Brookline 14-Under Basketball
All-Star Results


All-Star Team Photos  <>  Line Score  <>  Three-Point Shootout


ASSOCIATED PRESS - 02 Sep 06 - 20:35:16 EDT - Wire Service - Sports - Late
Breaking News - United States (Eastern) - Pittsburgh, Pa.

Headline:  TEAM GERMANY OUTPACES TEAM HODGKISS 107-106 IN THRILLER.

by Skibby Mazzisms (Associated Press Correspondent/Photographer)

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Brookline Conditioned Air Back-To-School 14-Under
All-Star exhibition was held on Friday evening, September 6, at the
Brookline Memorial Recreation Center.  The non-stop display of fireworks
was nothing short of incredible, leaving those in attendance gasping for
breath.

The Green team, led by Mario Germany's 34 points, outscored the Purple
team, 107-106, in a nail-biting frenzy that went right down to the wire.
Bo Hodgkiss (37 points) and Kevin Smith (28 points) positioned their
Purple Pride with a one-point advantage in the final seconds, but a
15-footer by the cagey Nate Totino (17 points) iced the victory for the
G-Men ten ticks from the buzzer.

Zach Sheridan (22 points) was 6-for-11 from the perimeter, including 
a critical three-pointer late in the game for Team Germany.  For Team
Hodgkiss, football star turned hoop hound Josh Niswonger netted seventeen
and John (Hot Shot) Corcoran added twelve points. 

The evening began with the Chuck Senft Three-Point Shootout.  In another
display of deadly marksmanship, Kevin "Lethal Weapon" Smith, completed the
third leg of the coveted Triple Crown, outgunning second-place finishers
John Corcoran and Jordan Mihelcic.  Kevin had previously won the Hot Shot
and Season Scoring competitions.  The sharpshooting sniper received a
Wilson game ball for his efforts.

After a brief intermission, it was time for the main event.

The game got off to a slow start.  Team Hodgkiss started the scoring,
going up 4-0, then falling behind 6-4 after the first five minutes.  Once
the initial probing phase ended, each team took to the offensive, trading
blows with equal effectiveness.  The first period ended with the Purple
Pride holding a 25-24 edge.

In the second period, the Green Machine breached the purple defenses and
gained some ground.  Super Mario controlled the area under the hoop and
The General, Zach Sheridan, provided the artillery support, launching four
unanswered three-point missiles that all hit their mark.  By halftime, the
G-Men had stormed to a 53-45 lead.

Adherring to the doctrine that the best defense is a sound offense, Team
Hodgkiss began the second half with a well-coordinated counterattack.
Smith and Hodgkiss, "Lightning and Thunder", struck with stunning accuracy.
With John Corcoran providing the long range power, the dynamic duo
electrified the court.  They erased the deficit and held a slim 79-77 lead
going into the fourth period.

The last 15 minutes of the contest resembled a Golden Gloves match, with
the fighters standing toe-to-toe trading blows.  The lead changed hands a
dozen times.  Green coach Bobby Mazzeo, a fiery competitor in the mold of
the late-Yankee skipper Billy Martin, was ejected from the game by referee
Rocky Wells for excessive harrassment.  The level of intensity was 
reaching its high water mark.  Anything seemed possible.

The final minute was a flurry of activity.  Germany for two ... Niswonger
for two ... Totino for two ... Smith for two.  Green-Purple-Green-Purple.
Then Sheridan put the G-Men on top with a three-pointer.  Hodgkiss
reciprocated with two free-throws, giving purple a 106-105 lead with only
15 seconds to go.  A fade-away jumper by Green's Nate Totino, 5 seconds
later, was the killer blow that iced the cake ... maybe!

The game still hung in the balance.  A furious rush led to a steal by
Hodgkiss, but his followup shot careemed off the rim, signalling the end
of the battle.  The bell tolled.  All quiet on the Western Front.  Final
score, Green 107 - Purple 106.

Afterwards the two sides agreed to a truce and pizza was served by the
Recreation Center staff.  The Mom's and Dad's, worn out after witnessing
the two hour spectacle, took a moment to refect on the outcome.  We're
sure that they felt a parent's sense of pride in the accomplishments of
their caging hoopsters.

League Coordinators Clint Burton and Rocky Wells were all smiles after the
game.  "We couldn't have had a more fitting ending to an exciting season,"
Burton said.  "Next year, we plan on adding more teams because we had so
many kids who signed up but never got called up.  Some of them were pretty
good ballplayers.  It's hard to imagine topping this, though.  We've got
our work cut out for us."

He continued, "This was our first season, and it was great seeing how much
interest we generated, and also how much improvement there was in the
level of play from start to finish.  The kids got to play a lot of
basketball.  Rocky and Bobby did a great job instructing.  It was so much
fun.  I'm going to miss it."

Leonard "Rocky" Wells, a former college star from St. Vincent, looked a
little haggard after refereeing the two hour marathon, but he had nothing
but praise for the kids.  "I do this for the kids.  I enjoy watching them
play and hopefully they listen to the things I'm saying during the games.
We have a lot of talented players here.  They brought everyone else to a
higher level.  By the end of the season, we were seeing some good
basketball, especially from the little guys."

