JEFFERSON TWP – Ron McNabb paints a serene picture. The second-year Knoch boys basketball coach pictures himself sitting down and observing the game in a reserved manner.

“I try to coach just sitting there being relaxed and everything,” he said.

That normally doesn’t last for 32 minutes.

“That’s just not me,” McNabb said.

The fiery old player normally emerges, with McNabb hopping out of his chair and pacing the sidelines. McNabb won a Class AAA state title as a player with Valley High School in 1979 and played in college for Indiana (Pa.) University. For his head coaching career, which has featured stints at Burrell and Valley, McNabb wants his kids to win with defense.

The Knights bought in wholeheartedly. Knoch finished 16-5 and won a share of the Section 1-AAA title for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

That defensive discipline and energy he instilled is why McNabb has been named the Butler Eagle’s Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.

“A lot of guys feed off that. My whole career, I was an intense player,” McNabb said of his demeanor. “I was a small guy out there playing against bigger guys in college. I had to have an edge. My edge was my intensity.”

Knoch mimicked that intensity. The Knights allowed the fewest points per game, 40.6, of any team in the WPIAL.

Just don’t try and tell junior forward Matt Zanella that they play stall ball. When the other team scored against the Knights, they treated it as an insult.

“A lot of teams like to say that we like to hold the ball. That’s not the case,” Zanella said. “We’re always trying to push the tempo. It’s all about team defense. If somebody scores, it’s not your man who scored. It’s he scored on the team.”

Part of McNabb’s focus this season was stopping the ball. During his first season, he felt the Knights were letting people attack the rim too much.

That became the biggest area of improvement.

“We did a lot of dribble-penetration drills,” Troy Hixson said. “We had a lot of team drills where we’d have to scramble around and help each other out.”

During the season, Hixson pointed out that the Knights would have each team extensively scouted before each game. McNabb puts the miles in to see those teams in person.

Most of the time, his wife is sitting right next to him.

“Coaching really is my passion,” McNabb said. “I’m fortunate to have a great wife that supports me and goes to scout with me. You have to put in those extra hours.”

Senior Chris Kier appreciated McNabb’s passion. Before McNabb came in last season, Kier didn’t feel defense was all that much of a priority for the Knights.

After the coaching switch, Kier knew it was going to be different.

“Our first practice, I was like ‘Oh boy, it’s going to be a long year,’” Kier said. “Over time you grow with it and get accustomed to going through the grind every practice. It grew on us and showed in our play.”

Knoch went 12-12 in McNabb’s first year and allowed 51.4 points per game, a slight improvement from the year before when the Knights allowed 53.8. This year was a sizable leap, which Kier attributes to better communication.

“We were better at talking and being physical. All the little things, like coming help side,” Kier said.

McNabb, who has been thrilled with the turnouts for open gyms since the season ended, is hoping that Knoch has laid a solid foundation for the future.

He plans on continuing to bring the passion.

“I hope I never lose that,” McNabb said. “I think that’s what makes me an effective coach. I’ve always said there are games that I get out-coached, but I hope that I never get out-worked.”