Baldwin’s Goga, Fiumara to play in Roundball Classic

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 30, 2018 | 11:00 PM

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The high school basketball careers of Mike Goga and Nick Fiumara aren't finished just yet.

Both senior players at Baldwin were named to participate in the annual Roundball Classic at Geneva in Beaver Falls.

The showcase event will take place April 20-21, with three games Friday night and four the next day.

Goga and Fiumara were named to the East all-star team coached by Joe Urmann, who recently resigned as Baldwin's coach.

Goga, a 6-foot-4 forward, was a three-year starter and the Highlanders' leading rebounder. He averaged 10.2 ppg this season.

“It is an honor to be selected for the Roundball Classic,” Goga said, “considering all the great players that have participated in the event in the past and all the great players that will play this year. I am also very thankful to have been selected with my teammate, Nick Fiumara.”

Goga netted a career-high 19 points this season against Fairborn (Ohio) in the KSA holiday tournament in Orlando, Fla. He also pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds in a section game against Peters Township.

One of the best overall performances of his career was his 14-point, 15-rebound effort against North Allegheny.

Fiumara, a 6-foot senior guard, was a two-year starter and three-year letterman for the Highlanders. He led the team in scoring this season, averaging 13 points.

“It meant a lot to be selected for the Roundball Classic,” Fiumara said. “It will be cool to play with and against some of the best players in the WPIAL.”

Fiumara (first team) and Goga (second team) were all-section selections this season. Fiumara also landed second-team all-section plaudits as a junior, averaging 16 points in 2016-17.

Fiumara plans to continue his basketball career at Penn State Behrend. He also considered attending Bethany.

His top offensive game in high school was a 34-point performance against North Hills last year in the Hampton holiday tournament. He netted season-high 20-point totals against Mt. Lebanon and Seton LaSalle in 2017-18.

Goga plans to major in engineering and has been accepted at Penn State, Pitt and Ohio State.

He also is considering continuing his basketball career and has offers from Allegheny, Washington & Jefferson and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. And he is considering joining Fiumara at Penn State Behrend.

Goga, Fiumara and their Baldwin teammates were caught off guard recently when Urmann announced his resignation (for personal reasons) at the team banquet at Cool Springs.

Urmann has coached at Baldwin since 2011-12 and guided the Highlanders into the WPIAL playoffs in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

“I was very surprised that coach Urmann stepped down because I know what this program has meant to him,” Goga said. “Although it is tough to see such a great coach leave the program, I know it was a decision that was best for him.

“It was an honor to play for such a great coach. He truly brought success back to the Baldwin basketball program, and I can't say enough about the impact he left on the players and all those in and around the program.”

Goga, Fiumara & Co. compiled records of 16-7, 15-8 and 12-10 over the past three seasons.

“At the time (of the announcement), I was definitely surprised and kind of left speechless,” Fiumara said. “Coach Urmann came to Baldwin, and he just changed the culture.

“I was lucky to finish my high school career with him as a coach. He taught us not only how to be better basketball players, but also how to be a better person.”

Team practices for the Roundball Classic, which are open to the public, will be April 18 at Geneva.

A recognition dinner for the players will be April 19 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Cranberry.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Baldwin