Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of Week for Feb. 8, 2021

By: Don Rebel
Monday, February 8, 2021 | 10:29 PM

In a season like no other, the Frazier boys basketball team is playing like no other Commodores team has in a long time.

Last season, Frazier finished 4-18 and in last place in Section 4-3A. Much like the rest of the world, so much has changed for the Commodores.

They enter the final two weeks of the regular season with a half-game lead over Monessen in Section 4-2A and with a 9-3 overall record.

“Overall team mentality,” Frazier coach Zach Keefer said. “This team is very special in this regard. Any given night, they believe that anyone on the floor can score and every pass they make is an opportunity for someone to put the ball in the hoop. The overall buy-in to that mentality has put us in the position we are today.”

Coming off their only section loss to conclude January, last week began for Frazier with a hard-fought nine-point victory at Carmichaels.

“For us as a team, we hit the reset button after the loss to Cal the week prior,” Keefer said. “We know we didn’t play our best basketball that night. We started off the year after the shutdown with a big night against Carmichaels at our place and knew it was time to get it going again. We came out with great energy on the road and were able to get to our game early.”

A balanced scoring attack was evident for the Commodores as seniors Luke Santo and Colton Arison had 14 points, senior Owen Newcomer 13 points and junior Noah Oldham 12 points.

On Friday, Frazier crushed Jefferson-Morgan at home, 82-54.

“First and foremost, it was our defensive mentality,” Keefer said. “Luke Santo and Owen Newcomer really made life difficult on their leading scorer with tenacious full-court man defense. We controlled the boards for most of the night and our defensive pressure let us create easy offense in our transition game. It certainly also helped that Owen caught fire, draining eight 3’s as well.”

Newcomer finished with 34 points.

A day later, Frazier hosted Beth-Center in a nonsection matinee and the outcome was a 35-point triumph for the Commodores.

“Beth-Center will always mean something to our kids no matter the win-loss records of either team,” Keefer said. “We were able to shake off a sloppy first quarter to really put together a solid performance in all phases of the game.”

On Tuesday, Frazier travels to Bentworth for a section game against the Bearcats. In that game, history could be made as Santo tries to become the 14th Frazier player to eclipse the 1,000-point milestone.

Keefer is proud of Santo and others on the team for their work ethic turning into positive results.

“He has definitely earned it, and it’s a product of his work ethic. When you ask about the seniors, that’s where it all starts. The core nucleus of this team, Santo, Newcomer, Arison and Oldham has been through it all with us. We’ve had some trying times in their previous three years, but they stuck with it, with each other, and with the program,” Keefer said.

“We’ve had a few roster additions in seniors Kenny Fine, Chase Hazelbaker, Christian Mingrino and Matt Kordich that have helped tremendously. I can’t say enough about how they trusted the process, stuck with it, and believed in what we were trying to do. It’s taken a few years to build it, but they are being rewarded with great results because of their hard work.”

A perfect 3-0 week has the Commodores in a unique position. Frazier hasn’t won a boys basketball section title since 1990, and it hasn’t had a winning season and earned a playoff win since the 2013-14 season.

“With the crazy year that these kids have had to deal with, this would be so special and rewarding for them,” Keefer said. “This is certainly a goal of ours, and we’ve been working extremely hard to try and reach it, but we have always taken a day by day, practice by practice, and game by game mentality.

“Had this not been the covid year, the gym would be packed each game and I know the community and Frazier Nation would be rallying around us in support. It’s unfortunate my guys won’t get to experience that. There is still so much basketball to be played, and we are working to improve each day and keep making the community proud.”

2021 Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of the Week

Week 3 – Shady Side Academy Bulldogs

Week 2 – Fox Chapel Foxes

Week 1 – Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Tags: Frazier