Trojans short on numbers, but still a contender
It’s a numbers game at California Area High School for the boys basketball team this season. Numbers such as 15, 4, 4, 1,000, and 3.
So where do you want to start?
How about three, as in three senior letterwinners back from a team that went 11-12, 5-7, and tied for fourth in Section 5-AA. A preliminary round playoff defeat ended the Trojans season.
Now let’s go to 15, as in a 15-player varsity roster, including seven seniors, three juniors, four sophomores and one freshman.
“Our numbers are inexplicably down this year,” said coach Phil Pergola, beginning his ninth year with the Trojans and 43rd altogether. “It could just be what we – and other schools – are going through, regarding numbers.” In eight seasons, Pergola has taken the Trojans to six playoff appearances and won back-to-back section titles in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, the Trojans were WPIAL runners-up.
Next up is 4 … and 4, as in the numbers of letters that both Tanner Huffman and Brian Fisher will have earned at season’s end.
Finally, 1,000, as the magical scoring plateau that both Huffman and Fisher will reach, perhaps by Christmas, Pergola noted. Huffman, who averaged over 15 points per game last year when he scored 246 points, despite missing six games with an injury, has pumped in 848 career points. Fisher averaged 16 points (and seven rebounds) and has 827 career points. All-time scoring leader Matt Rossi, Pergola noted, topped the 1,400-point plateau.
An all-around player, Huffman, a 6-0 guard, sees the floor well and has three-point range. He shot 78 percent from the free throw line last year. Fisher, a 6-2 guard/forward, can create mismatches by taking opponents inside or outside and he can go to either hand on the inside.
“We have experience with three seniors and our defense will be strong, especially when we go to three guards,” Pergola added. “Our numbers may not be that high, but we do have some depth. We have seven seniors and we’re not sure, though, about what lies down the road. We were turnover prone last year and we have to take care of that. But we’ll be competitive and we should be in the hunt for the top spot in the section. Overall chemistry will be key for us.”
Supporting Huffman and Fisher will be 6-4 senior forward Evan Patterson, a part-time starter who averaged five points last year, and 5-11 junior guard Demetri Clements. Patterson gives the Trojans depth under the boards and can move outside when play dictates and Clements adds another three-point threat to the offense. Seniors Jared Marinos (guard) and Kyle Newman (forward) will contribute, along with junior 6-5 forward Austin Wingo and guard Jake Columbus, and sophomore guard Malik Jackson, whose defense is his strength.
“We’ll be competitive once again and should definitely contend for a playoff spot,” Pergola said, “and the top spot in the section is not out of reach.”
California opens its exhibition season December 11 at Chartiers-Houston, and hosts Jefferson-Morgan December 14 to open Section 5-AA play.