Over the years, many have asked what it’s like to be The Dribbler.
Honestly, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
It’s especially fun this time of year when your favorite prognosticator gets time off from his part-time job as an online dating ghostwriter. It allows him more time to have a “Christmas Vacation” filled with a wintry mix of high school basketball holiday tournaments and Christmas movies.
The Dribbler is a big fan of Christmas flicks, so much so that he has probably seen them all. He was “Home Alone” Monday night, so he watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Oh, and “Frosty the Snowman,” too.
Hey, did you hear about the kid who told his dad he wanted a kitten for Christmas? His father looked at him and said, “We usually have turkey and ham, but if you say so.”
Anyway, The Dribbler’s “Christmas Story” continued Tuesday when he made a rare trip to the Post-Gazette offices. Folks weren’t calling it a “Miracle on 34th Street,” but rather a “Miracle on North Shore Drive.” He and some buddies wanted to do some Christmas caroling, so they sang their hearts out like they were on “The Muppets Christmas Carol.”
If you’re like The Fumbler, you got your Christmas shopping done early this year. No need to make Friday “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” If you don’t play your cards right, you might end up coming off like “Bad Santa” or “The Grinch.”
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
The Dribbler opened the season by going 4-4 last week.
Here are his thoughts on this week’s top games:
Boys
Lincoln Park at Quaker Valley, 7:30 p.m. Thursday — Best game of the young season? The Dribbler thinks so. With the likes of Adou Thiero, L.A. Pratt and Brandin Cummings on the court, there will be no shortage of talent. No shortage of lengthy players, either. These teams split a pair of meetings last season, with each team winning on the other team’s home court. The Dribbler can see that happening again. Winner: Lincoln Park.
Ellwood City at Aliquippa, 7:30 p.m. Thursday — This just in: Joseph Roth just grabbed another rebound. It blows The Dribbler’s mind that the Ellwood City sophomore pulled down 32 boards in a season-opening win against Rochester. Just call Roth the “Chairman of the Board.” Many of the Aliquippa players earned the title “Kings of PA” by winning a state football title a few weeks ago. Once the Quips get their “basketball legs,” watch out. Winner: Ellwood City.
Butler vs. Bishop Canevin, 4:30 p.m. Monday at North Allegheny — This is one of several good games that are part of the Holiday Bash. At first glance, a Class 6A team taking on a Class 1A team might not seem appealing, but Canevin is the defending WPIAL champ and has some ballers. The Crusaders own wins against two Class 5A teams. They will push Butler in this one, but look for Butler’s Devin Carney to have a big game. Winner: Butler.
Imani Christian at North Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. Monday — Beating Class 6A North Allegheny on its home court will be a tall challenge for Class 1A Imani Christian, which is one of the tallest teams in the WPIAL. The Saints feature 6-10 Alier Maluk and 6-8 Virgil Hall. Pitt and Duquesne might be the only teams in Western Pa. that can match up. The Saints topped Class 6A Upper St. Clair on the road last week, but they won’t do the same at NA. Winner: North Allegheny.
Girls
Greensburg Central Catholic at Seton LaSalle, 7 p.m. Thursday — This from the “Did you know?” department … Did you know that Seton LaSalle coach Jordan Giles is married to Penn Hills boys coach Chris Giles? Both were standouts at Seton Hill and both are in the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Rumor has it that Jordan often beats Chris 1-on-1. Jordan’s team is off to a strong start, as well. This will be a fine win added to their resume. Winner: Seton LaSalle.
Armstrong at Latrobe, 7:30 p.m. Thursday — Armstrong? Kind of. But to be honest with you, The Dribbler’s legs are much stronger than his upper body. OK, no more workout talk today. Watching Armstrong’s Emma Paul is a workout in itself. At 5-3 and very fast, it’s hard to keep track of her on the court. Size could play a big factor in this one, as Latrobe has two starters who are about a foot taller than Paul. That size will be too much. Winner: Latrobe.
Moon at Bethel Park, 2:30 p.m. Monday — Apologies to the scorekeepers working this game, who are posed with the challenge of spelling the last names of two Emmas — Bethel Park’s Emma Dziezgowski and Moon’s Emma Theodorsson. Dziezgowski, in particular, is a Scrabble player’s dream. That’s a whopping 38 points! Of course, both of those girls can ball and both play for excellent teams. The Dribbler thinks Moon is just a little better. Winner: Moon.
Rochester vs. Beaver, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at CC of Beaver County — It doesn’t get much better than a matchup of defending WPIAL champs at the C.J. Betters Tournament. Neither team has been thrown many softballs thus far. Beaver wouldn’t mind a few, simply because their top player, Payton List, doubles as one of the state’s top softball players. List and Rochester’s Corynne Hauser should put on home run performances. Winner: Rochester.
First Published: December 23, 2021, 11:00 a.m.
