Zach Feldman emerges as game changer for Penn-Trafford boys

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, March 2, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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When Penn-Trafford boys basketball coach Doug Kelly was watching junior forward Zach Feldman play in the summer, he did not realize how athletic the 6-foot-4 forward was.

But Kelly knew he had a player to run his offense through.

Feldman, who also is an outstanding baseball player, has continued to elevate his game throughout this season, and he has been especially impressive the past 10 games.

He’s brought his average up to 13 points per game and has led the team in scoring in half of those games. He scored 21 points in the playoff-opening victory against No. 2 Baldwin, 18 points in a loss to Mars, 21 points against Uniontown on Feb. 24 and 14 in a loss to Moon in the seventh-place game Feb. 26.

The Warriors will face the District 3 champs, either at Hershey or Exeter Township, in the first round of the state playoffs Friday, March 7.

“We run our offense through him,” Kelly said. “He’s played really well. He can score, and he is a great passer. He leads the team in assists.”

The junior has improved his offensive game in the post and is a leader on the floor.

“He has a great basketball IQ,” Kelly said. “He’s able to tell the point guards what plays will work.”

While Kelly likes Feldman’s leadership, Feldman said the entire team has leadership qualities.

“It’s just not me,” Feldman said. “Everyone is a leader. We played in a lot of close games and win or lose, we’ve played with confidence. We have been confident all season.”

Feldman said the Warriors knew they could beat Baldwin because they almost did earlier in the season.

When Penn-Trafford upset Baldwin, Feldman made a huge play at the end of the third quarter. After a Penn-Trafford made basket, he stole the ball on the inbounds pass and scored again to push an eight-point lead to 12. Baldwin never recovered.

That win qualified the Warriors for the PIAA playoffs.

“Coach Kelly likes to run our offense from inside out,” Feldman said. “Uniontown did not have anyone who could stop me. When I scored early, it opened up our outside game.”

Kelly said how they use Feldman depends on the opponent.

“When we played Moon, because of its size, we used him on ball screens,” Kelly said. “It was a challenge for him. Zach’s footwork is incredible. He has really matured mentally, and he has great awareness.”

Kelly said he would like to see Feldman develop a more consistent offensive game from 15 feet and in.

Feldman said he hopes to become a better defender.

“I always want to be on the attack,” Feldman said. “It is like in baseball as a pitcher, you want to attack the strike zone, so I need to attack the rim in basketball.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford