It's that time of the year again... Best time if you ask me... Playoff time for Football and The beginning of Basketball.... Teams here in Central have been putting in some serious work.... I've had the pleasure to watch local teams play all over the State and even out of State.... I'm sure when they put in hard work, it will pay off heavy... There's been a lot of movement with players transferring schools due to different reasons and also Coaching changes.... Let's take a look at some of the TOP teams in Central PA this season... (In No Particular Order)
Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg) - These guys had a fantastic season last year and most would think that it's time for them to rebuild... I beg to differ, they have the talent to reload, led by Sensational Senior Milik Gantz and one of the most improved players in James Williams. ... Gantz, at 6'4, is a great playmaker and has a special feel for the game.... He already has a few Division 1 schools showing interest but the best is yet to come... This group of guys have been together for quite some time and they are ready to take lead and make great things happen... Key players besides Gantz look to be 6'4 jr wing James Williams, 6'3 sr shooter Mark Ray, 6'0 sr. slasher Reggie Hopkins plus jr guards Nick Gimmel and Bryce Hall... If Trinity transfer 6'4 jr Kyree Kali decides to play, along with 6'1 Sharp Shooting Freshman Tim Kater Jr., McDevitt can look to have a REALLY long season and make a push towards a State title.... Newly appointed coach Mike Gaffey will have to get these guys to gel as soon as possible and if they gel sooner than later, watch out....
Reading HS - These guys will be very fun to watch this year... They have always had talent but this year they are led by a special talent in 6'4 soph guard Lonnie Walker.... This young man is a scoring machine and really understands the game in a High Major way.... His ability to play with 6'3 Senior Guard Tyree Gibson can make Reading deadly this year... Already those two form one of the best backcourts in the State... Reading will be athletic and they'll put up points... If they can defend just as well, they may make some noise...
Harrisburg HS - Tradition is big for these guys and they expect nothing less than a State title EVERY YEAR... With that being said, they have the tools to make it happen, it's all about finding the right rotation and Holy Cross commit 6'3 Jahaad Proctor making his team mates better.... They can put one of the States tallest lineups on the Floor with 6'9 Soph Brennan Jackson and 6'9 Sr. Steve Olson to go along with Proctor, 5'10 jr. Nasir Johnson and then one of the purest scorers for a soph in 6'2 Christopher Whitaker... Proctor can explode for 35 to 40 on any given night with his accuracy to go along with the tempo Harrisburg will play.... His running mate Whitaker will also carry a huge scoring load.... If the "Twin Towers" along with 6'5 Beast Damian Barber can hold down the paint like I think they can, Harrisburg will be just as good as ANY team in the State.... Proctor, the two time All State player, just can't do it by himself....
Northeastern (York) - Normally a local team moving up in classification means they may struggle for a few years until they figure it out... These guys already have the pieces to compete with the big boys right now... Led by 6'5 jr. combo guard Kobi Nwandu and 6'4 sr southpaw sharp shooter Michael Coleman, They will be tough to beat... Jr. Lead guard Donovian Maxfield will run the show and this guy can shoot it from anywhere... Plus he's not afraid to let it fly.... Nwandu is difficult to defend because he's so long and has a high IQ for the game as well... Once he gets into the lane, it's over... Coleman will let it fly from anywhere but the greatest part about his game is his ability to block shots from the guard position... His timing is amazing and he blocks with either hand.... Should be really fun to watch them this year...
Hershey HS - When you look at this team, all you can say is EXPERIENCE... They bring back guys who have been in the trenches for years with Coach Blackburn... They will be led by 6'10 jr. Dylan Painter and 6'3 wing guard Taylor Sweeney... Painter is tough to handle in the paint and he can also step out and hit the jumper... He might just be the top prospect in the area right now because he has such a huge upside.... Sweeney just understands the game... Never playing out of control and can either take his man off the dribble or post him up... They had a great experience last year getting quality wins in Districts and getting into States.... Now these guys want more.... No better time than now...
