Mike Vukovcan Sewickley- Despite some ups and downs throughout the season, one thing is certain, the Hopewell 7th Grade Boys basketball team has talent and will be a entertaining group of players to watch develop over the upcoming seasons.
This team interesting and has a chance to be successful because of so many players with different skillsets.
Nico Amadio is the consummate point guard, Christian Fisher is a developing big man with skill and you can’t teach his size, Kaleb Gonzalez is a bruiser that will battle and compete against anyone in the paint, Ryder Kostrick is the most athletic player on the court that can do it all, Vin Smetana is talented enough to be a starter but currently provides instant offense off the bench, when given the chance Connor Reed and Noah Honess can knock some outside shots, Kaein Dowling and Dylan Ankrom both had plenty of moments this year and will get better, David Johnson was a perfect compliment to Amadio as the backup PG and Enzo Leopardi is a player I like and feel like has a nice future as a compliment to Fisher.
We saw all of these skills in today’s season finale against Quaker Valley, in a 41-21 win.
1st Half Recap-
*Gonzalez with a nice assist to Fisher to open up the scoring, Hopewell 2-0.
*This time, Gonzalez with the steal and races to the other end for the layup, Hopewell 4-0.
End of 1st Quarter- Quaker Valley 5 Hopewell 4
*Hopewell breaks the press as Kostrick gets a feed, drives to the hoop, scores and his fouled, QV 8-7.
*Hopewell converts inbounds play as Johnson finds Dowling for 2, Hopewell 9-8.
*Nico gets in the paint and gets it to Fisher, Hopewell 11-9.
*With 1:30 left in half, Leopardi with the offensive rebound, gets it out to Kostrick who swings it to Dowling in the corner for 3, Hopewell 14-9.
*With :10 seconds in the half, Dowling makes a great save on the sidelines, while in the air, passes to Kostrick in the corner for 3, Hopewell 17-9.
Halftime: Hopewell 17 Quaker Valley 9
2nd Half Recap-
*Hopewell made an effort to get it inside in the 2nd half and it worked. On this play, it was Amadio to Fisher, Hopewell 19-9.
*Same exact thing on next possession, Amadio to Fisher,
*Kostrick grabs the long rebound, sprints to the other end and finishes with a nice Euro Step, Hopewell 23-12.
*Amadio pushes it up court in transition, gets it to Gonzalez at the top of the key, KG then finds Fisher down low, Hopewell 25-15.
*Following that basket, Amadio with quick hands gets the steal and layup, Hopewell 27-15
End of 3rd Quarter- Hopewell 27 Quaker Valley 15Â
*Gonzalez displaying his strength as he challenges a QV big man, keeps control of the ball, falls away and makes the shot and is fouled, Hopewell 30-15.
*Smetana with quickness drives down the middle of lane and his shot falls in, Hopewell 32-15.
*Johnson replaces Amadio and immediately contributes with an assist to Gonzalez, Hopewell 35-15.
**Later, Johnson with the steal, misses a layup, but Gonzalez cleans things up with a layup plus is fouled, Hopewell 37-15.
**Nice press break by Hopewell as Leopardi gets it to Johnson who finds Fisher for 2, Hopewell 39-15.
**Last basket of the season comes on an inbound pass from Johnson to Kostrick, Hopewell 41-17.
Final Score- Hopewell 41 Quaker Valley 21
