It's easy to get wrapped up in one convincing victory, like Career did Friday night against Wilbur Cross 70-43. The Panthers flexed their collective muscle in the second half to put away their SCC Oronoque Division rival.

But Career has scored over 70 points in four straight games and have won nine straight overall to rise to No. 7 in the state. It leads me to two observations:

Career is clearly the best team in the SCC Oronoque
Career is the most talented and deepest team in the SCC.
You have holdovers Earl Hassell, Kenny Armstead and Treyvon Moore from last year's run to the SCC and Class M tournaments. Throw in Cory Bidon, Amod Ford and Greg Johnson and you have depth at the guard position. Anything freshman Justice Phifer gives Career inside is a bonus right now - but he could be a big factor down the stretch.

Coach Larry Kelley pushes the players to get their best game in and game out because being a former schoolboy star himself, he knows what it takes. And he knows you don't get any medals for second place.

That's why Career is not the best team yet. To be the best, you have to beat the best. And we won't know that until Feb. 20 at the earliest, more likely March. Career gets another crack at Hillhouse, which beat the Panthers in the SCC tournament final last year and this year's season opener, in the regular-season finale.

Career won both regular-season meetings last season, so the team knows what it takes to beat Hillhouse. But as plenty of people will tell you in the Elm City, it's all about championships.
And whether Career can be there in the end in the SCC and Class L finals with the trophy remains to be seen.

After a Tuesday bye week for most SCC teams, the league returns with a full schedule this evening.
The biggest game is No. 7 Career vs. Wilbur Cross at 6 p.m. at the New Haven Athletic Center. Something has to give between these Oronoque Division foes: Career has won eight straight since a season-opening loss to Hillhouse while Cross has won four straight.
The top two teams play in the Hammonasset (3-0 Hillhouse at 3-0 Hand) and two of the top teams (West Haven at Fairfield Prep) play in the Quinnipiac.The first installment of the battle of Wallingford is tonight as a desperate 2-7 Lyman Hall team plays at Sheehan at 6 - part of a boys-girls doubleheader.
One big game in the Shoreline Conference is 9-1 Cromwell visiting 8-1 Coginchaug at 7:30 p.m.
In other action, Stratford travels to Notre Dame-Fairfield (SWC), Danbury tried to avoid losing its third straight in the FCIAC when it plays at unbeaten Ridgefield and Holy Cross tries to hand Watertown it second straight loss (NVL).

McDonald’s announced the list of players nominated for the 2012 McDonald’s All American Games. Of the 600 nominees selected by high school coaches, athletic directors, principles and members of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee, 5 players hail from Connecticut - 4 male and 1 female players. The local players nominated for the 2012 Games include:
Boys: Kris Dunn, New London; Timajh Parker, St. Joseph; Ben Freeland, Suffield Academy; Erik Sanders, Suffield Academy; Mike Tobey, Hotchkiss


Girls: Bria Holmes, Hillhouse
The complete list of 2012 McDonald’s All American Games nominees is available at www.mcdaag.com. The final roster of 24 boys and 24 girls selected to play will be announced during the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Show on ESPNU, airing Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. ET.
The 35th annual Boys Game will tip-off on March 28 at 9:30 p.m. ET from Chicago’s United Center and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport will host the Harbor Yard Classic basketball tournament on Monday, Jan. 30. The tournament, formerly known as the Bridgeport Classic, will feature a tripleheader, including two female teams for the first time.

The Bridgeport Central and Harding girls’ teams play at 4 p.m. The Harding and Central boys teams play at 6 p.m., followed by Bassick and St. Joseph at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for students and senior citizens. All games are included. Tickets are available at Webster Bank Arena’s Click It or Ticket Box Office.

Undefeated St. Joseph is the state’s top boys basketball team in the the New Haven Register Top 10 Poll.

It appears all games scheduled for Tuesday night are on after Monday night's inclement weather.

But there aren't many games due to it being midterm week for most schools. Just two games on the SCC interdivision schedule: Cheshire tries to extend its winning streak to eight against Hamden (6:45 start at Cheshire), while Notre Dame-West Haven tries to win its first game of the season at Sheehan.

Top-ranked St. Joseph visits one-loss Danbury in the FCIAC. In Shoeline Conference play, Cromwell tries to rebound from its first loss against Old Saybrook (5 p.m. start) and Valley Regional hosts Hyde. In the NVL, Ansonia tries to snap a six-game losing streak at home against Torrington.

Hand stands at 7-3, one win away from both the Class L and SCC tournaments. For more on how the Tigers have gotten to this, pint, click here.

Check out the latest hoop poll.

And check out a closer look at Fairfield Prep captain Terry Tarpey, video included.