JBL Hoops Showcase comes to Struthers

December 13, 2018 at 12:08a.m.

Ohio, Pennsylvania

teams to square off

in Saturday games

STRUTHERS

The Junior Basketball League Hoops Showcase at the Struthers Fieldhouse on Saturday will pit four Ohio teams against their Pennsylvania counterparts, featuring a bevy of scholastic AAU talent from both states.

The Canfield girls will get the showcase started when they meet the Mohawk Warriors in the opener at 2 p.m.

Three boys contests will follow with Chaney taking on Grove City at 4 p.m., Warren Harding entertaining the North Catholic Trojans at 6 p.m. and host Struthers going up against the Sharon Tigers in the finale at 8 p.m.

“Coach Joe Lewandowski and I are very excited to bring a showcase event to the Struthers Fieldhouse,” said Mark Metzka, Struthers boys’ assistant coach. “We feel this is a great inaugural event that will gain exposure for our players that have been involved with Stars 2 Stripes, Team Cure and PK Flash.

“The Ohio vs. Pennsylvania matchups should also provide the area with a great day of high school hoops action.”

Head coach Matt Reel’s Cardinals went 18-4 last season and feature Serena Sammarone (15.2 points), who has already committed to the University of Findlay, Grace Mangapora (9.5 points, 6.0 rebounds) and 3-point artist Gianna Flask, the team’s leading rebounder (7.0).

“The key for us is rebounding,” Reel said. “We’re a pretty good offensive team but must play tight defense.”

Mike O’Lare’s Warriors went 21-6 last year, lost four starters to graduation and feature a roster loaded with sophomore talent.

Junior Karly McCutcheon has multiple Division II offers, including West Liberty State and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, but is currently nursing a knee injury.

Nadia Lape, who was the team’s first player off the bench as a freshman last season, and Paige Julian are players to watch.

Head coach Marlon McGaughy’s Chaney Cowboys returned to play with a win over Austintown Fitch in their opener.

“It’s our first year back, we’re very young and despite our youth I feel we can be very successful,” McGaughy said. “Our schedule is challenging, which I feel will help us as the season progresses.”

The Grove City Eagles went 18-9 a year ago, lost in the District 10 semifinals and PIAA first-round and have a new head coach in Kris Kwolek, who spent the previous three seasons at Sharpsville High.

“This is a good opportunity to play teams that we won’t see later in the season,” Kwolek said. “We’re two different states, yet so close in proximity.”

They feature Marcos Cintron (26.0 points), Kade Persinger (10.1 points) and all-around player Logan Lutz.

Gabe Bubon takes over the helm of the Raiders counting on PK Flash AAU standout Dom McGhee (27.1 points), Munch Owens (18.6 points, 6 rebounds) and lock-down defender Davion Burgess.

“We’re a young team that plays hard all the time,” Bubon said. “I’d like to be farther along at this point and there’s still a lot to do, but we’re getting there.”

The Trojans were 13-13 last season but enter the season with a new coach, Dave DeGregorio, a PK Flash coach.

“We play a lot of underclassmen and we’ll look to use our 10-man rotation and depth to get better,” DeGregorio said.

They started the season 2-0 and players to keep an eye on include Jackson Paschal, who scored 28 points in their second game against Baldwin High and Isaac DeGregorio (16.0 points), a PK Flash player who is considered a scholarship level collegiate player.

The host Wildcats have a new head coach in former Youngstown State assistant Mike Wernicki and are coming off an excellent showing against the Hickory Hornets at last weekend’s United Way High School Basketball Classic

Carson Ryan went for a game-high 24 points, Brandon Washington added 18 points and Kevin Traylor had 12 markers, also featuring three-point ace Trey Metzka. Washington and Metzka are PK Flash veterans.

“We’re six solid deep but don’t have a lot of depth,” Wernicki said.

Head coach Zach Sarver led his Tigers to a 27-3 overall mark last year, losing in the state finals IMHOTEP Charter School.

They feature Elite Williams (13.1 points) and 6-8 all-state selection Ethan Porterfield, a PK Flash player and IUP signee who will go over 1,000 career points early in the season.

He’ll push former Penn State and NFL running back Mike Archie for the school’s all-time boys scoring mark of 1,407 points.