Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 70

EAST E-6 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1995 't, BASKETBALL QUOTES NOTES (( mr nrm nr rrn I 1 W. John HellerPost-Gazette McKeesport's Ryan Stugess applies defensive pressure to Uniontown's Mike Jones during last Friday's game. 1 IGERS On THE Prowl Penn Hills rolling after upset victory Plenn Hills Coach Paul Sene-' ca was on a treadmill while I talking to a reporter on terday morning. It was; sort of ironic because his team just got off one. After starting the season 0-3, the Indians have won six of nine games rugged first-half schedule.

More importantly, Penn Hills has won four of five in Section 4-AAAA play, which includes Tuesday's 48-46 upset win over Woodland Hills, the WPlAL's top-ranked Class AAAA team. The victory put Penn Hills (6-6 overall) at 4-1 in the section and tied for first place with Woodland Hills (11-1) and Central Catholic (9-5). "That was an unbelievable win," Seneca said of Woodland Hills' first loss to an area team. "Our last two games have helped us turn the corner." Penn Hills' previous game was last Friday's 73-72 overtime victory over Fox Chapel. Seneca said the reason for his team's resurgence is simple he's kept things simple in practice.

"We've been working hard in practice and its paying off," he said. "We went back to the basics. We've had some fundamental practices. The kids have responded to that. That has carried over to our games." Penn Hills has also been helped by Erie Roberson's improving play.

Roberson, a Bradley recruit, has shown signs that he's nearly recovered from last spring's surgery that repaired the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He scored 18 points against Woodland Hills, which is about 1.5 points above his average. Seneca said other players have responded, too. "Eric has rounded into shape. I knew that he would.

We've also gotten a major contribution from senior forward Mark Pitts and sophomore forward Bernie Pucka. Junior guard Mark Cotton is improving every game. Sophomore center Charts Britt, who filled in nicely Tuesday for Andy Turner, who is having academic trouble. Senior guard Kalik Gar-nett has also played very well. "Our starting lineup is solid, but I'm still looking for good bench players because I like to play a lot of people.

As our bench improves, things will become more stable." Raiders storm section Riverview Coach Jack Schmitt said having a lot of fun this season and why shouldn't he? The Raiders are having their way in Section 2-A. Riverview (10-4 overall, 7-0 in section) has won nearly all of its section games by comfortable margins. Its average margin of victory in section play is 31.5. Only two teams in Section 2-A Leechburg and Elderton have come within 10 points of the Raiders. "We've been able to play well," said Schmitt, whose squad switched to Section 2-A after playing in Section 11-AAA last season.

"The kids are having fun. Some of the teams are young and aren't as talented'as we thought they'd be." Although Riverview has to travel farther to play teams in Section 2-A, SchmitJ.is enjoying his new section. "It comes at a good time for our team. We lost a bit from last year. I think its good to play in your own classification.

We happen to be playing Well now, but we're not ashamed to win. We've certainly taken our licks before." Schmitt admitted there are some down sides to his new section. "Ourfans probably would prefer that we were playing in the old section against Shady Side and Spring-dale. Our crowds are down some. The travel is the only negative to-Section 2-A." Fast breaks The Plum boys suffered a 57-46 loss to Gateway on Tuesday, extending their section losing treak to 19 games.

The Mustangs haven't won a section game since Feb. 19, 1993. Jeannette is cruising in Section 3-AAA. The Jayhawks (12-1 overall, 5-0 in section play) average section win has come by 26 points. By David Garth Success in football has carryover effect for McKeesport By Scott Robertson Tri-State Sports News Service McKeesport point guard Ryan Sturgess was not sure what to expect at the beginning of the 1994-95 WPIAL boys' basketball season.

He knew the Tigers had talent, but he also knew a great deal of it was still on the football field. "I thought things might be pretty shaky at the beginning," said Sturgess, a 6-foot-2 senior. "With all the football players out, I didn't know what was going to happen." What happened was a strong foundation developed among the eight non-football players on the roster. Seven of McKeesport's players stayed with the football team through the Tigers' 15-0 WPIAL and PIAA championship football season. They did not join the team until the eve of McKeesport's first section game in early December.

It hasn't seemed to hurt the Tigers, who are 12-1 overall and 4-1 in Section 2-AAAA play after Tuesday's 67-44 non-section victory at Baldwin. The Tigers are scheduled to play Connellsville in a Section 2-AAAA game tomorrow night. "Those guys not being here had a real big impact," said McKeesport Coach Dan Pacella. "It's been very difficult. The key to getting things going, though, was the eight players who had been there for the previous four weeks.

They learned what to do, and they did a great job in the games they played." Sturgess, the team's leading scorer with an average of 17 points per game, was one of those players. He was joined by 6-foot junior guard Nick Bachofsky, 6-foot-l senior forward Bob Boord, 6-foot-6 junior forward Steve Menifee, 6-foot-3 senior forward Eric Odorcich, 6-foot-2 senior forward Art Anderson, 6-foot-7 junior forward Jim Burgess and 6-foot-l junior forward Seth Kowalski. "They set the tone for us early," Pacella said. "They've learned the things we want to do, and that's really helped us keep 'John HellerPost-Gazette McKeesport's Jermaine Cromerdie fires a pass during the Tigers' 77-59 win over Uniontown. "I don't think we're going to get burned out at all.

We've all been playing both games all our lives. We just think we're going to have fun." Winning breeds that kind of attitude, and the Tigers have done plenty of that. In addition to Short, the football players on the roster include 5-foot-9 senior guard Jermaine Cromerdie, 6-foot senior forward Glen Allen, 6-foot-2 senior forward Justin Liberatore, 5-foot-ll junior forward Bill Isbir, 5-foot-10 junior guard Jarrod things going." Sturgess admits that the early season went much better than he expected. "The eight of us worked really well together," Sturgess said. "Now that we have the football players back, we're not half as good a team as we are going to be." Only one of the football players, 6-foot-3 senior forward Brandon Short, currently is in the starting lineup.

Short, like his football teammates, got no time off between the end of the football season and the start of basketball practice. "We played the state championship game on a Saturday night, then had our banquet the next day and then had basket ball practice Monday and a game Tuesday," Short said. "It was hard. We're not quite into a groove yet, but when we get into it more, we should be in pretty good shape." Short is not concerned that he and his football teammates will suffer burnout by the end of the season. He says the players got a taste of winning during the football season, and want to carry that over to the basketball court.

"The guys played well before we got there," Short said. "Our guard play was great. Our team is a good team, and when we came in, we made things better. SEE TIGERS, PAGE E-8 It's business as usual for first-place Penn Hills girls before we make the playoffs," said Lind. "We have to improve in our decision-making on offense, too.

Sometimes, I just hold my breath when we're on offense." Lind blames poor foul shooting for his team's four losses. They include: A 52-49 home loss Dec. 8 to North Catholic, the two-time defending WPIAL and PIAA Class AAA champion. A 78-76 loss in triple overtime on Dec. 12 at Upper St.

Clair, the Post-Gazette's top-ranked Class AAAA team. A 38-36 defeat Dec. 17 at home to Hollidaysburg, a District 6 team that is a regular in the PIAA playoffs. A loss in overtime to Altoona on 'Saturday. The Indians Becky Vento, a 5-4 senior guard (4.4), to fill out the remaining three spots.

"They're all averaging five to eight rebounds a game," said Lind. "This is the most exciting team I've coached. We have speed, aggressiveness and play good defense, too." With 10 games remaining in the regular season, Lind can't help but look ahead to the postseason. "The kids know everyone's gunning to beat them. We're a team other teams love to hate," Lind said.

"Our expectations haven't changed. We expect to be at the big dance the WPIAL championship. We'll be disappointed if we don't win it" 1 SEE PENN HILLS, PAGE E-7 converted 13 of 26 attempts from the line, while visiting Altoona made several key free throws in overtime to win. "We lost four games by a total of 10 points. Our foul shooting was hideous.

That's our weak point," Lind said. "It's frustrating. This doesn't satisfy me at all. However, the kids are working hard and I feel the only way we can go from here is upward." Lind also sees many positive signs developing this season for Penn Hills (10-4, 6-0) ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA by the Post-Gazette.

"We're averaging 61.5 points per game on offense so far this season and giving up an average of 41," said Lind. "But I think the statistic that tells yoii something is that we're averaging 15.5 steals per game, which is rather high." Penn Hills, which can finish the first half of its Class AAAA Section 4 schedule unbeaten with a victory at Gateway tonight, is using a varied lineup this season. Catherine Jacob, a 5-7 senior guard, and LynnDee Howell, a 5-9 junior guard, are the only two regular starters. Howell is averaging 14.4 points a game. Jacob, a University of Buffalo recruit who has scored 1,032 career points, is averaging 13.9.

"Catherine and LynnDee are playing the best basketball of their careers right now," Lind said. Lind chooses from among Jennifer Sikora, a 5-10 senior forward and center (8.3 ppg); Nicole Brown, a 6-0 sopffomore center (6.9); Barb Kudis, a 5-9 junior guardforward (6.4); and By Don Ireland Tri-State Sports News Service It's been a basketball season of aggravation and anticipation for Penn Hills Coach Bill Lind. The veteran coach is disappointed with the four narrow losses his girls have recorded to date. On the other hand, Lind is confident his team can overcome its problems in time to contend for the WPIAL Class AAAA championship. "We want nothing less than a WPIAL championship," said Lind.

"We just have to clean up a few points and we'll be all right." Most of Lind's frustrations center around his team's foul shooting. The Indians have shot 47 percent, converting 133 of 283 attempts from the line. "It's got to get twice as good.