The Herald, Sharon,
PA Published Tuesday, March 18, 1997

WINTER SPORTS Boys basketball

PREVIEW

Kennedy Christian (22-8) vs. Sewickley Academy (22-8)

Ed Farrell
Herald Sports Writer

What: PIAA Class A Western Regional Finals.

When: 7 p.m. today (3/18)

Where: Butler High School.

How qualified: Kennedy Christian, as the District 10 3rd-place finisher, coming off a 59-40 victory over Saegertown; Sewickley Academy, as the District 7 runner-up, coming off a 56-41 victory over Bishop Guilfoyle.

Top players: Kennedy Christian _ Carlos Oatis, 5-7 jr. point guard, 7.5; Lamar Jefferson, 5-8 jr. guard, 5.4; Erik Hemsing, 6-0 sr. swingman, 12.8; Damon Clayton, 6-4 jr. forward, 11.3; Justin Green, 6-3 jr. forward, 9.1; Mike Scullin, 6-0 sr. forward; Ryan McElhinny, 5-8 fr. point guard; John Reimold, 6-4 fr. forward; Marcus Render, 6-4 jr. forward, Bill Merrifield, 5-9 sr. guard; Sewickley Academy _ Steve Nesmith, 6-4 jr. forward, 13.0; Neil Hoye, 6-1 jr. forward, 17.0; Lad Hudac, 6-6 sr. center, 14.0; Ethan Takahashi, 6-1 sr. guard; Colin Champ, 6-0 so. guard; Dwight Quarles, 5-11 so. guard; Ryan Heddleston, 6-2 jr. forward.

Winner will play: Holy Name (25-5)-Schuylkill Haven (29-3) winner for the PIAA championship, 3 p.m. Friday, Hershey.

Bonus shots: The Golden Eagles have won four straight and 13 of their last 15 outings.

... In a half-dozen D-10 and PIAA playoff games, Kennedy is averaging 64.6 ppg., while surrendering 42.6 ppg. Only one opponent _ Saegertown (56-53), in the D-10 semifinals setback _ has scored more than 48 points during that 6-game span. For the season, the Golden Eagles are outscoring opponents, 1,692-1,464 or 56.4-48.8 ppg. KC has held 18 foes to 49 points or less, and a handful of teams have failed to reach the 40-point plateau.

... Hemsing has scored in double digits in 20 of the club's 30 games.

... In PIAA playoff wins over Clairton, Homer Center and Saegertown, the Golden Eagles have coerced those clubs to collective 31.5 percent (45 of 143) shooting from the floor and outscored them by an aggregate 179-119 margin.

... The Panthers of head coach Victor Giannotta (4th year, 57-51) defeated Serra Catholic (85-63) and Geibel (83-62), before bowing to Clairton (69-55) in the WPIAL title tilt. In the PIAA playoffs, Sewickley has defeated Southern Fulton (53-51) and Juniata Valley (57-43).

... A year ago Sewickley Academy finished 17-12, defeating Elderton (65-50) and Monessen (60-58) in the WPIAL playoffs before bowing to Duquesne (49-46) in the semifinals. Like Kennedy, the Panthers were eliminated from the PIAA playoffs by eventual state champion Juniata Valley (56-44), though in the second round.

... Giannotta has guided his club to the state playoffs the last three years, but this is the deepest the school has advanced. Two years ago the club ended 12-13 and gained its first playoff berth, but was ousted in the first round by Riverview (57-44).

... Sewickley Academy is a private school with an enrollment of slightly more than 200 students (110 boys, 96 girls).

... Giannotta is a Queens, N.Y. native who gained his first scholastic head coaching stint at age 24 at Miami Valley, near Dayton, Ohio. ``I took my lumps, but learned a lot,'' he related. He is a health and physical education instructor at Sewickley.

... Hudac and Hoye both surpassed the 1,000-point career plateau earlier this season. Giannotta said Hudac scored 1,300 on his SAT exam and is considering Wittenberg, Allegheny, Washington & Jefferson and St. Vincent.

... Regarding tonight's tilt, Giannotta said, ``When it comes down to this late in the season, any team you play is gonna be a strong, tough team and Kennedy is on a roll.'' He said, offensively, his club ``will try to mix it up. We're not adverse to pushing the ball up the floor, but if we have to we'll pull it out and set up the offense, try to get the ball into our big guys.

... Defensively, we like to get after it with ball pressure, challenge the shooter.

... We don't do anything special, any junk defenses. We will press a little bit, like after a made free throw or made basket, and we'll also use a little half-court trap.''


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Updated March 18, 1997
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