Lancaster McCaskey - Talents is never the issue with these guys and this year I think they can put it all together... Led by 6'3 super athletic lead guard Kobe Gantz, The Red Tornado will ALWAYS have a chance to win.... Gantz is one of the most elusive players in the State and he can hit shots plus jump over his opponents.... His running mate 5'10 jr guard Randolph Speller is a water bug on defense and just knows how to finish... He can lock up on defense and finds ways to put points on the board... Defensive specialist Kaire Bynam will be another key piece with his experience in big games and super athleticism... Those 3 guards will be tough to contain and will give McCaskey a chance to win their league plus make a run at Districts....
Susquehanna HS - Big expectations for this group as they are coming off of a District title and also a runner up for the State title... The lost a few key players in All State Guard Gabe Mack and Football recruits Tahki Turner(IUP) and Jordan Millberry(St. Francis) but gained a couple in return in Sr. Combo guard 6'0 Dejour Williams (Harrisburg) and 6'1 Soph combo guard Tyrece Little (New Hope) .... Williams is a dead eye shooter with big game experience... He can defend well and just understands the game... Little is a vicious on the ball defender for one so young and posses a high IQ for the game... Take those two and put them with 1st Team All State jr guard Nehemiah "Bud" Mack and you have one of PA's best backcourts.... The frontcourt is also tough to handle starting with 6'4 wing and 4 year starter Joe Marshall, 6'6 Roman Letterlough and 6'6 Forward Quintin Ward.... Marshall cleans up everything around the glass, Letterlough has grown to be one of the best players in the area and Ward is just too strong for most opponents and is difficult to hold in the paint... If Coach Rogers can keep these guys hungry and humble, they can make another run at a State title... As soon as they begin believing the hype, the season will be shorter than expected...
York HS - WOW is all you can say when the rich gets richer.... These guys are coming off of a District title last year and returned everyone but one main player.... To top that off, they inherit 5'10 lightning quick sr. lead guard CJ Boxley from York Suburban and now 6'2 2nd Team jr. All State guard from New Hope Montrel Morgan.... Add them with 6'4 sr. jumping jack and District 3 MVP Jahaire Wilson, 6'0 jr. All District Guard Trey Shifflett, 6'7 wing guard (One of my favorites) Kris Johnson, 6'2 Defensive specialist D'Monti Shaw, 6'4 Do it all guy Brandon Smallwood and 5'11 rock solid soph Jacquez Casiano.... The Bearcats, Coached by Troy Sowers, will be able to through all types of lineups at their opponents and can make a really deep run at a State title.... They are defenitely one of the top 3 teams in the State to start the season off but can all that talent mesh together and do it for the TEAM? Only time will tell.... We are talking about 6 - 8 potential scholarship players on this roster with Morgan and Johnson being Division 1 recruits already as juniors.... Like I said before, WOW!!!!
CD East - Could CD East be back? They haven't had major success since The 2009 team ( who recently were inducted into the Hall of Fame)... Good ole Marty has all the tools to have a very good year, led by 6'3 high rising sr wing Dwight "Buddy" Whitlock.... Whitlock has had a fantastic summer playing in front of tons of College coaches and his stock went up in a huge way.... He can do everything on the floor and should be one of the better players in the State this year... He will have some solid support with CD transfer 6'3 Wide Body AJ Perez and 6'1 high motor guy Derrick Biney... Perez, only a jr, understands the game and he can get a double double on any given night.... Biney will find a way to get the job done... He's the Jerome Williams of the new age because he just find ways to get the job done... Take these guys and add in a few sophs in 6'1 Evan Chandler who is a flat out scorer and 5'6 Justin Henry, one of the best playmakers around, East will shock a lot of people.... Also, don't be shocked if another soph named Jordan Gillis ends up hurting teams... This young man scores in bunches and can hit shots from all over... Joe Lemelle will be a tough one to stop as well once he gets back into basketball shape.... Lemelle loves to use his body and draws alot of fouls on his opponents... Can these guys make a run at a Commonwealth title this year?
Manheim Central - Here's a team that most don't hear about but that may change this year... Led by Sr. Forward 6'5 Matt Walsh and 6'7 soph sharp shooter Taylor Funk.... Walsh plays the game the right way and can do a lot of things on the court.... He's difficult to contain because he's not always looking to score... Funk creates a matchup problem because he can shoot the ball so well and can put it on the floor as well.... Only a soph, he still has room to grow and can end up being a fantastic prospect real soon... These guys will make a run in Districts and with the great coaching they have, I can see an upset in States as well...
Trinity - These guys lost a lot but all that did was open up the doors for some younger guys to take over, and boy are they ready to play... Led this year by 6'2 soph Austin Gilbertson and 6'8 Mount St. Mary recruit Jack Vukelich ... Gilbertson has the green light and will take full advantage of that... He can hit the pull up jumper with ease and can create plays for team mates as well.... Vukelich has improved his ball handling and has a nice fade away jumper... On top of that, Trinity added 6'10 freshman phenom Sean Good who can block shots with either hand and run the floor like a deer.... He is already considered one of the Top 100 freshmen in the country and after this year, his stock can increase even more... 5'11 sr. lead guard Brandan Latimore is tough as nails and he can score the ball and defend full court... 6'4 soph Timmy Edwards will be a handful once he gets back in shape from his surgery..... Latimore will have to lead this young group of guys but also have patience because in due time, they will be REALLY Tough....
Camp Hill - When was the last time Camp Hill was talked about with the big dogs? I don't remember either but this year, these guys are ready to go... Led by sr wing man Deshawn Franklin and jr forward David Feterow, Skipper Wayne Fletcher should be all smiles this year.... It may take a while, depending on how well the football team does next week but once they get everyone on the floor, it could get scary.... The inhereted a few transfers in 6'2 soph Darien Perez and 5'10 frosh Casey Caruso who are both ready to contribute right now.... Add in 6'7 freshman Zach Kuntz, 6'2 jr. Mike Shutzler and you have yourself some studs that's ready to change the atmosphere in Camp Hill.... Can't wait to catch them in action....
Coach Little
Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg) - These guys had a fantastic season last year and most would think that it's time for them to rebuild... I beg to differ, they have the talent to reload, led by Sensational Senior Milik Gantz and one of the most improved players in James Williams. ... Gantz, at 6'4, is a great playmaker and has a special feel for the game.... He already has a few Division 1 schools showing interest but the best is yet to come... This group of guys have been together for quite some time and they are ready to take lead and make great things happen... Key players besides Gantz look to be 6'4 jr wing James Williams, 6'3 sr shooter Mark Ray, 6'0 sr. slasher Reggie Hopkins plus jr guards Nick Gimmel and Bryce Hall... If Trinity transfer 6'4 jr Kyree Kali decides to play, along with 6'1 Sharp Shooting Freshman Tim Kater Jr., McDevitt can look to have a REALLY long season and make a push towards a State title.... Newly appointed coach Mike Gaffey will have to get these guys to gel as soon as possible and if they gel sooner than later, watch out....
Reading HS - These guys will be very fun to watch this year... They have always had talent but this year they are led by a special talent in 6'4 soph guard Lonnie Walker.... This young man is a scoring machine and really understands the game in a High Major way.... His ability to play with 6'3 Senior Guard Tyree Gibson can make Reading deadly this year... Already those two form one of the best backcourts in the State... Reading will be athletic and they'll put up points... If they can defend just as well, they may make some noise...
