BG hosting twinbill at Jaffa Shrine
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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
For the second year in a row, Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic will host a girls-boys basketball doubleheader at the Jaffa Shrine Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Marauders, currently the top seed in the District 6 Class 1A playoff rankings, will take on Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference foe Penn Cambria, which stands in second place in the district's 4A rankings, at 2 p.m.
The final game of the day will begin around 6 p.m. with the Bishop Guilfoyle boys taking on Hollidaysburg.
"We practiced there this week to get a little more familiarity," Bishop Guilfoyle boys coach Ryan Lestochi said. "For us coaches, especially Josh (Baker) and I, it holds a little more special place for us. We played in the shootouts back when we were playing and watched a lot of great teams coming in there. I'm not sure the kids feel the same way as we do."
There will also be a pair of junior varsity games, the first of which will be the girls at noon and the boys JV game will be at 4 p.m.
A year ago, the BG girls edged Tyrone, 45-43, and the BG boys lost to Shabach Christian.
"We were up big, and then we gave up the lead and had to fight to win it," Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic girls coach Kristi Kaack said. "It definitely was a turning point. It showed our kids that we got through adversity and came out with a win. It built our character."
The Lady Marauders rode that momentum all the way to the District 6 title game and won a PIAA playoff game with a very young squad. The team might be even younger this year after getting an infusion of talented freshmen.
"Playing in a place like that is exciting, but it can also be a little bit overwhelming," Kaack said. "We want to get them acclimated. But we're excited to have the opportunity again, and obviously it's tied into Sideline Cancer, too. We're excited to play for a special cause and help out a family."
Sideline Cancer will have a presence at the event once again, and the local charitable organization also has ties to BG's opponents in both the boys and girls game.
"We're excited about it," Penn Cambria girls coach Josh Himmer said. "One of our girls, Izzy Andersen, played for Sideline Cancer in AAU, and she's very excited about playing for that cause. Then, to play at the Jaffa, probably the most iconic venue around here that someone can play in, it's a great opportunity for our program."
Hollidaysburg boys coach Brad Lear has worked with Sideline Cancer.
"I told our kids we needed to spread the word around," Lear said. "We have been making social media posts. Sideline Cancer does a good job promoting the games, and we are hoping with it being a Saturday and a lot of the teams not playing Saturday that we would get a lot of spectators from Hollidaysburg, but a lot of the other coaches from the Laurel Highlands reached out to double check the game times, because they want to bring their staff and some of their players. Hopefully we have a nice crowd. The weather should be decent with all the roads cleared off. Why not come watch two top teams in our area compete?"
The boys game is a matchup of two of the better teams in the LHAC, but it might take some time for the players to settle in.
"It's definitely a different feel shooting there, and the court is a little different," Lestochi said. "I think there will be some adjustment. When you have a lot of space behind the backboard, there can be issues with depth perception. Most high school gyms just have a wall there."
In addition to BG practicing there, many of Hollidaysburg's players have experience with the Jaffa Shrine as well.
"Our group has been over there a few times, because they have been hosting youth events," Lear said. "I know they have had a men's league for a couple winters and falls. They are familiar, not to the point where they would know the value of playing there and what it is, but we have talked about that to them."