Creating a Regional Dynasty

It is sacred ground for lacrosse.

Central New York is renowned across the country for being a location that generally dominates the sport, but it is starting to earn a new reputation: basketball domination.

The basketball supremacy starts off at the high school level with the Jamesville-DeWitt High School Boys Varsity Basketball team. Back-to-back state championships in 2008 and 2009 have seemed to inspire the No. 1 team in the state to a 15-0 start this year. However, even disregarding this unfinished year, the past says it all. Last year J-DHS beat up on Franklin County High School from Kentucky and Bishop Ford High School from Brooklyn, New York. The 2008-2009 J-DHS team also won the Big Apple Shootout in New York City defeating another squad from New York City, Abraham Lincoln High School.

However, CNY is more than just J-DHS despite the justifiable media that the J-DHS Boys squad grabs. There are other dominant Central New York teams. Cicero North Syracuse High School Boys Varsity team is No. 21 in the state ranking (Class AA) tallying only one loss in 14 games. Dropping down to Class B, West Hill High School is state ranked No. 13 and Bishop Grimes High School stands at No. 9. Then you have the Brothers from CBA, who have had a good season (14-5) and have a promising chance of making a run at states.

Jamesville-DeWitt High School has produced two studs on the No. 3 nationally ranked Syracuse Orange basketball team: Andy Rautins and Brandon Triche. This Syracuse team has walked through Big East action and tough non-conference play, defeating North Carolina, Florida, West Virginia, and rival Georgetown to name only a few.

Not a rough schedule? In the past five years, Florida has won the NCAA Men's Baksetball Championship twice and North Carolina has taken the crown twice, as well.

Former CNY high school athletes pushing a CNY college squad to the top of the national polls sounds like domination to me. Former Ram and Syracuse Orange Captain, Andy Rautins is leading the Orange in assists (114) and 3-point field goals made (54). J-DHS prodigy and Syracuse point guard Brandon Triche isn't doing too shabby as a freshman, standing at fourth in scoring on a roster stacked with future NBA draft picks.

People love to watch this impressive run-and-gun style of basketball that puts on a good show at both the college and high school level. On Jan. 15 a crowd of purple and a crowd of red packed Christian Brothers Academy's gym selling out within hours.

Think it's just high school basketball? How about the 34,616 people who attended the 'Cuse game when they lace up against Big East rival Villanova University. When all the ticket holders showed up, this swarm set a national record for the biggest crowd on campus for a basketball game.

If these basketball games were not a high tempoed, highly skilled style would ESPN's College Game Day crew want to show up on the Syracuse campus for the Villinova Game if the game wasn't going to be the game of the week, and maybe the year. This just goes to show that the Orange match the other basketball powerhouses step for step.

And who's to blame these people? Not only does Central New York produce powerhouse basketball stars, they are lovable characters. When little Johnny Flynn, now a Minnesota Timberwolf, used to drive to the bucket, get fouled, and drain the shot- he emerged battered, yet grinning. And don't forget current Milwaukee Buck Hakim Warrick who showed off his 38-inch vertical jump when he soared through the air to stuff the ball down the throat of a Kansas Jay Hawk to preserve Syracuse's first National Championship. You got to love watching these guys play.

And finally the new super star that has the smile of Johnny Flynn and the hops of Hakim Warrick, the transfer from Iowa State, Wes Johnson. This kid puts on a show for Otto's Army as he simply jumps over opponents throwing down a dunk here and an alley-oop there. You know you're watching a special player when he is on the verge of getting a double-double for blocks and points.

Despite the plethora of National Championships that John Desko and his Syracuse Lacrosse team bring home, Central New York has now become a safe haven for future and current basketball stars.