BOB ETTINGER
GENEVA — All-star basketball games are venues where the stars can shine. But the stars aren’t the only players that find themselves in the spotlight. Sometimes a lesser-known player will work their way to the fore.
At the Ashtabula County Women’s Scholar-Athlete Association Senior All-Star Game at Geneva on Wednesday night, the stars were out, but so, too, were the role players. And those role players — from SS. John and Paul’s Jenna Foglio to Lakeside’s Sallie Christian to Jefferson’s Gina Chiacchiero to Geneva’s Suelen Gutierrez — stole the show at times.
“All the girls played their best tonight,” Pymatuning Valley’s Olivia Holt said. “Some of the girls that played tonight weren’t always the shining stars for their teams, but tonight was their night.”
Nichele Johnson, who received honorable-mention recognition as a member of the Division II Associated Press All-State team on Monday, was named Player of the Game for the Shamrocks in a 91-63 victory. She scored 19 points and had nine rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
“I was really surprised,” Johnson said. “(Jefferson’s) Liz (Ziemski) and (Geneva’s) Natalie (Stanley) have always been right up there with me. I think we all played equal.”
Holt, a member of the Division III All-Northeast Lakes District third team, received the honor for the Irish with 10 points, six rebounds, six steals and three assists.
“I was just really having fun,” Holt said. “It was so much fun to play with these girls, especially the ones I don’t get to play with. Everyone plays a different style and everyone was just having fun.
“It was that kind of night. I kind of just played. I didn’t have anything in mind that was making me want to score. I just went out and played, really.”
However, Chiacchiero, who served as the sixth man for the Falcons, matched Johnson in rebounds to lead the team and also tied for the team lead with four assists. She also added two points and a steal.
“There’s less pressure, I guess,” she said. “It’s for fun. It’s different. A lot of these girls we’re used to playing against but we’re not used to playing with them.”
Christian, who started regularly for the Dragons but rarely found the spotlight, tallied 12 points, eight boards and an assist for the Irish.
“I was just looking for open shots,” Christian said. “I got a lot of open shots. We got to run up and down the floor and I like to run. I love the intensity of it. I don’t usually shoot in the regular games.
“They were open. Tonight was my last game. I figured I might as well go out and play as hard as I could.”
Foglio, a guard for the Heralds, netted four points on a pair of jumpers, and added a pair of rebounds and a steal for the Irish.
“Everybody was pretty confident in each other,” she said. “This is our last stand, our last chance to show what we’ve got. Everyone did a good job. We gave it our all for our last game.
“It feels so good (to have played well). Basketball is a good sport to let yourself shine and do the best you can do.”
Gutierrez, who was a bench player for the Eagles, scored two points, had four rebounds and added three steals for the Irish.
“We know it’s not a big game,” she said. “There’s no pressure. We’re just out here with our friends. We’re getting more playing time and we can get in more of the rhythm of the game.
“It’s just really good to get more playing time and you just show you’re there.”
Courtney Stowe, a reserve guard for the Falcons, caught the attention of Irish coach Nancy Barbo a little more than midway through the first half on a nice pass into the lane from the top of the key for an assist to Conneaut’s Rachel Pryately.
“Nice pass, Courtney!” Barbo shouted several times as the teams ran back down the floor.
Stowe also scored three points and grabbed three rebounds.
And for those lesser-known players, being treated as equals by the stars made all the difference.
“It was nice we were all on the same team,” Christian said. “We’re all equal. We didn’t look at (Johnson, Ziemski and Stanley) as stars. Nobody cares who shoots. We just play hard and look to each other.”
“I was grateful to be able to play with some of the best players in Ohio,” Foglio said.
Ettinger is a sports writer for the Star Beacon. Reach him bettinger@starbeacon.com.
