Here's all you need to know about how some of the players feel about the Mansion Park Summer Basketball League: Drew Shubik lives in Connecticut and made sure he was in Altoona on Thursday night to play in the Division 1 championship game.
A former North Star High School (Class of 2004) and Sacred Heart University standout (Class of 2008), Shubik recently was named head basketball coach and assistant athletic director at a small high school in Connecticut after serving as an assistant coach at Sacred Heart last season.
Shubik, who also played professionally in Germany one year, has played in the Mansion League about six summers. He played in only a handful of regular-season games this summer but came to town for the title game Thursday and contributed 11 points to help Guy Landolfi, CPA defeat American Solutions Group, 60-48.
Article Photos
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Guy Landolfi’s Drew Shubik shoots over American Solutions Group’s Anthony Lytle.
"I actually was in California last week and flew into Newark, N.J.," Shubik said. "I drove to Altoona where my wife is from and was in town for the game, so I was very fortunate. It's only my fourth or fifth game this year."
Why was it important for Shubik to play last night?
"It's a great league," the former MVP said, "but even more than that, it's because of Guy and Joe Landolfi. I absolutely love them. They've done so much for me.
"I've been in the league a long time, and they've always supported me," he said. "They're great sponsors and, even more than that, great people. I wanted to get back here for those two guys."
And, Shubik made a valuable contribution, scoring 11 points, providing leadership and setting up the guard tandem of Jordan Miller (21 points) and Demetrius Davis (15). Landolfi held a 22-19 lead and then ran off nine straight points - five by Davis and four by Miller - en route to a 31-21 halftime advantage.
Landolfi built its lead to as many as 14 (42-28) before ASG pulled within 49-44 on Cody Boone's conventional three-point play. Landolfi regrouped, though, as Miller tallied the final seven points to spark an 11-4 finish.
"It's fun watching the young guys," Shubik, 26, said of teammates Miller and Davis. "When I first started with the team, I was the youngest guy. Now, I'm the oldest guy and it's fun watching those guys run around. Ian Vescovi was great, too.
"It's fun to get out here and play with these guys."
Davis, a former Altoona High player who has one season remaining at Mount Aloysius College, averaged 25 points a game and won the Stu Nolan Award as the MVP of the league.
"Playing college ball, it means a lot to be able to play here in the summer," Davis said. "It helps me get better and get ready for the season.
"We're both shooters, and they can't guard both of us," Davis said of he and backcourt mate Miller of UPJ. "We look for each other all the time."
As for Shubik's contribution, Davis noted: "He's a professional. He keeps us calm the whole game. He's just a great leader."
Game notes: Ian Vescovi received the Dick Hankinson Award as the championship game's MVP. ... Vescovi also was named to the all-league team with Jesse Betar, American Solutions; Earl Hollis, Belmar; Alex Raymond, Advanced Regional Center; and Keith Dinkins, Dino's Pizza/PV Rec Center. ... The title game was the league's 499th of the 2012 season.
AMERICAN SOLUTIONS GROUP (48): Patterson 1 0-0 2, Dukery 3 0-0 6, Betar 4 0-0 11, Boone 5 3-6 13, Crabtree 2 0-0 6, Lytle 5 0-0 10. Totals - 20 3-6 48.
GUY LANDOLFI, CPA (60): Shubik 5 0-3 11, Miller 8 2-2 21, Davis 6 3-4 15, Vescovi 4 0-0 8, Malzi 0 0-0 0, Weatherly 0 0-0 0, Stern 2 0-0 5. Totals - 25 5-9 60.
SCORE BY HALVES
American Solutions21 27 - 48
Guy Landolfi, CPA31 29 - 0
3-point goals: America Solutions 5 (Betar 3, Crabtree 2); Guy Landolfi, CPA 5 (Miller 3, Shubik, Stern).
Records: American Solutions (12-4); Guy Landolfi, CPA (15-1).
