SBNation.com User Blog: ScoutingTheSally

National League Prospects Who Could Change Teams At The Trade Deadline

ScoutingTheSally — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:13:53 -0000

Zack Wheeler was the first big name prospect scouted at Scouting The Sally to change organizations at the trade deadline when he was dealt to the New York Mets for Carlos Beltran. In looking through previous reports, a number of other prospects I’ve previously written about may be on the block as well. If you want an in depth look at these players, this is the place to be! Most reports also contain video of the prospect as well.

Atlanta Braves

Christian Bethancourt – This is a long shot trade candidate in my opinion, but not due to a lack of talent. "Beth" is is a much better player than the numbers would indicate and having seen much of the organization, he’s one of their most untouchable guys for me. Potential impact catchers simply do not grow on trees.

Paul Clemens – I haven’t seen Clemens, but friend of the site Chris Blessing has and came away impressed with his development. He’s a breakout prospect in the organization and the Braves might just want to cash in that chip if they feel he might regress in any way.

Randall Delgado (Roto Hardball) – Before his major league debut, I wrote he would be a potential trade candidate and his name is now being widely discussed as a trade chip. I like his potential as a solid #3 starter, but not sure he winds up ever being much more than that.

Edward Salcedo – One scout I spoke to referred to Salcedo as, "The only real bat in the system". And while my instincts tell me he would not be dealt for primarily that reason, the Giants just traded Zack Wheeler who was probably the only real arm in their organization.

Arodys Vizcaino – Reliever or starter? That is the question! I’ve spoken to scouts who fall on both sides of the argument. For an organization who feels his future is as a starter, his return in trade would obviously be higher. With his promotion to AAA and a spot in the Gwinnett bullpen, Vizcaino is likely the fall back option if the Braves are unable to add a right hander to its bullpen at the trade deadline.

Philadelphia Phillies

Jiwan James – James has been a bit better than I thought he would be this season, but I’m not sold. An organization void of centerfield prospects might covet him as a 3rd or 4th guy in a deal for an impact talent, or in a lesser deal, but I’d personally stay away.

Trevor May – If I’m the Phillies, I’m cashing in the Trevor May chip if possible. With 151 strikeouts in 112 innings pitched, there has to be at least one organization who is hot on him at the deadline. I’m just not sold on his being the impact starter his numbers would potentially indicate.

Julio Rodriguez – Like James, he’s a potential 3rd or 4th player in a larger deal whose having a nice year in Clearwater. If an organization believes his velocity will stabilize, he could be a target.

Jonathan Singleton – Singleton’s prospect status has taken as much of a hit as any prospect I can think of this season. He has gone from potential impact first base bat to a guy even the Houston Astros are no longer hot on. Things can change quickly when it comes to prospecting.

Sebastian Valle – He’s the catcher of the future in Philadelphia, but could probably be had in the right deal. I’ve been enamored with the young catcher since seeing him last season for Lakewood and I would have absolutely no interest in dealing Valle if I were the Phillies.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Jarek Cunningham – I like Cunningham’s bat, but his plate discipline continues to be an issue. For a team who believes his glove is good enough for second base, he could be a target in a smaller deal.

Kyle McPherson – Another potential target in a smaller deal. Has been greatly improved since going back to the mechanics which led to his being drafted in the first place. Only hitch could be that he’s already on the 40-man roster and would need to be protected immediately.

San Francisco Giants

Ehire Adrianza – Slick glove, no bat sums up Adrianza’s game. I thought he would come along with the bat enough to project as a slick fielding number eight hitter, but it hasn’t happened yet and he’s nearly 22.

Charlie Culberson – The CAL League giveth, and taketh away. In the case of Culberson, I’m referring to his status as a prospect as an excellent 2010 has given way to a .690 OPS in double-A. I don’t see much of a market for Culberson, but he could go in a small deal.

Tommy Joseph – I’m not a fan of Joseph at all, but he has some power and throws pretty well so there’s bound to be some interest. In a smaller deal, I could see him packaged to an organization who believes the glove will be good enough to stick. Catch-and-throw guys who even project as .220 hitters with double digit home runs can have long careers. Just ask Rod Barajas.

