You pay, stay, then watch them dribble all day

Three high school girls games and four boys games will be played at the Chevrolet Centre on Saturday.

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Since when is taking an ACT more important than playing in a basketball game?

An 8:30 a.m. tipoff to the Youngstown-Warren Holiday Classic wasn’t exactly the best time for the Hubbard High girls, so the Eagles had to opt out of the third annual event at the Chevrolet Centre on Saturday.

“It wasn’t feasible at that time,” Hubbard High School athletic director Bill Agona said of inheriting the schedule from the previous school year. “We weren’t opposed to the date, but the time,” Agona said of the important college testing for which four hours are allotted. “That’s the last chance the seniors have to take the ACT that would count,” said Agona, a former Southington football coach who spent 20 more seasons at Garrettsville Garfield before retiring from teaching.

“A dozen girls already signed and paid to take it,” he added.

Hubbard was scheduled to open Saturday morning against Chaney. Instead, Youngstown Christian took the early morning spot.

Hubbard has rescheduled the game for Jan. 10 at Chaney. The Eagles already played Chaney at home.

However, Hubbard’s boys will be a first-time participant, meeting Chaney at 6 p.m.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Agona said of the game. “I never saw the Centre set up for basketball. Anytime there’s a chance to play in a different venue and get publicity for the Valley and the kids, that’s good. It can’t be about money all the time, but we’re all struggling to meet budgets. I hope people to come out and see it.”

On the surface, the Classic is a day-long exhibit of high school basketball talent.

Organized by the athletics and physical development office of the Youngstown City Schools, the Classic comprises seven games at the Chevrolet Centre.

After the Chaney-Youngstown Christian opener, two more girls games will follow before the boys take the floor at 2 p.m.

The event is as much about putting a ball in a hoop and promoting athletics in the city as it is about utilizing a facility and making it a focal point of entertainment.

“It’s always been a great day and a great facility for the kids to play in,” said Classic director Ed Matey. “It gives the public — those who may not have been there for any other event — an opportunity to see a great facility.”

Matey said the average attendance has been over 2,000. The first year brought in 2,700, then 2,200 in 2006.

All tickets are sold at the Chevrolet Centre for $4 (students) and $6 (adults). Tickets for girls and boys games are sold separately. Therefore, the buyer of a girls ticket is entitled to stay for all three girls games, while another ticket purchased is good for all four boys games.

The two main sponsors are the LaRiccia family and Huntington Bank.

Matey noted that the law firm of Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell was helpful in getting the Classic off the ground.

“They’ve been significant contributors, financially and professionally,” he said.

There has been a monetary return to the Classic’s home-team schools, Matey said.

“First, we pay the bills then the remaining money is divided among the home teams. There’s always been money distributed. In fact, a good amount has been donated to the athletic departments of the home teams.”

The games are reminiscent of a few high school regular-season blockbusters held at Beeghly Center in the 1970s.

After a concert Friday night, Chevrolet Centre crews will work all night to put the basketball floor in place.

Following the Harding-Farrell game, the portable floor will come off to make room for a Kenny G. show Sunday night.

“They’ll put it up for us and tear it down after we leave.” Matey said of the hardwood surface that lays on top of a surface that’s over the hockey-playing surface.

Since its inception, the boys teams have been the same, but the girls teams have changed.

“The parochial teams didn’t want to play their girls teams, so we had to bring in outside teams,” Matey said.

Have schools been knocking down the door for a place on the schedule?

“It’s been pretty easy finding teams,” said Matey. “There hasn’t been a problem, but next year we might make changes and invite other teams.”

The secondary school showcase symbolizes and satisfies one of the goals of the city schools, which is aimed at the junior high level.

“We try to do as much as we can to keep young kids involved,” Matey said of tournaments and clinics at YSU that are designed to enhance football, basketball and volleyball skills.

“Our goal is to improve our junior high programs so they’ll turn around and start being successful. We want them to be good feeders for the Chaney and East athletic departments.”

The Northeast football team will be honored at a Board of Education meeting on Dec. 11.

“We’ll be honoring the undefeated team which is a combination of P. Ross Berry and Hayes on their 7-0 season,” Matey said of the City Series and Steel Valley Conference champions who will receive a board resolution.

Following the ceremony at 6:30 p.m., East football coaches will be available to speak with players and parents.

“We hope parents will attend,” Matey said. “The coaches will talk in the board dining room.”

The Chevrolet Centre’s doors open at 7:30 a.m.

bassetti@vindy.com