Trinity hopeful after youth movement
It was baptism by fire.
Whenever you have a roster similar to what the Trinity boys basketball team did a season ago – only six upperclassmen and just three seniors – that is what happens.
Now imagine losing one your few returning starters for two months at the start of section play.
Hillers coach Tim Tessmer didn’t have to imagine it.
Just a few games into last season, Trinity lost senior Kyle Fetcho to an injury and it left an already inexperienced group of Hillers fighting an uphill battle.
“We just kept preaching patience,” Tessmer said. “We were trying to grow them and bring them along the best we could. It’s hard when you are losing. And we lost a lot.”
Trinity took plenty of bumps, going 6-16 overall and finishing with only one section victory, but Tessmer hopes the silver lining of being forced to rely on youth will lead to brighter days.
The biggest loss for Trinity is the graduation of Connor Roberts, who made the Observer-Reporter’s second team all-district squad last season.
“Conner had been in our lineup in some capacity for four years,” Tessmer said. “It’s definitely weird not having him at practice. You just look for him. I don’t know if we will be able to replace what he brought. His leadership was second to none. He was the first one on the floor and the last one off. A great pass-first point guard. That’s going to have to come from a collection of guys. What he meant to this program even while losing was impressive. He carried his business the right way.”
Tessmer has more pieces to work with than in years past.
Senior Owen Wayman returns as a starter after averaging 8.5 points per game. Other full-time starters coming back to stabilize the lineup are junior Dante DeRubbo and sophomore Jacob Dunkle. DeRubbo averaged 11 points and had four assists per game. Dunkle, who stood at 6-5 as a freshman, averaged seven points and six rebounds.
Juniors Tyler Johnson and Tim Hodges will help balance the lineup along with senior Andrew Collins.
The frustrating season for the Hillers did end with two wins in the final three games.
“We did get better,” Tessmer admitted. “We would have lost those games earlier in the year. We just need to get better day by day and week by week. We have to consistently be able to score and defend the basketball. We were just so small (as a whole). It sometimes takes a year of high school basketball to figure out what you have to do.”
What Tessmer will also be figuring out is a brand new section for the first time in a few years. Trinity, which had been in “the airport section” featuring South Fayette, Moon, New Castle, West Allegheny and Chartiers Valley, will not have those teams in its section this season. The Hillers, who remain in Class 5A, now are in a section with Bethel Park, Connellsville, Peters Township, Ringgold and Thomas Jefferson.
Trinity begins its season at the Canon-McMillan Tip-Off Tournament Friday. Now a round-robin fashion rather than having the winners advance, the event will have the Hillers opening with city rival Washington and then playing South Fayette Saturday.
“This is as much fun as we’ve had in a couple years,” Tessmer said. “Our kids come to learn. They work and get after it. We are trying to keep the focus in the right place. We aren’t there yet. We are a work in progress.”