The longest boys’ basketball playoff drought in Centre County is ending.
The qualifying period for the District 6 Class A, AA and AAA tournaments concluded Thursday, and Bald Eagle Area submitted its best regular-season resume in six years to the district committee.
The Eagles are 11-10, making them a lock for one of the top four seeds in Class AAA. BEA hasn’t appeared in the postseason since 2005-06, when gigantic twins Cody and Cory Boone led the Eagles to a District 6 Class AA title and PIAA playoff victory.
BEA followed the 24-win season with five straight losing seasons. The Eagles failed to win more than six games in a season during the stretch.
Shifts in District 6 enrollments placed BEA in Class AAA last year. The PIAA reclassifies every two years. The Eagles return to Class AA next season.
Johnstown, Somerset and Bald Eagle Area are the lone District 6 Class AAA teams with winning records. BEA coach Bill Butterworth said the lure of a PIAA playoff spot might persuade more teams to enter the tournament. District 6 is allotted two Class AAA state playoffs spots, with the runner- up participating in a play-in game against District 7’s fourth-place finisher. District 6 has eight Class AAA teams.
Schools have until 9 a.m. Sunday to declare their postseason intentions. The district playoffs open Feb. 20, although the Class AAA tournament might begin later because of the skimpy field.
“I don’t know if any other teams will throw their hat in there,” Butterworth said. “But if they are thinking like me, they are thinking they might only have to win one game to move on. It’s almost worth it to try to put it together for one game.”
BEA will bring a young team into the playoffs. Their eight-man rotation includes senior Jeff Koleno, juniors Dennis Fisher, Jon Romine and Clayton Cingle, sophomores Bryce Greene, Bryan Greene and Ryan Dyke, and freshman Brandon Gettig.
The group has showed veteran and rookie tendencies. The Eagles started 4-1 before surrendering large fourth-quarter leads against Purchase Line, DuBois and Mount Union. They ended a four-game losing streak by defeating Juniata on Wednesday.
“I don’t want to use that as a crutch,” Butterworth said of BEA’s youth.
“I’m hearing every day that we are dealing with freshmen, sophomores and juniors. I don’t want the kids hearing it and using it as a reason why things are happening. We’re 20 games into the season.
“We are young and it looks good for the next two years for us going into the playoffs. But we’re confident in this team. We have shown we can play with anybody.”
The Eagles end the regular season tonight against Penns Valley in Spring Mills. BEA won the first meeting 42-38 in overtime last month.
The Rams (9-8) are headed to the Class AA playoffs, and their methodical offense contrasts the Eagles’ accelerated pace. Butterworth is using the game as a playoff tune-up.
“It would be nice to get some momentum and get on a bit of roll going into the Triple-A playoffs,” he said.
Fright night in Philipsburg
Philipsburg was a harrowing Friday night destination for Mountain League teams this winter.
The Mounties posted four of their five victories in Friday night home games. Juniata, BEA, Penns Valley and Central are P-O’s Friday night victims. Central, like BEA and Penns Valley, owns a winning record.
“We have great fans,” P-O coach Dave McKnight said. “Our kids come out and support each other. Even the kids who don’t play on this team come out and support this team and they are wearing crazy costumes. It’s been fun to get some wins.”
The Mounties are 5-16 entering tonight’s finale at Huntingdon. The five victories equals P-O’s combined total from the past three seasons.
Undefeated in February?
State College’s opponent Saturday afternoon brings an unusual record into a mid-February game. Hershey is 20-0.
Experience is a reason for Hershey’s success. The Trojans returned all five starters, including 6-foot-8 senior forward Matt Banas, from last year’s 15-9 team. Hershey owns two victories over a talented Cedar Cliff team State College scrimmaged in December.
The game continues State College’s brutal Saturday home schedule. North Allegheny, Shaler and Harrisburg also visited the North Gym on Saturdays.
“You certainly need these kinds of games,” said State College coach Drew Frank, whose team owns a six-game winning streak. “It’s the level of competition you would expect to see in the postseason. Saturday is a big game for us.”
Guy Cipriano covers boys’ basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He can be reached at 231-4643 or gciprian@centredaily.com. Follow the Centre Daily Times’ boys’ basketball coverage on Twitter @cdtguy
