KINGS AND THEIR COURT Hubbard beats Struthers with father-son coaching

The Eagles made Tom and Tim King's debut a success.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- Tom King and Tim King coached their first high school basketball game together as a father-son combination Tuesday night at Struthers Fieldhouse.
Tom made his debut as the Hubbard High coach in the season opener against Struthers, while Tim, the former Western Reserve High coach, was contributing his years of experience as an assistant.
The Kings got off to a victorious start to mark their memorable milestone, thanks to the Eagles' determined comeback and to some late heroics from Jacoby Morris.
Coming through
With Hubbard trailing, 48-47, in the waning seconds after using an 18-2 run to get back into the game, Morris scored with 13 seconds left and added a free throw with two seconds left to give the Eagles a 50-48 win.
"Morris made a big play for us. He has a nose for the ball and for being in the right place at the right time," said Tom King of the 6-foot-4 junior post player.
Morris grabbed a teammate's missed shot close to the left side of hoop, banked in the go-ahead basket, and was fouled on the play.
But he missed the free throw and Toby Ellis of Struthers grabbed the rebound to give the Wildcats hope.
However, a heavily-defended Jim Franceschelli missed a 10-foot attempt with two seconds left. Morris grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and made a free throw.
Franceschelli then missed a long bomb at the buzzer.
Morris finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Jason Lenzi led Hubbard with 15 points and five assists, while junior guard Jeff Jablonski added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Counter rallies
Struthers held a 28-22 lead early in the third quarter, but Hubbard, able to penetrate inside, reeled off an 18-2 run keyed by Jeff Jablonski's eight points to take a 40-31 advantage early in the final period.
But the Wildcats bounced back with a 17-7 run behind five straight 3-point goals -- three of them from Franceschelli -- to pull within 47-46.
They went ahead on Franceschelli's basket with 45 seconds left.
Franceschelli, a 5-7 senior, finished with 16 points, including four 3-point goals and four assists, while senior Shaun Hall added 11 points with three 3-point goals. Senior D.J. Aldish had nine points, 14 rebounds and four steals and senior Jon Neider added seven rebounds.
"They did some things defensively to take things away," said Struthers coach Joe Fuline.
Tom King also liked the Eagles' defensive play.
"We did a good job bearing down, getting stops," King said. "Every time they shot, we had a hand in them."
History
Tom, in his first coaching start after spending the last five seasons as an assistant at Amherst Steel High, played under his father at Western Reserve. He then went on to play for Hiram College before graduating in 1997.
Tim coached 20 seasons at Western Reserve before spending the last two years as an assistant coach for the Mount Union women's basketball team.
"It's a great pleasure having him on the bench," said Tom King of his father.