Francisco Peguero – Peguero is the best of available Giants outfield prospects as Gary Brown seemingly won’t be going anywhere. His transition to double-A has been a bit bumpy which might cause a bit of hesitation in opposing organizations.

Hector Sanchez – He’s a great insurance policy right now for the Giants, but the organization’s future at catcher is a toss up until Buster Posey is certain to return to the position. It’s highly unlikely that he would be dealt, but his value as a prospect has never been greater than it is right now.

St. Louis Cardinals

Maikel Cleto – Cleto has gone from zero to hero and is coming back down to earth again. If the Cardinals flipped him at the deadline, the organization would receive a substantial return on its nominal investment. Sometimes it just makes sense to sell high!

American League Prospects Who Could Change Teams At The Trade Deadline

ScoutingTheSally — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:52:01 -0000

Boston Red Sox

Miles Head – For scouts in the lower minor leagues, statistics count for very little. It’s all about the scouting. If an organization is sold on Head’s bat, the Red Sox would be wise to turn him quickly based on his impressive 2011 season. In all honesty, I don’t think the Red Sox will be presented that opportunity as scouts I’ve spoken to arelukewarm at best on Head’s upside.

Brandon Jacobs (Roto Hardball) - Jacobs would be an impressive get as a "lesser" player in a larger deal. Arguably no prospect has developed within the organization as much as Jacobs this season and he might just be scratching the surface. An organization would be fortunate to add a talent like his on the way up.

Will Middlebrooks – Rumors persist that Middlebrooks is untouchable, but I have trouble seeing it. In the midst of a breakout season, plate discipline still remains a serious issue as exemplified by only 19 free passes this season including 0 in his last 10 games. I frequently mention walk rates don’t mean much to me at lower levels, but Middlebrooks is now 22 in double-A. It matters!

New York Yankees

Manny Banuelos – The Yankees are reluctant to part with Banuelos and they should be. Once he figures out fastball command, he should quickly become a fixture in the rotation. If I’m an opposing General Manager, I’d continue to throw out Banuelos’ name to frustrate the Yankees just enough to sneak a guy like Brett Marshall out from under their noses.

Jesus Montero – It’s never good to trade a prospect previously considered an elite offensive talent at a low point which is now Montero in a nutshell. If I was Montero, I’d be pretty pissed that I wasn’t being penciled into the Yankees lineup at designated hitter too!

J.R. Murphy – A prospect quietly raising his status amongst contacts is J.R. Murphy who has reportedly improved as a catcher and is showing plenty of bat for the position. I can see a scenario unfolding where Murphy is the 3rd or 4th best Yankees prospect included in a deal for pitching help. I’m actually surprised he isn’t being mentioned more often in trade conversation.

Brett Marshall – Marshall would fit in beautiful for any big league team who plays its games in a bandbox. With a strong ground ball arsenal, he’s exactly the type of pitcher who has proven successful for an organization like the Colorado Rockies. His numbers are inflated due to a disastrous April, but May, June and July have been stellar. This month, he has a 27/4 K/BB ratio in 24 innings pitched including a GO/AO of 2.64. That’s just awesomeness on a stick.

Austin Romine – Of every player I’ve listed for the Yankees, I think Romine is the least likely to go via trade. He’s the catcher of the future in that organization in my mind and it’s really the only position of dire weakness at the big league level (sorry Russ Martin).

Texas Rangers

Robert Erlin – If I’m the Rangers, I’m not dealing Erlin. Yes, he’s on the small side and doesn’t project to dominate at the big league level, but I just saw something really special when scouting him in person.

Neil Ramirez – Do I see it happening? No. Do I think dealing Ramirez might be a prudent decision? Certainly. After 2+ years of poor performance, the light bulb clicked with Ramirez and his last calendar year of performance has been excellent. No knock against Ramirez, but this is another one of those classic sell high opportunities.

Robbie Ross – A high floor guy with ground ball tendencies, Ross would be a nice pickup for the same reasons as the aforementioned Brett Marshall. A 10 start stretch of 1.76 ERA baseball certainly doesn’t hurt either.

