HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS REVIEW

It's the holiday season that means the local boys high school basketball schedule is on hiatus. When play resumes in January, St. Mary's and White Pines will be chasing St. Basil for first place in the senior division, while both the junior and midget teams at St. Mary's will be trying to maintain unbeaten records. SENIOR: St. Basil is in first place at 7-1 followed by St. Mary's at 6-2, White Pines at 5-3, Bawating at 4-4, Sir James Dunn at 2-6 and Korah at a very disappointing 0-8. The Saints are led by all-purpose guard Neil Joy and big Bryan Picco. A team without weakness, St. Basil also benefits from the veteran coaching of Louie Mazzuca. But St. Mary's has kept pace despite injuries to star point guard Matt Chaimrone and 6-foot-8 rebounding specialist Jason (Squiggy) Ross. White Pines is finally competitive at the senior level after years at the bottom. Leading the Wolverines' resurgence for coaches Lynn Cond and Frank Foggia have been guards Noah Rushon and Dan Swystun and forwards Adam Carpenter, Matt McAulay and Matt Wiemer. Korah, meanwhile, is winless despite having the high-scoring trio of Matt King, Carmen Medaglia and Ryan Namespetra. JUNIOR: St. Mary's leads the way at 8-0 followed by St. Basil at 6-2, Korah at 5-3, Bawating at 3-5, the Dunn at 2-6 and White Pines at 0-8. Guard Patrick Murray and forward Ryan Kelleher are key players for St. Mary's, who will lose head coach Donny Muto in the new year. Muto is off to teachers college in Buffalo and will be replaced by Adriano Carota. St. Basil has remained within striking distance of St. Mary's led by quick guard Josh Marasco. MIDGET: St. Mary's is 8-0 followed by St. Basil at 6-2, the Dunn at 5-3, Korah at 4-4, Bawating at 1-7 and White Pines at 0-8.