Youthful Commodores hoping to make run at playoff spot
Zach Keefer has the same goals for his Frazier boys basketball team every season, no matter who is on his roster or what section the Commodores are playing in.
鈥淛ust like all teams, we want to compete for a section title and make the playoffs again,鈥� said Keefer, who is in his ninth year as head coach at Frazier.
Frazier has struggled in recent years and went 5-17 overall and 2-12 in rugged Section 1-2A last season, but Keefer guided the Commodores to their first section championship in 31 years in 2021 so he knows the formula for success.
Even so, Keefer admits he has a youthful squad for the 2025-26 campaign.
鈥淲e are going to be a young and inexperienced group,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淲e will need to learn quickly and get up to pace with the speed and physicality of varsity basketball. With the section we are in, we need to stay in games with how we defend and rebound.鈥�
Keefer has always stressed defense and this year is no different.
鈥淲e will go this season how our defense plays,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淭hat will be our calling card. We must defend hard for four quarters.鈥�
One characteristic all Keefer鈥檚 teams have is leaving it all out on the floor.
鈥淲e want to compete hard every night in the section with aspirations of finishing on top, but we know this is a section with good teams from top to bottom,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淚f we defend, take care of the ball, and be fundamentally sound, we feel this is the recipe for success and the way we can get back into the playoffs again this year.
鈥淚t will not be easy, but we have an extremely hard-working group that I鈥檓 excited to see flourish.鈥�
The Commodores return two starters from last season in 6-foot-4 sophomore Kolby Stewart, who led the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, and 6-6 junior Brant Alekson.
鈥淭hose two are back to lead a young but talented group of players,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淣ash Fouch (senior), Logan Solomon (sophomore), Angelo Niccols (sophomore), and Austin Stewart (freshman) will battle to join them in the starting lineup.
鈥淥ther guys looking to make contributions to the team are senior Colby Ferguson, as well as two freshmen, Nick Porter and Michael Kunder.鈥�
The Commodores will strive to come together quickly.
鈥淥ur goal right now early in the season is to accelerate the learning curve of the young guys and build some depth on the bench,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淚鈥檓 confident, with our mix of veterans and young talent, we will be able to compete and battle each night.鈥�
Frazier鈥檚 eight-team section also includes defending champion Greensburg Central Catholic, playoff teams Jeannette, Clairton, Springdale and Bentworth along with Riverview and California.
GCC reached the PIAA semifinals by defeating Jeannette in the quarterfinals a season ago.
鈥淥ur section is tough from top to bottom,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淥ur football team just had to deal with this gauntlet of teams in the fall. Being it is year two in the cycle, we feel a little better prepared to handle the speed and physicality a team must play with against these teams.
鈥淕raduation can hit everyone hard each year, but I know all these teams had depth last year and will be ready to go. Jeannette and GCC battled it out for the top last year, and I know Clairton and Bentworth were right there. Same with Riverview, Cal, and Springdale.鈥�
Don鈥檛 count out the Commodores though.
鈥淲e just know that if we do the little things, take care of the ball, limit mistakes and play great defense every night, we will give ourselves a chance,鈥� Keefer said.
Keefer鈥檚 assistant coaches are Tim Keefer, Bill Wiltz and Lisa Keefer.