Most compelling NEO District Final?

[Irish60]

There are going to be some great District Finals played in NEO over the next couple of days! Which one is the most compelling match up? St. Ed's vs. St. Ignatius? Benedictine vs. CCC? Jackson vs. Hoover? Any one else? Should be a great weekend for HS basketall! Good luck to all the teams.

 

[Blackman]

St. Thomas vs. Canton Central Catholic is rather compelling because they are arch rivals. Not a lot of love lost between these two schools.


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[cardzfan1234]

Ignatius/Eds and Jackson/Hoover are the big ones. Huge crowds, almost certainly sell-outs. Heard Ignatius/Eds is sold out. Mentor/Solon is a lighter version of those. In all three cases, these teams faced each other twice during the regular season. The familiarity and rivalry adds to the excitement of the stakes of a district final.

 

[cjb56]

Lorain vs Elyria at Elyria Catholic on Sat. night will be a very tough ticket. Could easily sell out a much larger venue. Plus, this game should be very competitive and spirited between two excellent teams. The two fan bases will be into it, big time. LEL champs vs GCC co-champs. Lorain won the regular season game by three.

 

[CatAlum]

Lorain vs Elyria at Elyria Catholic on Sat. night will be a very tough ticket. Could easily sell out a much larger venue. Plus, this game should be very competitive and spirited between two excellent teams. The two fan bases will be into it, big time. LEL champs vs GCC co-champs. Lorain won the regular season game by three.

What's the prediction? Either team on a roll?

 

[cjb56]

What's the prediction? Either team on a roll?

I like Lorain. Better coaching, IMO. That can make a difference in a talent toss-up. It should be close, though. A blended westside district situation, with St. Edward and St. Ignatius in with Lorain and Elyria would have been good for all, IMO.

 

[CatAlum]

I like Lorain. Better coaching, IMO. That can make a difference in a talent toss-up. It should be close, though.

So, Lorain is coached by Mitch Gillam, son of Mitch Gillam of Admiral King? Is the old man still around? Does he help out?

 

[cjb56]

So, Lorain is coached by Mitch Gillam, son of Mitch Gillam of Admiral King? Is the old man still around? Does he help out?

Lorain is coached by John Rositano, who played on a few of the great Admiral King teams under Mitch Gillam. Rositano also coached the last Lorain High team (the original...the Steelmen) to a regional in the final year of LHS, before it was closed and merged with Admiral King. He then coached some excellent Admiral King teams that battled Ed's hard in the old Grafton Midview district. He's old school.

 

[CatAlum]

I don't know what to think about Ignatius/Ed's. My guess is that the alums of both schools tend toward the pessimistic. On our side, we've had too many years of being beaten by Flannery. Well-coached, tough, focused kids. My guess is the Ed's people (who take a backseat to no one when it comes to being glass half empty people ), are equally pessimistic, seeing two regular season losses and a rejuvenated Ignatius basketball program under Becker (in particular, beating the rival four times out of five).

With that all in place, I think Ed's wins close.

 

[CatAlum]

Lorain is coached by John Rositano, who played on a few of the great Admiral King teams under Mitch Gillam. Rositano also coached the last Lorain High team (the original...the Steelmen) to a regional in the final year of LHS, before it was closed and merged with Admiral King. He then coached some excellent Admiral King teams that battled Ed's hard in the old Grafton Midview district. He's old school.

That explains it .

 

[cjb56]

I don't know what to think about Ignatius/Ed's. My guess is that the alums of both schools tend toward the pessimistic. On our side, we've had too many years of being beaten by Flannery. Well-coached, tough, focused kids. My guess is the Ed's people (who take a backseat to no one when it comes to being glass half empty people ), are equally pessimistic, seeing two regular season losses and a rejuvenated Ignatius basketball program under Becker (in particular, beating the rival four times out of five).

With that all in place, I think Ed's wins close.

I think Iggy wins it. I used to go to a lot of Iggy games at Sullivan in Becker's first go around, and he guided them to a lot of huge wins over teams that were as good...or better...than his. To me, that speaks "great coach". Of course, Flannery takes a backseat to no one. Should be a classic chess match.

 

[CatAlum]

I think Iggy wins it. I used to go to a lot of Iggy games at Sullivan in Becker's first go around, and he guided them to a lot of huge wins over teams that were as good...or better...than his. To me, that speaks "great coach". Of course, Flannery takes a backseat to no one. Should be a classic chess match.