"A lot of these boys can play ball in school," Wells continued, "and I
hope that they have gained the confidence to believe that they can
compete.  That was our goal all along.  It will be nice to work with the
same bunch again next year."

One of the format changes in store for the 2003 summer season is an age
adjustment.  Next season will be for ages 13 through 15.

"I think the age adjustment is necessary," Burton explained.  "There was
some conflict with the baseball program's all-star tournaments, and the
younger players had to miss games.  This season, we were learning and 
experimenting a lot.  Now, I think we kind of know what we're doing, so it
will be nice to have the same group together again to do this thing with
all the wrinkles ironed out.  It's going to be fun.  I hope they all come
back, and bring some of their friends, too."

Recreation Center staffer Bobby Mazzeo, coach of the Green team, became
the first adult to be ejected from a game in this first-year league.  Told
to leave the gym for being out-of-control, Maz reveled in his newfound
notoriety.  "I can't believe Rock kicked me out.  It's cause my team was
beating his.  He couldn't handle it.  Only kidding.  Really, Clint and
Rock did a great job.  This place hasn't been hopping like this for a
long time.  Party on, Dude!"

As for myself, a Brookline native who has covered the local sports beat 
for many years, it is with great personal satisfaction and a sense of
hometown pride that I am giving this event the #3 spot in the Skibby
Mazzisms Hall of Fame, known throughout the sports community as the
definitive Top 10 in Steeltown sports history.  

With an official Skib Factor of 9.6, this contest stands tall behind
Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception in 1972 (Skib Factor 9.9) and Cliff
Stoudt's not so immaculate reception in 1984, when the former Steeler
quarterback returned to the 'Burgh as a member of the USFL's Birmingham
Stallions (Skib Factor 9.7).  The 2002 Brookline 14-Under All-Star game
was a masterpiece, worthy of distinction.  

The league coordinators would like to thank Jan and Bob Beiler of
Conditioned Air, Inc., sponsors of the event, for their generous support.
Special thanks also go out to all of the volunteers, staff and friends
who helped coordinate the activities.  Marissa Wells, Monte Wells, Bobby
Mazzeo, Duane Ashley, Don Smith, Carol Hodgkiss, Sue Corry, Matt Newman,
Chuck Senft, Debbie Brust and Brian from Big Mouth's Pizza.  Your
contributions made it all possible.  

Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.   
Line Score:
Green        24-29-24-30        107
Purple       25-20-34-27        106

Scoring - Green:  Germany 34 (13, 8-9, 0-0), Sheridan 22 (0, 4-4, 6-11),
Totino 17 (7, 0-0, 1-4), J.Rotunda 9 (4, 1-2, 0-0), Kmiecik 7 (2, 0-0,
1-1), Mihelcic 6 (3, 0-0, 0-1), Conlon 4 (2, 0-0, 0-0), Radwanski 4 (2,
0-0, 0-4), Ashley 4 (2, 0-0, 0-0);   Purple:  Hodgkiss 37 (16, 5-10,
0-1), Smith 28 (7, 5-6, 3-5), Niswonger 17 (8, 1-5, 0-1), Corcoran 12 (2,
2-3, 2-5), Alioto 3 (0, 0-0, 1-3), Gault 2 (0, 2-2, 0-3), M.McGraw 0 (0,
0-0, 0-2), Christopher 0 (0, 0-2, 0-0).

Fouls - Green:  J.Rotunda 4, Sheridan 4, Germany 3, Conlon 3, Mihelcic 2,
Kmiecik 2, Totino 1, Ashley 1, Radwanski 1;   Purple:  Smith 5, Dienert 3,
Hodgkiss 3, Niswonger 2, Christopher 1, Corcoran 1, Gault 1.

Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved. 




Team Germany

Team Germany
Kneeling: C.J. Radwanski, Nate Totino, Zach Sheridan, Duane Ashley.
Standing: Coach Bobby Mazzeo, Jordan Mihelcic, Joe Rotunda,
Mario Germany, Mike Conlon, Jeff Kmiecik.




Team Hodgkiss

Team Hodgkiss
Kneeling: Matt McGraw, Eric Alioto, Kevin Smith, John Corcoran, David
Christopher. Standing: Coach Monte Wells, Bo Hodgkiss, Bubba
Thurner, Zach Dienert, T.J. Gault, Josh Niswonger.





The Chuck Senft Three-Point Shootout
Final Results

Kevin Smith		65-30      95
Jordan Mihelcic		25-60	   85
John Corcoran		25-60	   85
Bo Hodgkiss		25-50	   75
Mario Germany		30-40	   70
C.J. Radwanski		45-20	   65
Nate Totino		40-20	   60
Eric Alioto		10-45	   55
T.J. Gault		30-20	   50
Joe Rotunda		35-15	   50
Duane Ashley		15-35	   50
Zach Dienert		30-20	   50
Josh Niswonger		10-40	   50
Jeff Kmiecik		20-25	   45
Zach Sheridan		15-25	   40
David Christopher	05-25	   30

Prizes:  Kevin Smith (gameball), John
Corcoran (basketball shirt), Jordan
Mihelcic (basketball shirt).


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