KEITH GROLLER BASKETBALL PICKS

From Keith Groller

Weatherwise, we've been dodging a lot of bullets this winter.

We're due to get hit and hit hard and it may be this weekend.

The good news is that things have gone so well to this point that everybody is caught up and on schedule and we're down to just a handful of games that need to get in to complete the regular season.

Many of tonight's scheduled games were already moved up on Thursday and there's likely to be a few more changes coming on Friday morning. (As of 10:15 a.m., we've already learned Northampton-Whitehall and Saturday's Pocono East-Allen games have postponed).

We'll post those changes, if we get them, here, and elsewhere online. Before you head out to a game, you'd be wise to double-check if it's still on and at what time.

Here is the boys basketball schedule as of Thursday night

Allen at Emmaus (5)
Bethlehem Catholic at Liberty (6:30)
Central Catholic at Dieruff (7:30)
Freedom at Easton (5:30)
Nazareth at Parkland (7:30)
Northampton at Whitehall (7:30) UPDATED: POSTPONED UNTIL MONDAY
Bangor at Catasauqua (6)
Northern Lehigh at Pen Argyl (4)
Palmerton at Northwestern (7:15)
Palisades at Southern Lehigh (7:15)
Salisbury at Notre Dame GP (7:15)
Saucon Valley at Wilson (7:15)
Lehighton at ES South (5:30)

PM East at ES North (5:30)
PM West at Pleasant Valley (5:30)

And here are the predictions:

LVC

Allen 60, Emmaus 56...Canaries better be ready to play because Green Hornets are fighting for their district playoff lives, have beaten some good teams this season and are much tougher at home.

Liberty 70, Becahi 60...Hurricanes still trying to figure out life without Anthony Gonzalez.

CCHS 65, Dieruff 53...Considering the comments these two schools always generate, I am sure I will hear plenty about this one no matter what happens.

Easton 57, Freedom 54...Just a hunch on this one. Easton has made a remarkable surge since that controversial loss to CCHS at the late buzzer a few Thursdays ago.

Whitehall 56, Northampton 51....It will be nice to see again high school's basketball version of The Three Stooges -- Gierula, Garger and Yadush.

Nazareth 58, Parkland 54...I expect the Trojans to put up a valiant fight, but ultimately, they can't stave off the end of the road as far as a postseason berth goes.

COLONIAL

Bangor 58, Catasauqua 44... Roughies' season hinges on the health of Josh Case's knee.

Northern Lehigh 60, Pen Argyl 40...Bulldogs ready to wrap up the division.

Northwestern 62, Palmerton 49.....Tigers will still need to beat either Bangor or Catty to earn district berth.

Southern Lehigh 64, Palisades 52....Spartans scorekeeper Stan Swartz is still one of the nicest guys around and may be in line for a three-peat as Colonial League scorekeeper of the year.

Notre Dame 84, Salisbury 64...Crusaders are the only Colonial League team that I think could be .500 or better in the Lehigh Valley Conference this year.

Wilson 48, Saucon Valley 44...Panthers still need one more win to clinch district berth.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY

Pocono Mountain East 69, ES North 60....When it happens, the Cardinals vs. Canaries could be a District 11 4A semifinal or championship preview.

ES South 67, Lehighton 42...Weekly shoutout to the Carbon County king Ed Hedes, the prince of the Peak on concert nights.

Pocono Mountain West 66, Pleasant Valley 58....Wonder how much of a difference with the Bears Sean O'Neill would have made if he stayed all the way.

NONLEAGUE

Pocono Mountain East 78, Allen 73...If it's played, it could be the game of the year. POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY, FEB. 11

That's it. Remember to shovel in moderation.

Keith Groller