This season, the Warriors beat all odds, and not only competed in a district championship, but they also advanced to the first round of the state playoffs.
“[We] came into the season with a brand new coach, which was very hard, but we responded with determination, courage, and persistence. We improved mentally, and we all went through mental blocks. We faced adversity, and we pulled through to compete in the district championship,” said sophomore Cameron Cintron.
Head coach Mr. Mike Mussina coached alongside Assistant Coach Mr. Eric Wise. Wise has been coaching at Montoursville since 2009.
“We rebounded the basketball well all season, limiting our opponents to one shot. We played tenacious all season keeping our opponents to 50 points or less (which is the goal the coaches set). Finally, our transition game is fun to watch getting our athletes in space to make plays,” said Wise as he explained what the team’s strenghts were.
Each game had its pros and cons, but the players said there were so many special memories throughout the season.
“I loved Coach Wise’s post-game speeches and how much passion he has for the game of basketball. I loved playing with the guys that I had looked up to for my whole basketball career and seeing them improve and grow,” said sophomore Isaac Erlandson.
Sophomore Elijah Eck said his favorite memory was winning the Shamokin game.
“The game against Shamokin was my favorite. It was very tough and we pulled through to the end and the environment was very intense and competitive. We won that to advance to the championship,” said Eck.
Throughout the season, the team continued to grow together, and build on each other’s strengths, which was recognized by Coach Wise.
“We had a seven-win improvement from last season winning 18 games, the most since 2020,” said Wise.
The boys said they noticed positive growth in themselves and in the team as a whole as the season continued.
“Everyone on the team got individually better in their own areas, but we really formed into a team during the later parts of the year. We played tough, we had good team chemistry, and everyone on the team wanted that success as much as anyone else,” said Erlandson while Cintron said, “[Our] chemistry on and off the court through failure and triumph was what got us through the season.”
The win over Shamokin to enter into the district championship was a monumental moment in the season for all the athletes.
“Shamokin, was my favorite post-season game. We went into the game with all the press saying we weren’t going to win. They all rooted against us. We were given the opportunity to prove everyone wrong, and we beat that team and proved to everyone that we are able to compete for a district championship,” said Cintron.
Eck noted that his favorite regular season game was the one against Selinsgrove during the Loyalsock Tournament. The team played really well, and that victory earned them the title of the champions of that tournament.
“My favorite post season game was against Lewisburg in the District Championship, even though we lost. I think they’re a very strong team and the energy in the gym was amazing. It was also one of my personal best games,” said Erlandson.
Although the team didn’t win the district championship, both the athletes and the coaches were extremely proud of themselves and how far they had come this season.
“This season was different than many others for many reasons. We made states, and while we didn’t win, it was the first time that Montoursville hosted a state playoff game. I was happy for the team to experience that, especially our seniors who had never won a playoff game until this year. They have put in so much time into the program and deserved that moment. [I] got the opportunity to coach a new crop of players. As a father of two lovely daughters these are the boys I never had. I love everything about coaching at Montoursville, especially my players and I tell them that all the time. I hope they never forget how much they mean to me,” said Wise when explaining how proud he was of the team and the players themselves.
Feature photo (at top): Warriors huddle in celebration of a victory. This photo was taken in Loyalsock High School’s gym. Photo provided by senior Lillian McCulloch
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