CRYSTAL FALLS – With an intriguing mix of returning players and rookies, the Forest Park Trojans figure to be one of the most interesting boys basketball teams to follow during the 2023-24 basketball season.

The Trojans showed that their first time out when they put on a dazzling display in a 75-45 rout of Skyline Central Conference rival North Central on Friday night at Eddie Chambers Gymnasium.

Forest Park brothers Kevin and Vic Guiliani gave a perfect indication of how this year’s Trojans can mix experience with youth, combining for 57 points in the victory. Kevin, a junior post, poured in a game-high 29, while Vic, a freshman wing, added 18.

While the Giulianis stood out, the whole Forest Park team looked in midseason form in the surprisingly lopsided victory.

“I thought we came out and played the way I’d envisioned,” FP coach Jason Price said. “It was just an exciting game. There was a nice, big crowd for game one and I thought we came out and played with good energy.

“It was pretty impressive tonight.”

That started with the elder Giuliani. The 6-4, 245-pound all U.P. 8-player football lineman of the year showed he can hoop some, too, scoring the first seven points of the game and 11 of his team’s initial 13 to spark the Trojans to a 19-5 lead after the opening quarter.

Two of Giuliani’s early buckets came off spinning drivees to the hoop, displaying a nimbleness of foot unusual for a prep player his size. He also used his bulk to dominate on the block against the Jets, who often got caught playing behind in the post.

“I thought that I was able to go up and get the ball, and I was able to feel where my defender was, so I was able to make my move off of where they were,” said Guiliani, who credits weight training, calisthenics and “ladder drills” for his improved footwork. “Then I just finished.”

“He’s old-school,” Price added. “He’s very strong and he worked on his feet and his agility big-time in the offseason. He’s put a lot of time in in the weight room and with his conditioning and it was a nice opening game for him.”

Defensively, the Trojans opened in a 2-2-1 fullcourt press and then mixed in a 1-2-2 press with aggressive ball pressure and traps out of each. Later in the game, Price showed a 1-2-2 halfcourt zone which trapped in the corners, all the while employing a tenacious man-to-man in the halfcourt.

The switching defenses and the Trojans’ sheer quickness and doggedness caused North Central fits throughout the contest.

With its depth of talent, Forest Park used nine players, alternating every few minutes like hockey shifts. Despite playing without injured starting senior guard Felix Quevedo, the Trojans still went nine deep with little drop off between the two groups.

“That’s what we were kind of doing all summer,” Price said. “Five in and five out. The energy is the big thing. When you go in, you’ve got to play with energy because you’ve got your three or four minutes (before you come out).”

The Jets scored the first four points of the second quarter to cut their deficit to 10. After a four-minute stalemate, Forest Park scored the final six points of the second quarter to go into the break up 33-16.

Vic Giuliani took over the reins and scored eight points in the period, including six straight over a 90-second stretch midway through the quarter.

The younger Giuliani looked nothing like a freshman on opening night.

“I call Vic ‘my dog,'” Pricesaid. “He’s been called ‘Linebacker Vic’ because he plays with tenaciousness, he’s strong and he’s not afraid to attack (offensively), which is nice.”

Two other freshmen played big minutes for the Trojans in the win. Isaiah Tarter handled the point position and Dax Hukki came off the bench to fill a wing spot and scored four points in the second quarter.

Forest Park upped its lead to 18 after three quarters and then blew the game open in the fourth. Senior Gavin Rintala knocked down two 3-pointers in a one- minute span that stretched the Trojans’ lead to 58-33.

Junior Grayson Sundell added five points, while fellow juniors Gabe Quevedo and Matt Showers scored three points each.

While Forest Park looked sharp in its opening game, the Jets looked shaky much of the night. After suffering big graduation losses and playing with a new coach in Tyler Mercier, North Central didn’t resemble the Jets of recent years. Still, Price said he expects NC to improve throughout the campaign.

“I respect the heck out of them,” Price said. “They’ve had a winning program for 15 years down there and so ultimate respect for those guys.

“I know they’re going to get better. We will see them down the road (Feb. 2) at their house and it will be a dogfight.”

Next up for the Trojans will be a home game against West Iron County (0-2) on Monday, Dec. 11 followed by a road contest at Ewen-Trout Creek on Dec. 12 to close out the pre-holiday slate.