Trojans hope is for HERSHEY ...
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THE CHOPS
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Trojans hope is for HERSHEY ...
Trojans hope is for Hershey.....
THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT
Greater Johnstown's John Fuschino will make his first coaching appearance in the P.I.A.A. semifinals at 7 p.m. tonight in the Class (AAA) boys basketball Western Final against Erie Strong Vincent at Slippery Rock University.
But Fuschino has some other valuable insight about this all-important game that is one round away from the state championship.
The first-year Trojans coach played on the "1987" Windber team that stunned highly-regarded Girard in the Class (AA) Western Final and advanced to the P.I.A.A. title game before finishing as state runner-up.
"I was a junior when we played in the Western Final," said Fuschino, whose 26-3 Trojans will face an athletic and formidable Erie Strong Vincent squad.
"That Western Final was a gigantic game for us."
This game will be gigantic for a balanced Johnstown team and its growing legion of fans. A guard on that Windber team, Fuschino knows about the pressure and distractions that his group of young men have encountered since beating West York 61-56 on Friday to earn a ticket to the Final Four.
"They just need to stay focused and treat it, like, well, it's not just another game," Fuschino said. "It has more meaning than other games, but you can't get too tight. You still play your best to win, but you have to be a little more focused than an ordinary game."
Johnstown has been focused. Players have filled roles. There are no stars, but plenty of contributors.
Statistically, 6-foot-6 junior Kurt Hoffman averages about 15 points and 12 rebounds a game, and 6-2 junior Aireon Jefferson scores about 12 points and grabs six rebounds a night. Junior point guard Xavier Thomas averages nine points and six boards.
Junior Derek Rose had 12 points against West York, four more than his average. Senior Justin Maser quietly contributes points and rebounds at key times. Senior Steven Lee gives the Trojans quality time off the bench.
"The kids are playing very well right now," Fuschino said. "Kids are stepping up when they need to. It's not a one-man team. Aireon and Kurt are providing a lot of scoring in the playoffs, but guys like Justin Maser are stepping up, too."
District #10-3 Erie Strong Vincent has a somewhat deceiving 23-7 record.
Many of the Colonels' key players also were members of Strong Vincent's football team that advanced to the state semifinals before falling 21-20 to District #7 champ Thomas Jefferson.
The football Western Final was played on Dec.3rd. The Erie hoops team was missing the football players for the early portion of the season and preseason practice. The Colonels took some early-season hits on the court.
"They played in the state semifinals in football, and they lost games early because they didn't have all their players," Fuschino said. "Once they got all their players back, they haven't had that many losses. The seven losses are a little bit deceiving."
The football setback also has inspired the basketball players.
"Our first six people came from football to basketball, and in their mind, about that one-point loss (in football in the state semis), they're pretty sure whoever we play next is going to get it," Erie Strong Vincent senior guard Duane Hemphill, who also was the football team's quarterback, told The Erie Times News after Friday's 41-36 victory over once-beaten Franklin.
Hemphill is joined on the Colonels roster by other key players such as 6-5 senior center Christian Fleming, 6-1 senior guard Andre Henderson, 5-8 junior guard Gary Williams, 5-11 guard-forward David Banks, and 6-3 sophomore forward Maurice Williams. Erie Strong Vincent is coached by Shannon Pullium.
"Erie Strong Vincent is a very athletic team," Fuschino said. "They will be the most athletic team we've played all year. They've got a 6-foot-5 center who is a really strong, athletic player. They're pretty much the same size as us. They play man-to-man press. They pressure the ball. They do a lot of good things. They're patient for as athletic as they are on the offensive end."
Seeking advice, Fuschino has contacted former Trojans coach Paul Litwalk, who led Johnstown for "27" seasons and won 441 games, including six district titles. Litwalk's 1972-73 and 1992-93 squads each advanced to the Class (AAAA) Western Semifinals.
"We talked about how you might play defenses," Litwalk said. "I told him you don't make the game bigger than life. You try to maintain the same pattern with your players throughout this process. Obviously the players are buying into what Johnny and Barry Deetscreek (assistant coach) and what their game plans are. They seem to be playing on top of their game right now."
Fuschino, who coached two years at (Windber) and two at Somerset, can also draw on his own playoff experience as a player.
"We played Girard in the Western Final," Fuschino said of a 45-44 win at Westminster College in March 1987. "We had a five-hour trip. They were the No.#1 team in the state, at the time. They had a really good player,His name was Sean Mehawk. But we went up late in the game by one point. They had two shots at the end that would have won the game for them, but we held them off.
"Seeing all the Hershey Kisses flying on the courtside was one of those outstanding things. It's something that doesn't happen often, especially for around this area."
"THE CHOPS".
THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT
Greater Johnstown's John Fuschino will make his first coaching appearance in the P.I.A.A. semifinals at 7 p.m. tonight in the Class (AAA) boys basketball Western Final against Erie Strong Vincent at Slippery Rock University.
But Fuschino has some other valuable insight about this all-important game that is one round away from the state championship.
The first-year Trojans coach played on the "1987" Windber team that stunned highly-regarded Girard in the Class (AA) Western Final and advanced to the P.I.A.A. title game before finishing as state runner-up.
"I was a junior when we played in the Western Final," said Fuschino, whose 26-3 Trojans will face an athletic and formidable Erie Strong Vincent squad.
"That Western Final was a gigantic game for us."
This game will be gigantic for a balanced Johnstown team and its growing legion of fans. A guard on that Windber team, Fuschino knows about the pressure and distractions that his group of young men have encountered since beating West York 61-56 on Friday to earn a ticket to the Final Four.
"They just need to stay focused and treat it, like, well, it's not just another game," Fuschino said. "It has more meaning than other games, but you can't get too tight. You still play your best to win, but you have to be a little more focused than an ordinary game."
Johnstown has been focused. Players have filled roles. There are no stars, but plenty of contributors.
Statistically, 6-foot-6 junior Kurt Hoffman averages about 15 points and 12 rebounds a game, and 6-2 junior Aireon Jefferson scores about 12 points and grabs six rebounds a night. Junior point guard Xavier Thomas averages nine points and six boards.
Junior Derek Rose had 12 points against West York, four more than his average. Senior Justin Maser quietly contributes points and rebounds at key times. Senior Steven Lee gives the Trojans quality time off the bench.
"The kids are playing very well right now," Fuschino said. "Kids are stepping up when they need to. It's not a one-man team. Aireon and Kurt are providing a lot of scoring in the playoffs, but guys like Justin Maser are stepping up, too."
District #10-3 Erie Strong Vincent has a somewhat deceiving 23-7 record.
Many of the Colonels' key players also were members of Strong Vincent's football team that advanced to the state semifinals before falling 21-20 to District #7 champ Thomas Jefferson.
The football Western Final was played on Dec.3rd. The Erie hoops team was missing the football players for the early portion of the season and preseason practice. The Colonels took some early-season hits on the court.
"They played in the state semifinals in football, and they lost games early because they didn't have all their players," Fuschino said. "Once they got all their players back, they haven't had that many losses. The seven losses are a little bit deceiving."
The football setback also has inspired the basketball players.
"Our first six people came from football to basketball, and in their mind, about that one-point loss (in football in the state semis), they're pretty sure whoever we play next is going to get it," Erie Strong Vincent senior guard Duane Hemphill, who also was the football team's quarterback, told The Erie Times News after Friday's 41-36 victory over once-beaten Franklin.
Hemphill is joined on the Colonels roster by other key players such as 6-5 senior center Christian Fleming, 6-1 senior guard Andre Henderson, 5-8 junior guard Gary Williams, 5-11 guard-forward David Banks, and 6-3 sophomore forward Maurice Williams. Erie Strong Vincent is coached by Shannon Pullium.
"Erie Strong Vincent is a very athletic team," Fuschino said. "They will be the most athletic team we've played all year. They've got a 6-foot-5 center who is a really strong, athletic player. They're pretty much the same size as us. They play man-to-man press. They pressure the ball. They do a lot of good things. They're patient for as athletic as they are on the offensive end."
Seeking advice, Fuschino has contacted former Trojans coach Paul Litwalk, who led Johnstown for "27" seasons and won 441 games, including six district titles. Litwalk's 1972-73 and 1992-93 squads each advanced to the Class (AAAA) Western Semifinals.
"We talked about how you might play defenses," Litwalk said. "I told him you don't make the game bigger than life. You try to maintain the same pattern with your players throughout this process. Obviously the players are buying into what Johnny and Barry Deetscreek (assistant coach) and what their game plans are. They seem to be playing on top of their game right now."
Fuschino, who coached two years at (Windber) and two at Somerset, can also draw on his own playoff experience as a player.
"We played Girard in the Western Final," Fuschino said of a 45-44 win at Westminster College in March 1987. "We had a five-hour trip. They were the No.#1 team in the state, at the time. They had a really good player,His name was Sean Mehawk. But we went up late in the game by one point. They had two shots at the end that would have won the game for them, but we held them off.
"Seeing all the Hershey Kisses flying on the courtside was one of those outstanding things. It's something that doesn't happen often, especially for around this area."
"THE CHOPS".