BIG MAN ALERT -- AGAIN: Even as Trinity’s beaming Shamrocks celebrated their 73-68 victory over Loyalsock Saturday at Pottsville’s emptying Martz Hall, thoughts were beginning to stray toward Tuesday night’s contest.
Some of those post-game thoughts centered on approaching opponent Holy Cross and its talented 6-7 big man Josh Kosin, a remarkably productive senior who a year ago landed first-team all-state honors after leading Al Callejas' Crusaders to the PIAA Class AA semifinals.
Although Holy Cross dropped a 37-35 decision to eventual Class AA champ Imhotep, the Crusaders returned four of their top six from last year's club and are back in the state semifinals.
Kosin, however, is the guy carrying the biggest load.
Not only is he averaging 27 points per game in the state tournament -- Kosin rang up 31 points in each of the Crusaders' last two victories -- but Kosin's also yanking down 10-plus rebounds per outing.
“Another big guy,” said Trinity coach Larry Kostelac Jr. “He’s a great player. They have a nice team. Al does a super job with them.”
Considering Trinity already has dealt with Meyers’ 6-6 Rasheed Moore, William Sayre’s bulky Antwan James and Loyalsock’s smooth 6-5 Roger Wilson already – and won each of those games -- the Shamrocks’ long-yet-seasoned junior tandem of 6-5 Brandon Kuntz and 6-6 Josh Trumpy should be ready to go.
Yet again.
Kuntz popped a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) in the OT win over Loyalsock. Trumpy added 14 points and seven boards.
They’ve already seen plenty of film on Holy Cross – especially since the meticulous Kostelac and his assistants spent the regular season and even the postseason amassing a sizable video library – so they have a mighty good idea what’s coming from Kosin and his teammates.
“We’ve had to face a lot of athletic and strong big men,” said Kuntz, who is averaging 9.0 ppg and nearly nine rebounds per in the state tournament.
“I don’t think Josh and I will back down from this challenge either.
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CHAMPIONSHIP WATCH: With Neumann-Goretti’s string of three consecutive Class AAA crowns now over, only Chester has the chance to defend the Class AAAA title it won last year in State College.
Actually, let’s rephrase that by saying Larry Yarbray’s Clippers have the chance to defend the titles they collared each of the last two years at Penn State University’s Bryce Jordan Center.
While two-time Class AA champion Imhotep Charter still has an opportunity to win a third straight state title, Andre Noble’s Panthers will need to win at the Class AAA level to make that happen.
Since 2012 champ Constitution also made a classification jump – from Class A to Class AA – a new winner will be crowned in Class A.
Lower Merion (AAAA), Montour (AAA), Beaver Falls (AA) and Lincoln Park (A) – which last season took home silver medals following losses in their respective title games – have reached the state semis.
So, with victories Tuesday, each of those aforementioned runners-up could return to a state title game for the second straight year.
Should Montour and/or Lincoln Park prevail, those programs will be playing in state finals for the third year in a row.
BRILLIANT … OR NOT???: If the PIAA’s decision to schedule all eight of its semifinal-round games on Tuesday was based on wanting to schedule twinbills – previously, Tuesday and Wednesday dates were used -- the folks in Mechanicsburg failed miserably.
Here’s some evidence.
Of the eight games scheduled to be played Tuesday night, only one is paired with another. That’s the Donegal-Imhotep Charter scrap, which will share the marquee at Reading’s Geigle Complex with the Class AA girls’ game between York Catholic and St. Basil.
All seven of the other contests set for Tuesday night are being played as single games at their respective sites.
Oops!
Now, if the PIAA’s intent was to build in a buffer for potential weather problems, that’s a splendid idea. Especially given the wintry mix that pestered the Harrisburg area all day Monday.
Seriously, before the PIAA can consistenly place multiple games at a particular site one round before its championships are contested, the tournament’s logistics must be overhauled.
Regionalized play must be strongly considered – especially since the potential for too many of those long-distance, east-west matchups a round or two before the final exists – and these tournament brackets allocated by the number of schools in each district scrapped.
