How do you replace the top scorer in District 9 boys basketball history that led your team to three consecutive D9 championship games?
You don’t, according to first-year Coudersport head coach Scott Easton. But with four returning starters and a wealth of experience for the Falcons, expectations haven’t lowered much in Potter County for a team that’s won nearly 100 games as well as the North Tier League in each of the past four seasons.
“I’ve been asked by a bunch of people how do you replace Owen Chambers (who is currently playing at Mercyhurst) and the first thing you tell them is you don’t replace Owen Chambers,” said Easton, who served as an assistant under former Coudy coach Brian Furman for the past several seasons. “Owen had tremendous basketball IQ and could create so many shots and opportunities.
“So the thing for us this year is to execute more plays and to look to get five guys scoring. We have the ability for any of our five guys go off on any night and score 16,17 points.”
Returning for the Falcons, which went 24-3 a season ago en route to an appearance in the D9 title game and state playoffs, are Hayden Keck (15 points per game, 5 assists per game), Dillon Keglovits (8 ppg, 8 rebounds per game), Kolby VanWhy (7 ppg, 5 rpg) and Daniel Frame.
The Falcons did suffer a big blow, however, when Easton announced that 6-foot-3 forward Travis Gleason would be out for the season with an injury.
But with all of those returning starters back from a season ago, don’t expect Coudersport — which scored over 90 points eight times last year — to change their up-tempo, fast-paced playing style.
“Brian Furman did a great job with the program,” Easton said, “and I’ve been involved in creating the system that we run. We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel, and we are looking to do what Coudy basketball has done over the last four years: score in transition, stretch the floor and play quick. It is safe to say a shot clock will not be needed in Coudersport.”
Unlike years past, however, there isn’t much of a talent gap between the Falcons and the remaining eight schools in the NTL.
Runners-up to Coudersport for the last three seasons, Cameron County (16-7 last year) returns two of its top playmakers in Caden Beldin and Dino Brown. The Red Raiders have lost just nine league games over the past three seasons, with six of those defeats coming to Coudy.
Despite several attempts, Cameron County head coach Mark Guido was unavailable to comment on the upcoming season.
Over in Duke Center, the Otto-Eldred Terrors return two starters from last year’s team that went 11-10 and lost by just three points to Clarion-Limestone in the D9 Class A quarterfinals.
Junior Cole Sebastian (8.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and sophomore Gavin Jimerson (7.8 ppg, 5 rpg) return to the starting lineup for eighth-year head coach Dan Dalton, who has just one senior on the roster for 2019-20.
“If we can buy in defensively and find a couple leaders to show the way, then we have a chance to be quite successful this year,” Dalton said in his preseason preview.
“Cole is a great overall athlete, which he proved by being the best QB in the D9 Small School this year, and we rely on him to do multiple things for us. Our two sophomores (Braden Maholic and Gavin) played a lot of varsity minutes as freshmen and have a great grasp of the game. Another one of our juniors, Jake Merry, is one of the better shooters we have had in our program so our offensive outlook is pretty positive.”
As for the rest of the teams, the consensus is that most of the schools that have struggled to losing records in recent seasons can stay competitive in a more balanced NTL in 2019-20.
Other than Easton, the only other first-year coach in the NTL this season is Port Allegany’s Kyle Babcock. Babcock, who served as a Gators assistant over the past few seasons, will be tasked with turning around a program that went just 6-16 a season ago but has one of District 9’s most prolific scorers in Howie Stuckey.
Elsewhere, Rich Glover and Austin will look to build upon back-to-back winning seasons that have included consecutive trips to the District 9 playoffs. Back for the Panthers is point guard Jackson Glover as well as Parker Glover and Skylar Crawford.
And, as there’s always something to be said for size on the hardwood, Oswayo Valley leads the league with eight players measuring at 6-feet or taller. Leading the elevation for the Green Wave (2-20 a season ago) is 6-foot-5 senior Noah Wichert as well as 6-foot-5 sophomore center Ethan Voorhees.
In addition to OV and Port A, Northern Potter (3-19) and Smethport (11-12) will look to improve upon losing campaigns from a season ago. The Hubbers did advance to the first round of the D9 Class AA postseason last year, narrowly falling to Keystone.
But perhaps it was Easton who best summarized the state of the NTL — and its potential competitiveness — for this season now that Chambers is graduated.
“Any given night, there’s enough good players on the other teams between O-E, Port, Cameron County,” he said, “In the past, we’ve always been able to show up and have the best player on the court. We really have to focus on playing our style of basketball and defense. Can’t take any team lightly this season.”
Here’s a capsule look at each of the teams in the North Tier League:
AUSTIN
Coach: Rich Glover
2018-19 record/postseason: 12-11; Elk County Catholic (L, 61-38, D9 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Parker Glover (5-8, sr., G), Joseph Glover, Jr. (6-0, sr., F), Caden Rees (5-7, sr., G), Payton Shupe (5-8, sr., G), Mike Clingan (6-0, sr., F), Skylar Crawford (6-0, jr., F), Jackson Glover (5-10, jr., G), Aydan Nicka (6-4, jr., C), Ethan Gola (6-0, jr., F), Cameron Rees (5-6, so., G), Adam Lucas (6-1, so., F), James McLeod (5-8, so., G), Jacob Hooftallen (5-7, fr., G), Keaton Shupe (5-6, fr., G), Nick Camp (6-3, fr., F), Hunter Bundy (5-9, fr., G)
Returning starters: not listed
CAMERON COUNTY
Coach: Mark Guido
2018-19 record/postseason: 16-7; Johnsonburg (L, 42-37, D9 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Dino Brown, Dylan Guisto, Matthew Swartz, Caden Beldin, Camdyn Allison, Dalton Ball, Cameron Harrier, Alan Erickson, Jon Good, Hayden Good
Returning starters: 2 (Brown, Beldin)
COUDERSPORT
Coach: Scott Easton (1st year, 0-0)
2018-19 record/postseason: 24-3; Brockway (W, 79-44, D9 Class AA quarterfinals), Karns City (W, 83-67, Class AA semifinals), Ridgway (L, 52-50, Class AA finals), South Side (W, 73-70, PIAA Class AA first round), Bishop Guilfoyle (L, 77-65, PIAA Class AA second round)
Roster: Derek Easton (6-3, jr., G, 3 ppg, 2 rpg), Hayden Keck (5-10, jr., G, 15 ppg, 5 apg), Daniel Frame (5-10, sr., G, 4 ppg, 2 apg), Dillon Keglovits (6-2, sr., F, 8 ppg, 8 rpg), Kolby VanWhy (6-0, sr., G, 7 ppg, 5 rpg), Travis Gleason (6-3, sr., F, 7 ppg, 7rpg), Dalton Keglovits (6-0, jr., G), Matt Daniels (6-3, sr., G), Brandt Kightlinger (5-11, jr., G), Christian Furman (5-10, so., G), Jaheim Dickens (5-11, sr., G)
Returning starters: 4 (Keck, Frame, Di. Keglovits, VanWhy)
NORTHERN POTTER
Coach: Derek Erway (2nd year, 3-19)
2018-19 record/postseason: 3-19; none
Roster: Ezra Sprow (6-4, sr., C), A.J. Lehman (5-10, sr., F), Luke Willis (6-0, sr., G/F), Carter Anderson (6-0, jr., G), Anthony Benway (5-10, jr., G), Ryan Langworthy (5-9, jr., G), Trey Slawson (5-11, jr., G), Travis Snyder (6-2, sr., C), Tanyan Brown (5-10, so., G), Michael Moore (6-0, so., F)
Returning starters: not listed
From the coach: “We made tremendous strides last season and we were in a lot of close ball games; we just couldn’t finish. I’m looking forward to another good year and have great hopes that we will be able to finish out the close games and get those wins.”
OTTO-ELDRED
Coach: Dan Dalton (8th year, 75-72)
2018-19 record/postseason: 15-8; Clarion-Limestone (L, 61-58, Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Cole Sebastian (jr., G, 8.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Gavin Jimerson (so., F, 7.8 ppg, 5 rpg), Jake Merry (jr., G), Braden Maholic (so., F), T.J. VanScoter (jr., C), Ethan Smith (jr., G), Matt Murphy (sr., F), Zaz Bell (jr., C), Josh Rhinehart (jr., G)
Returning starters: 2 (Sebastian, Jimerson)
OSWAYO VALLEY
Coach: Nick Goss (2nd year, 2-20)
2018-19 record/postseason: 2-20; none
Roster: Gunner Bean (5-8, sr., G), Noah Wichert (6-5, sr., F), Honor Gross (6-1, sr., C), Alex Phillips (6-1, sr., F), Jaxon Bonney (6-0, sr., F), Matt Rinamon (5-8, sr., G), Carter Steadman (6-0, jr., G), Joe Bell (6-0, jr., F), Derrick Bickel (5-7, jr., G), Ian Bilski (5-10, so., G), Ethan Voorhees (6-5, so., C), Caiden Black (5-7, fr., G), Nathan Carpenter (5-10, fr., F), Mike Mertsock (6-1, fr., C)
Returning starters: not listed
From the coach: “It appears this could be a breakout season for senior Noah Wochert, especially on the defensive end. Gunner Bean and Honor Gross have really showed a lot of leadership so far both vocally and by example in practice. Another senior, Alex Phillips — who moved here this summer — has already garnered the respect of his teammates and we expect his skillset to make an immediate impact.
“We had terrific attendance this summer in the weightroom and at the courts playing ball. We have been stressing defensive fundamentals and we now have a core of boys with experience playing at the varsity level, which will help us to be a lot more competitive.”
PORT ALLEGANY
Coach: Kyle Babcock (1st year, 0-0)
2018-19 record/postseason: 6-16; none
Roster: Howie Stuckey (sr., G), Shawn McNeil (sr., F), A.J. Edgell (sr., F), Jordan Card (sr., G), Izak Bidwell (sr., G), Drake Amell (sr., G), Dominic Guerrero (jr., G), Carter Moses (jr., F), River Cramer (so., G), Ty Guilds (so., F), Drew Evens (fr., G), Blaine Moses (fr., F), Noah Archer (fr., G)
Returning starters: not listed
SMETHPORT
Coach: Jay Acker (9th year, 100-87)
2018/19 record/postseason: 11-12; Keystone (L, 48-45, Class AA quarterfinals)
Roster: Connor Alfieri (sr., G), Hunter Helsley (sr., C), Kolby Wilber (sr., F), Layne Shall (jr., G), Richie McDowell (jr., F), Chase Burdick (jr., G), Tyler Howes (jr., C), Matt Nolte (jr., C), Noah Lent (so., G)
Returning starters: 1 (Alfieri)
From the coach: “We lost four starters from last season and six seniors altogether. We are looking for our three seniors to step into the leadership role. This team looks to improve on our playoff berth and go deeper in the playoffs. We look to have an uptempo style offense and bring pressure defense to utilize our quickness.”
