“I just thought, well, this team could be dangerous,” said Coach Wetzel.
The Latrobe Boys Basketball team is on a winning streak as they enter the second half of the season, having achieved impressive victories in each of their last ten games. Their strong teamwork and outstanding leadership have positioned themselves as a top contender in the section.
After a rough season last year, the boys hoped to make a strong comeback this season. Not only did the Wildcats miss the WPIAL playoffs, but they also had a season full of injuries and finished with a rare losing record. “Last year we started with four players out, two of them never came back. It was just a brutal start,” said Wetzel.
The Wildcats started hot this season, with only one loss (15-1 overall). “This year, we are healthy and the guys started to buy into the idea that it’s about the team and not individuals,” added Wetzel.
The team started the season by winning their first five games, one being in section play. On December 17, the boys faced Uniontown at home for a section matchup but fell short 53-81. “The last couple of years we have lost so many games that it just put a bad taste in our mouth,” said Senior John Wetzel. After that loss, the Wildcats picked up the pace and won the next eight games, but they were not easy wins. “We came back from being down at halftime six of those eight games. This team fights until the end,” said Coach Wetzel.
Over Christmas break, the Wildcats traveled to the state of Indiana to play in a competitive holiday tournament. Taking on the hosts of the Shenandoah Christmas Classic in the championship game, the Cats continued their success coming out victorious 56-50. Senior Max Butler was the scoring leader that game carrying the team with 20 points, and Andy Tatsch added 10. To get to the championship game the Wildcats picked up a win to Lutheran (53-36) in the first round and Blackford (66-56) in the second round to earn their matchup against Shenandoah in the final game. “I thought the team really started to find its identity in our trip to Indiana, I thought the team only took a step in the right direction,” said Coach Wetzel.
Back in Pennsylvania, the team went on the road against Penn-Trafford tallying another win 53-50. With each victory, the confidence and bond of the team continues to grow. “The camaraderie and bond we have this year is unmatched,” said John. Coming back from Indiana, the team’s chemistry was stronger which helped their success on the court back home. “If anyone’s open they are getting the ball, we share the ball a lot. It doesn’t matter who scores, I mean we have people who score more than others, but people can have a game, and everyone shares the ball, no selfishness,” said John.
This year, the team is led by starters Max Butler, John Wetzel, Kyle McNeil, Ian Decerb, and Andy Tatsch. After losing multiple starters last season, new players were able to step up. “Ian DeCerb had some experience last year, but he’s really coming in almost like a different player,” said Wetzel. With new leadership, it seems the team has a closer-knit relationship and bond that helps them on and off the court. “The leadership has been real. Everybody talks about it, it’s a cliche in sports about leadership but I’ve seen it and it hasn’t just been from the seniors,” said Coach Wetzel.
While the upperclassmen have stepped up in a huge way, the underclassmen have also taken a role. “Everybody has kind of not only stepped up and been okay, they have exceeded expectations across the board,” said Wetzel. While each player on the team brings a different aspect to the game, Wetzel made it clear that this team works together and that makes all the difference for the Wildcats. “It’s truly a team effort, there’s no superstars, just a bunch of guys pulling the rope in the same direction,” said Coach Wetzel.
The boys continued the hot streak after Christmas but a few games stood out in particular to Wetzel. On January 10, the boys faced McKeesport in a section game where they won 66-63. “John had 13 assists [January 10], Kyle hit a game-winning three, and Andy had some big shots, huge steals, and rebounds,” said Coach Wetzel.
On January 15, the boys were back at home for another section matchup where they defeated Albert Gallatin 68-57. However, Albert Gallatin was a huge game for the Wildcats, specifically for Max Butler. In the first quarter, Max got his 1,000th career point, joining his three brothers. While this was a huge accomplishment for Max, Coach Wetzel wanted the team to know they each played a part in it. “You know, Max has an important job on this team, he’s supposed to score points and he does his job very well. But, all the guys are responsible, somebody passed it to him, and somebody got the rebound to get it to him, so I told the guys to enjoy that night. It’s nice when a teammate gets a milestone like that,” said Wetzel.
Now, the team has gone through the section one time only losing one game. It’s hard to predict what their place looks like in sections at this point, but Wetzel is focused on winning one game at a time. “Every game is so important now that we’re down to the final trip,” said Coach Wetzel.