Top 10 for Week 5
-
- December
- 29
A minor shakeup, but the top remains the same:
1. MOUNT VERNON (5-0): Going for second Slam Dunk championship in four years today.
2. URSULINE (3-1): Discount loss to Molloy, which would be the best team in Section 1 by a sizable margin.
3. OUR LADY OF LOURDES (2-0): I thought the Warriors may beat Briarcliff, but not like that. They have two very impressive wins so far, both driven by a terrific backcourt.
4. ALBERTUS MAGNUS (5-1): Win over red-hot Nanuet was the Falcons’ best of the year. Still, Greeley is hot on their tails after playing a tougher December schedule.
5. HORACE GREELEY (7-0): Strong resume of wins so far, including ones over Maria Regina, Beacon and Pearl River.
6. BRIARCLIFF (8-1): Despite loss, this team should head to playoffs at 19-1.
T7. MARIA REGINA (7-1) and T7. PEARL RIVER (4-2): Both are feisty and both gave Greeley a tough game before falling in the fourth quarter.
9. BEACON (9-1): Bulldogs go for 10-1 tonight.
10. OSSINING (6-3): Probably a little better than Class AA foes North Rockland and White Plains at this point.
On the bubble: White Plains (5-2), North Rockland (1-4), Irvington (7-1), Nanuet (6-1), Mahopac (6-0).
This entry was posted
on Saturday, December 29th, 2007 at 11:00 am by Josh Thomson. 
| 
Josh Thomson has done some of everything since joining The Journal News in March 2003. He began working for the Gannett weeklies during the winter of 2002 as a freelance writer. He joined the daily staff soon after and has since covered various high school and pro sports. Away from sportswriting, Josh lives in Westchester and spends his free time either with his fiancee, Sarah, or expertly managing his various championship-winning fantasy sports teams. He's visited 21 major-league baseball stadiums and insists that Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are the best by far. Josh graduated from Carmel High School in 1998, then went to Boston University, where, in 2002, he received a degree in communications with a minor in history.
Beacon is 9-1
Beacon is 9-1 and possibly soon to be 10-1 after they play tonight.
Thanks. The record is corrected.
For the record, Greeley lost today by seven to a team from Smithtown Long Island. Great game, physical yet fair.
I think you do a great job!
Beacon is officially 10-1 with a 64-24 win over Spackenkill to win the Holiday Classic Tournament held at Spackenkill. Pretty weak tournament if you ask me…lots of Dutchess County schools in them, yet John Jay wasn’t one of them.
Josh what I see with OLL is that they do not use the inside. Like Timster said the center has post moves. From what I see the guards are tossing up shot after shot, their shooting percentage stinks. All any team needs to do is shut down 12 and 20, too much guard junk.
Juiced Up 51…..........
What exactly did Beacon get out of beating three inferior teams like Arlington +18, Poughkeepsie +24, and Spackenkill +40 up in Dutchess? I know for a fact that she scrimmaged some good teams but refused to schedule real games against real good teams so that she can get easy wins up there in DC. Still, the coach didn’t prove anything because OLL is still the best program up there until the AD’s start hiring better coaches and they start paying their coaches better wages.
Beacon has four really good players who come to play and can do so for any team in section 1. The supporting cast is agressive and athletic enough to play good defense and rebound. However, Their coach lacks the knowledge, experience, and instinct to take them to the next level. PR coach Lorraine Moylan will outcoach her at the county center and beat Beacon by 12 points in the title game. It’s a shame because this should be Beacon’s year.
Pearl River has many young, athletic players who will be in high gear come sectional play because their coach knows what she’s doing and playing only the top teams in the area. I liked Beacon early on to take it all in “A”, but let’s just say that things have changed a whole lot these past few weeks.
Observer….............
Get just to it…...the best players on OLL are guards, the best perimeter shooters are guards, and their coach is a former guard. What did you expect? The players with the best skills and game have always controled the game and who shoots the rock. OLL is not a pay-for-play AAU program. Up there, every kid competes hard every day of practice, pays tuition, and they all think they can play at the next level D1, D2, or D3. Tell you what…....the “Bigs” to stay with it, rebound the ball and get put-backs, forget about the 1000 points in a career nonsense, and enjoy the ride. “AA” is very weak this year, and if you can beat a very good MV team at the county center, you’ll get another Gold Ball for the throphy case and then it will all be over….....Rush-Henriettta or Fairport will take states no matter who wins the section 1 title. Just so you know ….Happy New Year !
Keepin it real… Didn’t you ever think that Beacon maybe is just that good thats why they are beating all these teams by so much !! They have played in this tournament for years their coach doesn’t decide what teams get in. I believe they also hosted their own tournament down in Beacon and John Jay was in it and was beaten by this team.The players and the coach our class acts and deserve a little respect.
observer…OLL does have terrific guards in Dweck and Whitaker. I’ve heard people who saw their games rave about them. I also don’t think you can question Lourdes, which has played White Plains and Briarcliff and beaten both. That’s pretty darn impressive.
