Jeannette boys prepare for season while waiting for reinforcements

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, November 27, 2017 | 6:33 PM

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The Jeannette boys basketball season is currently on hold, and that's OK with coach Adrian Batts.

Like most fans who follow Jeannette athletics, Batts is rooting on the football team in its quest for a second PIAA championship.

The football team, which has at least six players who also play basketball, will compete in the PIAA semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday against District 10 champion Farrell (11-2). If the Jayhawks win, they will face the winner of Homer-Center (District 6) and Steelton-Highspire (District 10) in the state final Dec. 7.

The first play date for basketball is Dec. 8.

“We might not start on time,” Batts said. “It's going to take the team a few days to get into basketball shape.”

Jeannette returns three starters — seniors Robert Kennedy and Tre Cunningham and junior Seth Howard — from a team that finished the 2016-17 season 12-13, losing to Sewickley Academy in the WPIAL playoffs and Bishop McCort in the PIAA tournament.

Jeannette graduated six players from last year's squad, including Michael Pompei, who is playing at Seton Hill, and Eric Hall. Another part-time starter, Rylan (Bumoskey) Crise transferred to Greensburg Salem.

Batts is excited about the season. The Jayhawks should be the favorites in Section 1-2A with the addition of junior transfer A.J. Sharp from Greensburg Salem and getting 6-foot-5 junior forward Anthony Johnson back full-time. Johnson was averaging more than 20 points before being sidelined. He played in five games for Jeannette in 2016-17 before the WPIAL and PIAA ruled him ineligible after transferring from Allderdice. Johnson must sit out a few games at the start of this season.

Batts said junior Marcus Barnes might start while Johnson sits out. Sophomore Jackson Pruitt and senior Jayson Cox are expected to see plenty of playing time.

“We probably won't be playing our best basketball in December,” Batts said. “It's going to be a few weeks before we're in condition. We want the guys to get comfortable.”

Sharp said the biggest thing he's noticed since coming to Jeannette is an attitude of winning.

“Everyone here has a winning attitude,” Sharp said. “The sky is the limit here. I don't want to set any goals too low. We want to win the section and the WPIAL for sure.”

There are some players on the basketball team who are hoping for a third WPIAL title within one year. Cunningham and Howard were on the baseball team that won WPIAL gold last spring and the football team that claimed a district title Saturday.

“The mindset will be a lot different,” Batts said. “Seth and Tre know how to win big games, and Anthony has played at a lot of high-level AAU games.

“We want to play hard, defend, rebound and play together. We have to take care of the basketball.”

Batts said he expects some tough battles from Serra Catholic, Leechburg, Springdale, Greensburg Central Catholic and Summit Academy in the section.

He expects reigning PIAA champion Sewickley Academy, Bishop Canevin, OLSH and California to be strong again.

“This is a special time with what's going on in football,” Batts said, “and you great community support from everyone in Jeannette. I'm looking forward to see how the season goes.”

The last time Jeannette won the WPIAL football title and the state title, the basketball team did the same in 2007-08.

Will history repeat itself? Only time will tell.

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.

Tags: Jeannette