Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of the Week for Jan. 8, 2023

By: Don Rebel
Monday, January 9, 2023 | 7:20 PM

While most WPIAL basketball teams spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day participating in a traditional holiday tournament, the Thomas Jefferson boys basketball team did not.

The Jaguars spent most of the week in their gym practicing, and practicing, and practicing some more.

It wasn’t a form of punishment for a team that hit the holiday break with a 4-4 overall record. It was a bonding opportunity.

“What we got done over the holidays was a blessing in disguise,” Thomas Jefferson coach Dom DeCicco said. “We became closer as a team, the players became closer, and it really was a benefit for us.”

The Jaguars had six practices during that week with one day off in the middle.

“We were like a different team,” DeCicco said. “We conditioned like crazy during that time and put in some new stuff, so it was really good for us.”

The conditioning aspect of the Jaguars holiday practice frenzy paid off handsomely in the first game of 2023, which was also the first game of Section 1-5A play for TJ.

In what might be the wildest game of the regular season, Thomas Jefferson outlasted Peters Township in triple overtime, 105-100.

“Not even close,” DeCicco said when asked if he ever experienced a game like that. “The best part about it was it had a playoff atmosphere because it was a 6 o’clock game instead of a 7:30 game. It was so intense with twists and turns with kids making big shots for both schools.

“It was one of the best games I’ve ever been involved in. The worst part is we had a JV game after, and I just wanted to curl up in the fetal position I was so tired. It was an incredible game.”

Junior Evan Berger has a monster game for TJ, finishing with 43 points. He was one of four Jaguars in double digit scoring along with senior Ryan Lawry and junior Noah Prosser scoring 18 points each and junior Sean Sullivan adding 14 points.

“The best part about the 43 is it’s really not an outrageous amount of points when you score 105,” DeCicco said. “So that means that other kids really stepped up.”

While the stamina was there for the emotional section victory for the Jaguars, the attention to defense DeCicco preaches was not.

“It was addressed as soon as I got into the gym on Wednesday,” DeCicco said. “We stunk defensively. We were awful. They thought I’d be pumped after the win, but I was on them pretty hard. I told them, ‘If you want to go anywhere, you’re going to have to make stops.’”

The message was received by the Jaguars players, who limited Ringgold to only 35 points in a 51-point victory on Friday.

“We really wanted to focus on up-tempo at the beginning of the game,” DeCicco said. “Then I told them at halftime we were going to do nothing but half-court, hard man-to-man defense. Their technique was better, their help was better, but we’re still not there.”

With a 2-0 start, Thomas Jefferson (6-4) is tied for first place in Section 1-5A with Bethel Park, one game ahead of Peters Township and Trinity.

This week, TJ hits the road for two tough section games at Trinity on Tuesday, then visiting Bethel Park on Friday.

2022 Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Teams of the Week

Week 12 – Bishop Canevin Crusaders

Week 11 – Gateway Gators

Week 10 – Shady Side Academy Bulldogs

Week 9 – Deer Lakes Lancers

Week 8 – Union Scotties

Week 7 – Ellwood City Wolverines

Week 6 – Freeport Yellowjackets

Week 5 – Baldwin Highlanders

Week 4 – Penn Hills Indians

Week 3 – Carlynton Cougars

Week 2 – North Hills Indians

Week 1 – Cornell Raiders

Tags: Thomas Jefferson