For the past five seasons the Old Forge boys’ basketball program has been about star power.
Led by stars Jared Yanniello, Stephen Semenza, Jim DeStefano, Kyle McMyne, Mark Alexander, and JJ Thomas the Blue Devils went 111-28 with three Lackawanna League Division III titles, two District 2 Class 1A titles, and three state playoff appearances with a bunch of role players filling in when needed.

Those role players are now in the spotlight.

Forced to take a backseat during this century’s Golden Age of Old Forge Basketball, seniors Matt Rava, Anthony Koulavongsa and Corey Hodick are ready for action.

The trio will lead a team that has no returning stars and will feature a balance of youth and inexperience as the Blue Devils try to make their own mark among the past great teams.

Rava will take the court as Head Coach Al Semenza’s only returning starter from last season’s District 2 Class 1A championship team. The 5-foot-7 point guard starter every game last season as a junior and finished second on the team in assists with 75. Rava averaged 4.6 points per game and shot almost 44 percent from the field. He will be asked to shoulder more of a scoring load this season for the Blue Devils while not turning the ball over. Rava is the Blue Devils top returning three-point threat, making 16 in 2007-08.

Hodick returns after playing in 26 games as a reserve guard last season and has the ability to be one of the focal points in the Old Forge offense this season. The lanky 6-foot-2 shooter can score in bunches given the opportunity – and he should get that opportunity once he returns full-strength from a knee energy suffered during the District 2 Class 1A football title game. Hodick scored almost four points a game in a limited role off the bench and shot 75 percent from the free-throw line last season. He was also solid rebounder off the bench with almost three per game and made 11 triples for the Blue Devils.

Koulavongsa played limited minutes in 25 games last season, but the forward is ready to burst onto the scene in his final season. The 6-foot-2 has a soft touch inside the paint – demonstrated by his 55 percent field goal percentage last season. Koulavongsa was also lights out at the charity stripe as a junior, draining 11-of-12 attempts on the season. With a quick first step to the basket, the Blue Devils will try to get the first-year starter the ball as often as possible to give them an inside scoring threat they rarely have.

Semenza will then rely on a mix of players after those three, including guards Mike Avvisato and Tony Goodall, to fill out the lineup which has yet to be set for the upcoming season.

Avvisato, a 5-foot-6 junior, played in 18 games last season, scoring 25 points with six three-pointers. The gutsy lefty is a threat to score from beyond the arc and gives the Blue Devils an emotional spark with his hustling defensive play.

Goodall is just a sophomore but was the leading scorer on last season’s freshman team that won the Lackawanna League Division II crown and advanced to the D2 playoffs. At 5-foot-10, Goodall can shoot the ball for three, but is also not afraid to take the ball to the hoop. Don’t be surprised if he – along with Koulavongsa – has a breakout season. He will begin the season as one of the Blue Devils off guards, but he can also play the point if needed.

Seniors Gabe Wilson and Matt Mischello will also be asked to step up their play this season as Semenza looks for reliable players who can start or come off the bench.

Wilson is a slender 6-foot-4 center who can give opponents matchup problems with his size inside on offense, and as a rebounder and shot blocker on defense. With the right attitude the first-year varsity contributor could be a major factor in the Blue Devils defending their two-year run as district champs.

Mischello is a 5-foot-10 slashing guard who can take the ball to the hoop. He will provide depth at the position and should be able to give Old Forge some quality minutes. But he and Wilson are being pushed by a group of underclassmen who are hungry to play.

Junior Ryan Janesko and sophomores Dom Avvisato and Mario Martinelli are pushing for varsity minutes and have been given a look with the first-team during the preseason.

Janesko is a 6-foot-2 center and plays in the mold of a typical Old Forge big man. He is a banger underneath and will be relied upon to rebound and do the little things Semenza usually asks from his post players.

Avvisato, standing at 6-foot-1 has been used both inside and outside during the preseason. Strictly a forward last season, Avvisato will provide depth as a small forward and possibly a swing player. He – as with most of the Old Forge role players – will be asked to rebound, play defense, and score garbage points inside while knocking down an occasional outside shot.

Martinelli is the only other true point guard on the roster besides Rava. The 5-foot-6 floor

general will be asked to lead the offense should Rava get into foul trouble. Martinelli plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder and can make plays. If on the floor, he will be asked to limit turnovers and get the ball to the Old Forge scorers.

The Blue Devils have a host of players that are capable of helping this team make its mark – including a bunch of sophomores that were part of a championship team last season as freshmen.

The question will be whether the veterans returning can run with the torch that has been passed to them by the previous teams.

Let’s hope they are ready for action.