Penn Hills boys off to rare slow start

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, December 15, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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The growing process for the Penn Hills boys basketball program will have many layers this season. One of the most important ones will be becoming comfortable with being in the varisty atmosphere.

With the Indians having so many new players in starting roles on varsity, the season’s first few weeks have produced some growing pains.

Penn Hills shot 26% (13 of 50) from the field in a 51-44 nonsection loss to Woodland Hills on Dec. 10. The Indians fell to 0-3, which is a first under fifth-year coach Chris Giles.

Giles is 70-26 as Penn Hills’s coach and led the Indians to a WPIAL Class 5A title in 2023.

“Honestly, we have to execute,” Giles said. “You can’t be afraid of the ball and afraid of the moment. You have to be able to play in hostile environments against good teams. We’ve played three really good teams to start the season.”

Penn Hills opened the year at the Jack Twyman Tournament. The Indians lost to Moon and in overtime to Northgate.

Giles said playing Woodland Hills before the start of Section 2-5A play was a good test for the Indians. Penn Hills was scheduled to host Indiana on Dec. 13 in its first section contest. Results from that game were too late for this edition.

The Indians led Woodland Hills 21-13 at halftime and 39-21 going into the fourth quarter. Giles attributed the strong start on defense to getting Wolverines guard Scoop Smith in foul trouble.

Smith finished with a game-high 16 points.

“We were able to get some stops, but then he came out like a torpedo in the fourth quarter, not even just on offense,” Giles said. “He dictated the tempo of the game on offense and defense.”

Amon Hawthorne finished with a team-high 14 points and had two assists for Penn Hills. Calix Clark scored 12 points and added five rebounds, while Cato Cahill added 12 points.

During the fourth quarter against Woodland Hills, Penn Hills struggled to protect the ball. The Indians turned the ball over 21 times.

“It was a hostile environment,” Giles said. “It’s not like you are playing with a crowd of 100 people. You’re playing in a packed house, the whole community is here, and your whole family is here. Guys don’t want to be embarrassed. We need to show more resiliency coming out of this game.”

Giles said he thinks Penn Hills will benefit from its experiences to start the season. The Indians need to figure out how to close out games.

“I mean, we can only go up from here, literally,” Giles said. “Our winning percentage is at zero. We need to starting stringing some stuff along. We need to get better.”

Slow start

An 0-3 start is unusual for Penn Hills under coach Chris Giles. Here is a look at how the Indians have fared in Giles’ first four seasons.

2020-21: 13-5, section champions, WPIAL quarterfinals

2021-22: 20-6, section champions, WPIAL quarterfinals, PIAA quarterfinals

2022-23: 23-4, section champions, WPIAL champions, PIAA quarterfinals

2023-24: 14-8, third place section, WPIAL first round

Tags: Penn Hills