Trinity’s big 2nd half gives Ferrari first win as coach
By Bill Hughes
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Smiling with wet hair and a soaked pullover, Alex Ferrari took in his first win as the Trinity High School boys basketball head coach, a 57-38 victory over West Mifflin on Tuesday night at Hiller Hall.
“It feels good, but I am more excited for the guys as they put a lot of effort and energy in every single day,” he said with an energetic tone and a smile to match. “I am happy to see a happy locker room.
“That’s one of those things where they like the culture and environment, so you do it to see the smiles on their faces. If I have to be soaked after games, I can handle that.”
Jonah Williamson finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and five steals to pace the Hillers, and the senior spoke about the team getting Ferrari.
“It is so awesome, and he has been a part of this for the last three years,” Williamson said of Ferrari, who previously served as a Hillers assistant. “He is excited to get to work every day, and to help give him his first win is awesome.
“Our team played such hard defense and I think holding it together while we struggled offensively, that is how you put on a run that we did. It was a total team effort.”
Williamson was joined in double figures by Ian Migyanko (12 points) and Anthony Giorgi (10).
The game wasn’t pretty, as the teams combined for 39 turnovers.
The score was tied at 15 after the first quarter and at 21 at halftime.
The Hillers made only three baskets in the first half, but they made four in the last 98 seconds of the third quarter to take a 35-31 lead into the fourth quarter.
“They understand (defense) is what we preach, being a hard-nosed team,” said Ferrari. “Why can’t we play like that all the time, with tenacity?
“Credit to them for turning it on and playing the way they are capable of playing.”
A 12-0 run to open the fourth quarter pushed Trinity’s lead to 47-31, and the Hillers (1-1) finished out their first win of the season, and Ferrari’s first as a head coach. The Hillers outscored West Mifflin 22-7 in the fourth quarter.
Ferrari spoke about Williamson’s effort.
“He is a phenomenal kid, a phenomenal player, and he is one of those kids that makes it very easy to root for him,” said Ferrari. “He took a couple of three’s that made me hold my breath, but he smacks them both and gives me a little smile and smirk.
“He is a great athlete and you can’t ask for a better kid to coach.”
Ferrari also credited the play of Giorgi and Chase Kostelnik – each made countless little plays that aren’t always noticed by fans.
“Anthony and Chase are the type of dudes that make plays you don’t see in the stat book, but what they do is make winning plays,” said Ferrari. “The tenacity Chase plays with is unmatched and the intelligence Anthony uses, you don’t see those things in the stats.”
Julian Dewberry paced West Mifflin (0-3) with 15 points.
Trinity is at Elizabeth Forward (1-2) Friday night.