Keep’n it real…I wouldn’t knock Coach Dahl. Look at what Beacon has done the last two-plus years, make the County Center twice and on the verge of No. 3. Outside of one game  that against a team possibly bound for the CC in Class AA  Beacon has played as well as anyone.
Also, Fairport is obviously good, having knocked off Rush-Henrietta already. R-H is still strong because it has the best player in the state, but the entire supporting cast is gone. I don’t think it’s such a forgone conclusion that they will win the state title…not like it was last year.
Keep’n It Real,
Lets not forget this is High School Girls Basketball. This is not the WNBA. The Beacon CSD is never going pay off the wall for great coaches and it doesn’t need to. It’s funny how you seem to know it all when it comes to the Lourdes team and their coach, but you did not do your homework on Coach Dahl so I shall enlighten you a bit. I agree with you that Lourdes is the top tier team in Dutchess County…as it always is but that is why they are playing in AA now. But in reference to your comment,
“Their coach lacks the knowledge, experience, and instinct to take them to the next level. PR coach Lorraine Moylan will outcoach her at the county center and beat Beacon by 12 points in the title game.”
Lets see…
1) As Josh said before, Coach Dahl has led Beacon to a League Championship and to the County Center semis two years in a row.
2) Beacon’s league is pretty weak this year with the exception of Ossining but that is not Beacon’s fault. They do play a handful of AA schools this year including Greeley(their only loss), Ossining(win), John Jay EF(win), Ketcham(win), and Arlington(win). Beacon is also scheduled to play Kingston (Last year’s AA section champion and State Final Four contender) up at Marist College in January. I’d say that’s a pretty tough game for any ‘A’ school.
3) Dahl was a player on the 1999 Our Lady of Lourdes NY State Championship team coached by some guy named Brian Giorgis. Not a bad way to get some basketball knowledge and experience.
This is a public blog and I enjoy the fact that there are people that speak their minds on here, but I just want you (Keepin’ It Real) to notice that I’m not saying Beacon is going to win the section or beat PR in the championship by 12, I’m just saying that you don’t know all of your facts and that your conjectures about Beacon aren’t as you see them. See you at the County Center!
Keepin it Real,
Let’s put the real facts out there for everyone to know. Coach Dahl is young, but far from inexperienced. While Coach Moylan is a VERY good basketball coach, Dahl played her last year with significantly less talent than Pearl River had and only lost by six, hardly being out coached if you ask me. I am a person that is around the program everyday and I can promise you one thing our girls will never be out coached. They are given scouting reports of every team they play with detailed analysis of the girls on the team in every game that they have played that season, and do much more in game adjusting this year than ever before. If anything in the past whether in game adjustments took place or not was more based on not overloading the players than on not having the knowledge to adjust. Between Dahl and her assistant Coach Philipbar the girls are as prepared as any team in the section. They both played for Coach Giorgis and come from his tree of hard working coaches, that scout and game-plan as hard as anyone.
In terms of scheduling Beacon has tried for two years to play Lourdes, and has been rebuffed by Lourdes. In terms of the Red Fox Shootout as it used to be called they asked that they be given a quality opponent of else they would seek another game, and in return have a game against Kingston one of the best AA schools that Section 9 has to offer. They scrimmaged both Minisink Valley and Cornwall, playing Minisink to the wire and beating Cornwall handily who is currently ranked #3 in New York State class A. I can tell you one thing these girls are not afraid to play anybody, anywhere. What you need to understand is that in terms of scheduling teams are given very little leeway to make their own games and whenever given that chance Beacon has chosen as difficult a game as possible. The only reason they were in the Dutchess County Holiday Classic was because Lou Demello who organizes the Slam Dunk told them they had a spot in the tournament only to take the spot back three weeks later, leaving Beacon scrambling to fill their schedule. So before you go bashing a young very hard working coaching staff, get your facts straight. Moylan is a brilliant coach and I hope that eventually Beacon and Pearl River can shake things out on the court at the County Center. In order to be the best you want to beat the best and that is something Beacon will look forward to this year. I can guarantee you one thing the girls will not be rattled or nervous like they were last year at the County Center, this team plays with and intensity and poise that they have not played with in the past.
Juice 51…............The only thing you wrote that made any sense was your last paragraph…..see you at the cc..
Now you’re insulting me. Just admit that what I wrote was too much for you to read. Learn to read.
The only chance of pearl river beating Beacon is if junior Tancredi and senior Biordi switch schools. Thats keeping it real…..
Coach Dahl is a good young coach who works hard and gets the most out of her players. I’m not sure how you quantify who is a good or not good at this level anyway? The bigger question is do they have players or don’t they?
bballfan,
Got to agree. I said Greely would knock off PR and so will beacon. Maybe not by the 20 that i predicted but at least 10. Also I mentioned that North Roclkand would not have a good year. So far i’m 100%.
Keepin it Real
Here’s a few “Realities” for you:
Beacon- Great team , Great Coach. Refer to Juice 51 or ballboy for the answers.