Harrisburg HS - Tradition is big for these guys and they expect nothing less than a State title EVERY YEAR... With that being said, they have the tools to make it happen, it's all about finding the right rotation and Holy Cross commit 6'3 Jahaad Proctor making his team mates better.... They can put one of the States tallest lineups on the Floor with 6'9 Soph Brennan Jackson and 6'9 Sr. Steve Olson to go along with Proctor, 5'10 jr. Nasir Johnson and then one of the purest scorers for a soph in 6'2 Christopher Whitaker... Proctor can explode for 35 to 40 on any given night with his accuracy to go along with the tempo Harrisburg will play.... His running mate Whitaker will also carry a huge scoring load.... If the "Twin Towers" along with 6'5 Beast Damian Barber can hold down the paint like I think they can, Harrisburg will be just as good as ANY team in the State.... Proctor, the two time All State player, just can't do it by himself....
Northeastern (York) - Normally a local team moving up in classification means they may struggle for a few years until they figure it out... These guys already have the pieces to compete with the big boys right now... Led by 6'5 jr. combo guard Kobi Nwandu and 6'4 sr southpaw sharp shooter Michael Coleman, They will be tough to beat... Jr. Lead guard Donovian Maxfield will run the show and this guy can shoot it from anywhere... Plus he's not afraid to let it fly.... Nwandu is difficult to defend because he's so long and has a high IQ for the game as well... Once he gets into the lane, it's over... Coleman will let it fly from anywhere but the greatest part about his game is his ability to block shots from the guard position... His timing is amazing and he blocks with either hand.... Should be really fun to watch them this year...
Hershey HS - When you look at this team, all you can say is EXPERIENCE... They bring back guys who have been in the trenches for years with Coach Blackburn... They will be led by 6'10 jr. Dylan Painter and 6'3 wing guard Taylor Sweeney... Painter is tough to handle in the paint and he can also step out and hit the jumper... He might just be the top prospect in the area right now because he has such a huge upside.... Sweeney just understands the game... Never playing out of control and can either take his man off the dribble or post him up... They had a great experience last year getting quality wins in Districts and getting into States.... Now these guys want more.... No better time than now...
Lancaster McCaskey - Talents is never the issue with these guys and this year I think they can put it all together... Led by 6'3 super athletic lead guard Kobe Gantz, The Red Tornado will ALWAYS have a chance to win.... Gantz is one of the most elusive players in the State and he can hit shots plus jump over his opponents.... His running mate 5'10 jr guard Randolph Speller is a water bug on defense and just knows how to finish... He can lock up on defense and finds ways to put points on the board... Defensive specialist Kaire Bynam will be another key piece with his experience in big games and super athleticism... Those 3 guards will be tough to contain and will give McCaskey a chance to win their league plus make a run at Districts....
Susquehanna HS - Big expectations for this group as they are coming off of a District title and also a runner up for the State title... The lost a few key players in All State Guard Gabe Mack and Football recruits Tahki Turner(IUP) and Jordan Millberry(St. Francis) but gained a couple in return in Sr. Combo guard 6'0 Dejour Williams (Harrisburg) and 6'1 Soph combo guard Tyrece Little (New Hope) .... Williams is a dead eye shooter with big game experience... He can defend well and just understands the game... Little is a vicious on the ball defender for one so young and posses a high IQ for the game... Take those two and put them with 1st Team All State jr guard Nehemiah "Bud" Mack and you have one of PA's best backcourts.... The frontcourt is also tough to handle starting with 6'4 wing and 4 year starter Joe Marshall, 6'6 Roman Letterlough and 6'6 Forward Quintin Ward.... Marshall cleans up everything around the glass, Letterlough has grown to be one of the best players in the area and Ward is just too strong for most opponents and is difficult to hold in the paint... If Coach Rogers can keep these guys hungry and humble, they can make another run at a State title... As soon as they begin believing the hype, the season will be shorter than expected...
