Gateway boys aim to continue trend of PIAA playoff appearances

By: Michael Love
Sunday, November 19, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Members of the Gateway boys basketball team were outdoors on the football stadium track last week for a series of conditioning runs just a couple of days before the start of official preseason practices.

Gators coach Alvis Rogers said endurance in games will be key for his players as they attempt to make another postseason run with the goals of contending in the WPIAL and making a third straight trip to the PIAA playoffs.

“It was the first time we got out on the track,” said Rogers about the Nov. 15 workout.

“The guys are running a mile but split up into segments. We want to get some sprint work in. We want to play fast this year and get up and down. We’re not as big as we were in the past. We’re going to have to play fast and get after it defensively. In the fourth quarter, the final four minutes, we want to still be fresh.”

Gateway finished 17-8 overall last year and captured the Section3-5A title with a 9-1 record. The only loss in the section came at the hands of McKeesport.

But the Gators got payback against the Tigers in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Gateway fell to No. 1 Peters Township, 62-55, in a spirited WPIAL semifinal matchup before losing to North Hills in a game for third place.

As the fourth-place team from the WPIAL in the PIAA Class 5A tournament, the Gators earned another game with District 3’s Hershey in the first round.

Gateway won a second-round thriller over Hershey in 2022, but last March’s rematch didn’t go the Gators’ way in heartbreaking fashion, 56-55, at Hershey High School.

“We had the ball last against Hershey, and we turned it over,” Rogers said.

“It was a tough loss because we were good enough to get there, and we felt we were good enough to win that game, even though it was at Hershey. The guys played well.”

A talented group was lost to graduation from last year’s team, including starters MJ Stevenson, Kaleb Pryor, Jaydon Carr and Tra Williams.

Pryor and Carr earned first-team all-section honors, and Stevenson was a second-team selection. All three represented Gateway in the Roundball Classic games at Geneva College.

“The seniors had a nice run the past couple of years,” Rogers said. “They were disappointed in the way it ended, but they helped bring a high level of basketball to the program. In the locker room after the Hershey game, we told the guys who are returning that it’s up to them to continue what we’ve started here. They accepted the challenge. They’ve stepped up. They had good spring, summer and fall leagues. They played a lot of basketball. The chemistry among the players is really good right now.”

Senior Taili Thompson returns as a starter at forward, and senior forward Alec Dunsmore is expected to have a prominent role in this year’s starting lineup.

Thompson led the returning players in scoring at 12 points per game last season.

“We’re looking for big things from Taili and Alec, and the whole senior group,” Rogers said. “We need them to be there to step up and lead these younger guys.”

Senior Vito Campolo, a top reserve last year, will start at point guard.

“He came off the bench and subbed for Kaleb and Carr and also started a few games on varsity,” Rogers said.

“He was a big part of the JV team. Two years ago, he started a playoff game at Mars. Hopefully, he plays with a lot of confidence and gets the guys together on the court.”

Rogers said he also is looking for good things from senior guard Bryson Pavlik, senior guard/forward Alex Lowery, sophomore guard Mykel McCrommon, junior guard Steph Ricketts, sophomore forward/guard Chris Settles and freshman guard Asaan Wallace.

“We pride ourselves on being able to compete, especially in the second half and at the end of games,” Dunsmore said.

“We have the guys who can be physically ready to do whatever we need to do. A lot of guys are ready to step up. We’ve been working hard all summer and fall to meet some high goals and expectations we still have.”

Rogers said the section slate will be a challenge again.

“McKeesport, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area, Latrobe and Penn-Trafford, they’re all going to be tough,” Rogers said.

“There are no walks in the park. We just have to do our part. If we take care of us, everything will be fine. We can compete.

“We have a tough schedule overall. We’re playing a lot of games on the road. We’re going to be road warriors. I think that will benefit us in the long run.”

Gateway will face Fox Chapel in the first round of the Upper St. Clair Tip-Off on Dec. 1 and will play again there Dec. 2.

The Gators then travel to Allderdice on Dec. 5 before facing Penn Hills and Central Central Catholic on Dec. 8-9 at the Jack Twyman Classic at Central Catholic.

“We have our work cut out for us right at the beginning,” Rogers said. “We will be tested, but are looking forward to it. I am confident the guys will step up to the challenge.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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