‘Humble and hungry’ Eden Christian boys get off to fast start

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, December 14, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Eden Christian Academy’s boys basketball team won its season opener impressively.

The Warriors overpowered Beaver County Christian, 78-29, in a nonsection matchup Dec. 3 as 5-foot-10 and 5-9 sophomore guards Brady Salvia and Noah Sample scored 16 points apiece to lead Eden.

Mason Dean, a 6-1 junior guard/forward, added 15 points and River Bartram, a 6-5 junior forward, chipped in with 11 for the Warriors.

Dean led the team in scoring last season; Salvia was No. 1 in the assists department.

The Warriors followed up their initial win with a pair of victories in the Freeport tournament, defeating Freeport, 75-70, and cruising past Shady Side Academy, 62-38.

Dean exploded for 26 points against SSA and Salvia added 12.

Eden Christian has 21 players listed on its 2025-26 team roster; Owen Nester, a 6-foot forward, is the lone senior. There are 10 freshmen, six sophomores and four juniors in the boys basketball program, which is guided by Aaron Smith.

“We are very young, (but) we should be competitive,” said Smith, a 6-5, 298-pound defensive end during his 13 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I love coaching these young men. They are humble and hungry.”

Smith, who is assisted by Andrew Cressler, Sean Dean, Zack Frantik and Paul Walendziewicz, was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Honor in 2023. He played collegiately at Northern Colorado.

Smith and his wife Jaimie have five children: daughters Elliana, Elysia and Emilia and sons Ezekiel and Elijiah.

Salvia, Sample, Dean and Bartram are joined in the Warriors’ starting lineup by 6-4 freshman forward Sam D’Ippolito.

Eden’s veteran floor boss counts on the likes of 6-1 junior forward Drew Broderick, 5-8 sophomore guard Kyle Fowler, 6-2 freshman forwards Landen Foltz and Ezekiel Smith in reserve roles.

Eden finished with a 5-7 record last year in Section 2-2A and played in the WPIAL preliminary round. The Warriors, who tied for fourth with Brentwood in section play, lost to Laurel, 50-42, to end up 7-16 overall.

Sewickley Academy captured the section title by going undefeated at 12-0. Northgate corralled the runner-up spot with a 10-2 mark and Winchester Thurston took third at 8-4. Eden won three of its final four regular-season games to clinch its playoff berth.

The Warriors have advanced to the playoffs for five consecutive seasons.

Tags: Eden Christian