OLL- you seem to be too close to either the guards or the coach, the “Reality” is that you are DISRESPECTING the TEAM. The team is not all about the guards. OLL has an athletic defense, all 5 not just “the guards”. The “bigs” as you “kindly” refer to them’ look like guards playing the post, the team is small. “Spoiler alert”
the center for OLL is a multi-dimensional player who can hit from anywhere on the floor as well as any of the “guards”, is deadly on the foul line and has extreme strength inside. Both games I saw she was in foul trouble early. I coached the kidshe can play up there with Stallings, Shields, Tancredi, Moran or any other top players in Sec 1. I don’t know much about the others but saw that #10 held her own, was doing great against Briarcliff. Fact: The point guard’s job is to be the floor general, teach her the word “DISH” and “Mr. Real” I don’t mean the china. Keepin it Real- you need to get the facts before you disrespect players and coaches.OLL against Bcliff made great adjustment at half taking S Coon out of the game by using guards to front her while leaving their post behind her. It was the guards that drove OLL and controlled the game.
The My Vernon Jamesville game was a disgrace to Section ! referees. The fermale ref with the glasses was the worst I have seen this year plays right in fromt of her yet no calls, and no calls against MV until the game was out of control. MV is too godd to need this kind of home job to win.. Why did MV still have the first team in and pressing when up by 29 with 5 minutes to go in the game .. Second team gets in with a minuite to go…SPORTSMANSHIP???
mikehoops
OLL- guess that you don’t need the post? Me thinks if the post is behind, that would add to the poor shots that she was taking??? It is NOT all about the guards, they are part of the TEAM you should know that.
wise guy
can you please specify who you are refering to as the center from OLL I do believe I know who you are refering to and I am puzzled by the comment that she is as good as tancredi, shields and moran who are all D1 or high D2 level players and also you might want to check where stallings goes to school because she is not a sect 1 player and doesn’t even play most sect 1 teams other than Alberus Magnus early season and Haldane in the Red Fox shootout OLL is a guard dominated run and gun team which is a far cry from the glory days of Brian Giorgis
Also Beacon will be a team to beat this year having three of there starters played in high level aau tournaments this summer with the likes of shields, moran and stallings
I didn’t believe it until I read it for myself. Someone had the audacity to attempt to discredit Beacons Coach Christina Dahl. Let me enlighten Keep’n it real….
Coach Dahl is a tremendous asset to Beacon. Stating she “lacks knowledge, experience and instinct” only alerts us to your ignorance. She brings command presence to the court that the girls respond to. Her ability to motivate her players is outstanding and they all have proven that and will continue to do so. If we could put a price on coaches that perform like her they would be making salaries that no AD could afford. You need to realize these student athletes take valuable lessons learned on the court and use them for the rest of there lives off the court. Coach Dahl is committed to individual integrity, values and personal growth. Beacons coaching staff should be applauded for their high work ethic and determination to succeed. DREAM BIG BEACON! Your hard work will pay off!
dreamr of stix (?)
First- Spell check? Grammer check? Comprehension?
Next- Ask Tancredi, Shields, Stallings or Moran they’ve played against her. No need to justify to you. OLL has to learn to play with her or they will have a very long season.TEAM work not selectivity. Fundamentals.
To you- Don’t disrespect a player who is getting many D1 looks, high level D2 looks including the D2 National Champions.
By the way, other coaches share the same opinion. Respect these girls, they all are hard working student athletes.
Wise Guy
I apoligize for not using proper grammar on a blog. I was unaware that we were being graded on it. I did not say that this young lady was not a good player. I was simply wondering if there was justification behind your comments or if they were just the opinion of someone who has coached her. I was also simply stating that the guards at OLL dominate play and that maybe they wouldn’t have lost by almost twenty points if it was otherwise. I meant no disrespect to her, I believe her to be a decent player who could help her team but still not up to the level of tancredi or moran.
Dreamr of Stix
Sorry for the “education” comments.
Now, what type of justification would you like? Yes, it is the opinion of several coaches. That in itself is justification. This girl has not been given a chance to prove herself during high school play, right from the get go.
As far as AAU play, she has proven it. She has been up against Tancredi, Stallings, and Sheilds. In those instances, has held her own and then some. She has played with Moran, and proved to be a key part of that team. Put her in that situation she has just as much as those who have been fortunate to have the high school exposure: i.e. the above mentioned players.
Not sure who you are to judge? Do you know her? Have you coached her in recent years? She is a multi-dimensional player, period. Great shooting ability from anywhere on the floor, strong as an ox. OLL needs to take advantage of that, simply put. As long as they keep up the “selectivity” and isolate her, they will continue on a downward spiral. That’s this coach’s opinion.
Wise one….............
Do yourself a favor…........move on from this topic please….....you’re starting to sound like a know-it-all.
I think we all know how you feel about your AAU players, however, very few feel the same …..........let the college coaches decide how good she really is…......your perspective is somewhat skewed as far as this forum is concerned….......it’s not worth it…..
Congrats on the new ranking (#6) now go out and take states.
Ditto to The Fan.