Tuesday night thoughts

Middletown raised its record to 10-0 with an 83-33 victory home over Valley Central. I caught the first quarter, with video camera in tow, so I could get some highlights for this week’s basketball show. It didn’t take long to find them. Middletown led 28-8 after the first quarter. This would be a good time to purchase your Middletown season ticket plan (if one existed). Middletown hosts Cornwall on Feb. 3 and Newburgh on Feb. 9.

Spoke a bit at Middletown with Washingtonville coach Todd Rose, who is trying to remain optimistic during a 3-8 year. He says the team continues to improve and I believe him. Two years ago, he was kind enough to let me shadow his team for the entire season, so I know he had different expectations for this year.

Also ran into former Valley Central coach Ed Rechtorovic, who is back coaching at the school at the lower levels.

Saw Cornwall assistant Glen McGinnis walking around Middletown with a clipboard (walking around the gym, not the city), which meant head coach Tom Howe had to be somewhere. Yep, there he was, video camera in hand in the last row.

Good victory for Kingston, winning 61-59 on a buzzer-beater layup by DaVonne Dunlap. Apparently, he went coast-to-coast for the basket. It’s like I’ve been saying, you never know what Kingston team you’re going to get. I have no doubt Kingston coach Ron Kelder was just shaking his head on the bus ride back, thinking the same thing.

Warwick got 17 points from Brandon Cantelmo and beat Vernon (N.J.) 58-53. It was Cantelmo’s second game back after missing four games with a sprained ankle.

Red Hook left little doubt as to its status as the MHAL’s top team, knocking off Coleman Catholic 86-52 in a battle of unbeatens.