Wondering how the title race for the City League is shaping up? Well, Keeper of the Hoops has you covered as we break down the teams, the schedules and what needs to happen from here on out for each team to accomplish its goals. Click the jump and you will find everything you need to know about how the City League can and will be won.
Notable Tiebreakers: Over East, Over Kapaun
Remaining schedule: @Heights on Feb. 1; vs. East on Feb. 8; @Kapaun on Feb. 8; @Southeast on Feb. 9; vs. South on Feb. 12; vs. Carroll on Feb.15; vs. West on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: The Redskins haven't won a City League title since the 1973-74 season. That's 39 years. So just sharing a league title would be a momentous accomplishment for North. But with a player like Conner Frankamp, it wants more. It gets East at home and has to go to Kapaun, Heights and Southeast, which are all four tremendous challenges. Frankamp rises to the occasion and delivers North a perfect end to the season - complete with the league title
Worst-case scenario: It wouldn't be a complete shock if North drops one, or even two, in the next four games. If somehow East finishes the 2nd half unscathed and North has to share it, or even gasp, lose it then that's going to be a huge disappointment for the Redskins. Anyting less than a title is the worst-case scenario.
Odds of winning: 60 percent
Notable Tiebreakers: Split with Kapaun
Remaining schedule: vs. Carroll on Feb. 1; @North on Feb. 5; vs. Heights on Feb. 8; vs. Northwest on Feb. 9; @West on Feb. 12; vs. South on Feb. 19; vs. Southeast on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: East has an extremely favorable schedule to end the season with 5 of 7 games being played at home. After letting North steal one in the beginning of the season, East closes the deal this time, which vaults them into a tie for first place and the momentum to finish the 2nd half unbeaten to guarantee at least a share of the City League title.
Worst-case scenario: Although it gets virtually every game against the middle of the pack at home, East still hasn't put to rest the notion it only gets up for big games. If the Blue Aces get caught sleeping, lose one at home it probably shouldn't or maybe the game at West, lose the North game and finish in second or tie with Kapaun.
Odds of winning: 30 percent
Notable Tiebreakers: Split with East
Remaining schedule: vs. South on Feb. 1; @Southeast on Feb. 5; vs. North on Feb. 8; @Carroll on Feb. 9; @West on Feb. 15; vs. Northwest on Feb. 19; @Heights on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: Kapaun regains its confidence the next games to set up another showdown with North at home. After an embarrassing performance the first time around, Kapaun proves it can still be an elite team and knocks off the Redskins. There's still an outside chance that North and East both could lose again, which would create a 3-way tie for the league title - that's Kapaun's best bet.
Worst-case scenario: Kapaun has a difficult schedule down the stretch with four of its games against the middle of the pack coming on the road. The Crusaders once again flounder against North, drop another one on the road and finish in a distant 3rd and maybe even have to share it with Southeast.
Odds of winning: 5 percent
Notable Tiebreakers: West, Carroll, Northwest
Remaining schedule: vs. Kapaun on Feb. 5; vs. West on Feb. 8; vs. North on Feb. 9; @Carroll on Feb. 12; @Northwest on Feb. 15; vs. Heights on Feb. 19; @East on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: Southeast gets Kapaun and North at home, which should help for a possible upset bid, and it always seems to play East tough. If the Buffaloes can win just one of those games and then take care of business with the middle of the pack (West, @Carroll, @Northwest & Heights) they could conceivably finish in a tie for 3rd place with Kapaun. But 4th in the first year under Melvin Herring would still be a huge accomplishment.
Worst-case scenario: The Buffs drop all three against the elite teams, then struggle against the swing games mentioned above. Coming away from that 2-2 isn't out of the picture, which would mean finishing the 2nd half 3-5 and likely having to settle for a 5th or 6th place finish in a logjam in the middle of the standings.
Notable Tiebreakers: Swept Heights, Northwest
Remaining schedule: @East on Feb. 1; @South on Feb. 5; vs. Kapaun on Feb. 9; vs. Southeast on Feb. 12; @North on Feb. 15; vs. West on Feb. 19; @Northwest on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: Lonnie ball takes over the second half of the season and Carroll wins all of its swing games (Southeast, West & Northwest). The sweep over Heights is huge and Carroll gets Kapaun at home, which is always a close game it seems like. If the Eagles can pull that off and take care of the swing games, then they're looking at a probable 4th place finish, which is amazing considering their 2-5 start.
Worst-case scenario: Carroll lets one get away it should win, which it can't afford with the middle of the standings looking like it's going to be a logjam. The Eagles lose two of the swing games, fail to upset any of the top three and have to settle for a 6th place finish with a 6-10 record.
Notable Tiebreakers: West, Northwest, Southeast
Remaining schedule: vs. North on Feb. 1; @West on Feb. 5; @East on Feb. 8; vs. Northwest on Feb. 12; @South on Feb. 15; @Southeast on Feb. 19; vs. Kapaun on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: The Falcons find themselves like they appeared to do in the mid-season tournament, take care of the middle of the pack (West, Northwest, South & Southeast) and find a way to upset one of the top three (they get North and Kapaun at home). It's not unreasonable to think Heights could be among the top teams in the league during the 2nd half and sneak up to finish in the top 4, which is incredible considering the circumstances entering the season.
Worst-case scenario: Scoring the ball continues to be an issue, which has plagued them in losses, and Heights falls back to the pack. The Falcons fail to pull off an upset in the 2nd half, struggle on the road and drop 2 of their swing games and finish the 2nd half with a 2-6 record to drop to 6th or 7th place.
Notable Tiebreakers: Carroll
Remaining schedule: @Northwest on Feb. 1; vs. Heights on Feb. 5; @Southeast on Feb. 8; @South on Feb. 9; vs. East on Feb. 12; vs. Kapaun on Feb. 15; @Carroll on Feb. 19; @North on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: West is the team no one wants to face, but unfortunately for the Pioneers they have to play 5 games on the road - and 4 of them are swing games. They will put Heights, East and Kapaun on upset alert at home, and if the Pioneers can shock one of those teams, sneak a few wins on the road and finish the 2nd half 4-4 it could finish in the top 5 of the league after a 1-5 start.
Worst-case scenario: The road battles wear on the Pioneers and they drop four of the five games and fail to win any of the games at home (against three of the top teams in the league). That free fall tanks West back to a 4-12 record and a likely 8th place finish after showing some real promise.
Notable Tiebreakers: West
Remaining schedule: vs. West on Feb. 1; vs. South on Feb. 8; @East on Feb. 9; @Heights on Feb. 12; vs. Southeast on Feb. 15; @Kapaun on Feb. 19; vs. Carroll on Feb. 21.
Best-case scenario: Northwest went 1-3 in its swing games the first round of play and that reverses to 3-1 as the Grizzlies finish with a respectable 7-9 record and firmly in the middle of the pack during their rebuilding year. Northwest gets 4 games at home and the good news is that they're all winnable. A 3-5 or 4-4 record in the 2nd half would be a solid building block and likely put Northwest in 6th place.
Worst-case scenario: Scoring continues to be an issue and Northwest drops three of its swing games at home (West, Heights, Southeast, Carroll) again in the second half to finish in a distant 8th place. The Grizzlies lose all three on the road as well to make for a miserable 1-7 2nd half.
Remaining schedule: @Kapaun on Feb. 1; vs. Carroll on Feb. 5; @Northwest on Feb. 8; vs. West on Feb. 9; @North on Feb. 12; vs. Heights on Feb. 15; @East on Feb. 19.
Best-case scenario: South starts competing with the middle of the pack (Carroll, Northwest, West, Heights) and even wins two or three of them. Anything positive in the first year under Kendall Hope to take into next year would be a huge plus for the Titans.
Worst-case scenario: Hope is still trying to install his system and get his players to play his way. That takes times..The league is unforgiving and hands the Titans nine more losses, as they finish the season with an 0-18 record.
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