Rosters have been released for the 21st Annual Big John Riley Basketball Classic. The Classic will be played Saturday, April 3, 2004 at the DeGol Arena on the campus of Saint Francis University. The girls game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. The boys game will follow at 8:30 p.m.
Coach Vernon Neil of Central High School will lead the Blair County Girls All-Stars and coach Bob Gongloff of Bishop Carroll High School will lead the Cambria County Girls All-Stars. The coaching responsibilities for the boys contest will be Dave Cadle of Williamsburg High School for the Blair County Boys All-Stars and Bruce Fryckland of Penn Cambria High School for the Cambria County Boys All-Stars.
The rosters include Katie Gardner and Rachael Meredith from Bellwood-Antis in the girls contest and Nick Cushion from Tyrone Area High School and Shawn Weiand from Bellwood-Antis in the boys game.
In addition to Gardner and Meredith, coach Neil will get one last chance to coach his daughter Nickie Neil along with Alicia Feathers and Krystal Ferry all of Central. Double-A AP First Team All-Star Angela Greaser will be joined by Bishop Guilfoyle teammates Erin McGowan and Lindsey Conner. Altoona will be represented by Mandi Pierce and Erin Dodson. Julie Trimarco of Hollidaysburg and Jessica Houck of Williamsburg complete the Blair County girls roster.
The Cambria County girls roster includes Anne Popovich and Ali Meckley from coach Gongloff’s Bishop Carroll Lady Huskies, Lindsey NcMurray and Margo Vescovi of Cambria Heights, who Bellwood-Antis fans saw in the opening round of the Lady Blue Devil Class against Bellwood-Antis, Jill Walsh and Kelly McClelland of Ferndale Area, Crystal Andrews and Jill Maurer of Greater Johnstown, Stephanie Skiles and Amber Anderson of Richland, Gina Reig from Penn Cambria and Sara Buchan of District VI-AA champ Westmont-Hilltop.
Joining Cushion and Weiand for coach Cadle for the Blair County boys All-Stars will be his son Nate Cadle from Williamsburg, Cory Tubo, with Tyrone ties, from Altoona, Johnny Cotto and Patrick Miller from Bishop Guilfoyle, Jimmy Snyder and Jay Stoltz from Central, Ty Swindell from Claysburg-Kimmel, and Andrew Pugh, Jeff Sefchok and Kyle Brudwig all of Hollidaysburg.
The Cambria County boys All-Stars include: Adam Miller, Jeff Mazzarella and Paul Jubas from Central Cambria, Marcus Tullis and William Sharpe from Greater Johnstown, Jasen Peters and Jon Mahler from Westmont-Hilltop, Quinton D’Ziabo from Penn Cambria, Joel Lauer from Bishop Carroll, Dominic Vescovi from Cambria Heights, James Preuss from Conemaugh Valley and Ed Samko from Richland.
All proceeds from the game will benefit the Big John Riley Memorial Scholarship at Saint Francis University. Tickets will be on sale at the door.
