Altoona Mirror Classic Set for March 29 at PSA

The 14th annual Altoona Mirror Basketball Classic will take place on Friday, March 29, at Penn State Altoona’s recently-renovated Adler Athletic Complex.

The girls-boys doubleheader, set for 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., will match the top seniors from Blair County against Central PA teams made up mainly of the top seniors from District 6 and District 5 and comprising Bedford, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Mifflin and Somerset counties.

Coached by Claysburg-Kimmel’s varsity girls coach Jess Veverka, the Blair County girls’ team will feature C-K’s Emily Claar and Olivia Locke and Williamsburg’s Alexi McMonagle.

The Blair County boys’ team, coached by C-K’s varsity boys’ mentor Mike Harris, will include Central’s Noah Muthler and Thad Albright and C-K’s Alex Kulick.

Honorary Captains

Honorary captains this year are former C-K and Indiana University of Pennsylvania standout Lacey Claar and Skip Dry, longtime director of the Mansion Park Summer Basketball League. They will be recognized between games.

Tickets

Tickets are on sale at the Altoona Mirror from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, March 28, and Friday, March 29, and will be sold at Penn State Altoona beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

The classic is an extension of the Big John Riley games, played from 1983-2005 and matching the best players from Blair and Cambria County. After Big John’s son, Tom, died in 2005, the Mirror assumed sponsorship with the Riley family’s blessing, expanded the concept and sustained the doubleheader in memory of Big John and Tom Riley.

Proceeds benefit the Big John Riley Scholarship Fund at Saint Francis University.

Series History

In the 12 years since the Classic format was changed, Central PA leads the boys series, 9-4, and the girls series, 8-5. Blair County won both games in 2018.