Bearcats set for playoff opener
Bentworth head coach Bob Kennedy said his team is playing its best as they prepare for South Side.
Going into the season, veteran Bentworth coach Bob Kennedy wasn’t sure what kind of team he would have.
The Bearcats were getting a late start because several of their players were just getting over a lengthy soccer playoff run.
And in their section, the Bearcats weren’t listed among the teams to worry about.
“We were so short without our soccer kids and nobody was talking about us,” said Kennedy, who is in his 23rd season at the helm.
The Bearcats started out 2-6, but Kennedy said he began to see potential.
And then his players won seven of their last nine games to earn a WPIAL 2A playoff berth.
Tonight, Bentworth (10-10) will play South Side Beaver (11-11) in a first round game at Peters Township. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
The two teams come into the playoffs on different ends of the spectrum.
While Kennedy says his team is, “playing our best basketball of the season,” the Rams are coming into the game on a four-game losing streak.
Kennedy would love to add a game to that skein.
“I like the way we are playing. We’re athletic; we play well together,” he said. “In the second half, we really came on strong. We avenged most of the losses we suffered in the first round of section play.”
The Bearcats will start a lineup that features three quick junior guards in 5-9 Chris Harper (15.5 ppg), 5-11 Ben Hays (15.4 ppg) and 5-9 Ryan Moessner.
Inside are a paid of 6-2 senior bookends in Lucas Burt (6.6 rebounds) and Ross Skerbetz.
“We are going to try to control the tempo,” Kennedy said. “One shot. One rebound. And then let’s get out running and see if they can keep up.”
SSB is led by Andrew Corfield, who averages 19.1 ppg.
The Bearcats and Rams are no strangers, having played home and home non-section games against each other the previous two years.
“We beat them at our place, but they beat us pretty good (75-46) in their gym,” Kennedy said. “They have three players back from last season and they have a big kid inside, Carter Wilson, who is about 6-5 that they like to dump the ball into. He’s got to be their second leading scorer.”
The game will be played at Peters Township because, according to Kennedy, the WPIAL didn’t feel Bentworth’s gym had enough seating.
“It would have been nice to play a home playoff game, but Peters has a nice facility,” he said. “We haven’t played there, but I did see a game there last year. It’s a beautiful facility.”
While Kennedy thinks his team coming out of nowhere to earn a playoff spot makes whatever happens icing on the cake, he thinks his team has what it takes to earn a postseason win.
“I feel good about where we are,” he said. “Our kids earned this. We are pretty hot right now and I think if we play our game, we can win this one. That would really top off the season for us.”
Neither team made the playoffs a year ago. This season they had one common opponent, Beth-Center.
Bentworth opened the season against the Bulldogs shorthanded without the soccer players and lost, 62-36.
SSB knocked off B-C at home, 68-62.
