Beth-Center boys preview: Bulldogs’ Bower expects offseason work to pay dividends
When Scott Bower was hired as the new Beth-Center boys basketball coach after last season, he wanted to see a solid offseason to help him and the players get acclimated with one another.
Now that the regular season is upon us, Bower spoke about how things went.
“The offseason went well with around 70 percent of this year’s team showing up to most of the open gyms,” said Bower. “Some players participated in summer leagues, like the Budd Grebb League.”
Bower, who is taking on his first varsity head coaching job after 20 years at the middle school level, outlined the goals for his squad.
“Our goals for the season are to improve on last year’s record, compete for the section and make it to the playoffs,” said Bower. “For us to improve on last season, we’re going to have to have camaraderie and to work together.
“Having just very few wins last year and having never won the section title as a team, it means we have something to prove.”
A key for the Bulldogs is they return four starters from last season.
Senior guard Brody Tharp averaged 18 points per game last season and was a second team All-Section player.
Sophomore guard Jason Zellie averaged 12 points per game last season, and the other two returning starters are senior forward Ryan Minerd and junior forward Jonah Sussan.
Junior guard Santino Revi will be the fifth starter, and he takes over for his older brother Dom, who graduated last season.
Two other key returning players are junior forwards Luke Amon and Shane Behanna, while a trio of seniors are new to the team this season, and they consist of forward Trenten Kobertz and guards Mikey and Joey Rodriguez.
The Bulldogs are in Section 4-AA with Bentworth, Burgettstown, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry and Frazier.
“Last year, the top teams in our section were Fort Cherry and Chartiers-Houston,” Bower said.
Bower noted what his team needs to accomplish for a good season.
“We will have a good season if we work together, communicate, and play hard,” said Bower. “We simply need to win!”