Gateway boys basketball players step into increased roles after heavy graduation loss

By: Michael Love
Sunday, November 17, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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A senior-laden Gateway boys basketball team was stopped by rival Franklin Regional in last year’s WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals.

But the Gators rallied after the loss, and a dramatic down-to-the-wire home victory over Kiski Area in the seventh-place game propelled them to the state playoffs for the third year in a row.

A couple of injuries helped put a dent in Gateway’s hopes against Mechanicsburg in the PIAA first round, but Gateway coach Alvis Rogers said that despite the way the season ended, his team, which finished 18-9 overall, represented themselves well from start to finish.

“We had a nice run,” Rogers said.

“You can’t do anything about injuries, when and how they happen. That was the heartbreaking thing about the end of the season. Overall, the seniors had a good year. They competed and played really hard for us.”

With the graduation of several key starters and contributors from last season’s team, including Alex Lowry, Vito Campolo, Alec Dunsmore, Bryson Pavlik and Taili Thomoson, Rogers said opportunities are there in the lineup to rise up and make an impact.

“We played a lot of basketball in the summer and fall,” Rogers said.

“We didn’t have a lot of game experience coming back from last year. But by us playing a lot of games together, that really helped us. We didn’t look all that good at times, but the kids made big strides from then to now. We played a lot of good teams which tested us and showed us what we needed to work on. It’s good to see that. How this team can be this year, it can go either way.”

Gateway hosted league games in the fall in connection with the Pittsburgh Basketball Club and also played games on the weekend at Woodland Hills.

Junior guard Mykel Bruce-McCrommon, a Section 3 honorable mention all-star last year, was one of the top scorers at about 15 points a game.

“Mykel is looking good right now,” Rogers said.

“I’m putting it out there that he’s going to be our guy. He has what it takes to lead this team and be a first-team all-star this year. We have to rely on him.”

Bruce-McCrommon said he understands his role and responsibility as a team leader.

“I feel like we are looking good right now,” he said.

“Everybody is high intensity in practice. We’re focusing a lot on defense and getting in our sets. We’re also looking to get out on the break. Practices are so competitive. No one came in with their positions secured. We’ll be competing every day until the season starts and probably after the season starts, too.

“This is my year to lead the team. I want to take advantage of that and put us in the best situation to win.”

Sophomore Asaan Wallace was called upon to handle point guard duties in the loss to Mechanicsburg, and he will be back in that role this year with junior Jax Vovaris.

Wallace suffered a knee injury this summer which required surgery.

“He is back, but he’s still got to get in basketball shape,” Rogers said.

Junior guard/forward Chris Settles, who started part time last year, also is back and is expected to have a bigger role in the rotation.

Senior 6-foot-5 center Paul Nnacho provides size inside.

“He didn’t start and played sparingly last year, but he’s made great strides coming back,” Rogers said.

Junior guard/forward Nehemiah Nichols also is in the mix for varsity minutes.

“One of the things we mentioned to the returning guys after the state playoff loss was that it is their team now,” Rogers said.

“We’ve had teams that have gone to states in consecutive seasons. Now, it’s their turn to keep that going. We talk all the time about how they have to live it, breathe it and eat it. That is what good and great teams do.”

Gateway will compete in a slightly revamped Class 5A section with Albert Gallatin, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford and Uniontown.

FR, after beating the Gators in the WPIAL quarterfinals, went on to finish as the WPIAL runner-up before making a run to the PIAA title game.

Uniontown makes the move up from Class 4A where it reached last year’s WPIAL semifinals and qualified for states.

Laurel Highlands and Albert Gallatin also moved up from Class 4A.

“There’s talent all over the section,” Rogers said.

“We’ve had Albert Gallatin and Laurel Highlands in the section before. I don’t want to say we know them because things have changed with personnel and things like that. But the good thing is that we’ve played in their buildings before.

“Uniontown is probably the one picked to win the section. Of course, we know Franklin very well, and they know us. It’s going to be a battle. Then you have teams like Latrobe, Penn-Trafford and McKeesport. It’s going to be tough, but we’re going to compete and hopefully be in the thick of things if not on top.”

Gateway opens its season Dec. 3 at home against Belle Vernon.

“They have a tremendous player in Zion (Moore) who can shoot the ball from the outside or take it to the hoop,” Rogers said.

“We went down there last year and struggled a little bit to beat them. They are a good 4A team.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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