MCT FINAL FOUR Preductions

Mt. Olive vs. Delbarton

This first game is a hard game to guess...and since I am 11-1 in my picks I do not want to guess wrong. If this were the NCAA Tournament, I would be about to freaking retire with my predictions. Of course gambling is bad and wrong...and it is doubly bad when you are gambling on a Jesuit school). The point is, when I guess these games I really put a lot of analysis into this. And this game has all the makings of a great game. Mt. Olive has a few losses this season but they are all to big named programs like Seton Hall Prep and Columbia. In fact, they have no losses to sub par teams. However, Delby has tripped up a few times. Don't get me wrong, losing to DePaul and West Side don't count in my book. But losses to Madison and Montville create a lot of questions.

To win, Delbarton will need this superstar Monsignor Paddy O'Sullivan (I love this kid) to be his regular awesome self. But the Green Wave (by the way, they need to change their name to the Irish Bull Fighters or something...the name "Green Wave" just doesn't do much to scare opponents) needs to get their supporting cast involved. They need more than Jon Leanos creating magic too. They need big games out of Harry Marino, Andrew Waldele and Ben Tolkowsky. To me, Delbarton will win if Logan True takes more shots from three-point land. He can drain them, he just needs someone to pass him the ball.

But to be honest, Mt. Olive has a little more going for them though. Of course they have an answer to Delbarton's Sullivan in the way of Russell Holloway. But while Sullivan will take the game into his own hands when the game is on the line, Holloway is not affraid to dish the ball to his teamates. Holloway is one of those players that makes other players better. If you notice, in games where Holloway does not put up bigger numbers, guys like Jerod Hatcher and Andrew Haduck are scoring bigger numbers. And other guys like Brian Bublitz, Matt Bratter and Jared Grubow get open to make opportune shots. The x-factor for this game is Brian Drury though. He gives the depth the Mauraders need and has no problem sinking a bomb from the tre when called upon.
PICK: Mt. Olive (forgive me Father)

Mendham vs. Chatham

This is the game that I want a front row seat at. Chatham has owned Mendham this year beating them twice. But Mendham only has three losses in total including another one to Weequahic. The problem with Chatham is they have flaked out a few times during the season with losses to Summit and Weequahic. This game will surely have all the makings of a great match.

But the reason Chatham has been dominating this series is they just match up well to Mendham. Chatham's Billy Oliver has the size of Mendham's Mark Cisco with the skill of Mendham's Rob Berish. Oliver is just dominate on both sides of the ball underneath the paint. His defense is the reason why Chatham has been so good this year. That and the fact that guys like Pat Butler and Burton Gildersleeve step up nicely on D as well. Mike Sweeney and Josh Toolajian add much needed offensive prowess. Chris Conroy and JP Carlton also give much depth on the bench to make Chatham a nicely rounded team.

But if you remember, the NY Giants lose two games to the Dallas Cowboys in the regular season this year. But when it game down to playoff time, the Giants came through. Just like the Giants, I have seen the Minutemen really mature through this season. In fact, one of this sites new favorite players is Marky Mark Cisco because of the way he has grown this season. Cisco is a much different player than he was in the first two games vs. Chatham. I think Oliver will be caught off guard at how much smarter Cisco is playing now. If Oliver is forced to keep his eye on Cisco than Mendham wins and in a big way. Rob Berish could single handedly take one a Chatham team without Oliver. But he won't have to because guys like Chris Hanson (NOT the guy from Dateline NBC...just to clear it for the record), Chris Campisi and Max Ferri are solid on both sides of the ball. Mendham is very solid with their depth as well with Mike Salerno, Caleb Demoss, Colin McAleeney, Kent Poges and Conor Tinquist. Mendham has just been playing too good lately to let this game slip away.
PICK: Mendham

Start 'em & Sit 'em

For those of you Fantasy players out there here is who you should sit and start this week.

Start 'em:

Pat Sullivan, Delbarton: Sullivan will be good for 25 points this game. Although I think the team will lose, he likes to have the ball in his hands when the ball is on the line.

Mark Cisco, Mendham: I just see Cisco having a big game. I see him putting up over 20 points in this game.

Sit 'em:

Russell Holloway, Mt. Olive: In leagues that give points for assists, definately start Holloway but Holloway has creates a lot of openings for the rest of his teamates. That is great for his team but takes big offensive points away from his offensive point totals.

Billy Oliver, Chatham: Actually, I see Oliver having a big game but I would sit him in leagues that give points for defensive points. I don't see him putting up the big defensive numbers because of the way Mendham will match up to him this game. I bet he puts up about 20 points which is worthy of a start. But if you are counting on his regular 10 blocks, it ain't happening this night.

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