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Freshman provides spark to suddenly-hot Alter

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By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer 11:46 PM Thursday, February 4, 2010

KETTERING — Joe Petrocelli, in his previous 45 seasons of coaching basketball at Alter High School, had never been in this situation.

As the Knights prepared to play Fairmont on Jan. 26, with his point guard Michael Adkins out with a concussion, Petrocelli gulped hard and inserted a freshman — Jaaron Simmons — into his starting lineup.

For the first time ever.

Many wondered how long it would take for that pen stroke to occur. Simmons created buzz during the summer with his play at the Freshman All-American Camp at the University of Kentucky, to which organizers invited the group they considered the top 150 incoming high school freshmen, nationally.

In a ranking produced by reporters and scouts at the camp, Simmons was rated the 59th-best player there.

It took until the Knights’ fifth game, against Louisville Shawnee at a holiday tournament in Kentucky, for Simmons to see his first varsity minutes, and he scored four points on 4-of-4 free throws in Alter’s blowout win. He then rejoined the bench until Jan. 23, when he saw the floor against Carroll in a 44-34 loss that dropped the Knights to 4-7.

Alter clearly needed a boost. Simmons’ increased involvement might have provided it.

Simmons has played increased minutes in the previous three games, beginning with his start in the defeat of Fairmont, as the Knights have clawed back to .500. On Friday, Jan. 30, Simmons scored seven points as Alter upset Chaminade Julienne, ranked the No. 2 Division II team in the state.

As Simmons, whose mother is an Alter graduate, has increased his playing time, Alter has continued winning heading into a home matchup with Fenwick (13-2) tonight.

“He can create his own shot, he passes the ball well, he has a lot of the key skills,” Petrocelli said at an Alter practice this week.

Like any coach who has talented younger players, Petrocelli doesn’t want to talk up Simmons too quickly, as he notes the freshman is still 14 years old. But there’s clear enthusiasm in his voice when Petrocelli speaks about Simmons — and the Knights’ young nucleus in general, including a group of junior varsity sophomores and freshmen who could be pushed into varsity service if necessary.

They include: Jake Laravie, Joe Penno (another in a line of talented Penno brothers at the school), Greg Heine (a 6-6 post player who has seen varsity time), Diamyn Hall, Allen Jemison and two other freshmen, 6-4 Greg Hart and Malik Zaire.

Simmons is the leader of that younger group, and he’s proving his usefulness to the team of late. Even though he’s not doing it with scoring — he has averaged 5.2 points in his five games — the freshman is having a clear positive effect on the team that is threatening to be another in a line of worthy Division II area squads in the playoffs.

Contact this reporter at

(937) 225-7389 or

knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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