Hempfield boys look to rebound from 0-2 start in Section 3-6A

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 7, 2019 | 6:03 PM

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It’s not an ideal position for the Hempfield boys basketball team, which is 0-2 in Section 3-6A entering a pair of scheduled WPIAL games this week.

The good news for the 7-4 Spartans, however, is the bulk of the section schedule remains.

It’s not too late to make a move, they say.

Hempfield is set to face Penn-Trafford on Tuesday night at home before traveling on Friday night to Connellsville.

“It would be huge for us to get both of them,” said senior point guard Reed Hipps, who averages 10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals for Hempfield. “If we can end the week 2-2, we’ll be back in it.”

The Spartans trail top-ranked Latrobe by two games in the Section 3 standings, where Norwin, Fox Chapel, Penn-Trafford and Connellsville entered the week tied a game back of the Wildcats at 1-1.

Hempfield coach Bill Swan isn’t conceding anything in the wake of the team’s most recent game, a 52-34 loss at Fox Chapel on Friday, but he’s well aware of the hill in front of the Spartans.

After opening section play Dec. 21 with a home loss to Norwin, Swan said Hempfield would do well to fight any urge of looking ahead to a Jan. 15 home game against Latrobe (9-2, 2-0).

“We’ve just got to remain patient,” he said. “We’re proud of our kids, and we’re expecting them to continue what they’ve been doing all year. We just want to go out and play hard every game. Our goal is to make the WPIAL playoffs again.”

Under Swan’s direction during two stints as coach of Hempfield, the Spartans have qualified in nine of 12 seasons. But they haven’t been there for the two years.

“We’re proud of what we’ve done,” Swan said, “but it’s time to get back.”

Junior Marcus McCarthy also averages 10 points for Hempfield, while senior Jules Nicholls chips in 9 a game. Both 6-foot-5 forwards provide the Spartans with good size, as does 6-4 junior forward Fin Brose.

“We’re playing four juniors and two sophomores quite a bit, so we’re excited about that,” Swan said.

Hipps is the Spartans’ leader, one of three seniors on the team. But he said he and his fellow veterans must take a bit more of a hands-on approach in the second half of the season if Hempfield is to make a move.

“We’ve got good chemistry,” said the 5-11 Hipps, a four-year letterman, who’s been getting Division III attention from a handful of district colleges, including Saint Vincent, Pitt-Greensburg, Penn State Behrend, Washington & Jefferson and Westminster.

“We’ve got a balanced group, for sure. That’s one of the things I like. We have a lot of people who can do some different things.”

The 69-57 home loss in mid-December to Norwin still haunts Hipps and the Spartans. In both Section 3 games so far, Hempfield’s offense has struggled, most recently coming away with a season-low 34 points at Fox Chapel.

“We know what we are,” Hipps said. “We know what we’re capable of. We’ve definitely been a better-shooting team at home, and that’s where we need to be at our best at all times. We need to defend our court, and we need to steal a road win here and there.”

Dave Mackall is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hempfield