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Struthers Field House hosts Hope Classic
By Greg Gulas
STRUTHERS
The fifth annual Hope Classic High School Basketball Showcase is set for Saturday with four games on tap beginning at 3 p.m. at Struthers Fieldhouse.
The Ursuline Fighting Irish and Austintown Fitch girls teams will get the action started, followed by the Jackson-Milton and Struthers girls at 4:30 p.m.
Boys action begins at 6 p.m. when the Springfield Tigers take on the Lowellville Rockets while and all-Trumbull County affair between LaBrae and Bristol concludes the slate at 7:30 p.m.
All proceeds from the showcase will benefit the Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.
The Fighting Irish went 14-10 a season ago and feature guard Dayshanette Harris (21 points-per-game a season ago), Simone Comer (12.0 points) and Anyah Curd, who averaged a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds per contest.
“We are a young team that starts one senior and four sophomores while all four sophomores played varsity as freshmen last year,” Ursuline coach Vannessa Dickson said. “Despite a young line-up, our goals and expectations this year are extremely high.”
Dan Schnurrenberger takes over the reins at Fitch, a team that went 14-9 last year under former coach Stacie Cepin.
“We are a veteran team with two, three-year letterwinners and have three senior starters in Allexis Sallee, Natalie Lynn and Mikaela Hibbs,” Schnurrenberger said. “This is a close knit team and a fun group to be around. They also get it done in the classroom as the team sports a 3.7 cumulative grade point average.”
The Struthers Wildcats are no strangers to the tournament or their home court, where they have fared extremely well over the years.
“We’re a young team with a nice mix of veterans looking to senior Karli Shives for leadership,” Struthers coach John Grandy said. “With three sophomores, we’re hoping to jell early in order to make some noise when league play begins.”
In addition to Shives, players to watch are juniors Alexis Bury and Khaylah Brown, both of whom earned second-team All-American Conference honors last season.
Pat Keney returns for his 23rd season at the helm of Jackson-Milton, guiding the team to a 23-3 mark last year and the program’s first ever regional appearance.
“We have nine letterwinners returning and if we expect to duplicate last year’s success, then defense will be the key,” Keney said. “Playing unselfishly and as a team are the other two keys.”
Bluejays players to keep an eye on include Ashley and Kaitlyn Totani, Michaelina Terranova, Emily Williams and Ashley Cameron, who lettered as a freshman a year ago.
The Lowellville boys enter the season with a new coach in Matt Olson, certainly no stranger to the Rockets as he served under former head coach Mike Mangine and enjoyed great success by directing their junior varsity program.
“There were 10 seniors on last year’s team so we are lacking varsity experience,” Olson said. “We have a young group of kids, players that love basketball and who have talent but are learning to play as a unit. With six sophomores and four juniors comprising this year’s roster, the future looks bright.”
Holdovers from last year’s 18-6 squad include Matt Hvisdak, Jake Rotz and Nate Solak.
Veteran Springfield head coach Eric Fender led the Tigers to a 19-5 mark and the district semi-finals last season and his top returning players are Jake Ford and Frank Centofanti.
“This year’s team has shown a lot of growth in the two or so weeks we’ve had to practice since football ended,” he said. “Our level of competition every day in practice has been some of the best we’ve had in the eight years that I have been coaching.”
The nightcap pits Bristol against the LaBrae Vikings.
Bristol is a three-time participant in the tourney after going 23-3 last year. They were 14-0 in Northeastern Athletic Conference play and feature Bryan Gabrielson, Tommy Donadio and Phil Aliberti.
“Losing seven of 12 letterwinners from a season ago, we are looking for leadership from upperclassmen to push less experienced players to be varsity ready by the start of the season,” Bristol coach Craig Giesy said.
The Vikings count on senior returnees Mike Eakins, Carlton Brown and Tariq Drake from last year’s 19-5 unit.
“Our assets are team speed and depth, but in order to build on last year’s success we have to maintain our defensive intensity for all four quarters,” Vikings coach Chad Kiser said.
Doors open at 2 p.m. with tickets $7 for adults and $4 for students.
Tickets can be purchased on-line and further information can be obtained by visiting the Hope foundation website at www.hopemv.org/hope.