2008-2009 Season

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 Pennsylvania H. S. Basketball Leader Board
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      2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons HERE
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2008-2009 Headlines-

Marsell Holden Farrell 1,514 points  breaking the previous mark of 1,471 set by Julius McCoy in 1952.  Marsell played his sophomore year at Kennedy Catholic, where he scored 399 points. That gives him a 4-year total in Mercer County of 1,913 points. He had 127 three pointers -see Three Point Records. Credits:Jim Raykie, Sharon Herald)

 

2/6/09, Dalton Pepper (Pennsbury) now has 2,024 points with games remaining.  He is headed to West Virginia. He will be invited to play for Pennsylvania in the Pennsylvania vs Maryland All-Star Game in April. (Kevin Cooney, Bucks Co. Courier Times)  Find all 2,000 Point Scorers HERE
 


Abby Grumley (Johnsonburg) and her mom. Abby hit the 1,000 career scoring points mark on January 27th. Abby is only the third girl in the history of Johnsonburg Area High School girls basketball to make 1,000 points. Her mother Susie (Kocjancic) Grumley made 1,234 points in 1978. The other girl was Lora Figley, Class of 1995 who holds the school record at 1,489 points!  (Joyce Maletto, The Johnsonburg Press
Over in Lebanon County, Hailey Corangelo a junior at Lebanon Catholic is the third 1,000 point scorer in her family, joining her sister Samantha and her mother, Ann Marie (Fick).  (Lancaster online)
 

2/2/09, Southern Columbia senior Colin Klebon scored his 2,000th career point Saturday night.  The 6-foot-8 senior center now has 2,015 points in 94 career games. He has games remaining, . He is a Bucknell commit. (Credit: Scott Dudinskie, Bloomsburg Press Enterprise)
Find all PENNSYLVANIA stories HERE
Find all 2,000 Point Scorers HERE


 Jordan Miller, Central Cambria, scored a school-record 47 points in a 75-67 win over St. Maria Goretti (12/20/08, Photo credit: Altoona Mirror)

Defense! Fort Cherry is allowing 53.8 points per game, the second-lowest total in Section 3. That includes a 52-5 victory Dec. 5 against West Greene to open the season.

 

SIX OVERTIMES: Conneaut Valley 45 Cochranton 43, on a Casey Baker drive to the hoop for a lay-up with 3.1 seconds to play, allowing the Indians to escape with a 45-43 win in 6 overtimes. (The Meadville Tribune, 2/7/09)  (Credit: Kyle Welker)  See other overtime RECORDS, HERE

1/24/09, Fantastic Performances: the Reynolds Lady Raiders were trailing by 14 points with under 5 minutes remaining.  Chelsea D'Urso, a 5'5" senior guard scored 23 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and had 2 steals in the games final 5:30 to bring Reynolds back to win by 2. (Robert A. Chamberlain)  What is the record for mot points in a a quarter by one player?

Bishop Carroll’s Matt Repko calmly converted two free throws to tie the game and Chad Panick made one to win it 49-48 over the Johnstown Trojans,  but  Paul Weatherly scored 13 points to surpass the 1,000-point mark in his career.  (1/11/09, Johnstown Tribune Democrat).

Valley's bench has been benched. Six Valley reserve basketball players will serve a one-game suspension tonight at home against Knoch -- as per PIAA rules -- following their ejection from Tuesday night's game at Mars.  Valley's bench reportedly emptied during a brief skirmish with the Planets late in the third quarter. The melee ensued after players from both teams hit the floor for a loose ball in front of Valley's bench. After some pushing and shoving, the teams were separated, and officials huddled to decide which players to eject before play resumed.Valley won the Section 1-AAA game, 71-66, finishing with only five players.  No technical fouls were called, and no one was injured. One Mars player was ejected. (Bill Beckner Jr., VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH, 1/9/09)  This is a far cry from last year's Pottsville/Potsgrove game when 13 technical's were assessed, story HERE

Conestoga Valley will recognize their Top 50  players in  50 years
Conestoga Valley will celebrate the Top 50 boys' basketball players in the 50 years of the school's history (1958-2008) Saturday, Jan. 10, during halftime of the boys' varsity game with Wilson.  The players, as selected by a committee of ex-coaches and players, will be honored at halftime of the 7:30 p.m. game at the school's Rill Gymnasium.  Article found HERE
Marple Newtown's Sapnas is making major stride (Joseph Santoliquito) Each time he'd heave the ball at the basket and miss, the ball would roll down an embankment behind the court and "Sut," as he's called by family, friends and teammates, would have to chase after it. Soutiri Sapnas learned not to miss. At 12, he had developed an arcing, accurate shot to go along with his creative moves near the basket.   He's been held under 20 points only twice this season, while shooting slightly under 50 percent.   The 6-1 junior guard is among the leading scorers in the area, averaging 26.9 points through 10 games this season. Sapnas is on a   pace to break the school's all-time career scoring mark of 1,085, set by Frank Zanin, a 1995 Marple Newtown graduate.  (Thanks to Dave Burman for this contribution)

Tom Droney, Sewickley Academy  a 6-foot-6, 186-pound junior for the Panthers and one of the most heavily recruited guards in the WPIAL  He is averaging 25.6 points a game this year after averaging 21 a game as a sophomore. (Post Gazette, Mike White)

Destiny Brown is a 5-foot-9 ninth-grader on the Gateway High School girls' basketball team. She was so good in junior high and in AAU basketball that she had a scholarship offer from Rutgers before she played a varsity game this season.   She is averaging 23.6 points in the first five games for the Gators.   (Post Gazette, Mike White)
 

12/10/08, What is the record was for most blocked shots in a girls high school basketball in the state of PA?  At Valley View High School in Archbald, Pa,  6'1 Rebecca Keegan (2010),  blocked 22 shots against West Scranton.  The national record is 25 by a girl in Texas.  (Jerry DiPasquale)
See our records page HERE

Thirty-something rebounds,  It is a statistic that seems hard to believe. But Vincentian stat keepers insist Gabby Baldasare had 37 rebounds in a 71-53 victory against St. Joseph in a game last Thursday. Baldasare is a 6-foot-1 sophomore.  (Post Gazette, Mike White)

Basketball obituaries added
Jack Dailey just died, a special basketball personality, he coached and played for one of the long time top adult semi-pro teams in Pennsylvania, HERE
Howie Ruppert,  age 64, the Shaler coach died just as the basketball season started postponing game, HERE
Complete basketball obituary list HERE
12/10/08, Former PA/MD Shootout player shines:  Josh Chojnacki represented half of the Mercyhurst Prep basketball team's twin towers last season.  This season, Chojnacki is the undisputed man in the middle for the Lakers.  The 6-foot 7-inch junior roamed the lane with fellow big man Sam Hvezda in the 2007-08 season.  Chojnacki scored a combined 40 points this past weekend while leading the Lakers to a 2-0 record in East High School's Bayview Classic. The 2007 Hennessey Report called him "a force for the future," - HERE
 (Erie Times)

(12/19/08) Larry Kostelac Jr., Trinity got career win # 500 a 62-43 victory over  Mechanicsburg.   (Eric Thomas, Carlisle Sentinel)
 (12/13/08)  Ron Faust, Washington High coach won his 500th game.  He has been the coach for 27 years and will retire at the end of the 2008-09 season.  See all coaching records HERE
 (12/6/08) Bruce Leib wins his 600th
by ROXANNE B. MOSES, Patriot-News 12/05/08
(Photo credit: Patriot News)
 Longtime Hazleton fixure Bruce Leib reached his milestone 600th career win Friday coaching Central Dauphin East at a tip-off tournament at Central Bucks West. The Panthers edged North Penn 40-36 as Terrance Kellum led with 10 points.

(12/6/08) Wrong basket gets Reading off on wrong foot in opener-By Darryl Grumling, Reading Eagle-York, PA -  YORK - When Trenity Burdine buried a jumper from deep on the baseline just 10 seconds into Friday night's Bearcat Classic opener against Williamsport, it seemed to portend positive things for Reading High's boys basketball team. After a quick huddle by the officials, it was ruled that Burdine shot it into the wrong basket - the first of several missteps by Reading High in what turned out to be an 84-67 loss.  Isaiah Twine, a 6-2 senior forward, scored 19 points to lead five players in double figures for the Millionaires.
 Pre season:Dr Masse of the Williamsport SUN-GAZETTE makes his pre-season picks  Nov 27  and he names Isaiah Twine of Williamsport as the top pre-season player. Isiah  was identified as a top player at the Fall 2007 Pennsylvania/Maryland Shootout-he was named in the Larry Hennessey report, and by the East Coast Index. Go here for all previous Shootout Results.  Dr. Masse story found HERE

Norristown Coach Quits (12/27/08) In a rematch of last year’s District One Class AAAA and state championship games, the Norristown Eagles fell to the Chester Clippers 58-47 during the Pete Nelson Classic at Widener University Friday night.  But the game was not the biggest story of the evening.  The Eagles played this game without head coach Mike Evans, who reportedly stepped down from his post during the days leading up to Christmas.  Eagles’ assistant Julius Mack, in his third year with the program, took over the reigns last night. ( Matt Bretzius, Times Herald)
12/5/08, AAA Highlands tops Penn Hills
Freshman Micah Mason scored a game-high 23 points to help Highlands, ranked No. 2 in WPIAL Class AAA in the Post-Gazette's preseason rankings, to a 77-60 upset of host Penn Hills, ranked No. 4 in Class AAAA, last night in the opening round of the Dave Smith Classic.
(Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

BASKETBALL SEASON STARTED
"Winning isn't everything,  it's the only thing!" 
  Half the teams lose every time a game is played, but everyone could be winners!   story , HERE

 -12/5/08 First Regular Game Date
Who were the past champions?
PIAA Champions  HERE
PCIAA (1943-1974) HERE
Last year: the 2008 State basketball playoff  results --HERE
Will there be any undefeated teams this year, Coudersport  was the last team to go down last year HERE
 Basketball  Records -- Three Point Records

Three pointers (at least 7):
9-Tyler Hans had 37 points, including nine 3-pointers and Keystone Oaks beat Langley, 88-79.
 9-Jordan Miller, Central Cambria vs. Bishop McCort
8-T.J. McConnell, Chartiers Valley against West Mifflin
8-Amanda Tocci, Hopewell
 8-Jordan Miller, Central Cambria first round game vs. Monessen
 8-David Vining, Owen J. Roberts HS, (2010) in a win against Spring-Ford (12/12/2008) (31 total points).  He led the PAC-10 league with 76 threes for the season.
7-Robbie Zewe,  Baldwin and hit 7 threes against Riverside at the Shadyside Academy Tournament.
 7-Evan Pierce had 22 of his 31 points in the second half to lead Mt. Lebanon including 7 three pointers (2/10/09)
 7-Lancaaster McCaskey guard Leontae Turner, 12/14/08
7- Shady Side's Eddie Sheerer had seven 3-pointers in a 61-53 win for Shady Side  against Greensburg Central Catholic.
7-Josh Valentic, Trinity, 12/30/08
7-Ben Hoffer, Yough, 1/31/09
7-Jordan Miller, Central Cambria (1/31/09)
 7-Brandy Harris, Bedford had 30 points but Bedford lost 77-60 to Penn Cambria who had 12 3's as a team (1/31/09)
 Forty or more in one game:
  Jordan  Miller of Central Cambria HS  has 6 40+ point games this season.  
(Mark M.)
52-T.J. McConnell, Chartiers Valley against West Mifflin 51 vs. Forest Hills (broke his school record)
51- Jordan Miller, Central Cambria vs. Forest Hills (broke his school record for the third time)
50-T.J Heatherington, Serra Caholic scored a WPIAL record 50 points in a WPIAL semifinal win over Neshannock.
50-Lancaster McCaskey guard Leontae Turner, but they lost 83-81 to Reading, 12/14/08  (Lancaster online.com)
49 -Jordan Miller, Central Cambria Vs. Bedford (Broke his school record)
 49-Soutiri Sapnas, Marple Newtown in a 75-68 win over Sun Valley (1/31/09)  (Credit: J. Doemling, MNHS)


Soutiri Sapnas (2010)

