Palmerton sets its sights higher
After first district game in 15 years, Blue Bombers want more.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
It was the day after Thanksgiving and Palmerton boys basketball coach Ken Termini had a long list.
It wasn’t a shopping however.
It was a list of things he wanted to accomplish at his team’s two-and-a-half-hour practice.
Termini had it mapped out. He’s hoping to chart a course to one of the program’s best seasons in years.
The Blue Bombers went 11-12 last year — just one season after going 2-20 — and made districts for the first time since 2002.
But with a postseason loss, Palmerton dipped below .500 again.
The Blue Bombers looking for their first winning season since 1999 and could contend for their first title since the 1989 Colonial League and District 11 championship squad.
“We have a very dedicated, hard-working group that’s committed to bring winning basketball back to Palmerton,” Termini said. “It’s a young, but experienced group. We have three seniors and only two will be in the key rotation, and we have a lot of sophomores and juniors who have played together for a long time and they know our package coming into the season.”
Palmerton players were together for 68 events during the summer.
“Our best players were here list, for everything,” Termini said. “We’re physically and mentally tougher after playing 5A and 6A schools all summer long. We seek out the toughest competition we can find.”
Three things to know
1. Termini said he has high goals for the team that they keep to themselves. But at a minimum those goals would seem to include a winning season and league and district tournament berths. It is likely to happen considering the cast coming back. Dougherty has scored 770 points over the past two seasons and Hosier has 550 over the last two years. Termini said five newcomers “bring significant depth.”
2. Maurice Moore, who was the coach at Lincoln Leadership for several seasons and won a district title, has joined the staff as the head JV coach and a varsity assistant. “He brings a championship pedigree and a lot of experience with up-tempo styles of play,” Termini said. “He has been a great addition.” Art George III is the other varsity assistant.
3. Palmerton has five nonleague games and two of them will be against Lehighton, including at home opening night on Dec. 7. They will also see the Indians again in the Northern Lehigh holiday tournament. The Bombers will host Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg on Jan. 8 and perhaps the most intriguing non-league game will be Dec. 22 when Palmerton visits Nazareth. Termini lives in Nazareth. Another schedule highlight
Final thoughts
Perhaps no other coach is more passionate about the game of basketball than Termini. He’s fun to watch, even at a summer league game or a practice, because he wears his emotions on his sleeve. He truly cares about his kids and the program.
He has a knack of turning around programs. He did it at Palisades and is doing it again a couple of counties away.
He’s expecting a really good year for the Blue Bombers and there’s no reason to think it won’t happen.
Are the Bombers good enough to win the league?
Probably not considering how talented Notre Dame, Moravian Academy and Bangor are in the opposite division.
Could they be the best team in the Colonial League’s North Division and likely to make the league and district tournaments? I wouldn’t count them out.
kgroller@mcall.com Twitter @KeithGroller 610-820-6740