Peters Township looking for improvement
Work is a four-letter word for the Peters Township boys’ basketball team. The Indians know if they are to reach their modest goals this season, they must earn it.
“Our expectations are to make the playoffs,” said Gary Goga, whose squad just missed a post-season berth with a 5-5 record in Section 2 of Class 6A last winter. “In order to achieve our goals, we have to work hard.”
That shouldn’t be too difficult as the Indians, still smarting from a 13-9 overall 2016-17 season, return the makings of a winner. Coupled with their strengths, they welcome back three starters, two of them among their leading scorers.
A 6-1 junior, Dax Ploskina averaged 11 points per game in his first full year as a varsity starter. A 6-2 senior guard, Conor Pederson managed 10 points per game. Grant Mocharko is the other veteran. The 6-6 center averaged five points and four rebounds as a junior.
The Indians must make up for the losses of Matt Thelk and Mike Cortese to graduation. Cortese led Peters in scoring with a 15.5 average.
Vinnie Cortese, a 5-9 junior guard, and Sam Petrarca, a 6-2, sophomore guard, could make up the difference.
“Sammie has really come into his own,” Goga said. “He has lots of potential.”
With Sean Werner in the lineup, Peters Township has the potential to be a force inside. Of the 6-5 junior, Goga said, “Sean will be a big part of the team on both ends. He and Grant (Mocharko) playing together at times give us a look we haven’t had for a long time.”
Goga can’t recall having so many talented reserves. He expects John Brucker, Luke Fountaine, Colin Cote, Dan Boehme, Matt Stuck and Max McCaig to contribute. Fountaine, Cote and McCaig are sophomores. McCaig and Cote are each 6-4. Brucker is a senior forward while Boehme, a sophomore, and Stuck, a senior, are guards.
“Those guys play hard and provide us with depth,” Goga said.
“We can shoot it. We have a little bit of size and we have a good group of kids. We also have some experience mixed in with youth.”
As the Indians head into their tip-off tournament where they will host Thomas Jefferson at 8 p.m. Friday and West Allegheny at 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Goga is focused on the little things that will define his team’s success this season.
“We must rebound, defend and get better everybody,” said Goga. “We have to work hard on both ends of the court.”
After hosting Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic Dec. 12, Peters Township begins section play on the road against Bethel Park Dec. 15 and Baldwin Dec. 22. The Indians expect their biggest test after New Year’s, when they travel to Mt. Lebanon for a 7:30 p.m. tip Jan. 12. The Blue Devils are the defending section champions. However, Mt. Lebanon finished only one game better than the Indians with a record of 14-9.
“Lebo is the best team in the section,” Goga said of the Blue Devils, who return four starters. “Everyone is pretty even though. So it should be a really interesting year.”