SLIPPERY ROCK — Phil Bushre played basketball with a code at Grove City College.

He's bringing that code to the job of Slippery Rock High boys basketball coach.

Bushre, 26, was hired last month to replace the departed SeanStrickland, who took a job as assistant women's basketball coach at Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio.

"I want to do things the right way," said Bushre, who is a teacher in the Freeport School District. "I want our players to be responsible on and off the court."

Bushre learned those values in his four seasons playing for the Wolverines, where he still holds the top spot on the school's all-time field goal percentage list at 59.9.

He led the team in scoring during his senior season in 2004-05 at 15.9 points per game.

Bushre served as an assistant on Steve Lamie's staff at Grove City College last season.

He said he interviewed on two separate occasions for the Slippery Rock coaching job.

"I actually enjoyed the process," Bushre said. "It was informative for me. You learn a lot about a school and its administration just by interviewing. The administration was nothing but professional."

When Bushre finally got the call that he was hired as the Rockets coach, he was ecstatic.

"I was excited," Bushre said. "I wanted to get started that day. But it was football season and I firmly believe that success on the football field translates to the basketball court. I want those guys to do well."

Bushre said he realizes he is getting a late start on things at Slippery Rock.

But the Rockets had a very successful summer league under Strickland, who didn't leave for his new coaching position in Ohio until July.

Bushre also is benefitting from the wealth of basketball knowledge at his disposal.

He is in contact almost daily with Lamie and can pick the brain of former Yellowjackets boys basketball coaches Garrie Davies and Mike Beale, who are also teachers at Freeport.

"I have just an absolutely huge amount of experience I can fall back on," Bushre said. "I can ask those guys anything and they are encouraging."

Bushre also took a step to make the transition at Slippery Rock easier on himself and his players by retaining all of Strickland's assistant coaches.

Mike Lamber,Randy Giesler and ninth-grade coach Merle Whitmer will return this season.

"Sometimes a new coach comes in and decides to wipe out everything old and start new," Bushre said. "I don't feel that way. They can fill me in on things that I would never be able to know otherwise."

Bushre said his coaching philosophy, most of which has been gleaned over the years from Lamie, will change based on personnel.

He said one thing won't change: his affection for high school basketball.

"I attended a clinic run by (Pitt coach) Jamie Dixon and what he said has stuck with me," Bushre said. "He said he has it easy in college because he can choose his players. In high school, you can't. You can't go out and get a 6-foot-8 center if you want one, or a point guard if you need one. It's a real challenge and I love that challenge."

Bushre isn't worried about his challenging schedule, either.

Bushre will make the nearly one-hour drive from Freeport to Slippery Rock every day during basketball season. But that's OK, he said. He made the drive to Grove City every day last year and he and his wife Kathryn live in Butler.

"I've always wanted to teach, and coaching is just another way of teaching," Bushre said. "I'll teach my kids at Freeport from 7:30 a.m. to 2:37 p.m. and then go teach my kids at Slippery Rock.

"To me, teaching and basketball are my two biggest loves and I get to do both."