It’s next man up for defending champion Penn Hills boys basketball

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 | 10:57 PM

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Last season, the Penn Hills boys basketball program experienced a magical season capped off with the program’s first WPIAL title since 2003.

If the Indians have hopes of making another deep playoff run, they will need to accomplish it with a new cast.

They lost their top three scorers — Daivon Stephens, Cory Fulton and Cam Wiley — to graduation.

Stephens, who averaged 18 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds during his senior season, is now playing basketball at Eastern Michigan. Fulton is playing at Lakeland Community College.

Penn Hills finished last season with a 24-4 record, including an 11-3 mark in Section 3-6A.

The Indians defeated Pine-Richland, 60-56, in the WPIAL Class 6A championship. Penn Hills’ season came to a close after 44-41 loss to Allderdice in the second round of the PIAA Class 6A playoffs.

“It has always been next man up. It’s been my way whether it was college or high school. The next guys come in and need to have the success you had with previous teams,” coach Dan DeRose said.

This year, Penn Hills will lean on senior guard Tyree Spencer and senior guard/forward Marshall McArthur to replace the production lost by the trio. Last season, Spencer saw the most action as the Indians’ sixth man.

“Tyree is very confident and comfortable since he was the sixth man last year. He’s really trying to step up and take that leadership role,” DeRose said.

Junior Kyree Mitchell will take over point guard duties for Fulton, while sophomore forward Wes Kropp and sophomore guard Eddie Daniels will most likely enter the starting lineup.

“I think the difference with this team is that I can’t say there is one specific guy that is the go-to guy that we’ve had in the past that if you needed a key play or key basket. This group will have to it by committee and collectively,” DeRose said.

DeRose hopes to have a bench that features senior guards Dorian Boyce and Gary Bonner. Seniors Hollis Mathis and Corey Thomas, who have been busy leading the Penn Hills football team to a deep playoff run, have intentions to come out for the basketball team to provide depth.

The young and inexperienced Indians will be part of a new look Section 1-5A, which includes Woodland Hills, McKeesport, Gateway, Greensburg Salem, Albert Gallatin and Laurel Highlands. All teams qualified for the WPIAL playoffs last season.

“The jury is out because when you’re so inexperienced and you haven’t had the guys in the spotlight or in those types of moments, you’re not sure what you’re going to get out of them,” DeRose said.

Penn Hills will face Latrobe, Central Catholic, Jeannette and Fox Chapel as part of its nonsection schedule. All four teams qualified for the WPIAL playoffs last season. The Indians will face Chester (Pa.), a perennial state power, in the MLK Showcase at Woodland Hills on Jan. 20.

The Indians will tip their season off against Beaver Falls in the Midland tournament at Geneva College at 7 p.m. Dec. 7.

Penn Hills will unveil its WPIAL championship banner before the home opener against Westinghouse at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 9.

“We would like to think we were the catalyst of bringing the excitement back to Penn Hills with winning the WPIAL championship,” DeRose said.

“We want to make Penn Hills this exciting place and positive atmosphere not just for athletics but for everything.”

Andrew John is a freelance writer.

Tags: Penn Hills