Mahoning dunks Trumbull, 111-92

Campbell's Tommie Hall scored 22 points, including six dunks, and was MVP.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- A few seconds before the second half started, the officials at Friday's Frank Bubba Classic stopped everything, looked over at Trumbull County coach Matt Urchek and said, "You've got seven players out here, coach."
"Well," said Urchek, the Maplewood boys coach, "we're going to win one way or the other."
Unfortunately for Urchek, Mahoning County coach Grant Spaite had a secret weapon: a whole bunch of dunkers. Campbell's Tommie Hall had six himself, scored 22 points and took home MVP honors in Mahoning's 111-92 victory at Warren Harding High School.
Hall also finished second to Harding's Damian Eargle in the halftime dunk contest, although he had a ready excuse.
"I was too tired," said Hall. "But I got a win on Wednesday [at the Al Beach Classic], so it's OK."
Afterward, Spaite was asked why he doesn't have his Springfield Tigers dunk more.
"Well, I always say, 'Fellas, it's a long season. I don't want you wearing your legs out or turn too many ankles,' " Spaite joked. "It's a lot of fun to coach in these games. My assistant was taking pictures with his camera phone."
Nine-dunk night
The fast-paced, entertaining and, ahem, defense deficient contest seemed to favor Mahoning from the start. With guys like Poland's Lou Coppola (6-8), Hall (6-8) and Ursuline's D'Aundray Brown (6-4) -- who each contributed to Mahoning's nine-dunk night -- the undersized Trumbull squad probably needed to grow a few inches first.
"They're tall, but they're also really good," said Liberty's Mychal Doblanski, who took MVP honors for the Trumbull team after scoring 13 points. "It gets pretty competitive but we also like to have fun."
Trumbull, by the way, did not have a dunk.
"Yeah, I feel left out," Doblanski said.
Eargle, however, had the best dunk. After Hall missed his three dunk attempts in the finals, Eargle (who, as a junior, was unable to play in the game) bounced the ball high off the floor, hit the backboard, grabbed it, slammed it and did a celebration dance at midcourt, drawing cheers from the crowd.
(For the dunk, not the dance. Presumably.)
Opalka wins contest
Lakeview's Dustin Opalka cruised to the 3-point contest title, earning high scores in the first round (24) and the finals (20). He credited coach Brian "Ham" Hamilton for "teaching him everything he knows" and added that, to win, you must concentrate and follow through.
Also, eat Wheaties, drink milk and take vitamins, right?
"No," he said. "I never do any of that."
In the girls game, Liberty's Michelle Dykes grabbed MVP honors for her 11-point, nine-rebound effort in leading Trumbull to an 83-61 victory. Boardman's Staci Wahlman scored 16 points to earn Mahoning's MVP award.
Hanuschak prevails
In the girls 3-point contest, Fitch's Kayla Hanuschak scored 12 points in the final to edge her teammate, Rachel Rouan, by one.
"It's all fun -- nothing serious," Dykes said. "It's great to play with girls who you played against all season."
And seeing those players up close gave Trumbull coach John Diehl of Howland a new appreciation for their talents.
"You don't really know how good they are until you coach them," he said. "That [Alynn] Martin from Lakeview really jumps out at me. And Dykes can play too.
"I felt like an AAU coach tonight."
The game is annually held in honor of former Harding boys basketball coach Frank Bubba, who died of pneumonia five years ago due to complications from cystic fibrosis.
scalzo@vindy.com