Franklin Regional boys off to blockbuster start

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, December 14, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Franklin Regional’s boys basketball coaches like to take a game film and pick it apart. They dissect it into dozens of short clips for instructional purposes.

Some are examples of perfect execution. Others are used to emphasize what might have worked better.

Either way, it gives the players something to contemplate.

“I show (the players) as many improvement clips as I do impressive ones,” coach Jesse Reed said. “It might be 15 or 20 plays. I can talk to them all day, but I want them to see for themselves what I am talking about.”

The film hasn’t lied so far this season. If they made a highlight reel right now, there wouldn’t be much left in the cutting room floor.

Franklin Regional is 5-0 and is playing fast, creating havoc on defense and moving the ball with a talented group of guards.

The Panthers, in fact, start five guards.

“Our perimeter defense has been outstanding,” senior guard Cam Rowell said. “Most of the teams we have played are good shooting teams, and we’ve done a good job getting out on shooters. That’s the identity we want to be.”

Reed has been able to show more good video than bad, but there is always room for improvement. That means the rewind button is always under his thumb.

“We’re far from a finished product,” Reed said.

The Panthers, who will take on Class 6A No. 1 Butler (2-1) on Friday night in the KDKA Radio game of the week in Murrysville, are sharing the basketball — on the break in transition and in halfcourt sets.

“We’re playing unselfishly,” Reed said. “We’re averaging around 17 assists per game, so we’re moving the ball. The ball has a way of finding you when it’s supposed to.”

Rowell was the leading scorer with a 12.8-point average, senior Colin Masten was averaging 12.5 and senior Cooper Rankin 10.0.

The senior trio is the nucleus, but they don’t just score. Rowell, a 6-foot-5 guard, also was averaging six rebounds and four assists, and Masten and Rankin both produce more than four assists per game.

“We have really picked it up defensively,” Rankin said. “That can help us set up our offense.”

Franklin Regional is allowing 43.4 points per game.

The style can change by possession. If the Panthers aren’t slashing and cutting to the rim, they are kicking the ball out for 3-pointers, hallmarks of a guard-oriented group.

“We want to be able to find ways to win,” Reed said. “Whether it’s ugly or pretty. Whether we’re running or running sets. Different ways.”

Rowell said fluidity in the offense is a key to the Panthers’ early success.

“We’re at our best when we swing the rock once more,” Rowell said. “We can play at different (speeds) and do what works. We can speed up the game when we need to.”

Rowell went down with an injury last season and missed the final 10 games. Rankin missed three games after he got hurt.

The Panthers are healthy again and overcame the loss of Bryson Pavlik, a talented guard who transferred back to Gateway. A steady rotation is rounding into form.

While the starters have been effective, the Panthers have shown depth by stretching the bench 10 deep.

Junior Connor Crossey and senior Fin Hutchison add scoring potential as starters, while junior forward Andrew Devola (6-1, 245) is back after missing last season.

Seniors Josh Hudak and Zach Bluemling and juniors Jack Spagnol and Jonah Johnston are key contributors off the bench.

While his players are passionate, Reed was disappointed when two of his players received technical fouls in the fourth quarter earlier this week against Hempfield.

He thought it was out of character and out of place for a winning team.

“We have to learn to keep our composure and let it be,” Rankin said. “Especially when we’re up 25.”

Rankin and Rowell each scored 21 points against Hempfield as the Panthers won 60-45.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

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