DIVISION I BOYS Krizancic has Mentor close to school history

The former Girard High coach is one win away from the regional final.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MENTOR -- Former Girard High boys basketball coach Bob Krizancic could help Mentor make school history if the Cardinals (13-11) win their Division I regional semifinal against Barberton on Wednesday.
That's because Mentor's boys team has never reached a regional final.
"It would be a great accomplishment if we could get one more," Krizancic said of the 7 p.m. game at the James A. Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron.
"This is our third time in the regional in the last five years, so it's the best Mentor has done is to this point."
The Cardinals finished in fifth place in the Lake Erie League this season with a 4-8 record after winning the LEL the last two years.
Mentor bowed out with a 21-4 record for the 2000-01 season after losing to Stow in the regional semifinal. The Cardinals lost six seniors, five of whom were starters.
Now, Krizancic plays seven juniors and two sophomores.
Young team: His starters are juniors Eddie Zienkowski (6-foot guard), Kyle Binns (6-4 guard/forward), Nick Meyer (6-2 guard), Mark Martucci (6-6 guard/forward) and Tyler Cortelezzi (5-10 point guard).
Zienkowski is averaging 18.5 points per game, Binns is scoring 13 points per game and Meyer is putting up 11.5 on average. Martucci is getting eight points and six rebounds per outing. Cortelezzi is averaging five points.
"Basically, they're all guards," Krizancic said. "The last few years, we've been running and pressing a lot, similar to what I did at Girard."
He believes the Lake Erie League is the best in Ohio and Mentor's non-league schedule against St. Ignatius, St. Edward's and Westerville South, among others, has been a boost.
"It gets us ready for the tournament," Krizancic.
A 51-44 win over 19-4 Geneva made the Cardinals the Euclid district champion. Mentor's other postseason wins were against Willoughby South, Cleveland Collinwood and East Cleveland Shaw.
First meeting: Wednesday's game will be Mentor's first against Barberton (21-2) since Krizancic arrived nine years ago.
"They're real athletic," the coach said. "They run and press a lot, like us. So the tempo should be to our favor."
Mentor's non-league schedule also included out-of-state competition and it helped.
"Our philosophy is to try to play the best and it's worked well for us," said Krizancic, 127-70 in nine seasons at Mentor.
Krizancic, a graduate of Youngstown State, coached at Girard from 1980-93, winning the Div. II state championship with the Indians in his final season. He was 180-98 at Girard, winning four district championships.
bassetti@vindy.com