Sensor plans to keep CV basketball at the forefront
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Brandon Sensor plans to keep the Chartiers Valley boys in the No. 1 spot in basketball. The new skipper replaces Tim McConnell, who directed the Colts to more than 500 victories, six WPIAL titles and two PIAA state championship appearances during his tenure as head coach.
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Brandon Sensor is now pointing the way to success for the boys’ basketball team at Chartiers Valley.
Brandon Sensor knows comparisons are coming but he is not hesitant or unsure of his abilities to coach the boys’ basketball team at Chartiers Valley.
While he has replaced legendary Tim McConnell at the head of the bench, Sensor is confident he can keep the Colts playing at a level that has produced six WPIAL banners, two PIAA championship appearances and more than 500 victories during the McConnell era.
“CV has had a lot of success the last 25 years,” Sensor said. “We just want to continue being very competitive.”
So far so good. The Colts started the season with a 79-67 win against Seneca Valley in the North Hills/Upper St. Clair Tip-off Tournament. After battling the host Panthers before falling, 68-62, CV opened Section 2 (5A) action against Trinity on Dec. 14. The Colts host South Fayette at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18.
As an educator-he is a math intervention teacher at Pittsburgh King School on the North Side-Sensor is concerned both with victories on and off the court.
“Our hopes are always to build strong and high character young men first and great basketball players second,” he said. “We hope to be a very tough team to play. We have a great plan and a great group of young men. If we work harder than everyone, then we will have no regrets.”
Sensor regrets little that has led to his current position. A 2005 East Allegheny alumnus, he captained both the basketball and football teams. He played football at Geneva College.
“Basketball was my first love,” Sensor explained, “but I had scholarship offers for football.”
When he moved to Florida, Sensor returned to the game. He became an assistant at Lehigh Senior High School, an elite program in the southwest part of the state. His first head coaching position was at Cape Coral High School. After 16-11 and 19-8 campaigns, Sensor guided the Seahawks to a 24-7 record that included a regional championships win against his old club (Lehigh) and a state semifinal appearance this past year.
When Sensor and his wife became parents to their son, Harrison, they moved back to Pittsburgh to be closer to their families. The Sensors reside in Glenshaw and both are math teachers.
“We are very happy to be home in Pittsburgh,” he said, “and I’m very pleased to have gotten the CV job. It’s such a great school district with such a supportive community and families.
“The thing that I am most excited about is coaching these boys. They are all high-character individuals who work very hard for each other. You can tell that they are a very close group.”
The Colts are proud to wear the school’s new colors and they are hoping to take advantage of the support they have enjoyed and make the community proud of them. Those modest goals are coupled with Sensor’s aim for progress.
“Again, I’m excited to coach this group of guys. They are a lot of fun to coach.”
Joe Pipilo appeared at the top of his game as the Colts opened the season. Last year’s leading scorer, with a 19.9-point average, he tossed in 22 points. In a loss to USC, he contributed 16 tallies.
The Colts also relied upon Brayden Reynolds, Jared Goldstrom and Tyler Shaw. Against USC, Reynolds topped out with 21 tallies while Goldstrom provided 11 markers. Against SV, Goldstrom fired in 22 points and Shaw pitched in 13.
Shaw is one of four seniors on the team along with Pipilo, Mike Behanna and Alejandro Ramirez.
Goldstrom is a junior as are Griffin Beattie, Louie Kearney, Sean Banas and Marcello Legister
Reynolds is a sophomore point guard. Socrates Boulis, a swing man who can play guard or forward, and Garrett Alauzen are also 10th-graders.
Freshmen include: Frank Deranik, Patrick Mulligan and Anthony Mackey.
As they progress through the season, the Colts seek to improve in one very important facet of the game. According to Sensor, defense will determine the team’s fate.
“It takes tough individuals to be a great defensive team and it’s a team effort,” he said.
“Our goal is and always will be to reach our maximum potential,” he continued. “We need to fully buy into and dedicate ourselves to the defensive side of the floor. Play for each other and keep building character and embrace hard work.”
In a league that features Moon, which is ranked second in Class 5A, South Fayette, Montour, Thomas Jefferson, West Mifflin, Trinity and West Allegheny, the Colts are only focused on one foe at a time.
“We have all of our opponents circled,” said Sensor. “We can’t take anyone lightly so we will prepare for all of our opponents the same way. If we are going to reach our ultimate goals, we all need to depend on each other.”