Mid-week boys basketball rankings: Who else but Salisbury in the Colonial?

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Decided to move back the league rankings a day this week and maybe we'll keep them on Wednesdays.

I had been doing the rankings on Tuesday mornings, only to look very bad on Tuesday nights.

So, we'll now digest the Tuesday night results -- and there were quite a few interesting ones last night -- and then take stock of where everyone stands.

In the Colonial League, the No. 1 team is real easy. You can't do any better than perfect and Salisbury is through 16 games.

In the LVC, Parkland is still riding high after its wins over Emmaus and Freedom last week and the Trojans deserve the No. 1 spot for now.

Here's how we see them with just five league games remaining for most teams:

COLONIAL LEAGUE

1. Salisbury (16-0, 11-0) ... last week No. 1 ... defeated Northern Lehigh 61-51 ... host Palisades on Thursday ... Falcons impressed defensively against Northern Lehigh.

2. Bangor (12-4, 10-1) ... last week No. 3 .... defeated Southern Lehigh 57-52 ... host Northern Lehigh on Friday ... Slaters had three guys score 16 points or more in win over Spartans.

3. Northern Lehigh (14-2, 9-2) ... last week No. 2 ... lost to Salisbry 61-51 ...visit Bangor on Friday ... Coach Jeff MIller has no doubt his kids will respond to Tuesday's loss.

4. Southern Lehigh (10-6, 8-3) ... last week No. 4 ... lost to bangor 57-52 ... at Wilson on Friday .... Alex Anderson's 34 points wasn't enough against Bangor.

5. Notre Dame (11-6, 8-4) ... last week No. 5 ... defeated Northwestern 60-35 ... host Saucon Valley on Friday ... Connor Hughes tallied 25 against Northwestern.

6. Saucon Valley (7-9, 6-5) ... last week No. 7 ... defeated Catasauqua 58-45 ... at Notre Dame on Friday ... Now back in the South Division, things will get tougher for the Panthers to qualify for districts.

7. Wilson (10-7, 5-6) ... last week No. 6 ... defeated Pen Argyl 45-34 ... host Southern Lehigh on Friday ... Warriors need just one more win to qualify for districts.

8. Catasauqua (5-11, 4-7) ... last week No. 9 ... lost to Saucon Valley 58-45 ... host Palmerton on Friday ... Loss to Saucon really will make it difficult for Roughies to qualify for districts. They have three winnable games left, but must now beat either Bangor or Northern Lehigh to qualify.

9. Palisades (3-14, 2-10) ... last week No. 11 ... defeated Palmerton 58-51 ... at Salisbury on Thursday ... Pirates are on a bit of a roll.

10. Pen Argyl (4-12, 3-8) ... last week No. 8 ... lost to Wilson 45-34 ...at Northwestern on Friday ... Thanks to a one-of-a-kind parent, Green Knights making more news off the court than on it.

11. Northwestern (2-13, 1-10) ... last week No. 10 ... lost to Notre Dame 60-35 ... host Pen Argyl on Friday ... Tigers remain offensively challenged.

12. Palmerton (1-14, 0-11) ... last week No. 12 ... lost to Palisades 58-51 ... at Catasauqua on Friday ... Bombers have at least been competitive in a bunch of games.

LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE

1. Parkland (14-1, 8-1) ... last week No. 3 ... defeated Becahi 61-46 ... host Allen on Friday ... Austin Beidelman continued his emergence with 18 vs. Becahi.

2. Freedom (14-1, 8-1) ... last week No. 1 ... defeated Whitehall 43-42 ... at Dieruff on Friday ... Nearly blew a nine-point halftime lead against Zephyrs.

3. Emmaus (11-3, 7-2) ... last week No. 2 ... defeated Liberty 61-56 ... host Becahi on Friday ... Green Hornets really needed that win over Liberty after a rough week.

4. Easton (11-4, 6-3) ... last week No. 6 ... defeated Dieruff 59-43 ... host Northampton on Friday ... Rovers' LVC playoff hopes rest on games against Freedom and Liberty, Feb. 2 and Feb. 7. Playing five of last seven at home will help.

5. Liberty (10-5, 6-3) ... last week No. 4 ... lost to Emmas 61-56 ... host Nazareth on Friday ... Hurricanes visit Pocono Mountain West on Saturday.

6. Allen (8-8, 5-4) ... last week No. 7 ... defeated Northampton 48-44 ... at Parkland on Friday ... Canaries far from a lock to make districts.

7. Central Catholic (9-6, 4-5) ... last week No. 5 ... defeated Nazareth 73-56 ... at Stroudsburg Wednesday night ... I will be there tonight to check out new gym and see if Vikings have their offensive act together.

8. Whitehall (8-8, 3-6) ... last week No. 8 ... lost to Freedom 43-41 ... host Central Catholic on Friday on Hall of Fame Night... Zephs just missed out on signature win that really could have propelled them down the stretch.

9. Northampton (5-10, 3-6) ... last week No. 9 ... lost to Allen 48-44 ... at Easton on Friday ... Win over Central Catholic showed what this team is capable of.

10. Nazareth (6-9, 2-7) ... last week No. 10 ... lost to CCHS 73-56 ... at Liberty on Friday ... Blue Eagles have had to deal with a lot of issues this year.

11. Bethlehem Catholic (4-10, 2-7) ... last week No. 11 ... lost to Parkland 61-46 ... at Emmaus on Friday ... Win over Whitehall caught a lot of people by surprise.

12. Dieruff (4-13, 0-9) ... last week No. 12 ... lost to Easton 59-43 ... host Freedom on Friday ... Huskies appear headed for second straight five-win season, assuming they can beat Becahi next Tuesday.

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