Thursday, March 29, 2001
The Inter-County League competitors faced off again at the Al Beach basketball all-star game.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BOARDMAN -- While jogging to the locker room, Chris Hatch extended his arm, tapped coach Jeff Brink and flashed a smile.
After a season filled with intense play and high-level competition, the two Inter-County League rivals -- Hatch, the South Range High senior standout; Brink, the Springfield coach -- could finally enjoy a lighthearted moment.
Yet, Brink had to endure Hatch one more time as his opponent, and Hatch went out on top.
"People in the Steel Valley Conference and Metro Athletic Conference aren't all that familiar with Chris, but we see it on a daily basis," said Brink, after Hatch scored 17 points to lead the White team past the Red 88-70 Wednesday in the 31st Al Beach Classic at Boardman High.
"He can play with the best in the Mahoning Valley."
Girls: In the girls game, Poland senior Tiffany Joseph scored a game-high 15 points and captured Most Valuable Players honors in leading the White team to a 48-40 victory over the Red.
Hatch, a 5-foot-10 guard, scored eight points within the first four minutes and continued his aggressive style throughout the game, of which he was named MVP.
"To a lot of people this is just for fun, and it is," said Hatch, who also wowed the crowd in the slam-dunk competition. "But we took it seriously. We wanted to come out and showcase our ability."
Of Hatch, White team coach Frank Bubba of Warren Harding said, "Great kid, tremendous player. He can jump, he can run, he can handle it, he can shoot it. He's the whole package. Whoever gets him is going to get a heck of a player."
College: South Range's all-time leading scorer, Hatch is still undecided on the college that he will attend. The search, he said, is "wide open."
"My plans are to figure out my plans," laughed Hatch, a first-team All-Ohio selection in Division IV.
Boardman's Josh Colla scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and Campbell's Chris Zetts and Warren Harding's Craig Bohyer each added 12.
The White team did most of its damage from the 3-point line, where it was 12-of-26.
"All year I coach defense," Bubba said. "It was fun to come out and just say, 'Shoot the 3.' You'd have to be out of your mind to have those type of guards and not tell them to get out there and shoot the ball."
Chaney's Brad Smith scored a game-high 18 points for the Red team, while Fitch's Fred Lewis had 16 and East Palestine's Jamey Paine 10.
White 48, Red 40: With her Poland teammates wearing T-shirts that spelled her name, the 6-1 Joseph provided an inside punch for the White team in the girls game.
"Those are my teammates and my friends," said Joseph, holding her MVP award while the supportive Bulldogs stood nearby waiting to congratulate her. "I love them all."
Joseph, who has hopes of playing basketball in college but is still weighing her options, benefited Wednesday from the passing of her teammates.
"Normally in games like this, there are a lot of people who get selfish," said White team coach Ron Moschella of Boardman, who was joined by South Range's Don Feren. "We were far from selfish."
Struthers' Cathy Cercone scored 10 points for the Red team, which enjoyed a 37-35 lead with 7 minutes, 40 seconds remaining before being out-scored 13-3 to end the game.
"We tried to stay in the game, but it looked like some of us got tired," said Rayen's Cherron Triplett, who scored seven points.
Contests: In the 3-point shootouts, Jackson-Milton's Jon Hochendoner won by making 12, while Cardinal Mooney's Lori Patrone defeated Ursuline's Courtney Davidson 16-15 in a tie-breaking round to take the girls crown.
In the slam dunk competition, Campbell's Robert Armstrong was voted No. 1 and Warren Harding's Ethan Banks the runner-up.