Will this game end the drought?
Central Catholic faces tough task vs. Hickory
If Central Catholic beats Hickory Thursday night at Hershey’s Giant Center for the PIAA Class 4A championship, it will not only be the Lehigh Valley’s first boys basketball championship since 1986, but some could argue it’s the most impressive state title any local boys team has ever earned.
Why? Well, before the 1982 Whitehall High team and the 1984 and 1986 CCHS teams get upset, a few facts.
It would be the first local state title in many years to come under a format that has only included district champions.
It would be the first local champion to come in a tournament that has included at least one team from Philadelphia: Archbishop Carroll.
It would also be the first time that one of our local teams had to win two state playoff games on the homecourt of its opponents en route to the finals.
And, finally, it also would also be the first local champion in years, if ever, to win a state gold with four wins in a span of 10 nights.
Normally, the state tournament consists of five rounds and is spread over three weekends with a Friday-Tuesday-Friday-Tuesday-Friday pattern or a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday schedule.
Due to the pandemic, the PIAA reduced the number of teams and tightened the schedule and CCHS had just two days off in between each of its games.
Considering the emotional and physical demands of posting three wins by a combined total of 10 points and mixing in two lengthy road trips, the Vikings players have basically had one day to recover, one day to prepare and then it’s on to the next round.
“All three games we’ve played so far have been very hard-fought,” said Central Catholic coach Dennis Csensits. “Usually our practices at this time of year are light, but they have been really light considering the number of games we’ve played in a short period and the intensity of all three of them. All of them have been nip and tuck.”
Csensits said that both of last week’s wins over District One champ Pope John Paul II and District 12 champ Archbishop Carroll were extremely emotional. The same was true of Monday’s win at Middletown.
“These games are physically and emotionally draining, but you have to bounce back in two days and be ready to go,” he said.
Csensits said he got a look online at Hickory, the District 10 champ that is part of the Hermitage School District in the northwest corner of the state near the Ohio border.
“Like anyone you’re going to play at this time of year, they’re talented and well-coached,” Csensits said. “They’re very physical and they have two guys that are 6-foot-5. One is a Division I football recruit [all-state linebacker Jackson Pryts]. They have a very good perimeter player [Peyton Mele] who is the coach’s son and a 1,500-point scorer who scored 38 points for them in the semifinals. He’s going to Pitt-Johnstown. They’re a veteran team and I get the sense they’ve played together for a while.”
Csensits said his squad “has its work cut out for us,” but having to come through the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference’s Lehigh County division and playing four games against District 11 6A finalists Parkland and Allen and playing as tough a nonleague schedule as possible during the pandemic has been beneficial.
CCHS opened its season with a 72-51 win over Pottsville Nativity, which won the Schuylkill League and District 11 Class A titles and will play District 5 champ Berlin for the PIAA Class A crown at 2:30 p.m.
The Vikings also went 2-1 in tight games against Berks Catholic, Holy Redeemer and Holy Ghost Prep early in the season.
They have played 11 games decided by 10 points or less and have learned to navigate tight spots, especially in the state tournament.
In an era of COVID-19, just staying eligible to play has been an accomplishment. Unlike past teams going to state championships, they will leave for Hershey without a pep rally and with little fanfare.
Regardless, they find themselves on the biggest stage in Pennsylvania high school basketball.
“Did we expect this? You never know.” Csensits said. “You have to be playing your best basketball at the right time of the year. To this team’s credit, the guys kept grinding. They fought through some injuries and had to figure out what their roles were going to be. They’ve really stepped up the past few weeks. Our kids have shown a lot of resiliency. I’m really impressed with all of them.”
PIAA 4A Boys Basketball Championship
Who: District 11 champ Central Catholic (19-4) vs. District 10 champ Hickory (23-3)
When/where: 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Giant Center.
TV: On cable on PCN and streaming at pcntv.com.
Central Catholic
Coach: Dennis Csensits (9th season, 180-63).
Probable starting lineup: Tyson Thomas (6-1, Jr. G) 16.0 ppg; Andrew Csensits (6-1, Sr. F) 4.9 ppg; Liam Joyce (6-5, Jr. F) 16.2 ppg; Aidan Burmeister (6-2, Sr. G) 5.7 ppg; Christian Spugnardi (6-5, Sr. C) 5.8 ppg.
Others to note: David Fridia (6-6, Fr. F) 1.3 ppg; Griffin Patridge (6-2, So. G) 2.7 ppg: Brendan Reed (5-10, Jr. G) 2.4 ppg; Anthony Jones (5-11, So. G) 1.9 ppg.
About the Vikings: CCHS is 48-33 all-time in PIAA playoff history and making its fifth appearance in a PIAA state final . ... Beat Hampton 72-53 for 1984 3A title, beat Aliquippa 65-54 for 1986 3A title, lost to Aliquippa 78-75 in 1989 3A finals and lost to Franklin 58-50 in 2001 3A finals . ... Vikings have won 10 of last 11 games with only loss in that stretch being a 59-52 setback to Allen on Feb. 23 ... Score 55.1 ppg, allow 44.8 and has held its last six opponents to 51 points or less. … Have made 115 3s, allowed 121. … Burmeister leads the team with 34 3s, Thomas has 25 treys . ... CCHS has shot 88 more free throws than its opponents. … Thomas is team’s top foul shooter at 83%, Patridge makes 71.4%.… Spugnardi has had 27 rebounds in the state tournament. … In addition to its two PIAA championships, CCHS has won six PCIAA championships (1945, ‘48, ‘52, ‘56, ‘57 and ‘64).
Hickory
(Information courtesy of the Sharon Herald)
Coach: Chris Mele (fourth season, 94-15; 186-27 including four seasons at Kennedy Christian and has won seven District 10 titles in eight seasons).
Probable starting lineup: Peyton Mele (6-3, Sr G) 18.3 ppg; Connor Evans (6-5, Sr. F); 15.1 ppg; Jackson Pryts (6-5, Jr. F); Matt Cannone (6-0, Sr. G) 6.7 ppg; Joey Fazzone (6-2, Sr. F) 4.8 ppg).
Others to note: Tyler Mele (6-5, Jr. G); Nathan Boa (5-9, Sr. G); Julian Hudson (5-10, Sr. G); Aidan Enoch (5-7, So. G); Tyson Djakovich (6-1, Sr. G).
About the Hornets: Peyton Mele’s career-best 38-point effort in Monday’s semifinal 68-61 win over District 7 champ Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter included an 18-for-22 effort at the foul line and four 3-pointers. He was 8-for-13 from the field. … Hickory was 30 of 42 at the foul line against Lincoln. Evans had 15 points and 10 rebounds. … Overall, Mele, an all-state selection as a junior, has made 116 foul shots and has 68 3s. He has scored in double figures in every game he has played, missing one due to injury . ... Hickory is outscoring opponents 57.8 to 43.8 ppg . ... Hickory is in the state finals for the first time since 1961 when it lost to Nanticoke 56-46 in the Class A title game at Harrisburg’s Farm Show Arena. That state championship game was played exactly 60 years ago from this one on March 25, 1961. … Hickory made it to the state semis in 1993, 1994, 1995 and in 2019, losing to Imhotep.
Keith Groller’s pick: As tough as the last three games have been for CCHS, this one might be the toughest yet against a team that seems to have it all. But the Vikings have something special. CCHS 54-52.