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Mike White's high school sports chat: 02.28.23
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Mike White
10:50
Hey, it's championship week in WPIAL basketball. Time to put in some extra work, right? So let's get chatting a little early. Store is now open.
basketballcrazy
10:50
Woody High looking like a Cinderella in 5A girls. Who do you have in their match up tonight against South Fayette?
Mike White
10:50
What do I have? I have South Fayette in the title game again. What do you have?
Fan
10:50
Valentine is very overrated after being at Bethel yesterday for the game. He is lazy on the defensive end and shoots shots that just not smart.
Mike White
10:52
Well Fan, you're the first person I've heard this entire year say that. Everyone I've heard from - coaches, players and fans - are nothing but impressed with the kid. And so was I from what I saw. Of course he takes some not-so-good shots. But there is talent there.
Mhs
10:52
gotta say my man, the wpial gotta stop giving Rod these calls. The end of the belle Vernon game he was given some questionable calls. Felt like I was watching Lebron James in the the Finals.
Mike White
10:54
Was not at the Belle Vernon game. I was at Laurel Highlands-North Catholic game last night. I saw nothing of him "getting calls." In fact, a few of the fouls on Keondre DeShields I would say were questionable. And believe me, there was no favoritism toward Rodney.
BlueDevels
10:54
Mike. Like you this is my favorite time of year. Lebo fan for 20 yrs. Spratt v Valentine was best game I have ever seen in our gym. Both are on another level. MV is an amazing athlete and CS is possibly most skilled/polished in WPIAL. Slight edge to CS since MV has much stronger supporting cast. Regardless, all 3,000 fans got a great show.
Mike White
10:56
Sounded like a great game. Maybe you need to tell your thoughts on Valentine to Fan above. He thinks Valentine overrated. As for Spratt, he definitely is good. But to say he is the most skilled and polished player in WPIAL, I'm not going there. Yes, he's good. But there are some others who also are really good.
Coach AL
10:56
Meleek has Bebah, Rod has Keondre, , Makhai has Cruce. That make what Royce and Connor did this year even more impressive- since they have no Pippen. Teams sold-out to stop them and really limited their chances and they still maintained efficient-high production levels  all year.
Mike White
10:57
Very good points. And to think, Meleek Thomas could be at North Hills. Lives in district. Went to North Hills in 7th and 8th grade. Brother plays for North Hills. But Meleek decided to go to Lincoln Park. Imagine him with Royce.
Humble hooper
10:57
Mike do you like Olshs chance to win?they have lost some good players?But still got.big game experience
Mike White
10:59
I'll be honest. I have not seen either OLSH or Deer Lakes play. I don't think this team is as good as a few OLSH teams in past. So what? Doesn't mean they can't win it. Deer Lakes is one of the great stories of this season. Deer Lakes had been to semis once before last night. Now in finals for first time? Could there be a championship with more different traditions? OLSH going for fifth consecutive title.
Guest
10:59
Two massive crowds in the 4A semis last night. Lincoln Park was on a different level and NC had an impressive win. Early thoughts on the game Friday night?
Mike White
11:00
They've played twice already. I saw the second game live. Laurel Highlands didn't have five guys who could guard that North Catholic offense. Lincoln Park does. I think shooting will be key. Sometimes high school teams don't shoot well at The Pete. Shooting and turnovers are key. Also rebounding by North.
HoopsFan
11:00
It has been touched on over and over, but I can't help myself. I was in attendance for Carlynton and Union. Great game, great crowd, an atmosphere worthy of a championship. Now Union gets to face the AAU team from Imani, who will bring zero crowd, have zero pride or atmosphere, and are just a group of kids that some adult has convinced to attend this school to win a championship. The WPIAL has tried, the PIAA doesn't care, and all you are left with are small, proud communities, who will receive a runner up trophy, all because the PIAA and the WPIAL have no spine to make real change.
Mike White
11:05
I love Union's story. Really small public school with a tough, hard-nosed coach with tough kids. But Union has talented players, too. It will take a monumental effort to beat Imani. Union beat Imani in last year's semis, don't forget. But Imani added two transfer guards this year who make a difference - R.J. Sledge and Dame Givner. As for public and private thing, it's been talked about over and over, rehashed time after time. PIAA wants nothing to do with separate tourneys. There is a WPIAL committee still meeting that might do something with separate in regular season in future. But playoffs won't change.
