2002-03 SCHEDULE

Nov. 30 -- Northgate Dec. 4 -- Wilkinsburg Dec. 6 -- at Reynolds Dec. 7 -- Fort LeBoeuf Dec. 13 -- at Aliquippa Dec. 14 -- at Beaver Falls Dec. 17 -- at George Junior Republic Dec. 20 -- Reynolds Dec. 26-27 -- at LaRoche tourney Jan. 3 -- at Wilmington Jan. 4 -- Harding Jan. 7 -- at Franklin Jan. 10 -- Hickory* Jan. 15 -- George Junior Republic Jan. 17 -- at Slippery Rock* Jan. 24 -- Grove City* Jan. 25 -- at John F. Kennedy Jan. 31 -- at Hickory* Feb. 7 -- Slippery Rock* Feb. 11 -- Meadville Feb. 14 -- at Grove City* Feb. 17 -- at Oil City [* = MCAC-AAA contest]

By The Herald Sports Staff

A year after the fact, second-year Sharon boys' head basketball coach Jim Hoy revealed his greatest obstacle in taking the Tigers' reins:

"It was not so much the kids, but the community and our style of play," Hoy recalled. "At the beginning of the year, fans came into the gym and saw the way we played and were in shock, and I don't know if it was a good kind of shock. Now," Hoy continued with a chuckle, "if they come into our gym and we hold the ball and set screens, they'd boot me out."

Last year's run 'n gun philosophy produced 15 wins and a District 10 playoff berth, so expect more of the same menu at Sharon's "Trey Cafe" this season.

"Our biggest strength is our shooting prowess. We have six kids that can shoot the ball -- again," Hoy said.

The Tigers' tenacious transition game will feature a frenetic pace and plenty of pull-up jumpers from, among others, senior guards Luke Schweiss, Dustin Golub and O'Brian Bridges, 5-foot-11, 6-1 and 5-10, respectively, as well as 5-9 juniors John Heutsche and Matt Jacobson and 5-9 senior Ryan Sarazen.

Returning to the frontcourt will be 6-5 junior small forward Andrew Smith and 6-1 power forward Matt Gill, and they will be bolstered by 6-8 junior post Ibrahim Konate, an exchange-student from Mali, Africa. John Hunter, a 6-2, 240-pound junior, will lend depth to the frontline. "Of all our kids, I don't think we have anyone who's more dedicated than John Hunter," Hoy praised.

"Our experience also is a strength. We have a lot of kids who played lots of minutes last year, and it was good experience," Hoy assessed.

However, Hoy is seeking a senior to step forward.

"If we have a weakness, the biggest is (lack of) leadership. We haven't had a senior step up like a Mike Schneider, Cory Cheza or Julian Betko last year and grab the bull by the horns. I expect that to happen, but no one has yet to step up and say, 'This is my team.' Sometimes it takes a game situation for that to reveal itself, at least I'm hoping so. Coaches can only do so much and, doggone it, they won't let me play, so I'm wanting to find out whose team this is."

Hoy said Sharon played extremely well during summer camps and preseason leagues and tourneys, but admitted, "Who knows, because none of that counts until (the opener)."

But he said he accomplished his greatest goal during last year's debut.

"My big goal last year was teaching the kids to have fun, that this can be a fun game. This year the biggest thing is teaching the kids that hard work is not a dirty word," Hoy mused, adding, "And if we can combine fun and working hard, we can be a pretty successful team this year."

Last season, part of rebuilding the Tigers' tradition was winning over Sharon's faithful, Hoy said, so he initiated an "open-door" practice policy, in which people were invited (and continue to be) to come in and watch.

"I think Sharon fans like what we do," Hoy said, later adding, "Winning over the community was important, and I think we've won the community over."

Last year, Hoy had to harness the hardwood essence of the Mercer County Athletic Conference, and from that experience he gleaned his own philosophy:

"The (Mercer County Athletic Conference) is a coaches' conference, and what I mean by that is, you can scramble all the players up every year because the players all, pretty much, stay the same (talent wise); they're on an equal playing field. But the coaching is so doggone good! It doesn't matter who Slippery Rock puts out on the floor or Hickory or Grove City, but you'd better be ready to have a good game (every) night because those guys can all coach."

But now that he has laid the foundation for a Tigers' turnabout, Hoy admitted, "We could be really good, really special, but you just don't know. There's such a fine line.

"It's so hard to replace a Mike Schneider and Julian Betko. Those kids are now Division I athletes (Schneider, part of Duke's football team; Betko, playing basketball at Clemson) in the Atlantic Coast Conference, so we do have some big shoes to fill, especially in terms of leadership.

"But what we need from the community, more than anything else, is their support because we have the toughest schedule in AAA basketball for a public school. We've really, really beefed up our schedule this year. We're playing some absolute 'monsters,' so we've got to get our kids to hang in there. If things don't go well all the time early in the year, the kids and community will have to realize that (strength of schedule) and understand that we're gearing up for section (MCAC-AAA) play and, hopefully, that'll be good enough to get us into the playoffs and we'll make a good run."

Or is that run and gun? -- By Ed Farrell, assistant sports editor.