Transition game easy for North Catholic coach
The Steelers are the model of consistency in the NFL when it comes to head coaches — but they don’t have anything on the North Catholic boys basketball program.
When legendary coach Don Graham stepped down in 1999 after 51 years at the helm and a state-record 801 victories, Dave Long took over and led the Trojans to 16 consecutive playoff appearances in 19 years as head coach. But when conflict with parents and administrators led to Long being forced out of his position last March, North Catholic had to look for only its third boys basketball coach in the past 70 years.
Enter Dave DeGregorio. With more than 20 years of head coaching experience between stops at North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and South Allegheny, DeGregorio has made a seamless return to the profession in his first year in charge. DeGregorio has the Trojans tied with Seton LaSalle atop WPIAL Class 3A Section 2 with an 8-1 section record, 14-3 overall.
“That doesn’t happen at many places, right? That’s a long time,” DeGregorio said about North Catholic’s history of coaches. “And you’re following some legends in the coaching ranks with Don Graham and Dave Long. They both did it for a long time at a high level.”
DeGregorio stepped down as coach at North Allegheny after the 2016 season following a run of success that included 232 wins, 5 section titles and 11 WPIAL playoff appearances in 12 seasons. He spent the past two years as an assistant coach at Hampton, but when the head coach position opened up at North Catholic, he jumped at the opportunity to lead a new program.
Despite having a roster filled with underclassmen, the Trojans look like strong contenders to win their fifth WPIAL title since 2009. After starting the season 50, the team ran into a rough patch, suffering through a three-game losing streak that included an 81-57 blowout loss at Seton LaSalle.
That loss to the Rebels stands as North Catholic’s only loss to a WPIAL team this season, as the Trojans have rattled off nine consecutive wins since — including a 66-49 triumph in the rematch against Seton LaSalle to claim a share of first place in the section.
“I knew we had a chance to be pretty good, and I think we are,” DeGregorio said. “We’re pretty good and we’re getting better. … It’s such a good group of kids and they’re so unselfish, so that helps a lot.”
Of the many underclassmen contributing on the court for DeGregorio’s bunch, one player stands out as the team’s go-to scoring option: DeGregorio’s son, Isaac.
Isaac started the week averaging 21 points per game, good for No. 20 in the WPIAL. But before the season, it looked like Isaac might not even be eligible to play this year after he and his younger brother, Owen, transferred from Hampton to North Catholic to play for their dad.
The WPIAL ruled the brothers ineligible in September, believing they had transferred for athletic reasons rather than academic. But the PIAA overturned the ruling in October by a 50 vote, stating that the brothers simply made a family decision by following their father.
Owen, a sophomore, still plays with the junior varsity team, but it’s hard to imagine the Trojans leading their section right now if Isaac hadn’t been allowed to play. DeGregorio, though, isn’t one to play the guessing game.
“I don’t play what-ifs,” DeGregorio said. “You could look at different stuff, but it never happened, so I never really think about it. I only think about what’s really going on.”
For now, DeGregorio is focused on navigating a tough stretch at the end of the schedule, with five games in seven days to close out the regular season. But even if his team doesn’t come away with a section title, that won’t determine whether or not he considers his first season at North Catholic a success.
“Our team goals weren’t to win a WPIAL or win a section or those kinds of things,” DeGregorio said. “Those things will take care of themselves. You have to dedicate yourself to showing up and working hard and being a great teammate, and then we’ll be OK as far as wins and losses down the road.”