York HS - WOW is all you can say when the rich gets richer.... These guys are coming off of a District title last year and returned everyone but one main player.... To top that off, they inherit 5'10 lightning quick sr. lead guard CJ Boxley from York Suburban and now 6'2 2nd Team jr. All State guard from New Hope Montrel Morgan.... Add them with 6'4 sr. jumping jack and District 3 MVP Jahaire Wilson, 6'0 jr. All District Guard Trey Shifflett, 6'7 wing guard (One of my favorites) Kris Johnson, 6'2 Defensive specialist D'Monti Shaw, 6'4 Do it all guy Brandon Smallwood and 5'11 rock solid soph Jacquez Casiano.... The Bearcats, Coached by Troy Sowers, will be able to through all types of lineups at their opponents and can make a really deep run at a State title.... They are defenitely one of the top 3 teams in the State to start the season off but can all that talent mesh together and do it for the TEAM? Only time will tell.... We are talking about 6 - 8 potential scholarship players on this roster with Morgan and Johnson being Division 1 recruits already as juniors.... Like I said before, WOW!!!!
CD East - Could CD East be back? They haven't had major success since The 2009 team ( who recently were inducted into the Hall of Fame)... Good ole Marty has all the tools to have a very good year, led by 6'3 high rising sr wing Dwight "Buddy" Whitlock.... Whitlock has had a fantastic summer playing in front of tons of College coaches and his stock went up in a huge way.... He can do everything on the floor and should be one of the better players in the State this year... He will have some solid support with CD transfer 6'3 Wide Body AJ Perez and 6'1 high motor guy Derrick Biney... Perez, only a jr, understands the game and he can get a double double on any given night.... Biney will find a way to get the job done... He's the Jerome Williams of the new age because he just find ways to get the job done... Take these guys and add in a few sophs in 6'1 Evan Chandler who is a flat out scorer and 5'6 Justin Henry, one of the best playmakers around, East will shock a lot of people.... Also, don't be shocked if another soph named Jordan Gillis ends up hurting teams... This young man scores in bunches and can hit shots from all over... Joe Lemelle will be a tough one to stop as well once he gets back into basketball shape.... Lemelle loves to use his body and draws alot of fouls on his opponents... Can these guys make a run at a Commonwealth title this year?
Manheim Central - Here's a team that most don't hear about but that may change this year... Led by Sr. Forward 6'5 Matt Walsh and 6'7 soph sharp shooter Taylor Funk.... Walsh plays the game the right way and can do a lot of things on the court.... He's difficult to contain because he's not always looking to score... Funk creates a matchup problem because he can shoot the ball so well and can put it on the floor as well.... Only a soph, he still has room to grow and can end up being a fantastic prospect real soon... These guys will make a run in Districts and with the great coaching they have, I can see an upset in States as well...
Trinity - These guys lost a lot but all that did was open up the doors for some younger guys to take over, and boy are they ready to play... Led this year by 6'2 soph Austin Gilbertson and 6'8 Mount St. Mary recruit Jack Vukelich ... Gilbertson has the green light and will take full advantage of that... He can hit the pull up jumper with ease and can create plays for team mates as well.... Vukelich has improved his ball handling and has a nice fade away jumper... On top of that, Trinity added 6'10 freshman phenom Sean Good who can block shots with either hand and run the floor like a deer.... He is already considered one of the Top 100 freshmen in the country and after this year, his stock can increase even more... 5'11 sr. lead guard Brandan Latimore is tough as nails and he can score the ball and defend full court... 6'4 soph Timmy Edwards will be a handful once he gets back in shape from his surgery..... Latimore will have to lead this young group of guys but also have patience because in due time, they will be REALLY Tough....
Camp Hill - When was the last time Camp Hill was talked about with the big dogs? I don't remember either but this year, these guys are ready to go... Led by sr wing man Deshawn Franklin and jr forward David Feterow, Skipper Wayne Fletcher should be all smiles this year.... It may take a while, depending on how well the football team does next week but once they get everyone on the floor, it could get scary.... The inhereted a few transfers in 6'2 soph Darien Perez and 5'10 frosh Casey Caruso who are both ready to contribute right now.... Add in 6'7 freshman Zach Kuntz, 6'2 jr. Mike Shutzler and you have yourself some studs that's ready to change the atmosphere in Camp Hill.... Can't wait to catch them in action....
Coach Little
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