Top 10 reasons to get ready for hoops
One of my favorite things about being a sportswriter (official motto: We made Cheetos a food group) is the respect I command from fans, coaches and foreign dignitaries.
I no longer even need a name. People know me by reputation. I am the guy who writes about Ursuline's pepperoni rolls.
Which brings us to basketball season.
Rather than sit around complaining about how Ursuline and Boardman won't be playing each other in girls basketball this season, we can instead give thanks for the wonderful creation that is the pepperoni roll.
Rather than complain about not getting to see Boardman senior Amber Bland and Ursuline senior Courtney Davidson play each other one last time in high school, we can instead enjoy the warm goodness of pepperoni, combined with cheese and dough.
Because only a truly small-minded, petty sportswriter would devote precious column space to the fact that the best girls basketball game in the area won't be played this season.
(We'll have a story explaining why in Thursday's paper.)
Instead, I'm going to devote column space to the top 10 reasons to be excited about this year's basketball season.
Let's begin
1. Ursuline's pepperoni rolls.
2. Bland and Davidson. Not only are they the area's two best girls basketball players, but they're also two of the nicest players in the area. They're also good friends. But I'm not going to dwell on the fact that they're not playing each other this season.
That would be petty.
And I'm not.
3. The Liberty boys basketball team. The Leopards were a step away from the district title last year and have pretty much everyone back. It's enough to make me forget that coach Burt Stellers still gives me grief about the fact that I gave a bad prediction for their district basketball game that happened TWO YEARS AGO and he STILL WON'T LET IT GO.
He's lucky I don't hold grudges, either.
4. The Poland boys basketball team. OK, so they lost a lot to graduation. But they still have junior Chad Fender, who is one of the five best players in the area. And they still have a large, frenzied, toga-clad student section. And they still have coach Ken Grisdale, who is one of the nicest guys in the area, unlike ...
5. Boardman girls basketball coach Ron Moschella.
(Relax. I'm kidding. He's actually very nice. Sometimes.)
One of my favorite Moschella stories came last year when he returned one of my calls, sounding like he just spent the last two weeks screaming at a rock concert.
I asked him if he was sick.
"No," he said. "I just came from practice."
Oh.
6. Rayen-Wilson boys basketball games. These games don't need massive student sections. The adult fans are just as passionate. And, as I've said before, Rayen's cheerleaders are the best in the area.
7. Seeing the other half of Jeff Brink's wardrobe. The new Salem boys coach has vowed not to wear his patented all-black until the Quakers are contenders.
Which begs the question: What color will he wear?
And also: Will he play that 98 Degrees album that his wife bought for him last Christmas?
(And also: Will he kill me for writing that?)
8. The Salem and West Branch girls basketball teams.
Wondering which game to attend to start the season? This is it. They'll play a rematch of last year's district final at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at West Branch.
9. Mooney's boys basketball team. The Cardinals lost Curtis Ingram to graduation, but pretty much everyone else returns. Could be the area's surprise team.
10. Fitch senior Terrell Eargle, Niles senior Dan Jones, Sebring senior David Scarpitti, Girard junior Cachet Murray and Rayen junior Taniesha Holland.
All are worth the price of admission.
XJoe Scalzo is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at scalzo@vindy.com.