Pitt-Greensburg men's basketball team rights ship after rocky start, hopes to contend in AMCC

After winning its first two games, including a nail-biting overtime victory over Grove City in the opener, the Pitt-Greensburg men’s basketball team looked like it was on its way to a fast start.

Then came the next seven games. The Bobcats won only one of them, a string that included losses in their first three Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference games.

Suddenly, the Bobcats were at a crossroads. Another loss or two, and the season could have spiraled out of control.

But in the final game before the holiday break, UPG earned a one-point win over Allegheny of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. The Bobcats hung on when a last-ditch layup attempt by the Gators trickled off the rim.

Perhaps bolstered by that result, the Bobcats came out of the holiday and ran their winning streak to six, including three in the AMCC. And with Wednesday’s 68-64 win over La Roche, UPG (9-6 overall, 3-3 AMCC) appeared to be back on track headed into Saturday’s game against Pitt-Bradford. (Incidentally, in its nonconference schedule, Pitt-Greensburg went 4-1 against the PAC.)

“I think we’re definitely getting more comfortable with each other,” said sophomore forward Trent Rozich, “and I just think our energy as a whole. … I just think everybody is starting to care a little bit more now. I think we realize our potential.”

Fourth-year coach Chris Klimchock agreed with Rozich’s assessment. But the “energy” Rozich talked about, Klimchock said, is showing in practices now rather than the players simply trying to flip a switch on game days.

“… Just kind of the effort we’ve been putting in each day has gotten us better throughout the season,” said Klimchock, who coached the Bobcats to 13-14, 11-7 marks last season. “Whether it’s a guy who plays 35 minutes a game or a guy who doesn’t get in, everyone has the same goals and wants to do what’s best for their role for the team.

“Guys are happy for other guys who do well, and when you start having that, you’re building something special.”

UPG has received a big lift from sophomore point guard Michael Bigley. The 6-footer from Seton LaSalle missed all of last season with a knee injury.

But he managed to make an impression on the team despite not playing. The way he attacked his rehab and the dedication he showed to get back on the court, Klimchock said, led Bigley to be voted a team captain.

Remember: This is a young man who hadn’t played a second of college basketball.

“I think that says a lot about his character on and off the court,” Klimchock said.

Added Rozich: “You can really tell the work he has put in, just from the consistency of making his shots, especially the tough ones.”

Bigley is averaging 11.4 points while making 44.3% of his shots. He has reached at least 20 points twice this season.

Junior guard Jackson Byer also has raised his level of play significantly this season. After spending a year at Juniata, Byer (6-0) had a nice debut season with the Bobcats in 2023-24, averaging 10.3 points. He is averaging 11.6 this season, and he is playing a much more efficient game.

His field goal percentage is up to 47.9 (from 42.7), and his rebounds are up by nearly three per game. More significantly, he has made opponents respect his outside shot more, shooting nearly 30% from 3-point range after shooting under 20% last season.

In a Dec. 31 win over Baldwin Wallace, Byer scored 31 points.

“He just plays with so much energy and toughness,” Klimchock said.

“At his size, he just goes in there and rebounds with guys who are 6, 7 inches taller than him and just plays with so much heart. Offensively, he’s really just taken it up a notch this year.”

Offense is something UPG has had in large quantities, particularly during the winning streak. Junior guard Matthew Marinchak (Ligonier Valley) is averaging 13.6 points, and junior forward Joziah Wyatt-Taylor averages just under 10.0.

“At the D-III level, each team has one or two guys (who can score),” Rozich said, “but we have four or five guys who can go off for 30 any night if we needed to. I think having four or five guys who are tough to guard night-in and night-out is really difficult for teams to game-plan for.”

Speaking of tough to guard, that fits Rozich to a tee. The AMCC Newcomer of the Year last season, the 6-5 Rozich has picked up right where he left off. He leads the Bobcats in scoring (15.4), rebounds (7.5) and total assists (56) and shoots an eye-catching 60.6% from the field.

He has tried to sharpen his 3-point shooting to complement his ability to drive to the basket. Though he doesn’t shoot many from the arc, he already has made more 3-pointers this season than he did all of last season and is shooting 47.4% (9 of 19).

“Last year, I know most of my points were in the paint or on free throws,” he said, “so I kind of figured that a lot of teams were going to let me drive or let me shoot (from the outside). So in the offseason, I practiced my jumper, my mid-range and just being more comfortable from beyond the arc.

“If I can prove I can make some 3-pointers, that means defenders will have to guard me, and I can drive by them.”

The recent run of solid play gives the Bobcats some momentum as they get ready for the second half of AMCC play.

Klimchock said he is confident his team can continue trending in the right direction and be a factor when the postseason arrives.

“I think just taking every day and getting better,” he said. “We just want to make improvements every single day. Don’t worry about the win and loss early on. Just keep getting better and the results will take care of themselves.”