By Erin O’Neil, Sports Editor

It’s 4:50 p.m., and most of the Conestoga varsity basketball team has arrived. Lively, loud and rather tall, the players hang around the small gym, dribbling through each other and practicing slam dunks with a competitive fervor.

At 5 p.m., a cry of “Gym’s open!” sounds through the locker room hallway. The space immediately empties as the team rushes into the large gym, eager to start practice.

After a shaky start to the season, the team’s enthusiasm is still high as ever. The Pioneers lost ten seniors to graduation, only retaining three members of last year’s varsity squad. With a current record of 4-6, they’ve taken their time to transition new players into the inner-workings of ’Stoga basketball, but now they’re ready to play.

Among the newcomers is sophomore forward Jarred Seltzer, who, though one of the youngest players, is also one of the tallest at 6 feet 5 inches.

“It’s difficult for the team not to have varsity experience like last year, but we have a pretty mixed group this year, which has its advantages,” Seltzer said.

One such advantage of the overturned manpower is an opportunity to establish a more equalized roster. Although last season’s team was not set in stone, this year’s starting five has become much more fluid.

“The players who work the hardest will earn starting spots on the team,” head coach Mike Troy said. “Everyone on the team has to earn the right to play.”

With that attitude, the Pioneers hope to bounce back from a less-than-ideal season beginning. Having lost four games by a total of seven points, ’Stoga has undoubtedly suffered many unlucky outcomes in several very close matchups.

“We need to come together as a team to finish our games,” senior guard Jon Hamer said. “We really need to work on that.”

The team is led by three senior captains: guards Leighton Dennis and John Marshall, as well as center Austin Smith, who recently returned from an ankle injury. But the seniors also receive strong support from their underclassmen, particularly juniors Harry Biemer and Tanner Scott. After some practice time together, the team has found a more comfortable, integrated style of play.

“We played a lot of tough teams in the beginning, but now that we’ve played with each other a little more I think we’re going to start winning,” Seltzer said. “We are really quick on the fast break, and we’ve been talking more on defense. We’re going to bounce back in the next few games.”

Their feeling of optimism is easily justified. The Pioneers started off the season with a string of unlucky fourth quarters and a slew of new team members not familiar with playing together. But, after two recent wins over Garnet Valley and Radnor, the boys are focused on making the best of the season they have left before them.

“Right now, we have an opportunity to go on a run, and we might have a shot at the playoffs,” Hamer said. “We have really athletic players, and more quickness than in previous years.”

Regardless of their record, the team keeps one thing on a refreshing upswing as the season wears on: a resounding affinity to entertain, both on and off the court.

The Pioneers still have plenty of time to turn their game around and get ahead before the end of the season.

“I hope that our team keeps growing as its growing,” Troy said. “That’s when the close games will become wins.”

Erin O’Neil can be reached at eoneil@stoganews.com.

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