Lehighton has a new home and the Indians boys basketball team loves their new neighborhood.
Coach Trevor Miller is excited about being a Colonial League member after years in the Schuylkill League. His team was one of the last stops on the preseason tour.
Lehighton’s first league game is Tuesday night at Palmerton and the team is already off to a 2-0 after winning a tournament at Hamburg over the weekend.
“We’re really excited because we feel like we’ve finally found a home where we’re welcomed,” Miller said. “The entire league has really been supportive, bringing us along with Jim Thorpe. And I’m excited about bringing back some of the natural rivalries around our area. In our division, we play teams [Northern Lehigh, Northwestern Lehighton, Palmerton and Jim Thorpe] who are all within about a 15-minute drive from our school. We’re also excited about playing some teams we haven’t played in a very, very long time. We feel like this is a natural fit for us.”
Lehighton figures to also fit right into the Colonial League playoff picture. The league has expanded to an eight-team format for its postseason tournament and the Indians figure to be in that mix.
“We were 14-9 last year and we return six of of our top seven players, including our top scorer and top rebounder,” Miller said. “We return Joe Roth, a senior who averaged 15 points and six rebounds and has 693 career points. He has started for me since he was a freshman. And then we have Cole Dietz, a junior who averaged 15 points per game as well last year. He had 70 3s last season.”
Blake Roberts, another junior, averaged 12 points per game last season.
“Blake is the kind of guy who does a little bit of everything for us, but he was injured against Bethlehem Catholic in the district football playoffs, so it has taken him some time to get ready,” Miller said. “John Light is another gu who does a lot of things for us. He rebounds, handles the ball. Caden Meek is a newocme who’s kind of our defensive stopper. He’ll guard the other team’s best player and he loves his role. He doesn’t care hw many points he scores. Talin Fairchild is another junior who can shoot it with Cole. He can fill it up.”
The question mark is defense.
“Can we stop people?” Miller said. “We can score in a variety of ways. We’ve got a lot of guys who can put the ball in the basket, inside and outside. But if we’re going to compete with the top teams in the Colonial League and in the district, we have to better on the defensive end.”
Lehighton plays its home games at the elementary school center which is just down the road from the high school. It’s a spacious, state-of-the-facility. People who haven’t seen it before will be impressed.
But Miller is hoping his team can pack the gym with excited fans.
“We’ve always been competitive,” Miller said. “We’ve got tough kids who grind and work and all that stuff. But the one unique thing about this is group is that they have the best combination of being kids who work really hard and also have a lot of talent. In my eight years here, this is by far the most talented team I’ve had.”
Miller said the commitment has extended into the offseason.
“They are committed and that’s why some of our summers in the past few years have been very successful,” he said. “A lot of these kids have been playing for me since they were in eighth grade playing in the Whitehall summer league. It has been a really unique process for me. They’re fun kids to coach. I love coming practice every day and we’re looking forward to the season.
Players to watch: Cash White (5-11, Fr. G); Aiden Solt (5-10, Jr. G); John Light (6-0, Sr. F); Caden Meek (6-10, Jr. G); Talin Fairchild (6-2, Jr. F); Brayden Johnson (5-10, Sr. G); Blake Roberts (6-2, Jr. F); Tommy Blair (6-0, So. G); Joe Roth (6-2, Sr. F); Cole Dietz (6-2, Jr. F); Dante Kalbach (5-11, Sr. G).
Take note: Lehighton’s only remaining nonleague games are at Pleasant Valley on Dec. 23 and at home against Tamaqua on Jan. 18 … The team’s assistant coaches are former Northern Lehigh coach Jeff Miller, JC Dietz, Will White, Anthony Rossing, Dan Rossino, DJ Rossino, Mike Steigerwalt and Preston Kemery. Donna Miller, Trevor’s mom and Jeff’s wife, is the scorekeeper. … In the team’s 72-27 win over Shenandoah Valley, Dietz scored 33 points and Roth added 19. In the 81-65 win over Hamburg, Dietz had 29 points and Roth added 16. Dietz was named the tournament’s MVP and Roth was named to the all-tournament team.
