The Coudersport Falcons have long been the team to beat in the North Tier League.
Three consecutive first-place finishes in the NTL as well as two straight District 9 championships have solidified their standing as a basketball dynasty around the area.
And while the Falcons seemed poised to reload, not rebuild, after losing last year’s Big 30 Player of the Year Jared Green, there will be several foes challenging Coudy in what should be a highly competitive season in the nine-team league.
Smethport, still beaming after deep postseason runs in both football and soccer (co-op with Port Allegany), returns all five of last year’s starters as it set its sights on making a run at the league title.
“I think we are right there, maybe just a little bit behind them,” Smethport head coach Jay Acker said. “Having the senior leadership and having those guys do so well in other sports should translate over for us well, too.”
The Hubbers (12-10 in 2017-18) will rely on the scoring touch of guard Caleb Lutz. The senior averaged over 12 points per game to lead Smethport last season, and he’ll be joined by fellow seniors Noah Costa, Brandon Peterson, Eric Szarowicz, Ian Woodruff and Darrin Jewell.
Of those six, four of them played on either the District 9 Small School North champion football team or the soccer team that made it to the D-9 title game.
“I think that really is going to help,” Acker said. “Those guys now know how to win, and I think that will translate to some close games that in the past we may have lost, but now we will probably have a little bit of an advantage.”
Meanwhile, the Otto-Eldred Terrors should also pose a tough challenge in the NTL this year. O-E went 15-8 last season, but will have to replace plenty of scoring and rebounding from that team after losing its core group of Dylan Close, Sawyer Drummond and Jordan Sherwood.
The Terrors got a big offseason boost, however, with the return of big man Cameron Grigsby into their lineup after a torn ACL limited him to a handful of games last year.
Grigsby is part of a mix of varsity players that includes four seniors, two juniors and six underclassmen.
“We are young, but we just have to build some chemistry with our youth right now,” O-E head coach Dan Dalton said.
“I’m feeling pretty good about this year’s squad. I got Andrew Sheeler returning as a starter, as well as Grigsby returning and that gives me two senior leaders on the floor. I have a group of talented sophomores that hopefully we’ll be able to bring along. I’ve got two talented freshman also.”
Of course, neither of those teams will have an easy road in attempting to supplant the Falcons.
Coudersport went a perfect 16-0 in the NTL last year, winning its games by an average of 35 points — including a 46-point win over the Hubbers and a 43 point blowout over Otto-Eldred.
The Falcons boast arguably the most talented player in the league once again this year with senior guard Owen Chambers. Last season’s NTL MVP averaged 25 points per game and helped lead the Falcons to a PIAA quarterfinal appearance.
“Chambers is our top returning player and we will rely on his scoring and leadership,” Coudy coach Brian Furman said.
The Falcons also return Hayden Keck (5.5 ppg last year) and Dillon Keglovits (4.1 rebounds per game) to the fold.
“We are a young, athletic team that plays an up-tempo style,” Furman added. “Coming off winning a district championship in football, we haven’t had a full roster for much of the preseason. Player development and creating team chemistry will be the focus early on.”
Cameron County, which did not respond to requests for additional information, are also looking to build upon a strong campaign from last year. The Red Raiders went 13-3 in the NTL, with two of their losses coming to Coudersport.
Mark Guido’s squad will have to overcome the loss of Adam Shaffer, but do return talented playmakers in both Dino and Marcus Brown, as well as Caden Beldin.
In Austin, coach Rich Glover returns for a fifth year to lead a Panthers team that is coming off its first winning season in nearly 15 years.
After winning just 12 games from 2012-2017, and 19 times since 2005, Austin went 13-9 in 2018, including seven North Tier league victories.
