Westmoreland high school notebook: Jeannette basketball players get early start

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 | 4:18 PM

Jeannette boys basketball coach Adrian Batts feels spoiled this preseason. For the first time since 2014, he had his entire team available for the start of practice.

Deep playoff runs in football have limited what the basketball team could do several weeks into the past several seasons as two-sport players rested up and gradually returned.

The situation continually placed the team behind opponents who had the luxury of full rosters and could scrimmage whenever they wanted. In football, the Jayhawks reached the WPIAL championship the last three years, winning last year, along with the PIAA title. The state final was played in early December.

Basketball practice started this year across the state Nov. 16. The football team lost to Rochester in the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals Nov. 9.

“It’s definitely different,” Batts said. “We’re not used to having all the time to prepare. I’m usually scaling things back, from our conditioning to our set plays.”

There were times in recent years when Batts did not have the same lineup for weeks at a time as he waited for players to return and merge from one sport to another.

“Now we can spend time on things we need to get done early and can play into basketball shape,” he said. “We still are a long ways away, but I like our team.”

Senior forward Marcus Barnes, also a talented wide receiver and defensive back, said Jeannette took Rochester lightly in the WPIAL Class A football quarterfinals — Monessen, too, for that matter, in the first round — but players are quickly shifting gears.

“We are ready to hoop,” he said. “It’s over; next sport.”

Asked if the Jayhawks can take out their frustration from a sawed-off football run on basketball, Barnes said: “We are used to winning so that’s what we are going to do: work hard and get it done. The frustration is over. Frustration causes a negative impact on our performance in other sports.”

Bring ‘em on

Franklin Regional’s boys basketball team isn’t backing down from any opponent this season, and coach Steve Scorpion is not concerned with the aesthetic look of his team’s record.

The Panthers scheduled two-time defending PIAA Class A champion Kennedy Catholic, a team so good it is moving to 6A this season.

The teams will play a nonsection game at 3 p.m. Jan. 12 at Kennedy Catholic, located in Hermitage, Mercer County.

Kennedy Catholic features three Division I recruits in Oscar Tshiebwe (West Virginia), Maceo Austin (Duquesne) and Mattia Acunzo (Toledo).

Scorpion called Kennedy Catholic assistant Tom Droney to get the ball rolling on the matchup.

Franklin Regional, a Class 5A team, also scheduled 6A Pine-Richland.

“My main goal is not to win 20 games,” Scorpion said. “You want to win, but you also want to be tested. You don’t have to have the best record to be the best team.”

Norwin ready to host

After hosting WPIAL football playoff games the last two weeks, Norwin is set to welcome the Class 5A championship on Friday night.

West Allegheny (10-2) will play Penn Hills (13-0) at 7:30 p.m.

A WPIAL football final has not been played at a high school stadium since 1985.

Norwin hosted the Class 5A quarterfinal between Gateway and Franklin Regional and last week’s semifinal that featured Penn Hills and Peters Township.

”We are certainly looking forward to the opportunity to host. … We appreciate the WPIAL’s vote of confidence,” Norwin athletic director Brandon Rapp said. “We have been fortunate to host a lot of big events not only this year, but in years past, so we feel as though we have the necessary plans in place to operate a successful event.”

North Allegheny and Geneva College were also considered for the Class 5A final but Norwin was selected for its location, parking room and sufficient seating on both sides of Knights Stadium, which holds over 5,000.

Dozens of people from Norwin and the North Huntingdon area will work the game, from gate and press box personnel to security.

It may not be the same atmosphere as Heinz Field but Norwin aims to make it a close second.

”We have an outstanding staff and a lot of great support from our community partners like Rescue 8 and NHTPD as well,” Rapp said. “We feel it is our responsibility to make sure that all of those in attendance leave Norwin Knights Stadium with a positive experience. I would be mistaken, though, if I didn’t say this event adds some additional excitement. We are honored to have the opportunity to host and our staff is looking forward to Friday.”

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Jeannette, Norwin