St. Joseph boys basketball ready for run and gun

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, December 3, 2017 | 9:03 PM

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St. Joseph boys basketball coach Kelly Robinson is content to go through an entire game without running an offensive set.

That may sound strange, but given the helter-skelter style that the Spartans faced in their section and in Class A in general last year, Robinson is ready to turn his team loose and play a fast-paced game.

“For the most part in Class A, it's a run-and-gun style of basketball, so that's how we do things here, too,” Robinson said. “We're expecting to play an up-tempo game. In our section, half-court offenses just won't cut it. We have some depth if fatigue becomes a factor. We have kids who can step in for a minute or two and fill some roles.

“I'm fine with running up and down the court. The plays are there, but I don't want to come down with the intention of running a play. If we come down on a fast break and it isn't there and things bog down, then we'll pull the ball out and set something up.”

St. Joseph, which lost in the first round of the playoffs to Rochester last year, has a trio of guards to build its attack around. Two of them are returning starters: juniors Daniel Fábregas and Grant Bendis. Freshman Andrew Sullivan completes the trio. All are ready to showcase their speed.

“Coach (Robinson) said we have plays, but we only want to run them if it's an emergency like a dead ball out of bounds. Otherwise we want you going 100 miles an hour up the court,” Fábregas said. “That's when we're most efficient. I think with Grant and I coming back, we can lead the rest of the guys and we can push the tempo and score points.”

Junior Matt Arvay was another player expected to be in the starting lineup, but he will miss the season with a knee injury.

Robinson has several options to fill in the final two starting spots. The Spartans could have a plethora of combinations before season's end. Forwards include senior Gabe Szep and junior Gabe McKernan. The guards are juniors Hunter Ferdarko, Dominic Ferrante and Evan Kuczynski and sophomores Eli Swierczewski and Dominic Fellowes.

“By the end of the season I could possibly have six or seven different starting lineups with (Fábregas, Bendis and Sullivan) being the core,” Robinson said. “We will probably adjust our starting lineup depending on the opponent by what they have and what they don't have.”

With new faces getting time, Fábregas and Bendis have taken it upon themselves to provide guidance. They want to take what they learned from departed captains Vincenzo Schiano DiCola and Jack Farrell and pass it on.

“(Vincenzo) would always get us fired up in the huddle before the games and tell us that we didn't have to be seniors to perform,” Fábregas said.”I think that's really apparent this year because we have a lot of younger guys. We have some guys that haven't touched the varsity court, and they'll be playing a primary role for us. That's new for us, and I think that's where Grant and I need to use our leadership. We need to make these guys feel comfortable.”

St. Joseph suffered some heartbreakers in Section 3-A last year, losing to Propel Andrew Street, 58-57, on a buzzer-beater and 57-55 in the second meeting. The Spartans fell by one point against Eden Christian. Six of their 10 losses were by fewer than 10 points.

“From last year playing in all of those close games, I think it will benefit us this year,” Bendis said. “We played a lot of close games in the fall league this year, so I think that prepares us going into the section and all of the games we play this year.”

Imani Christian is the defending section champ. Winchester Thurston and Eden Christian are also in the section.

St. Joseph begins by hosting Propel Braddock Hills on Friday in its tip-off tournament. Riverview and Trinity Christian are the other teams at the tournament.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer.

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