Wash High ready for Bunting’s debut
Bunting
Mark Marietta / For the Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Davoun Fuse, back left, tries to reach above three players for a rebound in a game last season against Trinity. The Prexies will play the Hillers tonight in a season-opening event at Canon-McMillan.
Most schools would celebrate a 17-4 basketball record.
Not at Washington High School, where the expectations long ago were established – win big or suffer some level of disappointment.
Losing three of their last five games – the regular-season finale, WPIAL quarterfinal playoff game and a state tournament game was tough for the Prexies to take.
Before the late-season slide, Washington won 15 consecutive games after losing its opener to Belle Vernon.
Section championships are not recognized anywhere in the fabled Little Prexies’ gymnasium.
The aim is always higher.
First-year head coach Ryan Bunting is walking head-first into this anticipation of high expectations.
He is replacing a man, Ron Faust, who is largely responsible for building such a program and raising the bar as high as it can go in Pennsylvania scholastic basketball.
Bunting was an assistant to Faust the past eight seasons.
Faust retired after last season. He guided Washington basketball to many of the school’s section titles. He coached four WPIAL championship teams, 1984-86 and again in 1990. Two of his teams won state crowns (1984 and 1986). His Little Prexies made other extended playoff runs.
It cannot be easy succeeding an icon.
Not to worry, Bunting does not have any hesitation.
“It has to be a community effort,” said Bunting, a professor of education at Washington & Jefferson College. “Under Coach Faust, we’ve always spoke about team continuity. It’s at the heart of everything.
“Coach has been so helpful and we sat down to develop a plan of action. We feel that building a culture of players coming together, making a commitment and understanding and accepting roles is so important.”
Bunting and Washington started to develop that plan in September when team members reported to the Washington gym at 7 a.m. for open gym. The workouts attracted 17 athletes. They continued and were popular.
“I was humbled by it,” Bunting said. “That gave our staff good feelings and hope. The buy-in has been tremendous. It’s been encouraging so far.
“I have Coach Faust’s support. I personally embrace this challenge and this opportunity. It’s my honor to follow a man of his honor, character and professionalism.
The Little Prexies have a bevy of athletes on their roster and return a wealth of talent.
The roster includes junior Isaiah Woods (5-10), senior Davoun Fuse (6-4), junior Ruben Gordon (6-2), senior Carlos Harper (6-2), senior Brayce Patterson (6-5), senior Brenden Seibert (5-9), junior Zxavian Willis (6-0), junior Braiden Wise (6-0), junior De’Ondre Daugherty (6-4), junior Dane Asbury (6-2) and freshman James Carter (5-10).
Washington opens tonight against Trinity and will battle Canon-McMillan Saturday, both in the Big Macs’ season-opening event.
Opening against two larger schools will be helpful, Bunting said, and it fits in with the Little Prexies’ demanding non-section schedule. Those games include Elizabeth Forward, South Allegheny, South Park, Quaker Valley, Monessen and a second game with Trinity.
Washington has a strong starting core and should be a menacing defensive and rebounding team. Perimeter shooting, a long-time Little Prexies weakness, again is a question mark.
The WPIAL’s two-year realignment leaves the team in a little different section. The Little Prexies remain in Class 3A and will compete in Section 4, which includes Brownsville, Charleroi, McGuffey, Mount Pleasant, Waynesburg and Yough.
Bunting, who will be assisted by Mark Spina – a longtime assistant to Faust – with the rest of his staff consisting of Anthony Belcastro and volunteers Jordan Swart, Oshai Wright and Quamar Patterson, all alumni.
“I’m highly competitive and I hate losing,” Bunting said. “It’s been frustrating to all of us not being able to reach the potential we had. It was frustrating to not see our team accomplish things it could do.
“Everyone wants to beat Wash High. We know that. We look forward to that challenge.”