Published: November 13, 2008 11:59 pm      

Mountain Cats hoopsters ready for season opener

The Pitt-Johnstown men’s basketball squad will have some big shoes to fill with the departure of Chris Gilliam.

But UPJ coach Bob Rukavina will welcome back eight lettermen, including four starters, to the defending West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season champions.

“It was a great year for us,” Rukavina said. “It really was because it’s a very good league. The first time we’re actually in the league and winning it, it was quite a year. We won the league, so people are really going to be up for us every game. The target’s on our back.”

The Mountain Cats went 17-3 in their first full season in the WVIAC and ended the year 23-8, falling in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II East Region.

It was the third consecutive 20-win season for the Mountain Cats, who come into this season ranked as high as 15th in the NCAA Division II polls.

“We have high expectations this year after coming off of last year’s season, pretty much with the whole team returning except Chris Gilliam,” said Rukavina, who enters his 20th season directing the men’s program. “We’ve got high expectations. High goals.

“I’ve been telling our guys ‘last year means nothing going into this year. Don’t think you’re going to walk out onto the floor and it’s just going to happen.’ ”

Gilliam, a 6-foot-7 NCAA Division II All-American forward, was named Player of the Year in the WVIAC and led UPJ to the conference regular-season championship and a spot in the NCAA tournament last season. Gilliam ended his career as UPJ’s second all-time leading scorer (1,762 points) and third all-time leading rebounder (699).

“He’s one of the best players to ever come through here,” Rukavina said. “It’s hard to replace a guy like that, but I think we have enough guys coming back with experience to make up for everything he brought to the table.”

Marcus Tullis, a senior 6-6 forward who was a second-team All-WVIAC selection while averaging 14.3 points a game and 5.1 rebounds per contest last season, returns to the lineup. Tullis, a preseason Sporting News and Street and Smith honorable mention All-American, will be joined by senior guard Quinton Davis. Davis, an honorable mention All-WVIAC choice last season, averaged 12.7 ppg and was second in rebounding with a 5.6 rpg. Davis enters the season needing 129 points to reach 1,000 career points.

Greater Johnstown product William Sharpe, a 5-10 senior guard, and Matt Ionadi, a 6-2 senior guard, will join true freshman Patrick Grubbs, a 6-8 forward/center who starred during Serra Catholic’s run toward a PIAA Class A title last season. He averaged 20 points and 13 rebounds last season for the Eagles.

“His dad and I are very good friends – for 25 years – so that was an easy recruit,” Rukavina said. “One thing about Pat, he’s very skilled in the post. He’ll score some points for us down there.”

Sharpe has 344 career assists, ranking him sixth on UPJ’s all-time list, and averaged 6.1 assists last season. Ionadi shot 50 percent from the field last season and averaged 7.7 ppg.

“They’re four fifth-year seniors, so it really makes a difference,” Rukavina said. “In practice, we sort of leave it off where we were last year, just continuing with what we’ve been doing. It’s just nice having that experience back. I think they all got better over the summer. I’m excited, and the seniors are showing a lot of leadership. They want to get back to where we where last year and even take it a step further.”

Danny Branch, a 6-4 sophomore guard who was named to the WVIAC all-freshmen team last season, should see plenty of action coming off the bench.

Branch made 60 3-point field goals last season, a 45.8-percent average.

Steve Heidenthal, a 6-5 junior guard; former Conemaugh Township standout Andy Byer, a 6-1 junior guard who shot better than 42 percent from 3-point range; Jordan Medich, a 6-3 junior guard; and Travis King, a 5-10 redshirt freshman; will be key contributors for the Mountain Cats.

Rukavina will redshirt 6-4 guard Kevin Byer, cousin of Andy Byer; 6-6 forward Rudy Roberts; and 6-4 guard Byron Westmoreland.

Assisting Rukavina are second-year coach Billy Clapper and George Sulkosky, who is in his sixth season.