8 Men Out? Not If You Play For Indianapolis Metro

ScoutingTheSally — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:49:00 -0000

Having spent seven years as a teacher working with students from troubled backgrounds, I simply could not ignore the storyline in Saturday's victory by Indianapolis Metro in Indiana's Class 1A championship game.

In viewing the team photo, one can't help but think something is missing. When so many teams have players, coaches, cheerleaders and mascots cluttering the picture, Indianapolis Metro's team photo may be the smallest you will find. Eight players and two coaches - taken on a generic white backdrop. The team does not have a true home court and practices at city parks.

The picture does have that "us against the world" appeal, which is fitting considering the team is made up of players who have had disciplinary issues in the past. In fact, the school serves as something of a final chance for students who often enroll after falling multiple grade levels behind and turn to the school a last resort.

And while misery loves company, success is also contagious, and the eight members of Indianapolis Metro have now experienced success few others do at the high school level. This victory may not only be a turning point in the lives of the athletes involved, but also the entire school, which serves over 400 students.

Only in sports can one victory potentially affect thousands for the better and uplift an entire community. I hope this story receives national attention in the coming days and serves as a rallying cry for athletic programs whose budgets are under attack by people who do not consider extracurricular activities to be vital to the success of schools and the communities they serve.

Hopkins Becomes Third Minnesota School To Win Three Straight Boys Basketball Titles

ScoutingTheSally — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:23:43 -0000

Four state championships will be decided Saturday in Minneapolis including an undefeated Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa team looking to finish 33-0 on the season after rolling to a 86-69 semifinal victory.

In the semifinal, Kevin Kuefler finished with 25 points to pace B-B-E after averaging nearly 20 points per game on the season. Junior Connor Goodwin also chipped in 19 points and nine boards in the winning effort. This season, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, located about an hour west of St. Cloud, has torn through opponents by an average score of more than 25 points per game.

Located more than two hours southwest of Minneapolis, Springfield (25-3) was led by Alex Fink, whose 21 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists paced the Tigers. In their semifinal matchup Springfield needed free throws to force overtime before nailing an additional 12 shots from the foul stripe in overtime to seal the win.

In class AA, Rochester Lourdes (24-7) needed four overtimes to defeat their semifinal opponent. Alex Kapraun led Rochester-Lourdes with 20 points on 6-17 shooting from the floor. Shane McGrath nearly posted a double-double in the victory with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Their opponent, Perham needed two overtimes of its own to dispatch their semifinal opponent. Perham, located more than an hour southeast of Fargo, North Dakota, was led by Nick Tobkin with 14 points on 4-13 shooting. The only other Perham player in double-digits was Mark Schumacher with 10.

The AAA finals features Columbia Heights (25-6) versus Orono (27-4).

Columbia Heights is making their first finals appearance in more than 80 years behind junior forward Jordan Mills who finished with 31 points in the semifinal on 10-22 shooting from the floor. He also chipped in 10-13 from the foul stripe in the win.

Orono avenged two earlier losses to a conference foe in their semifinal matchup, defeating Waconia 50-48. Jordan Smith paced Orono with 22 points and six rebounds, including four from three point range. The only other Orono player in double figures was Jeremy Borg with 11 points and seven rebounds.

The marquee matchup of the day is in Class AAAA as Hopkins (30-1) looks to win its third consecutive state title against number two seed Eden Prairie (27-4).

In an interesting storyline, Eden Prairie is the only team to have defeated Hopkins this season with a 75-71 victory in early February. Hopkins won by 13 in a second matchup.

In the semifinal, Hopkins was led by Joe Coleman with 29 points and nine rebounds. Coleman is a University of Minnesota recruit. Marvin Singleton also contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds in the win and will be a member of the Northern Iowa Panthers this fall.

Dylan Stewart led Eden Prairie with 24 points and eight rebounds in the semifinal. Connor Nord posted 18 points and nine rebounds in the win as well.