47-Jordan Miller, Central Cambria, scored a school-record 47 points in a 75-67 win over St. Maria Goretti (12/20/08, Altoona Mirror, Josh Langenbacher)

47-Jordan Miller, Central Cambria 47 points vs. Bishop McCort (2nd round of the District 6 playoffs)

45-Nick Novak, Franklin Regional broke the schools single-game scoring record with 45 points in a 82-71 win at Woodland Hills.  Novak is averaging 36 ppg. (12/20/08, Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
42 -Jordan Miller, Central Cambria vs. Bishop Guilfoyle
42-Jordan Miller, Central Cambria vs. Richland (1st round of the District 6 playoffs)
 42-Milton Hershey led by 42 points from 6-7 senior center Garry Gilliam, a Penn State football recruit and one of the top tight ends in the country defeated ELCO 84-76..  (2/13,09 Jeff Falk, Lebanon Daily News)
41-Soutiri Sapnas, Marple Newtown in a 73-70 loss to Phoenixville (12/30/08)  ( Credit: J. Doemling, MNHS)
41- Jordan Miller scored 41 points to power Cental Cambria to a 61-55 victory over Westmont Hilltop in high school basketball Wednesday. (12/11/08, Altoona Mirror)
41- Luke Gallaher scored 41 points and  Forest Hills' defeated Central Cambria
40-Tyrone Garland, a junior point guard scored 40 points  to lead the Bartram boys' basketball team to a 72-67 Class AAAA state first-round overtime win over Pocono Mountain East. Garland's three-pointer at the end of regulation sent the game into overtime. (Keith Pompey, Inquirer)
40-Calvin Newell scored 40 points to lead Strath Haven to a 68-67 overtime victory against Holy Ghost Prep in a District One Class AAA semifinal game. (2/28/09)
40-Jordan Miller had 40 for Central Cambria in a 6-59 loss to Bishop Guilfoyle (1/31/09) 67-63 in an Athletic Conference Section 1 win.  (1/10/09, Altoona Mirror)
40- DJ Rowe, Cedar Cliff (Jan 09)
40-Tom Droney, a 6-foot-6 junior from Sewickley Academy  tied a WPIAL title game scoring record with 40 points as he led the Panthers (21-4) to a 71-57 victory against defending Class A champion Serra (21-3) at the Palumbo Center. (Pittsburgh Post Gaztte, 3/1/09)
 Foul Shooting:
 1/10/09, Emily Brenneman, Shippensburg "can make foul shots all day". Brenneman made 11 of her 12 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter. (Waynesboro Record Herald)
 12/31/08, McGuffey 33, Quaker Valley 32: Elisa Schober's free throw with one second remaining gave McGuffey a 33-32 victory over Quaker Valley in the McGuffey Tournament.  (Washington Observer-Reporter)
12/24/08, The Connellsville boys basketball team used a strong start and some sharp free-throw shooting to post its first Section 1-AAAA win of the season, defeating visiting Penn-Trafford, 75-67.  John Leonard led the Falcons' attack, sinking 15 of 16 foul shots on his way to a game-high 28 points. Chris Williams scored 16 points, and Mason Leos added 14. Connellsville (2-5, 1-2) hit 33 of its 39 attempted free throws.
(Connellsville Daily Courier)  The National Record, Stanton Powell County (KY) made 70 of 89 in one game, 1/15/72. (www.nfhs.org)
 12/5/08, UCLA recruit Markel Walker netted 33 points to lead City League No. 1 Schenley to a 64-43 rout of Keystone Oaks in the Baldwin tournament. Walker scored 22 second-half points, including 8 for 10 at the free-throw line.
12/5/08, Lancaster Christian 61, Donegal 47: Lancaster Christian's Kody Koser became the fourth player in school history to eclipse 1,000 points for his career with a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter. Koser led all scorers with 24 points.
1/22/09, Chartiers Valley has shot its way to a perfect 15-0 record this season. The Colts are averaging 11.4 3-pointers a game and 83.3 points, the most in the WPIAL. These are horses who shoot opponents to death.  The Colts had 15 3-pointers against West Mifflin Tuesday and they have five players with 16 3-pointers or more for the season. The leader is T.J. McConnell, a guard, a Duquesne University recruit and the coach's son. He has made 52 3-pointers, including eight against West Mifflin when he scored 52 points. (Mike White, Pittsburgh Post Gazette) 
See our three point page HERE
1/10/09, McKeesport 7-foot senior Zeke Marshall had a triple-double, scoring 25 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and blocking 10 shots to lead host McKeesport (7-4, 4-1) to a 67-63 victory against Class AAAA No. 3 Penn Hills

