McIntire understands young Raiders are a work in progress
One might need a program to recognize members of the Waynesburg Central boys basketball team this season.
The Raiders lost four starters from last season蘑菇视频 team, so this year蘑菇视频 squad is young and inexperienced.
Waynesburg does not have a senior and just one junior. The other 14 players on the roster are either sophomores or freshmen.
Coach Steve McIntire understands this season is going to be a work in progress with the operative word being work.
鈥淲e have one player returning who played varsity ball last season,鈥� said McIntire. 鈥淲e might be the youngest basketball team in the WPIAL.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to worry about score or a game蘑菇视频 outcome. I want to see effort and competitiveness. Playing hard eventually will take care of wins. We must focus on playing hard all the time. Really, it蘑菇视频 the only way to get better.鈥�
The Raiders compiled a 10-12 overall record last season and went 6-6 in section play to finish fourth. Waynesburg lost to highly-seeded Aliquippa in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.
Waynesburg got off to a rough start this season, losing to Jefferson-Morgan, 57-33, and then Fort Cherry, 66-14. The Rangers were the WPIAL Class AA runner-up in 2022 and enter this season as a top contender in Class AA.
鈥淭he first scrimmage was an awakening for our young guys,鈥� McIntire said. 鈥淚nstead of playing eighth and ninth graders, these guys found themselves against bigger and faster junior and seniors.
鈥淭hey have to adjust. We do have some athletes who are gritty and play hard. We鈥檒l be okay once they get a little taste. They鈥檒l adapt and learn how to play at this level. With some experience, the future looks brighter.鈥�
Devin Gustafson, the lone junior, is the Raiders鈥� only returning starter at forward.
Waynesburg蘑菇视频 sophomore class is forward Traevin Shaw and Alex Eck, guards Brayden Coon and Alexander Vansickle, and guard/forward Dominic Benamati.
The freshman class includes forward Dane Woods and Ethan Costello, guard/forwards Chad Corwin, Kyle Lantz and Jackson Dean, and guards Zandar Rison, Austin Surber, Zachariah Rison, and Dominic George.
The Raiders will play in Section 4-AAA with Brownsville, Charleroi, McGuffey, Mount Pleasant, Washington and Yough.
McIntire said Washington and McGuffey will battle for the top spot in the section.
鈥淲e need Devin to display leadership and be a big factor for us in scoring and rebounding. If he displays leadership through action, it will sure help us a lot,鈥� said McIntire. 鈥淥ur sophomore group has talent, but we don鈥檛 have experience.
鈥淥ne of those kids was hurt last season and he lost the year. That group is just getting into the flow. They just need to get experience, play hard and things will start to happen.
McIntire added, 鈥淲e will battle and we will scratch and claw to keep getting better.鈥�
Waynesburg will travel to Maryland for a holiday tournament and will also play non-section games against West Greene and Beth-Center.
鈥淲e have to get physical and learn the speed of the game,鈥� McIntire said. 鈥淭his is a whole different game. Lazy play, lazy play and sloppy play will get you in trouble.
鈥淲e have a lot to learn and much work to do. I think we will be okay in the long run. We have talent on our roster. We just don鈥檛 have much game experience.鈥