A look at the PIAA Class A round of 16 games between Ridgway-Lincoln Park and Johnsonburg-Shade.
Ridgway (23-4) vs. Lincoln Park (20-6)
(6 p.m. Tippin Gym, Clarion University)
How they got here: Ridgway – Beat Homer Center 63-39; Lincoln Park – Beat Kennedy Catholic 54-45
Winner gets: Vincentian Academy-Bishop Carroll winner
Here we go again.
Ridgway must be dreading the idiocy of the PIAA more than anyone, as they will face basketball factory Lincoln Park in the Class A ‘Round of 16’ today at Clarion University.
For the second-straight season, Ridgway will face the Leopards, having lost 65-46 in the Class A semis a year ago.
Lincoln Park, a school for the performing arts, has developed into a basketball power. They have had 27 basketball transfers from other schools over their first four years of existence, and that’s not counting the case of 6-8 forward Elijah Minnie this season.
Minnie, a Division I prospect who is garnering interest from Pitt, N.C. State, TCU and West Virginia among others, was ruled ineligible three times by the WPIAL and the PIAA before because he allegedly transferred for athletic purposes, before finally winning his fourth appeal by the PIAA.
Give credit to the WPIAL, however, for sticking to their guns. They were quite upset with the ruling, and understandably so.
Despite the unfairness, Ridgway will have to get by the Leopards if they hope to reach the PIAA quarterfinals.
LP scored a nine-point win over Kennedy Catholic in the first round, while Ridgway used an 18-0 run to start the second half to ease past Homer Center.
Apart from Minnie, 6-6 junior swingman Ryan Skovranko, who has offers from Virginia Tech, Elon and Duquesne provides a very difficult size matchup for the Elkers.
At guard, 6-0 sophomore Antonio Kelllem and 6-5 freshman Maverick Rowan are extremely athletic and capable of taking over a game.
The Leopards only go six deep, with senior guard John Tomassetti and senior forward Jayln Cottrill also earning significant minutes.
Skovranko, Minnie, Kellem and Rowan each played all 32 minutes in their first round win.
Ridgway got an extremely balanced scoring effort in their first round win, Sam Roselli, Jesse Reynolds, Robbie Byrd and Josh Mitchell all in double-figures.
They will need that again if they want to pull the upset over LP. Reynolds is the team’s leading scorer at 18 per game and he is the player most capable of stretching the defense from deep.
Another performance from Roselli like the 18 points he had against Homer Center, however and the Elkers might be primed to pull off the upset.
Johnsonburg vs. Shade
(Bald Eagle Area H.S., 7:00 p.m.)
How they got here: Johnsonburg – Beat Eisenhower 62-30; Shade – Beat North Catholic 75-47
Winner gets: Smethport-Clairton winner
Johnsonburg had some unfinished business to take care of in the second round of the PIAA playoffs.
Last season, they dropped a heartbreaking 50-45 double-OT decision to West Middlesex. There opponent in the second round this year is equally tough — 25-1 Shade.
The Panthers are led by one of the premiere guards in the western half of the state in 6-1 senior Ryan Fyock.
Fyock is averaging 25.5 points per game, but he is far from the only scoring threat for the Panthers.
6-5 senior forward Wade Walker (17.8 ppg) may be the toughest matchup for the Rams, who’s only significant weakness may be a lack of size. 5-9 senior guard Brock Medva also averages in double figures (10.1).
It’s safe to say Shade, however, hasn’t seen a backcourt as dynamic as the one they will face today.
Juniors Cameron Grumley and Cole Peterson are capable of going off from the outside or taking it to the rim.
They along with teammates Mitch Holmberg, Quinn Luhr, Frank Kocjancic and Kyle Sheldon make up a core group of players that has been here before and is eager to get over the hump.
Both teams like to get up-and-down, with Shade averaging 63.2 ppg with Johnsonburg right behind at 62.2.
Get ready — it could be a track meet.