Bishop Carroll’s Matt Repko calmly converted two free throws to tie the game and Chad Panick made one to win it 49-48 over the Johnstown Trojans,  but  Paul Weatherly scored 13 points to surpass the 1,000-point mark in his career.
(1/11/09, Johnstown Tribune Democrat).

1/13/09, Ron Insinger won #700 and his  Loyalsock players carried him  off the court at Hughesville.  (Williamsport Gazette)
1/11/09, Archbishop Wood's Vikings  upset Cardinal O'Hara  the No. 1 team in the country according to USA Today. (The Intelligencer, Stuart London)
 Last year's Top Series was found on the Altoona Mirror, called "Big Shots", it featured the "most important game winning shots" in Blair County History.
 Patrick Hall breaks the 1000 point barrier
On December 30, 2008 Laurel Valley Senior Patrick Hall broke the 1000 point barrier at the Ligonier Valley Holiday Tournament vs. Ligonier Valley.  He did so in MVP fashion by scoring 33 points and grabbing 20 rebounds as Laurel Valley defeated Ligonier Valley 61 - 47.  The night before against Ferndale, He also had 33 points and 19 rebounds to total 66 points and 39 rebounds on his way to the tournament MVP.  Patrick was outstanding in the Sring 2008 Shootout at Penn State Harrisburg.  Find the application for the 2009 Spring Shootout HERE  (Contribution credit: Thomas Glennon, Johnstown PEAK Youth Basketball Association)

Cory Schmidt's 27 points, including the 1,000th of his career, host Southern Lehigh fell to Pen Argyl 51-49 in a Colonial League contest.  Trailing 35-30 entering the fourth quarter, the Spartans tried to come back but fell short.  The Green Knights' Dan Borst (12 points) and Tyler Laubach (14) helped spoil Schmidt's fine performance.  The Southern Lehigh senior recorded his 1,000th point in the fourth quarter.  (Allentown Morning Call, 12/19/08)

 

Lance Wagner (left), coach of Kiersten Green Manheim Township a "scintillating sophomore shooting guard."  Coach Wagner has been a mainstay of the Pennsylvania/Maryland /summer Basketball Camp in the summer. 
On Dec. 6 in the consolation round of CV's tip-off tournament, his star, Kiersten Green pumped in a career-high 23 points and hit three 3-pointers in Township's 46-29 victory.  (JEFFREY REINHART, Lancaster Online.com)

 

 

 

Triple Double
Malik Carter of Chichester netted 17 points, hauled in 16 rebounds and supplied 15 assists to lead the Eagles to a 71-55 win over Sun Valley.
(DelCo Daily Times, 12/16/08)
 

Carmichaels coach gets #400, Carmichaels head coach Don Williams earned his 400th career win in impressive fashion. Josh Green drained eight three-pointers, including four in the second quarter, and scored a game-high 28 points to fuel Carmichaels' 81-38 win over Geibel in the King Coal Lions Tournament. (12/31/08, Washington Observer-Reporter)

 

Watch those DeGregorio boys!! 
Kyle DeGregorio at Baldwin advanced to the postseason three times while compiling a stellar 34-18 record in section-play during DeGregorio's first four seasons as head coach.  After slowing down the last two years , he is poised to make another run this year.
Dave DeGregorio  at North Allegheny is ranked No. 2 in the WPIAL in Class AAAA and he has been using 10 or 11 players early on, implementing an up-tempo style of offense last year and he has continued to stick with it this season. His team was averaging 67 points per game before last night.
Remember, their dad, Joe DeGregorio one of the great personalities in basketball  coached at Niagara University, Clarion University and  the University of Pittsburgh.  In 1992, Joe and son Kyle teamed up to coach Pennsylvania to a 128-93 win over Maryland in the inaugural Pennsylvania /Maryland Shootout All-Star Game held at Hersheypark Arena, find all star history HERE

