Fannick, Klebon repeat picks

By Todd Stanford
The Daily Item

March 26, 2008 07:23 am

— Anthony Fannick’s year didn’t end the way he would have liked; Colin Klebon had an inauspicious start to his season.
But they both ended up where they were last year — on The Associated Press Boys All-State High School basketball team.
Fannick, a senior forward for Milton, made the Class AAA first team for the second year in a row after averaging 22.4 points per game. He was the Class AAA player of the year last season — a distinction that went to Andrew Randall of District 12’s Communications Tech this year — and was a second-team pick as a sophomore and a third-team pick as a freshman.
Blackhawk’s Antoine Childs, General McLane’s Shawn Walker, Greencastle-Antrim’s Dameatric Scott and Steelton-Highspire’s Lance Chisholm round out the first team. Voting is done by a statewide ballot of sportswriters.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to make the all-state team before, I knew what it took,” said Fannick, who’s weighing full-scholarship offers from Division II schools Mansfield, Bloomsburg and Pitt-Johnstown. “I thought if it happened (again), great. If not, then I was fortunate enough to accomplish it (before).”
Fannick, who led the Black Panthers to two District 4 championships and one runner-up finish in his first three seasons, broke a bone in his right foot in the District 4 quarterfinals last month; Milton (22-4) lost to Selinsgrove in the semis, marking the first time since 2001 that the Black Panthers didn’t make the state tournament.
Klebon, a junior forward for Southern Columbia, made the Class AA second team; he was a third-team pick last year. Like Fannick, Klebon led his team to a District 4 championship last year, but a fractured left wrist caused him to miss the first nine games this season. The Tigers lost to Hughesville in the district semifinals and bowed out of the state tournament in the first round for the second year in a row.
Klebon, a top student who’s being recruited by just about every school in the Patriot League and Ivy League, averaged 25.9 points per game and 12.4 rebounds per game as Southern was 17-11.
“That was one of my goals — to move up on the all-state list,” Klebon said. “I’m happy I achieved it; I know there are some great players ahead of me.”
Klebon, who was named Central Susquehanna Conference Division II Player of the Year for the second season in a row, is hoping to move up to the first team in his senior campaign.
“That’s something that’s on the side for next year,” he said. “Obviously my team comes first.”
Fannick, the CSC-I Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, is also one of the area’s best baseball players. Although it’s only been a month since his foot surgery, Fannick took part in baseball practice for the first time Tuesday. He hopes to be back on the diamond in about two weeks.

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