North Hills boys hoops closes frustrating season

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, February 16, 2018 | 11:00 PM

The moods entering and exiting the season for the North Hills boys basketball team were drastically different then years past.

After losing eight seniors and the school's all-time leading scorer from a team that went to the Class 6A WPIAL semifinals a year ago, coach Buzz Gabos knew it would be difficult this season.

“Even when it doesn't go well, it is still hard to see them go,” Gabos said about this year's senior class. “They have been around us forever. You can't just dismiss them and move on. They wanted better. Sometimes that happens.”

The Indians finished this season 4-18 overall and 2-10 in Section 1-6A.

Although they lost the majority of their production from a season ago, they thought the winning mentality would be there after witnessing it in years prior.

“With success, it is a mental thing and a lot of these guys were a part of the success in the past,” Gabos said. “I was hoping that would carry over more.”

The highlight of the season for North Hills came Jan. 19, when it walloped Butler, 82-55. At the time, the Golden Tornado was still vying for a section title.

“You have a night like that, and you wonder why you don't have more of them,” Gabos said. “During the course of the year, you have a night where nothing goes wrong, and that is what it was. It snowballed on them, but we weren't able to duplicate that performance.”

North Hills was led by four seniors who started for them throughout the course of the season.

Kamron Taylor was a starter for two and a half years and was the team's leading scorer this season. Garret Barto proved to be the team's most consistent player, stepping up in some big games Taylor missed.

Also making an impact was Alex Brown and Alex Glatz. Brown didn't play last year because of an injury and was sidelined at the start of this season for a hand injury.

“He hurt his thumb early in the season and missed some time, but he was a captain for us this year,” Gabos said. “His teammates voted him that, so that says a lot. He broke his hand the night before we started official practice. He is a guy you can count on every day, and I hope the younger players looked at him like that.”

Glatz was a three-sport athlete, also playing football and baseball and a two-year starter on the basketball team.

With the senior class gone, it is up to the younger players to right the ship to get North Hills basketball back to where it was.

“They need to realize this wasn't acceptable for the guys that are returning,” Gabos said. “We like our juniors and sophomores. They need to work harder, though, to turn this around.”

Drew Karpen is a freelance writer.

Tags: North Hills