Bradford snapped Coudersport's 43-game regular-season win streak with a 46-41 win

 

It was Coudersport's first regular-season loss since a a 73-58 setback to St. Marys Dec. 16, 2006, in the championship game of the St. Marys Tournament. The Falcons went on to win their final 19 regular-season game in the 2006-2007 season and then went 24-0 in the regular season last year on its way to the District 9 Class A title.  article HERE
(Credit: d9sports.com website)


Pre season top  picks by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
 Boys
 -players  HERE
-WPIAL Class AAAA Boys Basketball Preview
-WPIAL Class AAA Boys Basketball Preview
-WPIAL Class AA Boys Basketball Preview
-City League Boys Basketball Preview
-WPIAL Class A Boys Basketball Preview
 Girls
  • WPIAL Class AAA Girls Basketball Preview
  • WPIAL Class AA Girls Basketball Preview
  • WPIAL Class A Girls Basketball Preview
  • City League Girls Basketball Preview
  • WPIAL Girls Basketball: Players to Watch

 

Pa/MD Shootout, results HERE


Last year

Pottsville, Nick Schlitzer sinks 11 of 12 foul shots with four seconds, story HERE

 

 

Find the list of all-time Pennsylvania coaches HERE

Players to Watch
                 Class of 2010 HERE
 Class of 2009  HERE                Class of 2011    HERE

The Next
 Pennsylvania/Maryland
Basketball Shootout
April 5th, 2009
for boys and girls--grades 9,10. 11,12 
 HERE

 
Did u know? The Lower Merion Aces have had 64 winning seasons and have earned 31 league titles, 38 District 1 playoff appearances, 15 District 1 titles, 20 District 1 Final Four appearances, 23 State Playoff bids, 12 State Final Fours, 10 State Final appearances and 6 PIAA State Titles. 
(Credit: Ben Kamens, Kamens711@aol.com)

The Next
 Pennsylvania/Maryland
Basketball Shootout
April 5th, 2009
for boys and girls--grades 9,10. 11,12 
 HERE

Media credits for this page found at
Pennsylvania Newspapers HERE

Click here for
Summer Basketball Camp  HERE

The Next Basketball Shootout    HERE
 

 

Find all Pennsylvania 2006 early season tournament results-winners, and MVP's  HERE
 

 

 

Pennsylvania Media List  HERE

District 9 Basketball Website  HERE

Team Nicknames:
Lewisburg Green Dragons
Waynesboro Maidens
North East  Lady Grapepickers

 

 

 Credits: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Dale Lolley (Washington Observer-Reporter), Wilkes Barre Times Leader (and it only costs 25 cents),  Allentown Morning Call, Altoona Mirror, Erie Times, Pocono Record, Scranton Times-Tribune, Sharon Herald, Sunbury Daily Item, Norristown Times Herald, Chester County Daily Local News, Pottstown Mercury, St. Marys Daily Press, Dave Konopki, Major Culclasure Sr, Dave Burman  (105.5 WCHX, Lewistown),  phillyburbs.com, Cranberry Journal, Greensburg Tribune-Review, Uniontown Herald-Standard, Harrisburg Patriot News, Chris Masse, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Jeffrey Reinhart, Lancaster New Era,, Darryl Grumling, Reading Eagle, Mark Zimmaro,  Stuart London, Rick Shrum, Mandy Housenick, Jason Guarente, Steve Little, Lancaster New Era, Washington Post, paprepreport.com, Girl's Basketball Nation, Mike White, Ethan Frank, Ray Saul,  chesterclippers@aol.com, Sayre Morning Times, Prystal Scouting Service, Dubois Courrier Express, Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Brian Ptashinski (Nanticoke),  The Oil City Derrick. mstanztall@verizon.net., Sunbury Daily Item, Blairsville Dispatch, Sayre Evening News, Dale Lolley (Observer-Reporter), Kevin Kodish, Jim (Big) Callender,  J. Doemling (MNHS)

Special thanks to Mike White, Pittsburgh Post Gazette who sent us to The National Federation for records at http://www.nfhs.org
 

 

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