Minnesota at a Glance - All Games ET

Saturday, March 26 @ Target Center, Minneapolis

Class A Finals

12:00 p.m. - Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa vs. Springfield

Class AA Finals

2:00 p.m. - Rochester Lourdes vs. Perham

Class AAA Finals

6:00 p.m. - Columbia Heights vs. Orono

Class AAAA Finals

8:00 p.m. - Hopkins vs. Eden Prairie

Grudge Match Between Eden Prairie And Hopkins Headlines Minnesota Finals

ScoutingTheSally — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:23:43 -0000

Ohio Finals: Taft Of Cincinnati Sets Scoring Record In 95-52 Victory

ScoutingTheSally — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:22:08 -0000

LaSalle of Cincinnati defeats Northland of Columbus in Division I final.

Saturday in Columbus, the Ohio state basketball finals kick off at 10:30 with the Division II title game featuring St. Vincent-St. Mary of Akron (18-9) versus Thurgood Marshall of Dayton (22-5).

Junior Lorenzo Cugini led St. Vincent-St. Mary in scoring with 14 points, nearly matching his season average of 14.8. Leading scorer Devonte Beard struggled in the semifinal, but led the team in scoring at 17.8 points per game this season. Beard is currently being recruited by Boston College, along with a number of other division one mid-major programs.

Four Thurgood Marshall players registered double-digit scoring totals in the semifinal led by Mark Alstork with 18. The semifinal victory was impressive considering the team played without leading scorer Jordan Watson (18 ppg) who was suspended for the game.

In the Division IV finals, Harvest Preparatory of Canal Winchester (22-5) against Hiland of Berlin (26-1).

In their semifinal matchup, Harvest Preparatory took an eight point lead at the end of one quarter and cruised to victory behind a team leading 14 points by Grant Harris in only 17 minutes of action. Leading scorer Shakir Dunning struggled with 10 points on 5-16 shooting, but leads the team in scoring on the season at 18.2 points per game.

A big contribution off of the bench by Seger Bonifant (23 points in 20 minutes) paced Berlin in its 14 point semifinal victory. Berlin’s leading scorer, junior Dylan Kaufman (14.2 ppg) was held to nine points in the semifinal.

Division III features a David versus Goliath matchup as top ranked Taft of Cincinnati (24-1) squares off against unranked Cleveland Central Catholic (19-8).

Taft is led by two sport star Adolphus Washington whose 22 points in the semifinal on 7-8 shooting paced the Senators. Just a junior, Washington is receiving division one interest in both football and basketball and is considered one of the better defensive end prospects in the country heading into the fall.

For Cleveland Central Catholic, 6-foot-8 senior center Anton Grady continued his impressive senior season by posting 26 points and 22 rebounds in the semifinal. Grady, a Cleveland State recruit, is averaging 21.1 points per game on the season.

The final championship game of the day pits Northland of Columbus (26-1) versus LaSalle of Cincinnati (25-2). The teams are ranked numbers two and three in the state respectively.

Michigan recruit Trey Burke leads Northland at 24.3 points per game including 15 in the semifinal on 4-17 shooting. 6-foot-8 junior Devon Scott posted 17 points on 8-11 shooting and 10 rebounds in the semifinal win to raise his scoring average to 11.5 points per game on the season.

LaSalle features a more balanced scoring attack led by senior Brandon Neal with 14.7 points per game. In the semifinal, Neal paced LaSalle with 23 points on 10-16 shooting.

Ohio at a Glance - All Games ET

Saturday, March 26 @ Value City Arena, Columbus

Division II Finals

10:30 a.m. - St. Vincent-St. Mary of Akron (18-9) vs. Thurgood Marshall of Dayton (22-5)

Division IV Finals

1:30 p.m. - Harvest Preparatory of Canal Winchester (22-5) vs. Hiland of Berlin (26-1)

Division III Finals

4:30 p.m. - Taft of Cincinnati (25-1) vs. Central Catholic of Cleveland (19-8)

Division I Finals

8:30 p.m. - LaSalle of Cincinnati (25-2) vs. Northland of Columbus (26-1)

Four Titles To Up For Grabs In Ohio On Saturday

ScoutingTheSally — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:22:08 -0000

In Indiana, The Hoosiers Are On The Comeback Trail

ScoutingTheSally — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:48:44 -0000

I still remember Keith Smart's game-winning jumper in the 1987 NCAA title game like it happened yesterday. Growing up a Syracuse fan, that shot was a dagger through the heart as I truly believed there was just no way Billy Owens and Derrick Coleman would be denied a title.

Fast forward to 2011, and Indiana has not won another championship, having appeared in the finals only once since the 1987 title.

Additionally, the program has had five coaches since with the past handful of years being among the most difficult in the program's history due to NCAA violations and poor play.

Fast forward to 2011 and coach Tom Crean, who has led the Hoosiers to a 28-66 overall record, including an 8-46 conference record. On paper, things are bad in Bloomington, but it doesn't seem to have hurt the school's ability to recruit top talent in their home state this year.

In Saturday's state finals, two future Hoosiers will be on display as Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year Cody Zeller looks to carry his team to a second consecutive state title.

Leading the 2012 recruiting class is point guard Kevin Ferrell of Park Tudor of Indianapolis. The point guard is currently ranked third at his position and in the top 25 players overall per ESPN.

In addition to these two talents, the Hoosiers have received commitments from five other nationally ranked talents including a couple who just finished their freshman year.

And while I'll never consider myself a fan of Indiana because they beat my favorite childhood team, I can comfortably say a strong Hoosier basketball program is great for college basketball and I'm pleased to see things are headed in the right direction.

Battle Of Big Men Takes Center Stage In Indiana On Saturday

ScoutingTheSally — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:42:45 -0000

In the state of Indiana, one matchup jumps off of the page Saturday in Indianapolis.

In Class 3A, defending champion Washington (23-4), a program that boasts six state championships on its resume, takes on Culver Academies (19-6), a newbie to the state finals.

On the surface, this seems like a storyline that has already played out around the country, but the team's big men make this one special.

For Washington, a school in southwestern Indiana, 6-foot-11 Cody Zeller mans the middle and averages 24.1 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. The Indiana recruit is both the top scorer and rebounder in the tournament.

However, Zeller will be only the second tallest player on the court Saturday as Culver Academies, a school in northern Indiana, will look to 7-footer and New Mexico recruit Chier Ajou to slow Zeller in what may be the premier battle of big men this championship season.

In Class 2A, undefeated Hammond Bishop Noll (26-0), a school in the northwest corner of Indiana, looks to complete a perfect season against 2010 runner up Park Tudor of Indianapolis (25-2).

Park Tudor is led by junior Kevin Ferrell, who averages 18.7 points and 6.6 assists. The true point guard has verbally committed to Indiana and is ranked the third best point guard prospect in the country and 23rd best prospect overall per ESPN.

Trevon Bluiett, a 6-foot-5 forward, is the Panthers' most accomplished player inside. He averages 13.7 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Hammond Bishop Noll relies on a more balanced scoring led by transfer student Adonis Filer, who averages 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Filer was a Chicago Catholic League first-team pick as a member of a 26-5 Mount Carmel team in 2010. While not signed yet, Filer is fielding about a half dozen Division I offers.

All four state championship games will be webcast in live audio and video at www.espn3.com

Indiana at a glance - All Games ET

Saturday, March 26 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Class 1A

10:30 a.m. - Triton (23-3) vs. Indianapolis Metropolitan (21-6)

Class 2A

12:45 p.m. - Hammond Bishop Noll (26-0) vs. Park Tudor (25-2)

Class 3A

6:00 p.m. - Culver Academies (19-6) vs. Washington (23-4)

Class 4A

8:45 p.m. - Kokomo (23-2) vs. Bloomington South (25-2)

Indiana-bound Zeller Leads Washington To Third Title In Four Seasons

ScoutingTheSally — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:42:45 -0000

Cody Zeller, a 6-foot-11 center, scores 20 points and has 20 rebounds in 61-46 victory over Culver. It was the third title in four seasons for Zeller and Washington High.

In the state of Indiana, one matchup jumps off of the page Saturday in Indianapolis.

Top 25 Ranked Chester Headlines Pennsylvania Boys Basketball Championships

ScoutingTheSally — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 02:49:24 -0000

In Pennsylvania's Class AAAA, nationally ranked Chester headlines four boys basketball state championship matchups Friday and Saturday at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.