The Valley
11:05
I know this is heresy, but with the way Spratt and Valentine showed out this year it would be really tough if Gallagher nudged either of them out of a Fab 5 spot.  Since Rodney became a part-time hooper the two have doubled down and passed him.  Their battles were the WPIAL version of Bird-Magic. Besides Rodney is probably out of room on his mantle for another award!
Mike White
11:07
I like Spratt and Valentine. But good Lord. Comparing them to Bird vs. Magic. I choked on my scrambled eggs and cinnamon swirl toast after seeing that one.
IBREEDCHAMPIONS
11:07
Good Morning Mike! I was wondering if there are any other parents out there that have had TWO kids that have gone to SIX CONSECUTIVE WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.. winning 4 of them so far (hopefully 5th will be won on Friday) and TWO CONSECUTIVE STATE TITLES AS WELL! Do I now hold this record??
Mike White
11:08
And may I ask who are you Mr. or Mrs. Breeder?
Jaj
11:08
Seton la salle got cheated in the quarter finals what are your thoughts on it?
Mike White
11:09
Yes, it needs investigate. Big-time scandal against Seton. Everyone knows it. New York Times is investigating, I hear. Supposedly Shoeless Joe Jackson great, great grandson involved.
TM
11:10
Penn Hills vs Peters Twp...who you got and what matchup(s) are you thinking will play a big factor in this game?
Mike White
11:13
Really interesting game. Teams play different styles. Peters pressures full court and tries to play fast. Penn Hills defense in half court is very good. I think point guard matchup is key. When we started playoffs, we talked on this chat about how Penn Hills should've been given No. 1 seed. Many others felt same way, including me. I said Peters was still good enough to win it. And if Peters does win it, it still doesn't mean Penn Hills shouldn't have been No. 1 seed. I'm saying that just based on resumes. Anyway, Penn Hills shooting also will be a key. But if they have an unlikely hero hit five 3's like against North Hills, then Penn Hills will win. Close game, but I give edge to Penn Hills.
gary@lynchburg
11:13
Mike....I've never participated in one of your chats, but your knowledge of HS sports seems to be excellent. I left the area in 1980, and at that time, the WPIAL and City League were producing a good number of high quality basketball players. Following from afar, that seemed to have dried up considerably. Do you see the area ever coming back to anything approaching that time?
Mike White
11:16
No. I have all section teams from the early to mid 1970s. There might have been 20 to 30 Division I players in WPIAL and City. For whatever reason, it's not close to that any more. Population has a lot to do with it. Football talent has gone way down, too. But we are on upswing in top basketball talent now. Since player rankings came out maybe 20-25 years ago, we've never had three WPIAL players at same time ranked as highly as North Hills' Royce Parham, Lincoln Park's Meleek Thomas and Imani Christian's Alier Maluk.
NC FAN
11:16
@Mike White - First time in 4 years Rodney didn't get the calls - and that's why he lost.  The refs have been giving him every call for the last 4 years.
Mike White
11:16
Whatever you say.
North2South
11:16
Does Fab 5 only encompass the Regular Season or post-season as well?  Any players that have really helped their case so far in the playoffs that might not have been considered in the regular season?
Mike White
11:16
We pick Fab 5 at end of playoffs. It's good to count more than regular season.
Where oh where ?
11:17
Do I go to get the schedule of games for Peterson ?
Mike White
11:18
Schedule of many games are on Post-Gazette site. We don't know all of the finalists yet. Brackets also on WPIAL web site.
Jo
11:18
BC lost 10 seniors last year moved up to 2A and have a chance to play once again for the championship. Shea Champine has lead this team all year. No one expected them to get this far. What do you think their chances are?? Shea Champine has impressed so many this year
Mike White
11:21
We've talked about Champine before on this chat. Give a toast to Champine (wooooo hooooo, I'll be here all week). He's one of the best stories in WPIAL. Came off bench mostly last year. Now he's one of WPIAL's best players. Of course Bishop Canevin can win it. But don't forget about Quips and GCC. And Bishop Canevin has to play those hot Flames.
Who wins it ?
11:21
USC girls vs University of North Allegheny Girls ? Who you got ?
Mike White
11:21
I'll take USC. It's finally their time. Pete Serio gets a championship, although I think it might be close and might be low scoring.
guest
11:21
so, peters twp and penn hills, who do you got? penn hills is 26 percent from the 3 point line only relying on alley oops and back doors. do you think they can really pull it off?
Mike White
11:22
Talked about this above. I give a slight edge to Penn Hills, but wouldn't shock me if Peters won.
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