Hoops For Cure has local flavor
The 18th annual Hoops For A Cure will be held April 27 at the Chartiers Valley High School gymnasium.
Proceeds from the charity all-star basketball game are donated to the Nathan S. Arenson fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research. The event has raised more than $1.2 million.
There will be two all-star games featuring some of the top male and female talent in the area.
The girls tip off at 4 p.m. while their male counterparts compete at 6.
Upper St. Clair’s head coach Danny Holzer, along with New Castle’s Ralph Blundo, manage the WPIAL Quad-A all-stars.
Jordan Grabowski from Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park’s Wyatt Hagerty and Tyler Roth of Mt. Lebanon spearhead the Quad-A roster.
Other players on that team include: Shawn Anderson, Brandon Domenick, Easton Bazzoli, Christian Koroly, Antonia Rudolph, Matt Stewart and David Urso.
Local standouts on the rival WPIAL roster are: South Fayette’s Evan Bonnaure, Michael Boulos and Spencer Casson from Chartiers Valley as well as Cory Sevacko of Keystone Oaks.
Joe Carroll, Drew Cook, Jason Pilarski, Ryan Smider, Josh Wise and Tony Dinardo complete the unit, which is coached by Doug Biega of Beaver Falls and Brentwood’s Dave Mislan.
Bishop Canevin and Seton-La Salle showcase the girls’ contest, which is a clash between the small and big schools.
On the A-AA roster are Erin Waskowiak, Carly Forse and Celina DiPietro, who led the Lady Crusaders to its first WPIAL as well as PIAA title.
Natalie Piagessi, Angela Heintz and Katherine Hart hail from SLS, which won the district and state titles in 2012.
In addition to South Fayette’s Cait McLuckie, Ciara Gregory, Ariana Kelly, Courtnee McMaster and Shelby Brown complete the roster.
On the big school unit are: Upper St. Clair’s Jordan Serio, Bethel Park’s Mariah Penascino and Char Valley’s Kassidy O’Keefe along with Mt. Lebanon’s Alex Ventrone and Jordan Holmes.
Chelsea Richardson, Aria Taylor, Nicole Johnson, Madi Rowan, Kate Fischer and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough round out the squad.
SLS’s John Ashaolu coaches the small school team while Gateway’s Cornelious Nesbit directs the big school grouping.