Shamokin with a chance to run the table

Asst. Joe Gubernot sets the defense

Shamokin Area Indian Boys will have a chance to win the inaugural Heartland Athletic Conference Division 1 basketball championship with a win over Mifflinburg tonight at Mifflinburg. A win by Shamokin will make them undefeated in league play and will be the second straight league championship winning the Schuylkill League last year in a final against North Schuylkill. Mifflinburg was eliminated from post-season earlier in month with a loss to Danville.

A side note on tonight's game. Shamokin assistant coach Joe Gubernot was attacked by a female fan from Mifflinburg. The fan thought Gubernot was singling out Wildcat players to be attacked physically by the Indians. Coach Gubernot has been flashing defensive signal cards for close to 20 years.

This comes after an incident during the football season involving a local media outlet.

Buzzer beater by Danville sends Shamokin home

One video clip is worth a thousand words. Just as when it looked like the Indians were going to survive and advance to the District IV AAA finals, the ghosts of Scott Ativo and Bill Celuk came home to haunt the Indians. Danville senior C.J. Cressman came out of nowhere to bury a trey near halfcourt and will now be forever remembered in Ironmen basketball lore.

It was Scott Ativo's lay up of an air ball in 1998 for Steel-High that sent Shamokin home in the Eastern semifinals and Celuk's tap in at the buzzer for Valley View in the Eastern quarters in 1997. Assistant coach for Shamokin, saw both as a player back then for the Indians. Now add Cressman to that list.

One player that you do have to feel for is Shamokin's Marc Persing. He is the lone senior that will not be returning for the Indians next season in the Heartland Conference. Persing needed 17 points for 1000 points for the career finished with 990.

Shamokin begins playoff run, Bison in critical week.

Shamokin will begin their quest this Saturday night for an elusive district title (Yes, the games have been moved). If you talk to anyone north of the Stonington-Snydertown Road crossroad on Route 61, more than 60% of the people polled in the Daily-Item say Milton will take the title. The main reason is Tony Fannick. The Indians coughed up a big lead late last in last year's final to the Black Panthers. Hopefully, the prep in the Schuylkill League playoffs will season the Indians. But hey, both teams have to get to the final.

With only five losses between them, neither is ranked statewide. When you further look at the poll, there isn't anyone ranked from Districts 2, 4 and 11. Other than Milton and Shamokin, Crestwood (2) is an honorable mention. Is Northeast PA basketball that bad? Ten years ago with the same record, Shamokin and Milton would have been ranked. Valley View made the finals and Allentown Central Catholic was a power. Do some damage in the state playoffs and these districts will get back on the state radar.

Bucknell

The Bison who now sit in third place in the Patriot League, have a critical week as far as their postseason is concerned. American is in first place and on the schedule tonight. The best rivalry of the last three years, Holy Cross and Bucknell, will be renewed on Saturday night. There isn't much that seperate the number 1 team vs. the number 8 team in the Patriot League. Three games to be exact. Winning on the road in the postseason is difficult and the Bison could do themselves a favor starting tonight.

Even with the loss to Navy last Saturday night, it was good to see Coach Flannery on the sidelines (yes, I was at the game).

Tom Housenick hits the nail right on the head when he writes about Bucknell's season to date for the Daily-Item.