HooptownGTA's Super 16 - Released Nov 22

Sandalwood has the parts...

All I am saying is that they always underachieve...

Their junior and senior teams were top contenders last year and they both lost early in the play-offs.

They got 3 top prospects in Troy Grant, Stuckey, Judge and they have a decent 7 footer. They should be battling d'y for that division.

First of all, everyone needs to relax! It is not even December and we are already writing off certain teams and boosting others. Last week everyone was writing off Oakwood and now they just knocked off J Clarke. Loyola has losses to Oakwood, St. Mikes and J. Clarke but rebounded this past weekend and won the Heinbuch Classic. Everyone needs to relax!!!!
This is the new era of GTA basketball and things will change from week to week. If a team is playing well and competing hard they will win and if they don't compete hard that same team could lose to any quality team in the GTA. Right now, the only team that is a clear cut early season favorite is Vaughn. The Voyagers have a good core back from last years OFSAA semi-finalist team, a quality junior player from last year in Henry Tan and a superstar/stud in Andrew Wiggins. The other early season contenders do not have the same elements , therefore, they can get beaten quite easily any weekend if they are not playing well.

Full marks should go out to Sandlewood for their performance at the West Humber Invitational. They withstood the challenge of Pine Ridge, Jarvis and West Humber. The Falcons were hungry! If you are a Sandlewood player or supporter, you should feel proud because your team has gained a little respect and recognition. However, lets not get carried away! It is just one weekend and it is really early in the season. They have to continue to work hard and get some more noteworthy wins against better opponents to be highly regarded.

Tart11 is bang on! West Humber is a solid team. They played really hard and with a tremendous amount of pride in their own tournament. Most people at the final game thought Sandlewood would beat the Vikings by 20+ at least. However, West Humber played tough on their home floor and wanted that title. They played Pine Ridge in the finale last year really tough for 3 quarters before they ran out of gas and the score got out of hand. This year a different squad came even closer to capturing that elusive title. West Humber is a solid team, but, don't discount that home team tourney factor.

Also Tart11 is right about Pine Ridge! Pine Ridge is not overated...I think that is incorrect. I think that Pine Ridge is an honourable mention team, but, definitely not a top 16. Pine Ridge has been included on that list because of their semi-final finish at the Pinky Lewis Tournament in Hamilton. Pine Ridge also has a good past reputation. However, they graduated 7 players from last years team. It is a totally different team...a young, inexperienced team....a squad that has to win on team play and maximum effort. If the effort is not there, they could lose to anyone. If the effort is there, like it was against J Clarke and Loyola they can compete with anyone. Pine Ridge did not bring much effort against Sandlewood and the Falcons exposed them. If Pine Ridge played like it did against J Clarke or Loyola, it would have been a different result.

Finally, as I said earlier, it is early in the season. Many teams are ranked and boosted on past reputation. Pickering High school is a totally different and younger team than last year and they dropped a game to Holy Name (Windsor)...Henry Carr is a much younger, inexperienced team...Campion is a different team....Martingrove is a different team....Laurier is a different team....only time will tell if these teams can continue being top contenders in the GTA.

rerun wrote:First of all, everyone needs to relax! It is not even December and we are already writing off certain teams and boosting others. Last week everyone was writing off Oakwood and now they just knocked off J Clarke. Loyola has losses to Oakwood, St. Mikes and J. Clarke but rebounded this past weekend and won the Heinbuch Classic. Everyone needs to relax!!!!
This is the new era of GTA basketball and things will change from week to week. If a team is playing well and competing hard they will win and if they don't compete hard that same team could lose to any quality team in the GTA. Right now, the only team that is a clear cut early season favorite is Vaughn. The Voyagers have a good core back from last years OFSAA semi-finalist team, a quality junior player from last year in Henry Tan and a superstar/stud in Andrew Wiggins. The other early season contenders do not have the same elements , therefore, they can get beaten quite easily any weekend if they are not playing well.

Full marks should go out to Sandlewood for their performance at the West Humber Invitational. They withstood the challenge of Pine Ridge, Jarvis and West Humber. The Falcons were hungry! If you are a Sandlewood player or supporter, you should free proud because your team has gained a little respect and recognition. However, lets not get carried away! It is just one weekend and it is really early in the season. They have to continue to work hard and get some more noteworthy wins against better opponents to be highly regarded.

Tart11 is bang on! West Humber is a solid team. They play really hard and with a tremendous sense of pride in their own tournament. Most people at the final game thought Sandlewood would beat the Vikings by 20+ at least. However, West Humber is tough on their home floor and want that title. They played Pine Ridge in the finale last year really tough for 3 quarters before they ran out of gas and the score got out of hand. This year a different squad came even closer to capturing that elusive title. West Humber is a solid team, but, don't discount that home team tourney factor.

Also Tart11 is right about Pine Ridge! Pine Ridge is not overated...I think that is incorrect. I think that Pine Ridge is an honourable mention team, but, definitely not a top 16. Pine Ridge has been included on that list because of their semi-final finish at the Pinky Lewis Tournament in Hamilton. Pine Ridge also has a good past reputation. However, they graduated 7 players from last years team. It is a totally different team...a young, inexperienced team....a squad that has to win on team play and maximum effort. If the effort is not there, they could lose to anyone. If the effort is there, like it was against J Clarke and Loyola they can compete with anyone. Pine Ridge did not bring much effort against Sandlewood and the Falcons exposed them. If Pine Ridge played like it did against J Clarke or Loyola, it would have been a different result.

Finally, as I said earlier, it is early in the season. Many teams are ranked and boosted on past reputation. Pickering High school is a totally different and younger team than last year and they dropped a game to Holy Name (Windsor)...Henry Carr is a much younger, inexperienced team...Campion is a different team....Martingrove is a different team....Laurier is a different team....only time will tell if these teams can continue being top contenders in the GTA.

You are bang on about most of the stuff, sandalwood is always underacheiving the season starts tomorrow and they will face ascension who is a very worthy oponent unfortunately brandon sackey cannot play because his papers did not go through offsaaa for some stupid reason but their still a solid team this year should be a very good year for all competing teams!

oh yeahhhhh
tomorrows games in the north should be LIVE!!

sandalwood vs ascension
however Dyouville vs. Aquinas , that wont be pretty

campion vs Fletchers Meadow
Lincoln vs ND

should be 2 good games as well

then on Wed

dY vs Fletchers
Campion vs Ascension
Sandalwood vs Lincoln