Raiders look to bounce back after pandemic-ravaged year
Steve McIntire didn无毛视频檛 pick the best time to become a first-year coach.
McIntire faced a slew of challenges in his first season guiding the Waynesburg Central boys basketball team.
无毛视频淥f all the years to take over a boys basketball program, I had to do it in the middle of a pandemic,无毛视频� McIntire said with a chuckle.
无毛视频淭his COVID thing has been crazy and it definitely hurt us last year. The season got shut down for awhile, then we got shut down for awhile and couldn无毛视频檛 practice for two weeks. Then the next thing you know we无毛视频檙e playing like four games in a row without having a practice.
无毛视频淚t was just a bad year all the way around. It felt like I couldn无毛视频檛 even coach just because of all that going on with the COVID.无毛视频�
As a result, McIntire无毛视频檚 players are still learning his program.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e getting to where we want to be but we无毛视频檙e not fully there yet,无毛视频� McIntire said. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檙e starting to understand what our expectations are. Our numbers are a little bit low again this year. Sometimes we might have a JV game, sometimes we won无毛视频檛.无毛视频�
McIntire does have have three key players returning for his second season.
无毛视频淥ur top three guys coming back are seniors Jacob Mason, Chase Henkins and Dawson Fowler,无毛视频� McIntire said. 无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 really have that alpha male where I can say this is the guy everyone follows. But all three of them are leaders in their own way.无毛视频�
McIntire is still sorting out his roster and playing time.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 have a starting five set yet,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 going to play the guys who want to practice hard and be committed to the program.无毛视频�
McIntire无毛视频檚 assistant coaches are his son Darton McIntire, a former 1,000-point scorer for Waynesburg, Chad Henkins, who is Chase无毛视频檚 father, and Sean Van Eman.
The Raiders will again compete in Section 4-AAA along with Beth-Center, Brownsville, Charleroi, McGuffey, Washington and Brentwood.
McIntire feels his team can be in the hunt for a playoff spot.
无毛视频淚f we can stay healthy, which is a big key, and stay out of foul trouble, I believe we无毛视频檒l be able to compete in this section this year,无毛视频� McIntire said. 无毛视频淲e just need to have the kids practice hard and buy in to what we无毛视频檙e doing. Then I think we can make some noise.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e going have to play as a team and score as a team. I无毛视频檓 not going to have one kid put up 35 points every game. We don无毛视频檛 have that.无毛视频�
When it comes to game day, McIntire has a simple formula.
无毛视频淏asically, we have to limit the turnovers, play hard and play as a team,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚f we stick to that game plan each night then we can compete.无毛视频