Men's Basketball at Pitt Greensburg

(Photo By: S. Katzman)

Season Preview

Bobcats Look To Build on Past Success

Head Coach Marcus Kahn enters his fifth year at the helm of the Men’s Basketball Team at Pitt-Greensburg with one simple goal: To continue the success that he has brought to the program.  Kahn has enjoyed four consecutive winning seasons at UPG, including last season’s 18-11 mark.  He has also led the Bobcats to two straight AMCC Championship appearances, and last season took the team to the ECAC South Region Championship game.

“We have built a solid program here at Pitt-Greensburg, and hopefully we will continue our winning tradition this season.  As always it will be hard work to get our team to where it needs to be, but I am confident that we can once again be competitive within our conference,” stated Coach Kahn.

The Bobcats face a tough road in continuing that tradition, as they must replace four of their top players from a season ago, including three starters and two all-conference players. 

Stepping to the forefront to lead the Bobcats this season will be seniors Chris Streett (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) and Ed Montgomery (Homestead, PA/Steel Valley).  Both are returning starters and both should be improved and ready for their final seasons.

Streett will man the two-guard position this season and will be a constant deep threat.  He knocked down a team-high 53 three-point field goals last year and averaged just over eight points per game.  Streett has also established himself as a solid leader and team captain.

“Chris has really stepped up as a leader for us this season, and I have been impressed with how he has handled the responsibility.  On the court, he will again be asked to stretch the defense with his shooting and will continue to play hard nosed defense,” said Coach Kahn.

Montgomery is a flat-out scorer, who can shoot the three or post up his defender.  He averaged just under 10 points a season ago, but should see that number increase dramatically this season.

“Ed just knows how to score.  He can and will score from any position on the court and we expect to see great improvement in his numbers this year,” commented Coach Kahn.

A pair of sophomore combo guards will also figure heavily in the Bobcats lineup for this season, as both Matt Rowland (Belle Vernon, PA/Belle Vernon) and Rashad Davison (Washington, PA/Washington) look to move into the starting lineup. 

Rowland is a crafty scorer who has an uncanny knack for finding the bucket.  He can score in a number of ways and is a solid offensive player.  Davison is a very quick player and has a great outside shot.  His leaping ability and quickness make his pull-up jumper hard to defend and he is capable of getting to the basket as well.  But, perhaps his greatest asset is his defensive play.  Davison is a lock down defender whose long arms make him dangerous in the passing lanes.

“Both Rashad and Matt will have to step up for us this season.  They both played well during their freshmen seasons, but now we expect more from them.  They are going to have to score more and become better floor leaders.  I think with a year behind them, they will be ready to improve and will make great strides this season, “ stated Coach Kahn. 

The point guard position remains a bit unsettled as three players battle to earn the spot.  Senior Zach Liu (Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills), junior Mike Rossi (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) and sophomore Jacob Polley (Oil City, PA/Oil City) are all battling for minutes as the lead guard and all bring something different to the team.

Liu is a scoring point guard, who can really stretch defenses with his ability from behind the arc. Rossi is more of a controlled point guard who will run the offense and hit the open shot when needed. Polley is more of a slashing point guard who likes to penetrate the gaps or shoot the pull-up jumper. 

“We have a solid group of point guards and each player has his own style. Right now they are all competing for playing time, and the competition is making them each better.  Hopefully they will all bring something to the table for us this year,” remarked Coach Kahn. 

Several players will provide depth for UPG this season, led by front-court players Tim Gustin (Shinglehouse, PA/Oswayo Valley) and Travis Hill (Pennsdale, PA/Muncy).  Both appeared in over 20 games a year ago and will see increased roles this season.  Gustin is an athletic forward who can step out and hit the jumper or slash to the hoop.  Hill is more of a physical player who will bang the boards hard and get the garbage points under the basket.

“We are hoping for good things from both Travis and Tim this year.  They both worked very hard in the offseason and are ready for bigger roles this year.  They both bring something to the team and we will get the most out of them each night,” added Coach Kahn.

Returning to bring depth in the backcourt is senior Matt Russell (Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Hills) and sophomore Steve Persing (Oil City, PA/Cranberry).  Russell is an outstanding defensive player who causes fits for the opposition with his quickness and athletic ability.  He will be asked to be a spark off the bench and will come in looking to get after it on the defensive end.  Persing is a pure shooter who will see increased action.  The teams’ best three-point threat, Persing can be a zone buster this season.

UPG has also added three newcomers who will bring depth to the team.  Bill Pish (Lower Burrell, PA/Burrell), Matt Cortazzo (Jeannette, PA/Penn Trafford), and Nick Mignogna (Boswell, PA/North Star) are the new additions and hope to make immediate impacts.

All three are forwards capable of stepping out and hitting the jumper and each will bring quickness to the front court.  Cortazzo will look to make the biggest impact, as the freshman has outstanding athletic ability and is tough at slashing to the hoop.