For instance:
*Archbishop Carroll-Chartiers Valley in Chambersburg.
*Archbishop Carroll-Montour in Chambersburg.
*Lower Merion-New Castle in Williamsport.
Or, bring the Final Fours to the championship site. While that would require a different type of logistical adjustment – like different venues or different weekends for the boys and girls – it’s a thought.
CLASS AAAA QUARTERFINAL-ROUND REWIND: Popping four players into double figures – Raheem Hall (16), B.J. Johnson (14), JaQuan Johnson (12) and Yohanny Dalembert (12) – Lower Merion nipped Harrisburg 63-62 at Reading’s Geigle Complex. Dalembert also pulled down 15 boards and blocked six shots for the Aces, who sealed the victory on B.J. Johnson’s flush and freebie with seconds remaining. Shaquon Sheppard’s 15 points paced the ‘Burg. … Malik Hooker led a parade of players into double figures by scoring 23 points as New Castle outran Erie Cathedral Prep 80-70. Shawn Anderson (20), Anthony Richards (15) and Brandon Domenick added a combined 49 points for the Red Hurricanes. Sheldon Zablotny dropped in 24 points for Prep. … Rondae Jefferson racked up 16 points and Richard Granberry popped a double-double (11 points, 11 boards) as Chester eased past Great Valley 55-42. Mikal Bridges pocketed 14 points for Great Valley, Chester’s 77th consecutive Pennsylvania victim. … Stephen Vasturia poured in 31 points as St. Joseph’s Prep used a 15-0 spurt at the start of the fourth quarter to pull away from Coatesville 67-43. Emmett Hunt’s 13 points paced the Red Raiders.
CLASS AAA QUARTERFINAL-ROUND REWIND: Matt Foltz dropped in 20 points and Martin Dietrich tacked on 19 as Donegal upended three-time state champ Neumann-Goretti 55-50, snapping the Saints’ state tournament win streak at 17 games. Ja’Quan Newton’s 16 points topped Neumann-Goretti. … Brandon Austin, Abraham Massaley and Basil Thompson shared 39 points as Imhotep Charter turned back Abington Heights 61-50. Jason Bamford and J.C. Show hooked up for 25 points to lead Abington Heights, which led 43-42 when the fourth quarter began. … Derrick Jones banked eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter as Archbishop Carroll staved off fast-closing Chartiers Valley 49-46. Ernest Aflakpui chipped in 13 points and Yosef Yacob added 11 for the Patriots. Michael Boulos netted 13 points and Spencer Casson popped a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) for Char Valley. … Dylan Wilson chalked up 13 points as Montour edged General McLane 42-40. Jaymon Mason led the losing Lancers with 22.
CLASS AA QUARTERFINAL-ROUND REWIND: Dominick Antonelli rang up 18 points – including the game-tying trey with one second to go in regulation – as Trinity escaped Loyalsock 73-68 in overtime. Dylan DeFrank (16), Brandon Kuntz (14) and Josh Trumpy (14) also reached double figures for the Shamrocks, who were trailing 62-59 when Antonelli connected from about 25 feet. Roger Wilson potted 22 points and grabbed nine boards for ‘Sock. … Josh Kosin registered 31 points for the second straight game and Corey Joyce chimed in with 14 as Holy Cross downed Constitution 75-61. Floyd Preito poured in 28 for the Generals, the 2012 Class A state champs. … Drew Cook banked 19 points and Elijah Cottrill posted 14 as Beaver Falls authored a 56-44 victory over Lakeview. Dalton Boggs netted 16 points and Casey Greggs 15 for the Sailors. … Matt Dogan racked up 28 points and Trey Staunch pitched in with 16 as West Middlesex stopped Conemaugh Twp. 60-46. Dillon Boyer’s 16-point salvo paced Conemaugh.
