Strnisa's key bucket, block lift South Side to big win over Rochester

GREENE TWP.  — South Side High School doesn’t have a boys’ volleyball team of its own.

But, because of a co-op program with Hopewell High School, the boys’ basketball team does gain the benefit of the volleyball skills of 6-foot-6 senior Jacob Strnisa.

Strnisa, playing in just his third game back after a shoulder injury, had used his basketball offensive skills to give South Side a 54-53 lead with a basket with 21 seconds left, then extended the lead to 55-53 by making one of two free throws with 13.4 seconds left.

“We do a lot of drills and then practice free throws when we’re tired,” said Strnisa. “We were ready.”

Rochester, though, still had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds on a short jumper but Strnisa blocked that as well – without committing a foul. The rebound did end up in Rochester’s hands but a buzzer shot wasn’t close and South Side had the 55-53 non-section win. South Side is now 5-10, Rochester 6-8.

“I can tell you how he blocked the shot without committing a foul,” said South Side coach Bob Harrison. “It’s the volleyball training. He’s used to having the net right there and knows he can’t reach over – he has to go straight up. That’s what he did.”

Strnisa, a NCAA Division I recruit in volleyball, recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Given his short season, it was his first such achievement of the year but he has done it in the past.

“I don’t remember the numbers but I have done it,” said Strnisa. “This is my third game back and I thought I might have done better by now.

“But I think I’m back now.”

Strnisa isn’t the only player coming back from an injury for South Side. Point guard Alex Arrigo is now back from an injury as well as South Side looks to get back into the playoff race in the second half.

One constant all season, though, has been junior Brody Almashy, who was the game’s high scorer with 18 – ten in the game’s last 10 and a half minutes as South Side came back from Rochester’s biggest lead at 37-30.

“We always expect a close game when we play Rochester,” said Almashy, who was the quarterback when the South Side football team also edged Rochester by two – 10-8.

Almashy had a lot to do with this one being close as well - he scored four points in the final minute of the third quarter to cut Rochester’s lead to one at 39-38.

In the final frame, the lead was never more than one possession for either team. There were seven lead changes and three ties in that quarter alone.

“Everyone is nervous in a game like that,” said Almashy. “But we were ready.

“It’s nice to get a win like this. This kind of win can give us momentum.”

Harrison sees the potential not just in the momentum, but in the players he’s getting back from injury and the way his team handled Rochester on the boards. South Side had a 37-29 edge in rebounds.

“I didn’t expect to outrebound them,” said Harrison. “Rochester is always physical, we play them every hear in exhibition and know what to expect. This is the first week all season we’ve all been healthy and right now this win is huge.

“We’re hoping to make some noise in the playoff race.”

Rochester remains in the middle of the playoff hunt and now has another close game to learn from. Rochester had three players score in double figures – Xavier Rigby with 15, Nathan Bills with 12, and Duriel Smith with 10.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Strnisa's key bucket, block lift South Side to big win over Rochester