Talent pool impressive for boys draft

By JEREMY SELLEW

jsellew@yourmvi.com

McKeesport head basketball coach Kevin Kovach had a team in an AAU tournament over the weekend. Even there, he said, the popularity of the new Mon Valley Independent Summer Basketball League was evident.

“It’s funny because I had a couple guys from Gateway ask me if I was going to be taking them in the draft,” Kovach said with a laugh. “It’s kind of crazy to think about, but I know I’m really looking forward to the summer season. I think the league is already the premier summer league in the area.”

The MVISBL will officially kick off its inaugural boys season with the annual player draft tonight at 6 p.m.

“The biggest thing that’s most impressive to me over other years is the fact that there are more than 20 kids in the draft that are over 6-3,” said Campy’s Pizza coach and league founder Naz Victoria. “It could even be that many over 6-4. The other thing is the turnout. I can’t believe we had over 110 kids turn out for the league.”

Workouts were held last week over a period of three days, spanning two courts at the league’s home, Marx’s Court Time Sports Center in Elizabeth Township.

There are at least 32 schools represented by those that signed up.

“Just the sheer amount of talent and the amount of schools represented is amazing,” Victoria said. “The ultimate goal of having the league at Court Time wasn’t to get the amount of schools represented, but to get the talent level up even higher than it was. I think we’ve done that.

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