CLASS A QUARTERFINAL-ROUND REWIND: Amir Butler booked 17 points and Lester Mattox dropped in 14 as Vaux held off Church Farm 68-64. Tyler Ofray’s 17 points topped the Griffins. … Jeremiah “Lump” Worthem poured in 25 points and Britton Lee collected 15 as Math, Civics & Science outdistanced Sankofa Freedom 71-59. Anthony Wright-Downing led Sankofa with 16. … Elijah Minnie unleashed a monster effort, scoring 42 points and grabbing 20 rebounds as Lincoln Park outgunned Bishop Carroll 86-84. Maverick Rowan added 23 points for the victorious Leopards, while Brandon Martinazzi and Scott Ranck combined for 54 points to lead Carroll. … Cole Peterson, Cameron Grumley and Frank Kocjancic hooked up for 39 points as Johnsonburg eliminated Smethport 54-43. Clay Schuler led Smethport with 16 points, one more than teammate Zach Smith.
DISTRICT-BY-DISTRICT UPDATE: After three rounds of state play, here’s what each PIAA district has accomplished thus far and what ‘s left.
District 1: 15-14 ... Two teams remaining (two in AAAA)
District 2: 6-6 ... One team remaining (one in AA)
District 3: 11-19 ... Two teams remaining (one in AA, one in AAA)
District 4: 5-9 ... No teams remaining
District 5: 4-3 ... No teams remaining
District 6: 5-9 ... No teams remaining
District 7: 20-18 ... Four teams remaining (one in A, one in AA, one in AAA, one in AAAA)
District 8: 0-2 ... No teams remaining
District 9: 6-5 ... One team remaining (one in A)
District 10: 9-9 ... One team remaining (one in AA)
District 11: 4-9 ... No teams remaining
District 12: 28-10 ... Five teams remaining (two in A, two in AAA, one in AAAA)
QUOTABLE PART ONE: "I was going to try to get to the basket. But B.J.'s man was hugging him. We made eye contact and the back door was right there, and it was a tremendous finish." – Lower Merion’s Raheem Hall to Philly.com, describing the play that led to B.J. Johnson’s game-clinching dunk with seconds remaining in the Aces’ 63-62 win over Harrisburg.
QUOTABLE PART TWO: “He’s a great player. We threw doubles at him. We tried all kinds of things. He made Leroy [Hoggard] work really hard defending him, and tired him out. We switched and put [Andre] Boggs, who isn’t as big, on him early in the second half and he immediately when right down and posted him up and scored. The kid can do it all.” – Coatesville coach Rick Nelms to the West Chester Daily Local, describing the play of St. Joseph’s Prep’s Steve Vasturia. Vasturia scored 31 points in Prep’s 67-43 victory.
QUOTABLE PART THREE: “We battled back after a second period where we did not do anything right. But to play one of the top three or four teams, regardless of classification, in the state without our best player in Aondofa [Anyam] and battle back to lose by four, I could not be prouder of this group.
“This senior class won three District 1 titles, went to the state quarterfinals three times and was 23-6 this year with a very tough non-league schedule. They are a special bunch.”– Church Farm coach Marc Turner to the West Chester Daily Local following Friday’s 68-64 loss to Vaux.
QUOTABLE PART FOUR: “I don’t think we cooled off. I thought we played pretty well all the way. But Chester really just turned it up to another level. That’s just what they do. They know how to turn it on late and close out games. The loss stings, but we lost to the best.” – Great Valley big man Mikal Bridges to the West Chester Daily Local following Saturday’s 55-42 loss to Chester.
QUOTABLE PART FIVE: "If we were running backs in football, we wouldn't be three yards and a cloud of dust. We might have some empty possessions here and there, but, eventually, we'll break a big one." – New Castle coach Ralph Blundo to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, describing his Red Hurricanes’ explosiveness.
MICHAEL BULLOCK:mbullock@pennlive.com
GEOFF MORROW:gmorrow@pennlive.com
BULLOCK ON TWITTER: @thebullp_n
MORROW ON TWITTER: @RageAgainstGMo