BEA boys basketball finishes with best record in a decade after win over Jersey Shore
Bald Eagle Area’s 65-43 victory over Jersey Shore on Monday night was emblematic of the team’s season so far.
The Eagles played fast, swiping the ball from opponents at every turn. Blaze Angellotti had 16 points, followed by Tyler Serb with 13 points and Chase Thompson rounding out the top-3 scorers with 10 points. The common denominator between the three is their senior leadership. Head coach Kris Glunt is glad to see that their energy on the floor has translated to a 13-9 record in his third year at the helm.
“I just think it’s been a process,” Glunt said. “We’ve put a lot of work in during the last three years. These guys have bought into what we’ve tried to accomplish, they play hard, they play together — I’m really proud of the season they’ve had. This is our first winning season in about a decade and these guys don’t mess around. They come in, they put the work in the gym and compete all 32 minutes and it’s fun to watch.”
Bald Eagle’s defense clamped down on Jersey Shore’s offense. It’s something that Glunt preaches on a consistent basis, with the team using its speed of attacking point guard Kahale Burns and the heady Thompson to anchor the defense up top. The two strike when the time is right.
“I feel like once the team gets into its groove, it’s just all about making quick reads,” Thompson said. “We’re all pretty good at reading the offense. We know to be disciplined to not jump every time and take our chances when we know that it’s the right time to do it.”
Then there’s the Eagles’ offense. It begins and ends with being able to stretch the floor with the 3-point shot and Serb is a large part of that attack. The senior forward had a 3-pointer to open up the game and had the defense on its toes for much of the contest by standing out on the perimeter.
Serb has continued to develop his game to become as dangerous as possible.
“I’ve really been working on my shot,” Serb said. “I try to get my teammates involved, I drive, I try to get my guys open and I’ve been practicing really hard.”
Angellotti had a dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy in the third quarter. He’s grinded during the offseason to improve his footwork and it’s given him an added advantage around the rim. He’ll use a spin move to deke his opposition, forcing them to guard a space that he’s since vacated. Now, the senior center is as dangerous as ever as he heads into the playoffs.
By the way, he’s a more than capable 3-point shooter.
“Coach Glunt wants us to work on that as much as possible and constantly add the three ball,” Angellotti said. “I don’t shoot that many threes, but it adds another dynamic to my game. He works on that with us all of the time.”
The Eagles have a number of other forwards and post players that have contributed with their hustle, including the football-playing trio of Cam Watkins, Tre Greene and Kieran Jodon. They bring physicality to the game, setting screens, boxing out opponents in the paint and the ability to slash to the basket for scores.
“I think we can win a district championship if we put our mind to it,” Angellotti said.
Bald Eagle will await its next opponent in the District 6 Class 3A playoffs.
Bald Eagle Area 65, Jersey Shore 43
BEA (13-9): Angellotti 16, Serb 13, Thompson 10, Jodon 9, Burns 7, Watkins 6, Greene 4
JS (2-18): West 16, Ten Eyck 8, Willits 6, Woodring 5, Dalton 4, Fink 2, Myer 2
Half: 30-19, Bald Eagle
