On a mission
BUTLER TWP— Two coaches, two agendas, one common goal: Find a way to win at the tricky level known as junior college basketball.
Butler County Community College's season begins this weekend as the men's team competes at the Hagerstown (Md.)Tournament. The women open play Nov. 14 at the Westmoreland County Community College tournament.
"This was an experience for me last year,"said second-year BC3 men's coach Fred Skrocki. "I really didn't realize what I was up against until I got here."
The Pioneers women are coming off a 10-9 campaign — their third straight winning season under coach Sean Carroll — and have a roster comprised totally of Butler County area players.
Skrocki won 449 games in 24 years of high school coaching at Schenley, including five City League titles and a state championship.
He won one game in his debut season with the Pioneers, finishing the campaign with six players and a squad that averaged 45 points per game.
"We started with 12 guys last year, had one quit and lost six to academics after Christmas,"Skrocki said. "This year, the goal is stability. I want to start with 12 and end with 12."
Only two players — 6-foot-3 Max Krepps of Titusville and Anthony Blumling of Butler — are back from last season.
Other Butler County players on the team include Sean Schreiber of Slippery Rock, Mark Saeler and Andrew Canmer of Butler.
But players from Campbell and Nordonia, Ohio, Clairton, McKeesport and West Mifflin also are on the Pioneers' roster.
"We realized we had to get out and talk to kids, find those who either weren't recruited or didn't have the grades to get to the next level, and explain what junior college ball can do for them,"Skrocki said.
"We probably talked to 60 kids or so. And we'll keep on talking."
Skrocki isn't close to having a set starting lineup yet. He said the players are still getting to know each other.
"No one's talking on the court right now," he said. "It's not like these guys have been together for four years. Friendships and that comfort level are still being developed."Our championship game is in February. That's when we want to be good."Krepps, Blumling, 6-1 Demetrius Rochelle from Clairton, Rashad Washington from West Mifflin, Jermaine Richardson from Campbell and Brian Zeleznik from Nordonia appear capable of providing needed scoring punch to BC3 this year.Only one player, 5-6 Lea Roth of Slippery Rock, returns to the women's team. Samantha Karns of Butler, one of Carroll's top players last year, is his assistant coach this season."Sam was a knowledgeable player and she's elevated our practices because she can get out there and go against these girls,"Carroll said.Four of the new players this year are from Knoch: Pam and Kristen Gagen, Sarah Cooper and Jessica Protzman. Pam Gagen will be the point guard.Roth, Kristen Gagen, 5-11 forward Denyelle Painter from Rimersburg Union and Cooper figure to round out the starting five. Protzman, Kati Weibel of Karns City and Lindsey Peters of Butler will see a lot of time as well."With a 30-second clock and 40-minute games, all of these girls are going to play,"Carroll said.Jenna Bodkin of Butler and homeschooled Mackenzie Houk round out the roster."This is a group of intelligent girls who love playing the game and are working hard to improve their game,"Carroll said. "It's fun spending time with them."We'll be better in the low post this year. It may take a little while for this team to gain familiarity playing at this level."Carroll's goal is to return to the WPCCchampionship game, which the Pioneers reached two years ago."Potomac State is the only team in our league that offers scholarships, but we feel like we can play with them if we get the chance,"the coach said.Carroll is the only head coach in the seven-year history of BC3 women's basketball.
