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The coaches for the 2024 Altoona Mirror Basketball Classic are fixtures at their programs.
The 17th annual Mirror Classic matches the top seniors from Blair County against an all-star team compiled from Central PA (mainly District 6 and District 5).
It will be held Thursday, March 28 at Penn State Altoona's Adler Gymnasium with the girls tipping at 6:30 p.m. and the boys at 8:30.
The Classic is played in memory of Big John and Tom Riley and benefits the Riley Scholarship Fund at Saint Francis University.
Amy Hileman (Williamsburg Community High School) and Brad Lear (Hollidaysburg) will coach the Blair County teams while John Hahn (Bishop McCort) and Don Ellis (Chestnut Ridge) will guide the Central PA squads.
The Classic is played in memory of Big John and Tom Riley, and proceeds benefit the Big John Riley Scholarship Fund at Saint Francis University.
Hileman is in her fifth season at her alma mater, where she was a 1,000-point scorer and part of standout Lady Pirate teams of the late 1990s.
Hileman (the former Amy Hoy) has a career record of 96-32 and has led Williamsburg to three Inter-County Conference titles, the 2023 District 6 Class 1A championship and deep PIAA playoff runs.
For the second straight year, her team is in the Class 1A western semifinals (today vs. Berlin Brothersvalley).
Lear has been a head coach for 15 seasons, including the last 10 at Hollidaysburg, where his teams have gone 138-92.
Previously, he was the head coach for five years at North Stafford in Virginia, where his teams went 76-33 and won several district and regional championships.
A former Penn State student, this is Lear's second time coaching in the Mirror Classic.
Ellis has a career record of 60-36 through four seasons at Ridge, including a pair of District 5-8-9 championships, most recently this past season.
Prior to his appointment in 2020, Ellis was an assistant for the Lions.
Hahn is in his 23rd season as Bishop McCort's head coach and is the longest tenured girls coach in the school's history.
Hahn has guided the Lady Crushers to two PIAA western finals, five District 6 championships, a second-place state medal in 2017 and has a career record is 445-184
His teams have also won consecutive Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference titles in 2008-09 and 2015-16.
Tickets for the classic cost $5 and can be purchased at the Mirror from 9-4 p.m. weekdays or at Penn State Altoona beginning at 5:30 p.m. on March 28.
Team rates (15 tickets for $45) are also available at the Mirror or by calling Autumn Feather at 814-946-7485 or email her at afeather@altoonamirror.com.
Players for the Classic will be announced in next weekend's Mirror (March 23-24).