City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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(PIAA Championship Previews: Class A | AA | AAA | AAAA)

Assuming experience counts for something in any sports-centric equation — and typically it’s a highly influential variable — that nugget might even get a number of grins out of Nick Lackovich’s basketball-playing Aliquippa Quips.

Then again, it might just make the Quips even more determined.

Turned away a year ago in the title game of the PIAA’s Class AA tournament, Lackovich’s Quips are returning to Hershey’s Giant Center Saturday afternoon in an all-out effort to satisfy their on-going quest for championship gold.

Up next for Aliquippa is a matchup with Philly’s Mastery Charter North.

Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Like last year — when the Quips tumbled to Conwell-Egan 62-51 despite trailing by just two with 3:17 to play — Aliquippa (29-0) will be sporting an unblemished mark when the perennial WPIAL hammer pulls confidently into Chocolatetown.

And let’s just say a sizable number of Lackovich’s determined Quips will be motivated by that 11-point loss to Conwell-Egan as their respective memory banks flash full-color replays of last year’s season-ending setback. 

Returning three starters from last season’s club — 6-6 senior forward Chucky Humphries, 6-2 senior Kaezon Pugh and 5-11 senior jet Jassir Jordan — the Quips will have that experience factor squarely in play when the ball goes up.

Humphries was burdened with foul trouble throughout last year’s title game, but when he was on the floor his athleticism around the tin caused all sorts of problems for Conwell-Egan. He’ll play hoops at D-2 West Liberty (W.Va.) State.

Plus, 5-10 senior Sheldon Jeter and remarkably athletic 6-2 junior Robert Crute logged meaningful minutes in that unforgettable visit to Giant Center.

Don’t dismiss the fact that many of Aliquippa’s players were part of the football-playing Quips outfit that tumbled in the PIAA Class AA title game at Hersheypark Stadium — which sits just across a vast parking lot from Giant Center.

Aliquippa ensured its return visit to southcentral Pennsylvania by holding off WPIAL playmate Lincoln Park 55-52 inTuesday night’s semis — those two also squared off in the WPIAL final — behind 16 points from Pugh.

Humphries added 14 and Jordan finished with 10 — those two fouled out, as did Crute — while freshman Deoveon Crute banked a critical hoop in the final seconds off a dish from Jeter that came as the latter was falling out of bounds.

Determined? Oh, yeah.

That said, the same rings true for Mastery Charter North.

Especially since Terrance “Nip” Cook’s guard-heavy Pumas (27-3) will bounce into Giant Center for the first time following a 66-58 conquest of District 3-AA runner-up Camp Hill in Tuesday night’s semifinal round.

Junior guard Eli Alvin hopped off the bench to lead the Philly Public League’s Division C champs with 22 points. Athletic big man Daeqwon Plowden added 18 points to the Mastery mix, while Harold Daily finished with 17.

Mastery Charter North held what appeared to be a comfortable 47-34 lead after three quarters, but Camp Hill was still in it and down by just five (60-55) with 1:02 to go. A late Daily triple, however, quickly eased the Pumas out of danger.

While the 6-5 Plowden can float to the arc — Plowden was Division C’s most valuable player — his matchup with Humphries should be mighty entertaining for those on hand.  Other than the talented junior, the Pumas don’t have much size.

Determined to attack the tin constantly — for finishes at the hoop and kicks to the arc — Alvin (5-10), Daily (5-11), Asa Kitchen (5-10), Rodney Ross (6-0) and Benford Jones (5-11) are effective when flashing through the paint.

Sophomore Rahmir Moore adds a little size at 6-2, but that’s about it.

And while Mastery Charter North may not have experience in state championship encounters, don’t dismiss the run Cook’s Pumas enjoyed last year before running into senior-heavy Loyalsock in the quarterfinal round.

Since Alvin, Plowden and Ross were starters on that club — 6-5 Koby Thomas relocated to Imhotep Charter — these guys have been in big games, too.

So, even though Aliquippa has a host of players who’ve been exposed to Giant Center’s bright lights, Mastery Charter North will be fueled by Philly’s recent success in state title games and won’t want to disappoint the home folks.

Should be interesting.

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(PIAA Championship Previews: Class A | AA | AAA | AAAA)