Malvern’s boys hit a rough patch on the court

Come the postseason, hope springs eternal.

The 2025-26 version of the Malvern Hornets is one of the younger teams that longtime coach Dennis Tucci has mentored over the years. As a result, the team has experienced growing pains as it has struggled through stretches of uneven play.

Case in point: last week’s two losses to Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans and Indian Valley. In the Hornets’ 55-47 home loss to the Bishops Feb. 12, Malvern held its own for the better part of the contest, and even led at the half 24-22. Lapses down the stretch in the third and fourth quarter, however, saw the Hornets’ slim lead evaporate as Rosecrans outscored Malvern 33-23 and walk off Malvern’s home court with the win.

In the loss, Delonte Simmons led Malvern with 12 points while Grady Barkley added 12 points and Tripp Tucci chipped in with nine. Meanwhile, Tyler Bernett of the Bishops (15-5) led all scorers with 15 points.

Two days later, the Hornets were at it again, this time taking part in the Inter-Valley Conference Showcase 2025-26, hosted by Claymont High School. Unlike the Bishops’ game, Malvern imploded in the very first quarter, falling behind the Braves by a score of 19-8.

The Hornets were able to recoup four points in the second half and narrow their deficit to seven, but they would not get closer than that as Indian Valley hung on for the 43-32 win. Barkley was the sole Hornet to reach double digits with 10 points, while Brennan Mitchell finished with seven for Malvern (12-8). The Braves (11-9) were paced by Colt James’ 14 points.

Malvern coach Dennis Tucci was at a loss for his team’s lackluster play.

“It was a rough week for the Hornets,” he said. “Just when I thought we were playing well, and had a chance to win some big games down the stretch, we certainly took a few steps backward. We have been an inconsistent squad all season long. Hopefully, we can put things together and play our best ball at the end of the year.”

On a side note, it is not often you see a basketball game with two coaches noted for both their excellence and staying power. Yet, Tucci, who has 40-plus years of coaching under his belt and more than 600 victories, and Rosecrans coach Todd Rock, who is in his 33rd season at the helm, have combined for more than 1,000 wins.

Girls Basketball

Unlike their male counterparts, the Lady Hornets, particularly the tandem of Whitney Smith and Ella Debo, were firing on all cylinders when they visited Columbiana Heartland Christian for a nonconference game Feb. 13.

Malvern jumped out to an 18-12 lead following the first quarter and extended its advantage to 37-22 by halftime en route to a convincing 68-49 victory. The Hornets’ only hiccup occurred in the third period when the Lions went on a brief run and sliced Malvern’s lead to 10 points. The Hornets promptly responded by running away with the game, tacking on a 21-12 explosion over the contest's final eight minutes.

Malvern (14-8) was powered by Smith (31 points) and Debo (24 points), as the rest of the lineup combined for 13 points.