Fox Chapel boys basketball has plenty to build with

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Sunday, November 26, 2017 | 11:05 PM


Last season, the Fox Chapel boys basketball team compiled a 19-4 record on its way to claiming a WPIAL Class 6A, Section 2 crown before losing to Woodland Hills in the WPIAL quarterfinals. Coach Zach Skrinjar, in his ninth season, will have to replace three starters if he wishes to successfully defend the title.

He'll have two of the better players in the WPIAL coming back in 6-foot-1 senior Carson Cohen and 6-1 junior Ben Kelly. Cohen averaged 16 points last season and led the team in assists. Kelly averaged 12 points.

“Carson is a tough matchup because he does everything very well,” Skrinjar said.

Also returning will be letterwinner Micah Morris, (senior, 6-2). He will be joined by promising newcomers Ryan Kerr (junior, 6-2), Noah Marks (junior, 6-1) Dom McGriff (senior, 6-3), Arnold Vento (sophomore, 6-1), Justin Supsura (senior 5-10) and Will Livingston (sophomore 6-2).

“We will be undersized and inexperienced at the varsity level,” Skrinjar said. “But we will have strong guard play and will be proficient at sharing the ball and spreading the floor. This will be a good-shooting team that makes the extra pass.

“We should be able to compete in what will be a very competitive section. However, we will need to build depth at several positions and lean on Carson and some of our other guys with varsity experience.”

Skrinjar said Penn Hills, Latrobe and Woodland Hills will be the teams to beat in the section.

Marty Stewart is a freelance writer.

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