“We are hoping to get consistent contributions from out newcomers.  Our goals are for them to get better each day and to help our team in whatever way they can,” stated Coach Kahn.

UPG opens up at the Dickinson Tournament and will face a tough non-conference schedule after that.  They have home dates with defending PAC Champion Bethany College as well as away games with Westminster College and NCAA Division II powerhouse Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).  The highlight of the season will come with a trip to Texas, where the Bobcats will face southern powers Trinity University and Southwestern University. 

“Our trip to Texas is exciting for the program.  We will get a chance to face some great teams and to have fun as well.  We are visiting the University of Texas while we are there, which should be an great experience for our players,” said Coach Kahn. 

The AMCC also figures to be tough for Pitt-Greensburg, with defending champion Lake Erie returning a strong nucleus, as well as Hilbert College and Penn State Behrend.  Penn State Altoona, La Roche, and several other teams have improved greatly as the conference is deeper than it has ever been.

“Our schedule is tough this season, and we will be challenged from day one.  The non-conference schedule features some outstanding teams, and our conference looks to be the best it’s been since I’ve coached here,” commented Coach Kahn. 

HEAD COACH - MARCUS KAHN

The 2006-07 season marks the fifth for Head Men’s Basketball Coach Marcus Kahn. Last season, Kahn led the Bobcats to a 18-11 record and guided the team to their second ever post season appearance with a trip to the ECAC South Region Championship. He also led the team to their second consecutive AMCC Finals appearance. Kahn has posted four straight winning seasons at UPG, and has compiled on overall record of 63-46.  Over the past two seasons, he has guided the Bobcats to a record of 35-22. 

Before coming to UPG, Kahn spent the 2001-02 season serving as the top assistant at Shepherd College, a NCAA Division II school in Shepherdstown, WV. Before Shepherd, Kahn spent time as an assistant at a pair of NCAA Division III schools, one season as an assistant coach at Albright College in Reading, PA and the two seasons before that as an assistant coach at Wesley College in Dover, DE. In 1997-98, Kahn broke into coaching at Grand View College, a NAIA Division II school in Des Moines, IA, serving as assistant men’s basketball coach before moving on to Wesley. 

Kahn was a member of the basketball team while at the University of Redlands in Redlands, CA, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Kahn also holds a Masters degree in Education from Wesley College. 

Kahn has developed a winning tradition at Pitt-Greensburg and feels strongly that the program will continue to grow in the future. 

“Pitt-Greensburg is a beautiful campus and is part of a great educational system.  Combine that with the winning tradition we have started here, and I think we can have something special for years to come.”

Kahn, a native of Hanford, CA, is a full-time employee within the Athletic Department at Pitt-Greensburg, also serving as the Head Men’s Tennis coach and the Assistant Athletics Director.

DAVE WASHBURN

Entering his 11th year, Dave Washburn has been an assistant coach for the Bobcats since the 1996-97 season, the first season of competition at the four-year level. Washburn has been a valuable asset in recruiting and brings unmatched enthusiasm to his on-the-court teachings. 

Before his tenure at UPG, he spent two years as the head coach at Elizabeth Forward High School. Prior to his stint at Elizabeth Forward, he coached in the Gateway School District, beginning as a junior high school coach where he served from 1968-1983. In 1983, he moved up to the High School level serving as the assistant varsity coach for 11 years until becoming the head coach at Elizabeth Forward.

A Clarion University graduate, Washburn taught mathematics in the Gateway School District for 35 years before retiring in 2001.

Washburn is married with three daughters and five grandchildren.

ASSISTANT COACH - NOLAN LARRY

Nolan Larry will begin his second season as an assistant coach in the 2006-07 season. His work with the guards and his enthusiasm for coaching were a huge asset to last year's team. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School, Larry served as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team at his alma mater, NCAA Division III Washington & Jefferson College, during the 2003-04 season. The Presidents finished the season with a record of 20-9 and advanced to the finals of the ECAC Division III Southern Region Tournament. A standout player during his career at W&J, he was named to the D3Hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region Team in both his junior and senior campaigns.

“Nolan has experience as both a player and a coach at the collegiate levels that will prove invaluable for our men’s basketball program,” Head Coach Marcus Kahn noted. .

ASSISTANT COACH - KEN FUSINA

Ken Fusina will begin his second year with Pitt-Greensburg in the 2006-07 season. Fusina has spent the past 30 years coaching basketball at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels and has great connections to the Pittsburgh area. He had spent the past nine years as the Head Coach at Penn State Beaver, where he was in charge of all facets of the program. 

Before coaching at Penn State Beaver, Fusina spent a season as an assistant at Penn State New Kensington, and prior to that he spent nine seasons as the head boy's coach at McGuffey High School in Washington, PA. His wealth of experience has proved to be an asset to the Pitt-Greensburg staff. 

Coach Fusina is currently a social studies teacher at McGuffey High School, a position he has held since 1986.

 

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