!
