A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: St. Joseph’s Gabe Maltese

By: Ted Sarneso
Monday, January 27, 2025 | 10:32 AM

The St. Joseph boys basketball team is hovering around the .500 mark this season, which is a stark contrast to last season, when the Spartans finished 3-20 overall and 2-8 in section play.

Senior guard Gabe Maltese said the turnaround is, in part, because of the leadership he and his fellow seniors have provided to a program that saw an influx of freshmen and transfers.

“This is probably the greatest number of players on the team in a while,” Maltese said. “It’s important that we provide the support and guidance to those underclassmen. It’s up to us to build momentum and get the right vibes going.”

Why is it important?

“Our team thrives off energy,” Maltese explained. “Our bench is super energetic, and it helps pump up those on the court. If we have that energy, it’s going to be a good game.”

And when the game isn’t going the way the Spartans would like, Maltese is there to bring a calm and, in one example, provide a teaching moment to his teammates.

“During a game, I was about to get irate with our guys for how they were setting things up offensively, and he turned to me and said, ‘Give me a second, coach,’ ” coach Matt DeHart said. “Gabe pulled the team together, talked to some of the younger guys that were on the court, and, the next thing I knew, they executed it exactly how I wanted it.”

Added Maltese: “I went up to the guys and said, ‘I know you know this,’ and they agreed. They took a beat to calm down, took it slow and ran the play.”

Maltese is second on the team this year in scoring, averaging 10.4 points along with three assists and a steal a game.

He took a few minutes for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

The team is right in the thick of a playoff race. What will you need to do to make the playoffs?

We need to step back and hit the reset button. We’ve lost a couple in a row, a couple of 50-50 games that didn’t go our way. If we step back a little, we could turn it around.

What was it like learning the new offense this year?

It took some trial runs to get it going. We just had to be patient, let it develop at the beginning of the season. We just have to remain confident in it.

To what do you attribute you being one of the team’s top scorers the last two seasons?

My teammates. Their confidence in me to get me the ball and set me up for those shots. I also have confidence in them, and it’s important we have that confidence in each other.

Coach also mentioned that your agility and quickness have really come to the forefront this year. What did you do in the offseason to work on those skills?

Myself and a few of the other guys did some speed training, and we got in the gym all summer, and I’ve seen that training translate on the court this year.

What can you say about your defensive game?

I give credit to coach because we’ve done defensive training and rebounding all offseason and continuing into the regular season. The reps we’ve taken in those areas shows that you can’t do it until you get it right, but you can do it until you can’t get it wrong.

What part of your game were you looking to improve on this season?

Defense. Last year was rough because we didn’t have enough size, so I had to pick up that slack and I’m not a big guy to begin with. My teammates were able to pick up the slack in areas that I lacked. It’s great to have them, to play with them.

What lessons have you learned from playing sports?

Consistency is key, and it’s really important to be consistent in the offseason. If you really want to be successful playing high school sports, you have to work all offseason because it will show if you don’t.

Favorite high school memory so far?

Long bus rides listening to music with my teammates. I scored a career-high 31 points against Leechburg last year.

Any hobbies?

I play baseball and I golf as well. I was on the school’s golf team. My best score was a 39.

What are your plans after high school?

Attend college for business. I’m not sure where yet.

What’s one piece of advice you’d want to leave your teammates?

Always have confidence in your teammates. They want the best for you. If you have that confidence in them, it’s going to come back around and reward you in the end.

Tags: St. Joseph