KEITH GROLLER'S TUESDAY BASKETBALL PICKS

This is another night I wish I could be in about three or four different places.

I'd love to see Nazareth at Becahi, Emmaus at Parkland or Northampton at Freedom in the LVC.

I'd like to see Notre Dame at Bangor in the Colonial.

And I'd really like to see Pocono East- Pocono West in the Mountain Valley Conference.

But I am going to Slatington to get my first look at Wilson and Northern Lehigh, two of the top teams in the Colonial this year.

The season is going by so quickly, and -- knock on wood -- it looks like weather won't interrupt the schedule any time soon -- so everybody should be on schedule for a strong second half.

How do they rank?

Here we go:

LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE.

1. Liberty (11-2) ... Win over Allen and four-point loss to Pocono Mt. West with West and Gonzalez only showed the depth and strength of the Hurricanes. At CCHS tonight.

2. Freedom (8-5) ... Wins over Allen and Nazareth and a 1-point loss to West show the Patriots are going to be a factor through February. Host Northampton tonight.

3. Whitehall (8-4)...Great way to bounce back from loss to Emmaus, winning at Harrisburg. Host Dieruff tonight.

4. Nazareth (9-3)...Blue Eagles were soaring until loss at Freedom, but this year no one stays hot for very long. At Becahi tonight.

5. Northampton (10-3)....Konkrete Kids have won four straight after loss to Nazareth. Could really make a statement with win at Freedom tonight.

6. Allen (8-4)....Canaries are good, but not ready to win a championship as losses to Freedom and Liberty indicate. Need to take care of business against desperate Easton team tonight at Sewards Gym.

7. Becahi (8-6)...Golden Hawks are in great position to secure a District 11 berth, even if LVC tourney seems unlikely. Watch scoreboard explode tonight vs. Nazareth.

8. CCHS (7-6)...After getting what they wanted, the Vikings had better deliver. Physical size and strength may cause Hurricanes some problems tonight.

9. Parkland (4-7)... Every game is like a playoff game the rest of the way for the Trojans, who welcome Emmaus tonight.

10. Easton (5-7)...Rout of Quakertown on Saturday showed the Red Rovers aren't done yet.

11. Emmaus (5-6)...Just when I was ready to count out the Green Hornets, they rip Whitehall. Loser of tonight's Hornets-Trojans game will probably not make the district tournament.

12. Dieruff (1-11)....Have scored 50 points or more just twice this season.

COLONIAL LEAGUE

1. Wilson (9-4).... Get first look at the defending league champions tonight.

2. Notre Dame (11-2)....Have dominated teams during five-game win streak, winning by an average of 24 points.

3. Northern Lehigh (9-4)...Always nice to visit Slatington. Several food options on the way out of town.

4. Bangor (7-6)...Guess I jinxed Slaters by making Mulitsch player of the week last Friday.

5. Saucon Valley (6-6)....Had won five straight before managing 25 points in blowout loss to Wilson.

6. Salisbury (6-6)....Have lost five of last seven.

7. Southern Lehigh (6-7)....Spartans should enjoy this week and games against Palmerton and Lehighton before things get tough again.

8. Palisades (3-10)....Have won two of last three... a phrase that hasn't been said in connection to Palisades basketball in a long, long time.

9. Catasauqua (5-7)...On a three-game losing streak and even Moravian Academy (tomorrow's Roughie opponent) is not a gimme this year.

10. Northwestern (6-8)....Win over Salisbury caught me by surprise.

11. Pen Argyl (1-12)....Get another shot at Palmerton on Feb. 9.

12. Palmerton (2-11).....Averaging just 28 points per game over the last five.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE

1. Pocono Mt. West (10-2)....Wow, what a game shaping up tonight against East. Could be the first of a lengthy series between the two.

2. Pocono Mt. East (9-4)...Averaging 81 points per game during five-game win streak.

3. Pleasant Valley (5-7)....Tonight's game with Stroudsburg could go a long way in determining who makes districts.

4. ES South (5-7)...Better beat North tonight with Easton coming up Wednesday in tough nonleague game.

5. ES North (8-4)....Have dropped four of last six after fast start.

6. Stroudsburg (3-10)....Remember, Mounties were still good enough to beat Pocono West early in the season.

7. Lehighton (1-11)....Plays Southern Lehigh and Lehighton alum Bob Shaffer on Thursday night.

See you at the refreshment stand.

Keith Groller