Upper St. Clair weathers COVID-19 in PIAA tournament
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Luke Gensler (22) scoops up a loose ball and attempts to dish off to teammate David Pantelis, who was tripped up by Erie’s Javontea Vera (3) and blocked by John Woodward (1) during a PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal playoff game.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Ethan Dahlem (4) attempts to wedge his way through Erie defenders Marquell Darnell (11) and Jamie Smith (23) during a PIAA playoff game.
Upper St. Clair's Luke Gensler (22) attempts a shot against Erie's Javontea Vera (3) during a PIAA playoff game.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Tanner Gensler, left, speaks with Brandon McClester. Gensler served as head coach for Upper St. Clair during its first round PIAA playoff game against Erie.
Porter Rauch, Tanner Gensler and Ethan Dahlem celebrated after Upper St. Clair defeated Erie 62-57 in a PIAA quarterfinal game.
Tanner Gensler signals to his players on the court. Gensler stepped in to coach Upper St. Clair's PIAA playoff game against Erie.
Tanner Gensler, left, speaks with Brandon McClester. Gensler served as head coach for Upper St. Clair during its first round PIAA playoff game.
Upper St. Clair' sPorter Rauch puts up a shot against Erie defenders.
Upper St. Clair's Luke Gensler juggles the basketball, but maintains possession though heavily defended by Jamie Smith from Erie.
Tanner Gensler aspires to lead a high school basketball program.
The Upper St. Clair graduate didn’t expect his opportunity to register his first win as a coach would occur before he turned 21 or graduated from college.
Gensler was elevated from volunteer assistant to the USC boys basketball team’s head coach for a PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal playoff game March 20 after COVID-19 sidelined the Panthers’ coaching staff and many of its players. He guided USC to a 62-57 victory over District 10 champion Erie.
“I love the game of basketball and I know I’m not going to play it forever. So I want to be around it,” said Gensler, who is averaging 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds as a sophomore guard at Muskingum University. “This was a good first step to see what it feels like actually to coach a game.”
All but six USC players tested positive for the coronavirus March 17. Twenty minutes before tip-off of the Panthers’ game three days later, USC head coach Danny Holzer called upon Gensler, who said Holzer told him it “looks like you are running the show” and that he trusted him fully.
“Originally, I was going to be there just to watch, not thinking I would ever end up being the head guy and coaching them,” said Gensler, whose brother, Luke, currently plays for the Panthers.
“It was the craziest feeling ever,” Gensler added. “I would never imagine that I’d be coaching, but with what’s going on in the this world, I did and it turned out well.”
Thanks to Luke Gensler, Ethan Dahlem and David Pantelis, things worked out in USC’s favor
A three-year starter and team captain, Gensler scored 19 points, including 10 off free throws in the final quarter to seal the victory.
“We had no coach as of an hour before the game,” Luke said. “It was awesome that (Tanner) stepped up. I think he was more nervous than us.”
Pantelis scored a team-high 23 points, including 18 in the second and third quarters. The Panthers stretched a 26-24 halftime lead into a 40-29 advantage with 3:14 to go in the third quarter.
Dahlem pitched in with 14 points. The two-year starter ran the offense from the point guard position and directed USC’s 1-3-1 zone defense from the back.
“From the beginning, I told them ‘you guys are the coaches on the floor’ and ‘you tell me whatever you see’ and I would give them insights here and there but Luke, Ethan and David took over,” Gensler said. “They knew what to do.”
Gensler was awed by the trio’s ability to call out-of-bounds plays and get into a defense that they had never played before. However, he was not surprised by the team’s grit.
“They’re going to fight to the last second just to get it done,” he said. “They have been in the program too many years to not go out and fight like that. I knew every second they were going to do the most they could and that’s just what they did. The score translated that and they got the big win.”
USC (21-1) won with only six players. Freshman Devin Hall and junior Porter Rauch started with the three seniors and sophomore Matt Gaither spelled them with quality minutes. Rauch finished with six points.
At no point in the contest did the Panthers demonstrate a lack of confidence facing Erie (18-3), which had much taller line-up. Marquell Darnell stands at 6-7, while Jamie Smith is 6-4.
“All six of our guys brought the energy,” said Luke Gensler. “There was no pressure on us and we knew they probably were coming in here thinking it was going to be a walk in the park.”
Darnell finished with 18 points, including two impressive dunks. Smith and Marcel Banks each finished with 11 points.
“Really, we’re just competing against ourselves,” Pantelis said. “Any team that we play, we come out full force and believe we can compete with them. While it was hard (emotionally) this week, all the guys here, even the younger kids, were able to do things and be a big part of this game because of how well we were prepared.
“We did this for all the guys at home, those not here,” he added. “They are our biggest supporters. We wanted to win for those people who couldn’t be here so that they could get back out here and play in the next game. It would mean a lot to us and them if they could come out and player their last games with us.”
Though they were grateful to have their head coach return to the bench and a fourth starter, Luke Banbury, return to the line-up, the Panthers were no match for Reading (26-2) in their first-ever state semifinal.
USC dropped a 68-46 decision to the District 1 champion in the game played at Altoona High School and finished the season at 21-2.
Pantelis led the Panthers with 17 points and Banbury pitched in with 10.