A buzz was injected into the Ellwood City basketball program last year as the boys team rode the wave of a cinderella WPIAL Playoff run and captured the school’s first ever WPIAL Basketball Championship in March.
Add to that a new girls head coach. Dena Noble is returning to the court, and there is plenty to be excited about for this upcoming season.
“Last year was a blessing and a lot of hard work,” says boys head coach Steve Antuono. “It’s a different journey this year, with a lot of familiar faces.”
The boys will feature three returning senior starters—Steve Antuono Jr., Alexander Roth, and Milo Sesti— for a team looking to have continued success on the hardwood. Some may say the success and championship puts a target on the Wolverines as ‘the’ team to beat in Class-3A. Antuono, however, feels differently.
“We are the same humble, hungry team that we always have been,” says Antuono. “We are motivated to get better, perform at a high level and be the best version of us that we can be. We are still hunters, that’s always been our mentality.”
source: www.ecwolverines.com
The hunters will kick off their season in a Tip-Off Tournament at Geneva College on Friday, December 10th.
“We need to build chemistry with a rotation that will allow us to put the best team on the court for us to be successful,” adds Antuono.
Sophomore standout Joseph Roth will join the three aforementioned seniors in a starting lineup that may feature Anthony Spadafore, Caden Crizer, Peyton O’Brian, or Zion Bunney rounding out the starting 5 depending on the opponent according to Antuono.
The coach also sees areas the team can improve.
“We have a tough schedule, and a tough non-league schedule to prepare us for our section play. Every game up until that point is necessary and important for us to build our chemistry and find a rotation of players that can work together.”
The Wolverines play Blackhawk twice, Aliquippa, and North Allegheny—all before the end of the year.
Asked if there was an opponent on the schedule to look forward to, Antuono said he does not overlook any opponent.
As part of ‘Meet The Wolverines’ Night, the WPIAL Championship banner was unveiled for the Ellwood City Boys Basketball team.
“All of our opponents are a tough task,” he said. “When you deal with young men and sports, anything can happen. Day to day challenges, school, work, practice, and all that comes with it is a challenge in itself. We will prepare as we normally do for each game.”
The Wolverines will host their regular season opener on Saturday, December 18 against Blackhawk at the gymnasium that now garners the team’s first WPIAL Championship banner.
“I have been blessed to have leadership and coachable players that put winning and individual success aside for the betterment of the team,” concludes Antuono.
For the boys, continued success could lead them towards another WPIAL playoff berth in 2021-22.
The boys finished 14-5 on the campaign, falling to Brookville in the PIAA playoffs after collecting its WPIAL Championship victory over South Allegheny.
Girls’ head coach Noble returns to the court
For the girls basketball team, varsity head coach Dena Noble returns to the coaching seat with a renewed attitude for the Lady Wolverines.
“There are three things that are important to me as their coach,” says Noble. “Attitude, effort, and coachability.”
Noble believes that you can’t always be the most talented or most gifted player on that court, but anyone can be the most hardworking.
“Our team motto this year is ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard’.”
Added to mix is a group of girls that have been playing basketball together for several years though school and AAU Basketball.
Noble points out they have built a team—and family—chemistry that many teams in the section may not have.
Senior Kyla Servick returns to the starting lineup that will also feature Noble’s daughter, sophomore Claire Noble.Servick is the daughter of Noble’s sister and assistant coach, Jolene Krupa.
Ellwood City Girls Basketball 2021-2022 💙🏀 pic.twitter.com/nws2jX0Da9
— Dena Noble (@noble_dena) December 5, 2021
“Jolene and I have coached our daughters at the elementary and middle school level and have coached almost all the girls early in their basketball careers so there is a familiarity there,” says Noble.
Krupa was the head coach of the team from 2011-2016 when Noble served as her assistant coach.
Four more seniors in the lineup including returning starter Emily Sedgewick, Grace Balin, Saige Chambers, and Gina Flumer, will join the fray for the Lady Wolverines.
The girls will also tip off their season with a two-day tournament at Montour beginning on Friday, December 10th
Collectively, the team has set a goal to not only earn a playoff spot, but to win a playoff game this season. Though they have made playoff appearances since 1995 – most recently in the 2018-2019 season – the Ellwood City Girls Basketball team has not won a playoff game since 1995, when the team was a WPIAL finalist.
Coincidently, the 1995 campaign was Noble’s senior year of high school.
“We wanted to build this program back up to be as successful as it was in the early 90s when we played,” says Noble.
Fans can expect to see a different team according to Noble.
“Our style of play will be different than it has been over the past 5 years.”
Ellwood City has two powerhouses in Class-3A Section-1 this year—North Catholic and Laurel—and will always turn focus towards their two schedule games versus Riverside.
“We always circle Riverside on our calendar,” concludes Noble. “It’s always a big game that draws a big crowd and it’s always fun to beat your crosstown rival.”
The Lady Wolverines will have their regular season home opener on Thursday, December 16 versus Mohawk.
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