Senior guard Maurice Nelson, younger brother of Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson, leads the way for the 30-1 Clippers as they enter the game heavily favored over Mount Lebanon of Pittsburgh (27-3).

Chester is ranked No. 22 by MaxPreps and No. 23 by ESPN Rise.

In beating playoff opponents by an average score of more than 18 points, Chester, a metro Philadelphia school, looks to do what it does best - pressure an opponent into submission.

In a 180-degree contract of styles, Mount Lebanon will do its best Princeton impression and slow down Chester as it has other playoff opponents.

In defeating Penn Wood 52-48 in the semifinals, Mount Lebanon knocked off a team coming off back-to-back finals appearances, including a state championship in 2009.

In Class AAA Friday night action, Neumann-Goretti of Philadelphia (26-4), the only boys team with a chance at repeating, takes on Montour (23-7) , a suburban Pittsburgh school. For Montour, this is the school’s first-ever trip to a state final.

Neumann-Goretti is led by point guard and MaxPreps top-100 player Lamin Fulton, a St. Peter’s commitment. Similar to Chester, Neumann-Goretti relies on pressure to force turnovers and will look to use a speed advantage.

Montour is led by sophomore two-sport star Devin Wilson, who is already receiving Division I interest from a number of colleges.

Pennsylvania finals at a glance - All Games ET

Friday @ Bryce Jordan Center - Penn State

Class A

3 p.m. - MCS Charter vs. Lincoln Park Charter

Class AAA

8 p.m - Neumann-Goretti vs. Montour

Saturday, March 26 @ Bryce Jordan Center - Penn State

Class AA

2 p.m - Imhotep Charter vs. Greensburg CC

Class AAAA

7 p.m. - Chester vs. Mount Lebanon

Nationally Ranked Chester Beats Mount Lebanon In OT, Completes 31-1 Season

ScoutingTheSally — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 02:49:24 -0000

In Class AAA, Neumann-Goretti looks to repeat as state champion against Montour on Friday night at Penn State University.

In Pennsylvania's Class AAAA, nationally ranked Chester headlines four boys basketball state championship matchups Friday and Saturday at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.

Top Recruit Otto Porter Succeeds Without Summer Ball

ScoutingTheSally — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 03:11:28 -0000

Summer basketball has forever changed the high school basketball landscape. Sentiment is divided as to whether the overall impact has been negative or positive, but few would argue the path to major Division I basketball leads through the summer circuit.

However, one athlete has defied the odds in earning a spot amongst the top 50 players in the country. Otto Porter, the 6-foot-9 forward from Scott County Central in Missouri, has received major college offers from Missouri and Georgetown having played basketball only for his high school.

And while one could point and say, "There's an example of a player doing it the right way," let's take a look at just how "right" Porter had to be.

Missouri record holder for career final four points (191).
Missouri state championship single game record holder for rebounds (35).
Star player for team that won three consecutive state championships

If anything, Porter serves as an example for just how hard it is to be seen without summer basketball. I commend Missouri and Georgetown for aggressively pursuing Porter first, but one is left speculating if Duke or North Carolina would be in the mix had Porter played the circuit.

Simeon Defeats Warren 48-39, Repeats As Class 4A Champion

ScoutingTheSally — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 03:04:07 -0000

Nationally ranked Simeon (30-2) led from wire to wire and defeated Warren 48-39 to repeat as Illinois' Class 4A champion Saturday evening in Peoria. It was the Chicago school's fifth state title overall in boys basketball, fourth in five years.

The defensive struggle saw each team sustain a quarter long scoring drought beginning in the third quarter and ending in the fourth.

Simeon ends the 2010-2011 season ranked number one in Illinois with an outside shot at a top ten national ranking in several polls.

Star sophomore and all-state player Jabari Parker led Simeon with 12 points and five rebounds, though he struggled from the floor. going 5-for-14.

Guard Darien Walker was the only other double-digit scorer for Simeon with 10.

