New coach, transfer Konek add to new approach for Franklin Regional girls basketball

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 | 5:14 PM

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Change swept through the Franklin Regional girls basketball program in the offseason. A new coach took over with an approach to match.

And a Division I player moved into the district.

Now the question is, how long will it take for all of these novel parts to harmonize?

“It’s been going great,” coach Anthony Kobus said. “I am getting used to the pace of the game coaching girls for the first time. There are 16 on the team, and they’re all friends. There is no animosity. They all accept each other very well.”

Kobus, a former Penn-Trafford boys assistant, Franklin Regional assistant football coach and business teacher at Penn Hills, believes senior guard Cali Konek, a Charlotte recruit who will play for her fourth high school team in as many years, will blend into the mix and won’t have to be the star every night.

“She is a great addition, obviously,” Kobus said. “The other girls have embraced her. We went to a shootout at Saint Vincent, and she was making great passes in transition. We told her, in a year or two from now when someone asks her, ‘Where’d you go to high school?’ we want her to say Franklin Regional.”

Konek, who played at Imani Christian as a freshman, Riverdale Baptist as a sophomore and Southmoreland last year, has 1,528 career points. Last season she averaged 17.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists but missed the final eight games with a knee injury. She burst onto the scene as a freshman when she put up 45.4 points a game.

“Coach and Cali have fit in super-well,” senior guard-forward Jordan Yaniga said. “I think there is more positively around the program so the expectations are a lot higher. “Practices have been more upbeat.”

Yaniga had a number of double-digit games last season and will be another key player for the Panthers, who finished 8-13 and missed the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.

She is one of five seniors, joining Konek, Alex Reitz, Kaitlyn Carr and Courtney Giles.

Two juniors, Brooke Leopold and Noelle Boyd, are others expected to contribute.

Kobus isn’t planning to force an offense or fast pace on the Panthers until he becomes more familiar with their tendencies.

“We’re trying to sort out our personnel,” he said. “If there is one thing I have learned in coaching, it’s that you can’t put a square peg in a round hole. You have to adapt to your players.”

Sophomores Angel Kelly and Maria Brush, and freshman Sydney Lindeman also should provide key minutes.

Kelsey Bradford and Emily Houser are assistants to Kobus, who replaced Courtney Callas after she resigned following her third season.

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Franklin Regional