A capsule look at the NTL teams:
AUSTIN
Coach: Rich Glover
League: North Tier
2017-18: 13-10 Postseason: Cameron County (L, 66-32, D-9 Class A quarterfinals)
No roster provided
CAMERON COUNTY
Coach: Mark Guido
League: North Tier
2017-18: 17-8 Postseason: Austin (W, 66-32, D-9 Class A quarterfinals), Elk Catholic (L, 46-25, Class A semifinals), North Clarion (L, 65-57, D-9 Class A consolation game), Vincentian Academy (L, 60-53, PIAA Class A first round)
Roster: Marcus Brown (6’3”, sr., G), Jake Walters (6’8”, sr., C/F), Ty Bauer (6’1”, sr., G), Dino Brown (6’1”, jr., G), Matthew Swartz (5’11”, jr., G), Jonathon Good (6’0”, jr., G), Caden Beldin (6’3”, so., G/F)
COUDERSPORT
Coach: Brian Furman (5th year, 90-14)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 23-4 Postseason: Won D-9 Class AA title (Curwensville, W 71-46; Brockway, W 72-67; Ridgway, W 66-46), Wilmington (W 71-60, PIAA 1st Round), Our Lady of Sacred Heart (L 74-66, PIAA 2nd Round)
Roster: Owen Chambers (6’2”, sr., G), Jon Lent (5’10”, sr., G), Matt Daniels (6’2”, jr., F), Daniel Frame (5’11”, jr., G), Travis Gleason (6’2”, jr., F), Griffin Haskins (5’11”, jr. G), Dillon Keglovits (6’1”, jr., F), Kolby VanWhy (6’0”, jr., F), Derek Easton (6’2”, so., F), Hayden Keck (5’11”, so., G)
From the coach: See story
GALETON
Coach: Josh Shuemaker
League: North Tier
2017-18: 9-14 Postseason: Lourdes Regional (L, 66-40, District 4 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Joel Griffen (5’11”, sr., F/G), Anthony Ward (5’9”, sr., G/F), Isaiah Shuemaker (5’10”, sr., G), Evan Brooks (6’2”, sr., C), Brandon Hulbert (6’0”, sr., F), Noah Shutt (5’8”, so., G/F), Ty Stover (5’2”, so., G), Hunter Crowell (5’10”, so., F), Joseph Brumbach (5’6”, so., G)
NORTHERN POTTER
Coach: Derek Erway
League: North Tier
2017-18: 0-21 Postseason: none
No roster provided
OSWAYO VALLEY
Coach: Nick Goss (first year)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 11-11 Postseason: Elk Catholic (L 69-24, D-9 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Michael Welch (6’2”, sr., F), Camden Graves (5’9”, jr., G), Noah Wichert (6’4”, jr. F), Honor Gross (6’2”, jr., F), Gunner Bean (5’7”, jr., G), Jaxon Bonney (5’11”, jr., F), Carter Steadman (6’0”, so., G/F), Daytona Tilley (5’9”, so., G), Pablo (5’8”, so., G), Ian Buski (5’7”, so., G), Jacob Danielewicz (5’8”, so., G), Derek Bickel (5’7”, so., G), Joe Bell (5’11”, so., F), Alex Clower (5’9”, so., F), Ethan Voorhees (6’2”, fr.), Cody Dailey (5’9”, fr.)
From the coach: “It’s going to be tough to replace coach Clark Cummings. I’m hoping my college basketball experience will help develop the boys. We are young, one lone senior, but the boys seem very motivated to prove themselves. This is a group of good kids and they have been working really hard in practice. I’m looking for Michael Welch to lead the way. Camden Graves, Gunner Bean, Honor Gross, and Noah Wichert, the juniors, need to step up and play a big role this year and I believe they will.”
OTTO-ELDRED
Coach: Dan Dalton (7th year, 63-76)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 15-8 Postseason: Johnsonburg (L 42-30, D-9 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Andrew Sheeler (sr., G), Cameron Grigsby (sr., C), Chase Sebastian (sr., F), Cole Sebastian (so., G), Chris Connelly (sr., C), Alex Quintero (jr., G), Matt Murphy (jr., F), Jake Merry (so., G), T.J. VanScoter (so., F), Ethan Smith (so., G), Gavin Jimmerson (fr., F), Braden Maholic (fr., F)
From the coach: See story
PORT ALLEGANY
Coach: Jeff Stuckey (3rd year, 15-30)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 3-19 Postseason: none
Roster: Collin Smith (5’10”, sr., G), Howie Stuckey (5’10”, jr., G), Jordan Card (5’8”, jr., G), A.J. Edgell (6’1”, jr., F), Shawn McNeil (6’0”, jr., F), Gage Smoker (5’7”, jr., G), Drake Amell (5’7”, jr., G), Dominic Guerrero (5’9”, so., G), Drew Benson (5’7”, so., G), Carter Moses (6’0”, so., F)
From the coach: “We have a lot of core players back that should put the ball in the hoop. We still are fairly small but have picked up some better defensive players and shooters. This season should be a good test for the following year when many will be seniors.”
SMETHPORT
Coach: Jay Acker (8th year, 89-75)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 12-10 Postseason: none
Roster: Noah Costa (sr., G), Caleb Lutz (sr., G), Brandon Peterson (sr., F), Eric Szarowicz (sr., F), Ian Woodruff (sr., C), Darrin Jewell (sr., G), Connor Alfieri (jr., G), Hunter Helsley (jr., F), Layne Shall (so., G), Richie McDowell (so., F)
From the coach: See story
