Boys basketball looks to have big season
Blue Devils have the talent and cohesion to make a run
The boys basketball team looks for the rebound.
December 3, 2015
When you look at the Blue Devil Basketball team it’s easy to see a group of players that are practically brothers and have an undeniable passion for the game
This year B-A will be returning all five starters after finishing up their 2014-2015 season 21-8, losing in the first round of the PIAA playoffs last year.
Senior Noah D’Angelo wasn’t shy about the team’s expectations saying, “We want to win Districts and go from there. We want to go further than we did last year.”
Considering their experience, making it to districts and even winning is more of a reality than a dream.
When that happens, you need to keep things in perspective, as junior Jarrett Taneyhill said: “We’re expected to do well, but we need to go out and prove ourselves.”
Last year the team was led offensively by Nathan Davis, and this year should be a similar story. In the 2014-2015 season Davis scored 692 points, averaging 24.7 points per game. He also led the team in defensive rebounds, assists per game, and went over the 1,000 point mark for his career.
Davis will in all likelihood break the B-A boys scoring mark this season, a record held by his coach, Brent Gerwert.
But the team isn’t built around one player. They are a team that works together well and puts points on the board from everywhere. Fellow senior Jake Burch and junior Ethan McGee were also offensive weapons last year. Burch scored 259 points, averaging 9.3 points per game. McGee scored 227 points and averaging 8.1 points per game.
On the defensive side of the ball Taneyhill and Joey Padula take the lead. Taneyhill had 120 defensive rebounds and 12 steals last year while Padula had 136 defensive rebounds and 30 steals. However, Taneyhill’s greatest strength is his ability to alter and block shots with his length inside.
The team’s greatest strength may be its cohesion.
“Everyone on the team gets along well and we mold together out on the court,” added Taneyhill.
The team, starting with Tyrone and extending through the ICC, will need to focus on each individual game in order to advance into the playoffs.
“We are going to go into each game with the same attitude and win by any means necessary,” said Davis.
