Commodores feature senior-laden squad
Frazier鈥檚 Luke Santo scoops in a layup for two of his team-high 17 points during a game at Beth-Center, Dec. 13, 2019.
Frazier's Owen Newcomer (3)gets off a shot while being defended by Beth-Center's Ruben Miller (1) during Friday night's game at Beth-Center. Newcomer scored 13 points but the Bulldogs won, 70-54.
Frazier's Colton Arison (14) launches a 3-point shot over the out-stretched arm of Beth-Center's Kamden Studnicki during a game at Beth-Center, Dec. 13, 2019.
Frazier coach Zach Keefer talks with Luke Santo during a break in the action of a game at Beth-Center last year.
Zach Keefer enters his fourth season as Frazier boys basketball coach in a different section with an experienced team.
鈥淲e鈥檙e senior heavy this year,鈥� said Keefer. 鈥淲e have eight seniors, some who are multi-year starters. They鈥檙e a confident bunch. I can tell they鈥檙e excited. They鈥檙e focused each practice, day in and day out. They鈥檙e hopeful and they鈥檙e working to have a special year.鈥�
Frazier was 4-18 overall and 2-10 in a tough Section 4-AAA last year but has dropped down into Section 4-AA for the 2020-21 season where the Commodores will contend with California, Carmichaels, Monessen, Jefferson-Morgan and Bentworth.
鈥淭his is very similar to the section we were in three years ago,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淲hen we were in there, every night was a battle and every game had meaning in the section, from top to bottom, which is what you want.鈥�
Leading the charge foe the Commodores will be Luke Santo who鈥檚 been in the starting lineup since his freshman year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a luxury to have a four-year starting point guard,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淭he way Luke sees the floor, I believe he鈥檚 a true point guard with a pass-first mentality. The kid can score anywhere on the floor but he does a great job of getting his teammates involved. He likes setting them up to score just as much as he likes scoring himself.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a tremendous leader and a great team player. The kids look up to him.鈥�
Seniors Owen Newcomer and Colton Arison will be three-year starters. Back after taking a year off from basketball is senior Kenny Fine. Senior Chase Hazelbaker, coming off a highly successful golf season, will be the Commodores鈥� main post player.
鈥淐hase did real well in all the offseason and in practices,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been a nice addition.鈥�
Senior Noah Oldham joins the group of Frazier鈥檚 top six players. Seniors Christian Mingrino and Matthew Kordich, who also is a member of the Commodores鈥� wrestling team, will see playing time as well.
鈥淟uke is our point guard, Newcomer and Fine and Oldham play the wings, and Colton and Chase, if we are running something where we need two bigs, are down low,鈥� Keefer explained. 鈥淐hase is our main post player.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a little more spread out offensively. Generally, Chase is our big guy, Colton鈥檚 is a mix in-between guy and the other three will be guards.鈥�
Keefer is pleased with his senior group.
鈥淎ll these seniors, even if they鈥檙e new to the program this year, I kind of rely on them to set the tone for practice and what it is we want to do,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of them. They鈥檝e had kind of a crazy summer and crazy fall, they never know what鈥檚 going to happen with school. Yet they come to practice like they鈥檙e on a mission.鈥�
Keefer believes success breeds success.
鈥淥ur school had a really successful fall season, whether it was football or golf, and I can see a major difference that I think is going to carry over in this winter season,鈥� Keefer said.
The Commodores also have a couple underclassmen who could have an impact.
鈥淰ying for time will be junior Dom Dorcon, who wound up eventually starting for us last year when we had some injuries,鈥� Keefer pointed out. 鈥淗e worked his way into that role. He鈥檚 going to play.
鈥淚saac Thomas is a junior who also will see some action.鈥�
Keefer will be helped out by assistant coach Jimmy Kline and volunteer assistants Justin Novak, a 1,000-point scorer for the Commodores, and Keefer鈥檚 wife, Lisa Keefer.
Keefer foresees a tight battle for supremacy in Section 2-AA.
鈥淭his year seems to be no different than when we were in here before,鈥� he said. 鈥淐alifornia, year in and year out, they have athletes. Monessen, historically and traditionally, they do what they do. Carmichaels and Jefferson-Morgan have athletes.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to think about 2A, 3A. We鈥檙e happy wherever they put us. I know it鈥檚 exciting to have some of those local rivalries again.
鈥淭he kids are looking forward to it.鈥