The Herald, Sharon,
PA Published Thursday, March 13, 1997

WINTER SPORTS Boys basketball

PIAA BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS

Quips 62
Steelers 32

Farrell five flattened by Aliquippa


action shot

                     Gene Paulson/Herald
Farrell's Merci Flint drives inside against Aliquippa.


RELATED STORY: Erie Prep, Newcastle are ousted
By Jeff Greenburg
Herald Assistant Sports Editor

CENTER TOWNSHIP _ The game of basketball, reduced to its purest form, is really quite simple. Make the shots and you win; miss and you lose.

It was the Farrell Steelers who couldn't hit Wednesday night in a PIAA Class AA second-round clash at the Community College of Beaver County. And as a result their fine season came to an untimely end following a 62-32 thumping at the hands of the highly-touted Aliquippa Quips.

It was the second consecutive year the Steelers have been ousted in such a fashion in the state playoffs. A year ago, eventual state champions George Junior eliminated Farrell, 84-52, in the state semifinals.

``I'm just discouraged,'' said Steelers coach Nick Cannone. ``I thought we could give them a game. I don't know if it's just our youth, or the magnitude of the game or because it was Aliquippa, but we didn't execute at all.''

The Steelers (16-11), perhaps coerced to some extent into that poor shooting night by the aggressive, full-court Aliquippa defense, finished 10 of 48 (21.8 percent) from the floor, including 3 of 15 (20 percent) behind the arc.

The Quips (25-3), who had been ranked No. 1 in the state much of the season before an upset loss to Quaker Valley in the WPIAL tournament, are slated to face Bishop McCort (24-6), a 54-50 victor over Brockway, in the PIAA AA quarterfinals Saturday.

``With a team like Aliquippa you can't show intimidation,'' Cannone said. ``You've got to have the eye of the tiger. Against a team like that; when they get you down they squash you.''

The Quips certainly did Wednesday. Farrell's night started badly and only got worse as Aliquippa jetted to an 11-3 edge by the end of the first quarter as the Steelers could connect on only 1-of-10 shots.

The field-goal drought continued into the second quarter before a Merci Flint deuce at the 5:02 mark snapped a 9-minute bucketless stretch for the Steelers.

At the same time, Aliquippa's Richard Banks was beginning to light up the scoreboard. He finished the half with 9 of his game-high 15 points, including 7 in the second frame, and the Quips went into the intermission with a 24-11 lead.

``We tried to do some things defensively I thought worked in the first half,'' Cannone said. ``We had them confused and were rebounding the ball well, but with that constant pressure they put on you can't relax. And they don't quit on you.''

And that, perhaps, more than anything was the reason Farrell finished the half hitting only 4-of-22 shots (18.2 percent). Subtract Merci Flint's 3-of-7 output and the remainder of the Steelers could manage a paltry 1-of-15.

The only thing that kept the Steelers somewhat close, besides some fine defense of their own, was the equally weak shooting effort by the Quips, who hit only 11-of-30 (36.7 percent) in the first two quarters.

``I thought in the first half we played absolutely awesome defense,'' said Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac. ``That's really the difference in the game, because we didn't play particularly well on offense. But we played great defense. And everytime you play great defense you have a chance to win.''

A change in baskets after halftime didn't do any good for the Steelers, who fell behind 43-18 after three quarters following an 18-7 Aliquippa surge that was bolstered by a 9-for-13 shooting effort. Farrell, meanwhile connected on only 3-of-15 shots in the quarter and got no closer than 27 the rest of the way.

Brian Curenton added 14 points for the Quips, who were missing senior starters Zappula Lewis and Charles Iacobucci, both of whom were reportedly out for disciplinary reasons although Zmijanac refused to comment on either's status.

Urbie Flint tallied 9 points, all in the second half, and Merci Flint, in his final game for the Steelers, added 7 points.

Merci Flint, a 3-year letterwinner and 2-year starter, is one of only two seniors _ the other is Tine Peagler _ who will be lost to graduation this year.

``It's going to be tough to replace Merci Flint,'' said Cannone, whose squads compiled an aggregate 62-22 mark during Flint's stint. ``I really appreciate what he did for our program. Out of the three years I coached him, I don't think once he ever talked back. All he did was work. He was such a positive influence on the younger kids and is what Farrell and Farrell basketball represent. Gosh, I'm going to miss him because he was just a super kid. I hope my son Anthony grows up to be just like him.''

Despite the loss of that pair, Farrell's immediate future certainly looks bright, with seven of Cannone's top nine players returning, including Melvin Gregory, Jackson Jones, Urbie Flint, Brandon Smith and Chris Kucik, all of whom started at some point this season.

But Cannone believes this team needs to work in a couple of areas in order to continue to improve next season.

``We have to get stronger as a team and that's number one on my list,'' Cannone said. ``And I think our young kids know what is expected of them, but I'm still not happy with some of our attitudes and our immaturity. There's some things we've got to iron out to get to that next level.

``And the mental approach to the game is so important. And that's lacking. Our mental toughness is not there. And to be a champion _ you might have physical tools _ but you've got to have that mental toughness.''


Notes: Aliquippa hit 24-of-54 (44.4 percent) field goal attempts, including 2-of-7 behind the arc, and committed only 9 turnovers. Farrell turned the ball over 19 times.

RELATED STORY: Erie Prep, Newcastle are ousted



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Updated March 13, 1997
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