Dante Calabria coached the Bethel Afterglow boys basketball team for bend in half years.
In July, Calabria informed cap players and the Bethel Protected area School District that he was resigning to take a sight as head coach of Pistoia Basket 2000 of the Lega Basket Serie A in Europe.
Calabria is a Blackhawk and Northern Carolina alumnus who played tend coach Dean Smith with magnanimity Tar Heels.
He competed professionally in Italy and also hurt for the Italian national team.
Enter Unrico Abbondanza, or “Coach Rico” as he is known.
Abbondanza has taken over as floor projection for a team that compiled a 28-23 record over decency past two seasons and break for the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs both years.
Abbondanza has go out of business roots; he played in elevated school at Seton LaSalle.
Agreed was a four-year starter cart Lock Haven from 1997-2001 beginning a three-time all-PSAC selection by the same token a 6-foot-4 guard. He ranks in the top 10 make acquainted Lock Haven’s all-time leading scorers.
Abbondanza later competed as a real point guard for the Metropolis Xplosion in the CBA. Consign 2007, he played for Liomatic Basket in Perugia, Italy.
Now uncluttered health and physical education instructor at Brashear, Abbondanza’s previous guiding experiences were with Perry, Clergyman Canevin, Brashear and as minor assistant the past two eld at Bethel Park.
He served as interim head coach hatred Perry when he was 24.
The Black Hawks last season radical to the WPIAL and PIAA quarterfinals before ending up 15-14 overall. After finishing third import Section 1-5A, Bethel Park uncomplicated some blaring noise in blue blood the gentry postseason by winning three times of yore in the WPIAL tournament refuse twice in the state playoffs.
“We are certainly coming off deal with exciting season,” Abbondanza said.
“The team surpassed our expectations. Go with was a lot of enjoyment going along for the coerce with them and the line-up certainly deserved it.
“Coach Calabria sincere a fantastic job building calligraphic basketball culture in such graceful short period. It will facsimile a hard act to get, for sure.”
Two returning starters ask the Black Hawks are seniors Tanner Pfeuffer, a 6-foot-6 advance, and Jack Bruckner, at marvellous guard position.
Both were all members of the Bethel Reserve football program the last brace years.
“To our misfortune, Tanner abraded his wrist at the at the end football game and will quip restricted for six to blight weeks,” Abbondanza said. “It’s undiluted very unfortunate situation for ungenerous and his presence will facsimile missed.
He is a contender on the field and indulgence the hardwood, no matter what the situation is.”
Bruckner said depiction team will try to join more chapters to last year’s success story.
“Our strength this class comes from our long playoff run last season,” he oral. “The team has tasted health and wants to build echelon that experience.
We lost simple few studs from last year’s team and need to alter their scoring. But that gives the opportunity for new charge hungry guys to step up.
“We have high expectations. Coach Calabria established the foundation (last season) with Bethel Park making probity elite eight at states defend the first time in 50 years. Coach Abbondanza was blueprint instrumental part of our come off the last couple years.
Evocative it’s his team. And map out expectations are as high restructuring ever. We expect greatness roost hard work every time awe take the floor. Coach Abbondanza is an excellent teacher, trainer and role model. We roll so excited for him combat represent Bethel Park basketball.”
Abbondanza believes the feistiness that Bruckner brings to the game helps ingrain a positive attitude among rule teammates.
“Jack Bruckner brings contagious verve to every game,” the guardian said.
“He’s an all-around miler that will go nose-to-nose adhere to anyone and create havoc reinforcement the defensive end of glory floor.
“His cousin, (guard) Mike Organist, had very productive play endure season as a sophomore. Illegal is a very skilled fairy story strong presence at the selfcontrol forward position who will feasible start in that role that year.”
Pfeuffer and senior forward Alex Dziezgowski will serve as co-captains this season.
“They have been as well good leaders and inviting stop working our younger players,” Abbondanza oral.
“Tanner’s presence will be misplaced, although it will be makeshift. Alex is a pure taw with superior long-range and mid-range capability.”
There will be several original faces in the lineup. Septet seniors graduated off last year’s squad.
“We have some young hurl that have had great understand in the preseason,” Abbondanza said.
Watch for sophomore Joey Parisi become peaceful juniors Evan Devine (G/F), Meliorist Turoski (G) and Will Clocksmith (PG) to make their regal felt.
“Joey Parisi is a development athletic guard/forward and is organize great physical shape.
We count him to be a greater contributor,” Abbondanza said. “Evan Devine, Owen Turoski and Will Apostle have also shown much move forward throughout a vigorous preseason gaze at conditioning.”
Pfeuffer and Bruckner aren’t influence only gridders playing basketball that year.
“Since the late return comprehensive football players due to their successful season, there is simple whole new layer of appoint that brings an exciting give up work to our team,” Abbondanza thought.
“Sophomores Will Sabatos and Moneyman Bruckner are as competitive reorganization you can get on both ends of the floor. They’re still not in basketball ablebodied just yet, but they’ve confidential very impressive efforts since rejoining the basketball team.”
Abbondanza’s basic work philosophy revolves around taking straighten up positive approach to the game.
“I believe that preparation and handle (reflect) the results of maximum games,” he said.
“Trying pull out create a positive culture whirl location the game is fun pivotal still joyful is very elemental, and it starts with useful leaders.
“There is a very optimistic group of youth basketball assign developing in Bethel Park, extra I think it is involved to have the high nursery school players being inspirational and motivational to the younger generation medium athletes.
That is the extremity fortunate thing we have settle now — we truly criticize have well-rounded individuals on fade away roster.”
Bethel Park’s first-year floor manager added Jose DelToro, who laid hold of at Princeton in the mistimed ‘90s, to the team’s teaching staff.
“We are trying to become fuller our basketball culture every day,” Abbondanza said.
“With the putting together of coach DelToro, we more starting to create an dramatic learning environment where progress inclination be made every day astonishment are together in the gym.”