Mid-Season Outlook: CMAC Conference
As we enter the holiday break, many Cincinnati area teams are either away playing in holiday tournaments or are using this time off as a chance to get better. With the start of the second half of the season, we…
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Continue ReadingAs we enter the holiday break, many Cincinnati area teams are either away playing in holiday tournaments or are using this time off as a chance to get better. With the start of the second half of the season, we here at Prep Hoops thought that it would be appropriate if we gave a conference by conference run down for the greater Cincinnati area. For the first installment of the series we take a look at the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference. Conference records for each team are in parenthesis.
Standings:
Hughes 3-3 (3-0)
Shroder 5-2 (2-1)
Taft 5-1 (1-1)
Aiken 1-7 (1-1)
Woodward 7-2 (1-2)
Western Hills 3-5 (0-3)
This is a race that will go down to the last week of the season with four teams (Hughes, Shroder, Taft and Woodward) having a chance at the conference crown. Shroder has replaced Aiken as the fourth team with a shot at the title despite losing two of their top players before the season started. Woodward has struggled some in conference losing to both Hughes and Taft by a combined 32 points. But help is on the way for the Bulldogs as Lonnie Berry, Aiken transfer and one of the top scorers in the city, will eligible within the next couple of weeks after sitting out the first 11 games due to OHSAA transfer rules. Look for Berry to be on the court for Woodward on or around their January 6th game versus Western Hills and to be an immediate scoring presence for the Bulldogs.
Conference leader Hughes should also get a boost once transfer Giovanni Santiago is eligible after also sitting the first 11 games. I have not been able to see much of Santiago in action, but the buzz is he among the best passer and leaders at the point guard position in the city. The return of Santiago should help Stony Brook commit Corry Long as his ball handling duties will decrease but expect for his efficiency to increase. Santiago should also help junior wing AJ Smith see a lot more open shots as well. The Taft Senators, the preseason #1 ranked Division II team in Cincinnati, will also make the race very interesting. Their January 27th match-up against Woodward and February 3rd match-up against Hughes will go a long way in determining the winner of the conference. This is a race that will be among the most exciting in the city.
Predicted Standings:
Hughes
Taft
Woodward
Shroder
Aiken
Western Hills