Flannery exceeds Becker in the X's and O's imo. However, in his second stint as head coach, Becker's true talent is revealed (at least to me). Ignatius kids tend to be smart and confident (in reality, maybe not as smart as they think). Becker sends them out on the court and they play with confidence and a sense that, if they take a chance and screw up, they have nothing to worry about. Just play.

 

[Worm02]

Call me crazy, but I'm very interested to see how Warren JFK fares against Cornerstone Christian.

 

[Irish60]

Call me crazy, but I'm very interested to see how Warren JFK fares against Cornerstone Christian.

I think that has the potential to be the best game of the weekend. Any team that can beat VASJ can beat anyone.

 

[tom 48]

I don't know what to think about Ignatius/Ed's. My guess is that the alums of both schools tend toward the pessimistic. On our side, we've had too many years of being beaten by Flannery. Well-coached, tough, focused kids. My guess is the Ed's people (who take a backseat to no one when it comes to being glass half empty people ), are equally pessimistic, seeing two regular season losses and a rejuvenated Ignatius basketball program under Becker (in particular, beating the rival four times out of five).

With that all in place, I think Ed's wins close.

I agree. Ed's plays pressure d, especially when it matters, and Ignatius turns the ball over. Close, but turnovers make the difference.

 

[The Butler]

St. Thomas vs. Canton Central Catholic is rather compelling because they are arch rivals. Not a lot of love lost between these two schools.

Not compelling so far. 32-15 St. Thomas at the half.

 

[Chongo]

So, Lorain is coached by Mitch Gillam, son of Mitch Gillam of Admiral King? Is the old man still around? Does he help out?

Mitch Jr. is the lead assistant on the staff.

 

[TheBlueMan]

JFK-CC update?

 

[afwpatfire]

End of 3rd

JFK 55
CCA 45

 

[ccrunner4815]

I would vote Hoover-Jackson.

These teams each won on their home court during the regular season.

The District Final Saturday evening will be the 3rd and deciding game!

 

[McMurphy]

JFK-CC update?

Warren JFK won... 75-72

 

[TribeBuckeyeFan]

Rositano is a good coach, no doubt, but don't discount Brett Larrick having his Elyria team ready for this game tonight. Larrick was just named the AP's Northeast Lakes all-district coach of the year, after all. Elyria will not lay down just because it's Lorain.

 

[Irish60]

Call me crazy, but I'm very interested to see how Warren JFK fares against Cornerstone Christian.

Good call. Sounds like it as a classic.

 

[Worm02]

Good call. Sounds like it as a classic.

 

[cjb56]

Rositano is a good coach, no doubt, but don't discount Brett Larrick having his Elyria team ready for this game tonight. Larrick was just named the AP's Northeast Lakes all-district coach of the year, after all. Elyria will not lay down just because it's Lorain.

Congrats! Great win for Elyria. Handled Lorain nicely. The Pioneers really have a nice mix of players. Blanton is big time. Hope they keep it going all the way to Columbus.

 

[cjb56]

I don't know what to think about Ignatius/Ed's. My guess is that the alums of both schools tend toward the pessimistic. On our side, we've had too many years of being beaten by Flannery. Well-coached, tough, focused kids. My guess is the Ed's people (who take a backseat to no one when it comes to being glass half empty people ), are equally pessimistic, seeing two regular season losses and a rejuvenated Ignatius basketball program under Becker (in particular, beating the rival four times out of five).

With that all in place, I think Ed's wins close.

Good call. Good thing I wasn't in Vegas today. I had Lorain and Iggy as winners.

 

[Mike Gully]

2017 Elyria District Champions
#PioneerNation

 

[TribeBuckeyeFan]

Congrats! Great win for Elyria. Handled Lorain nicely. The Pioneers really have a nice mix of players. Blanton is big time. Hope they keep it going all the way to Columbus.

Thanks; the boys will appreciate it. Blanton is a great player, but Josh Lotko doesn't get near the credit he deserves. He played Bohannon toe to toe all night, again. He has had some of the best games of his career against Lorain.

 

[cjb56]

Thanks; the boys will appreciate it. Blanton is a great player, but Josh Lotko doesn't get near the credit he deserves. He played Bohannon toe to toe all night, again. He has had some of the best games of his career against Lorain.

Lotko is absolutely a stud. Larrick has a lot of fans in Avon. He has really grown as coach over the years.