For Warren (31-4), a school about 90 minutes southwest of Madison, Wisc., junior Darius Paul was the only Blue Devils player in double-digits with 10 points. Warren missed 30 of 41 shots, according to the Chicago Tribune.

With a core consisting of sophomores and juniors, Simeon is one of the early favorites for a 2011-12 national title.

A Warren win would have been the first basketball championship, male or female, in school history.

Rock Island Defeats Centralia In Double Overtime, Earns Class 3A Crown

ScoutingTheSally — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:48:41 -0000

After four quarters and one overtime, Rock Island and Centralia were deadlocked in their Class 3A championship game Saturday afternoon in Peoria.

Then, it wasn't close.

A 10-0 run by Rock Island (30-3) in the second extra period broke the game open behind seven free throws by Royce Muskeyvalley resulting in a 50-40 final score. Centralia (30-5) was held scoreless in the second overtime.

Leading the scoring for Rock Island was Chasson Randle with 13 points. He also had seven rebounds. Randle averaged 22.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game entering Saturday's action.

Denzel McCauley came up big on the boards with 17 rebounds to go along with his nine points. Romal Davis nearly had a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds in the win.

Centralia was led by R.J. Kwiatkowski with 15 points, close to his 16.7 points per game average.

Bryan Betts contributed 13 points and six rebounds in the losing effort.

For Rock Island, a school about 100 miles northwest of Peoria, the championship appearance was the school's first since 1910 and first state title in school history.

Centralia's last trip to state was in 2002. Centralia, a school about 90 minutes east of St. Louis, is one of only two boys high school basketball programs in the United States with over 2,000 wins.

Massachusetts Finals: St. John's Prep, New Mission, Whitinsville Christian Win State Titles

ScoutingTheSally — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:15:41 -0000

New Mission, a Boston-area school of only about 275 students, beats Northridge 67-57 for Division 2 championship.

Earlier this week, Winthrop (19-6) defeated Cohasset (22-3) 58-55 to capture the Division 4 title at TD Boston Garden to begin championship festivities.

Senior center Anthony Hatzisavas led the team with 16 points.

Junior forward Joe D'Amore chipped in 15 points, including 11 in a hotly contested fourth quarter which saw Cohasset charge back from nine down with 2:30 to play.

For Winthrop, a town 20 minutes east of Boston, the championship victory came after three consecutive losses in the north sectional finals.

Cohasset, a coastal town twenty minutes southeast of Boston, was led by sophomore Shane Haggerty with 17 points.

Kyrel Jaundoo and Sam Richardson also registered double-digit point totals in the losing effort.

Three additional state championships will be decided Saturday at the DCU Center in Worcester.

The Division 1 title game features the St. John's Pioneers (21-5) versus the St. John's Prep Eagles (25-1). The Eagles enter the championship game with only one loss and the top ranking in Massachusetts. Their national ranking sits in the 40's.

St. John's Prep is led by senior small forward Pat Connaughton, a Notre Dame recruit and MaxPreps top 100 player.

The New Mission Titans (19-4) will face the Northbridge Rams (18-5) in the Division 2 final.

Northbridge, seeking its first every state title, is led by senior guard Corey Pryor who averages 27 points per game on the season.

New Mission holds a tremendous size advantage entering the game with a starting lineup averaging 6-foot-4.

In Division 3, the Watertown Red Raiders (17-5) are a slight favorite over Whitinsville Christian (19-2).

Watertown is led by senior guard Marco Coppola who has averaged 23.5 points per game in the playoffs and led Eastern Massachusetts in scoring this season.

Whitinsville Christian has relied on their size advantage to disrupt state tournament opponents en route to the title game.

Guard Taylor Bajema enters the final on a hot streak averaging 21.3 points per game in his last three.

Massachusetts at a Glance - All Games ET

Saturday, March 19 @ DCU Center in Worcester

Division 3 Finals

12:30 p.m. - Watertown vs. Whitinsville Christian

Division 2 Finals

4:00 p.m. - New Mission vs. Northbridge

Division 1 Finals

7:30 p.m. - St John's vs. St. John's Prep

Three Championships On Tap For Saturday; Winthrop Reigns In Division 4