Trojans have depth entering new season

BY DENNY SROKA Sports correspondent sports@lewistownsentinel.com

The Mount Union basketball team came into the gym in the first week of practice with perhaps a problem solved from last season. There were 19 players that took physicals and were on the floor in the first week. This could help with the depth issue the Trojans had last season with young players on the bench and a short roster.

The Trojans lost two key players to graduation and have just four letter winners returning to get the 2022-23 season under way.

Scott McClain will be starting his seventh season as head coach of the Trojans exiting the 2021-22 season with a 17-7 record losing the last two games of the season to Southern Fulton in an Inter County Conference playoff and then lost in the first round of the District 6 tournament to Cambria Heights. McClain posts a career record of 7758 coming into this season.

The Trojans assistant coaches are Isaiah Helton and Ryan McClain at the varsity level and Brian Benson, R.J. Trice along with Steve Brumbaugh at the junior high level.

The Trojans lost Devin Delo and Dayvon Wilson to graduation this spring. Wilson scored 190 points last year with 17 from beyond the arc. His presence inside was a major factor to the Trojans success. Delo a three-point sniper drained 65 treys last season in route to a 432-point season. He finished his Trojan career with 984 points. “These guys will be hard to replace,” stated McClain. “They would go out and do what ever you ask of them. Wilson could work inside and go outside and take over a game if you ask. Delo was just an all-around player that would give it all every game.”

“We have a very good turn out this winter and hopefully that will turn into sone depth,” said McClain.

“If a couple of these younger players step-up so we could get the veterans off the floor at times we will be strong. The four letter winners that are back have plenty of experience and are good players, but we need depth to help. Last year when we got into foul trouble we really fell off with our overall game.”

Senior Jayvien Brumbaugh is a returning letter winner that score 367 points last season for the Trojans. He can go down the lane as well as shoot from behind the arc. He is expected to lead the team aa a senior and he pushes the younger players to improve. He has developed his shooting more over the off season and is doing the little things you like to see in a player as they mature on the floor.

Senior Andrew Cuff scored 186 points last season and has become better at anticipating the moves on both sides of the ball. Cuff hit 51 of 75 from the foul line for .680 average last season. Works well inside on the boards and him and Brumbaugh comple- ment each other well.

The lone junior on the team is Bryce Danish scoring 164 points last season and 25 of 50 from the foul line for .500 percent. Danish has become more confident and has become stronger. He is capable of big plays at any time and that was seen last season.

“I see the ICC Being tough again this season with Williamsburg, Bellwood and West Branch along with Juniata Valley all being strong,î said McClain. Juniata Valley really came on late last season and they have a good core back. Curwensville could also give everyone trouble if they turn out the players of last season. The league is not going to be easy at all.

“Our goals are not far off from last season, but we want to start fast this season and not hurt ourselves early in the schedule and have to make up lost ground,” added McClain. “We saw what could have been and the team does not want to do that again. They want to become more consistent and stay focused no matter who we are playing. It sounds like to me that they want to play at a different level this season.”

“If we keep the number and create depth, we will be a much better team,” said McClain. “We need a couple young players to step up and get hungry.”

The Trojans open the season this year with a nonleague contest with back yard rival Huntingdon De- cember 7 before taking part in the Southern Huntingdon Tip-Off Tournament the following weekend. Mt. Union boys hoops schedule: