Steve Gittleman
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Winter sports award winners Kelly, Reeves, Riddle, Snell net basketball honors BY STUART LONDON Sports Writer The Northeast News Gleaner has made its selections for Player and Coach of the Year in scholastic basketball and wrestling. These honorees and others will receive their awards at the 13th Annual Sports Awards Banquet May 20 at the Chateau Caterers, Bridge St. and Harbison Ave. The banquet is cosponsored by the News Gleaner and the Roatry Club of Frankford. Public League Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Wykeen Kelly, Abraham Lincoln. The 6foot senior led the Railsplitters to their first playoff appearance in seven years. ... Averaged 20 points a game but made the players around him better offensively as well with his penetration. ... A twoyear starter who blossomed this year. ... An AllPublic selection by the coaches. ... Undecided on college. Catholic League Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Jim Reeves, Father Judge. Made his only year playing for the Crusaders a memorable one as he helped them win their first championship in 21 years. ... Sat out as a junior after transferring from La Salle High. ... Had 1,133 points in his career combined despite only playing three years. .. The 66 senior averaged 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists. ... Was sometimes used at point guard. ... Has signed with Division I Sacred Heart in Connecticut. Boys Basketball Coach of the Year: Steve Gittleman, Abraham Lincoln. In his fourth season took the Railsplitters to the Public League playoffs for the first time since 1991 despite losing franchise player Sam Brown the year before. ... Finished with an 176 record, four of those losses by three points or less. ... Defeated Frankford, Northeast and Washington during the regular season. ... Beat league power University City missing three of his top six players. Public League Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Stephanie Riddle, Northeast High. The 59 junior was a scoring machine for the Vikings. Averaged 16 points, 5.4 rebounds. 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals a game. ... A starter since freshman year and leading scorer past two years. ... Scored 36 points against George Washington. ... Named AllPublic by coaches. ... Looking at Ivy League schools. Catholic Schools Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Amy Snell, Nazareth. Guided the Pandas to an unexpected trip to the state quarterfinals. ... Averaged 12.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 assists to lead team in all four categories. ... First team AllCatholic Academies League past two years. ... Has been a part of three District One champs, two Catholic Academies League titles and Nazareth has made state quarterfinals all four years she has played. ... Headed to St. Joseph's but will most likely redshirt first year as just turned 17. Girls Basketball Coach of the Year: Sue Sebold, St. Hubert's. ... Got the Bambies to the Catholic League semifinals for the first time in four years where it lost to eventual champion West Catholic ... Finished with a 179 record with wins over Archbishop Carroll and Prendergast. ... Had only two returning starters back and had to convert two guards into starting forwards. ... Officially the coach on an interim basis for Pat Berry last year. ... Played for St. Hubert's and Villanova when she was known as Sue Glenning, was an assistant to Berry the previous year. Public League Wrestler of the Year: Chris Vicente, Frankford. ... One of the stalwarts for the Pioneers in the lower weights as helped them repeat as Public League champs with a thumping of Central in the finals. ... Finished the season with a perfect 230 record and as the Public League champion at 119 pounds. ... Was also starter on 1997 championship team, the first to ever win the championship in school history. ... Only a junior. Catholic League Wrestler of the Year: Elvin DeJesus, North Catholic. A dominant wrestler in the league, he would some times wrestle three classes up from his normal weight class and win. ... Won the Catholic League individual title at 135 and finished second at that weight at the Nationa Prep School Championships at Lehigh. ... Has over 100 career wins and is the alltime match winner in school history. ... His brother Joel DeJesus is a former award winner and another brother, Hugo, was also a top wrestler for the Falcons. Wrestling Coach of the Year: Bill Hunter, North Catholic. In his first year as coach guided the Falcons to the Catholic League championship as it crushed St. Joe's Prep, 4815 in the finals after having a close match with them the week before. ... Finished with a 242 record. ... A longtime assistant to Jerry Garzone, was a part of four championships with him ... A major force in the Rizzo PAL youth program that has sent many fine wrestlers to North and Frankford, who both won their respective league titles this year.
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