Shaler boys basketball team eyes more after fast start

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, December 17, 2017 | 11:00 PM

Previous Next

Previous Next

Senior forward Kiki Agbale clearly hears Shaler assistant coach Mike Mancuso's message of riding the wave. Not getting too high or too low is a paramount message right now.

Last Friday, Shaler ended several streaks by opening Section 1-6A play with a 63-40 win over North Allegheny.

The Titans (4-1, 1-0) stopped a 20-game section losing streak. Shaler also halted a 10-game losing streak to North Allegheny that dated to a 59-41 victory on Jan. 20, 2012.

“It's a big win for the program, but at the same time, it's only one game,” Titans third-year coach Rob Niederberger said. “We're happy, but we're not satisfied. This isn't our goal. Our final, end-all be-all goal, to beat NA. We want to make the playoffs.”

Shaler, which most recently made the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs in 2012, didn't need a lesson in humility. The Titans' schedule wasn't going to allow too much on their victory.

The Titans want to show their hot start doesn't mean they haven't reached the crest yet.

“We can't get too high or too low,” Agbale said. “We have to keep level-headed.”

“We want to keep going,” senior guard Kevin McHale said. “We're right back in the gym (Saturday) at 8:45. We're going to keep working hard like we did all offseason. Everyone working hard as a team it looks beautiful out there.”

Much like every game this season, Shaler's scoring was spread around. Mehki Reynolds finished with a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Jesse Tavella and Luke Bebout contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

“I think they showed they are a resilient group,” Niederberger said. “There's been a lot of losing the last seven years across a lot of sports at Shaler. I look at this group, the older kids the seniors, from the time I got here two years ago I told these guys we are going to turn it around, but it's going to take time.”

The Titans jumped out to a 16-10 first-quarter lead and held on throughout. Shaler shot 11 of 16 from beyond the arc.

“We've seen the ups-and-downs,” McHale said. “We're going to go on runs. They are going to go on runs. We just need to keep on pace and finish the game out.”

Shaler wants to keep moving forward and staying on the level.

Having Niederberger to guide them makes things a little easier.

“We've always bought into what he's been saying,” Agbale said. “We've always been listening to what he had to say. It's been the same things since last summer we've been playing and now it's easy for us.”

Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.

Tags: Shaler