SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
Montoursville’s Austin Loe looks to shoot during a 2019 game against Danville.

Austin Loe is already looking forward to playing at Lycoming for the men’s basketball team. The Montoursville grad knows the Warriors have a successful program. Just last year Lycoming made it to the NCAA Tournament.

That’s where Loe wants to be. Plain and simple, he wants to play for a championship and he knows Lycoming has that ability.

“I am extremely excited to be playing for Lycoming and have a shot in playoffs and at a title next year,” Loe said.

The former Montoursville standout is an excellent scorer and will be an offensive weapon to add to an already deep list at Lycoming, where he’s planning on majoring in criminal justice. He also will be roommates with his high school buddy and Lycoming wrestler Cameron Wood.

Last season, Lycoming had four players average double figures: Darius Dangerfield (14.2 points per game), Dyson Harward (12.9), DáYante Doughty (12.4) and Mo Terry (11.7). And what’s good for third-year coach Mike McGarvey is all of those players return, giving him a great team that can put up numbers.

Being added to that mix is Loe, a player who averaged 11.4 points per game in an injury-shortened season last winter, and 13.9 as a junior.

Loe knows he can score easily, but he considers his strongest attribute is playing solid defense.

“I would say I’m a good post defender, but an even better help defense player,” Loe said. “I feel like help defense has always been one of my strong suits.”

Loe was one of five players announced in Lycoming’s incoming freshman class. He joins Danville’s Mavin James as the only two District 4 players in McGarvey’s recruiting class. Loe is also the tallest player at 6-feet, 5-inches.

The former Montoursville forward and center already knows a lot about Lycoming’s team. As a high school player in the area, he attended games and watched them play. And Loe just wants to get to campus and get started.

“I wanna be with the guys and be able to just play basketball,” he said. “I believe we will be a great team with great chemistry.”

The Warriors went 20-9 last year and 10-6 in their final year in the MAC Commonwealth. Lycoming won the MAC Commonwealth championship by winning three games in five days against Hood (80-78), Widener (90-77) and Arcadia (68-64), the final two of which were on the road.

Lycoming then lost to Elmhurst in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 97-73.

“Lycoming is a great offensive team. I think I’ll be able to fit into their offense real well,” Loe said. “I’m looking forward to playing on the court with Dyson. We played against each other in high school and can only imagine what will happen if we are on the same team.”

Loe admitted he didn’t know much about McGarvey before committing to Lycoming, but did know assistant coach Joe Britto from AAU competition. But what McGarvey has done in his two years so far is what sticks out to Loe. He’s helped continue a winning tradition at Lycoming.

“Coach McGarvey is a winning coach. he knows how to win and that is what I’m looking forward to the most,” Loe said.

Brendon Blackson, G, 6-1, Laurel, Md./Laurel

A three-year letterwinner as a guard at Laurel … Second-team all-league selection as a senior … Averaged 18.5 points as a junior … Listed as a player to watch in Prince George’s County High Schools Basketball Yearbook in 2019-20.

Tyler Case, G/F, 6-3, Fleninge, Sweden/Filbornaskolan

Played with Helsingborg’s SuperEttan team in 2019-20 … Averaged 2.8 points, 1.1 rebounds per game in 2019-20 … Played in seven games in 2017-18 in the BasketEttan, averaging 2.3 points per game … Helped team win the south division regular season that year.

Austin Loe, F/C, 6-5, Montoursville/ Montoursville

A four-year letterwinner as a forward at Montoursville Area … Helped team to three appearances in state tournament and two district titles … Helped team to a district title as a senior, scoring 16 points in championship game, added 16 more in first round of state tournament … Battled injuries during the season, appearing in just 11 games, but averaged 11.4 points per game … Earned third-team all-area and first-team all-league honors as a junior after averaging 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game … Averaged 7.8 points off the bench as a sophomore.

Steven Hamilton, G, 6-0, Phoenixville/ Phoenixville

A four-year letterwinner at Phoenixville Area … Second-team all-area and first-team all-conference selection as a senior after averaging 13.6 points per game … Averaged 8.6 points as a junior and 7.4 points as a sophomore when he earned second-team all-conference honors … Also a member of the track and field team.

Mavin James, G/F, 6-4, Danville/Danville

A four-year letterwinner at Danville Area … Averaged 12.9 points as a senior to lead team which made it to the district final and earned second straight trip to state tournament … Earned second-team all-area and first-team all-league honors … Averaged 10.4 points as a junior and helped team to a district title earning all-league honors … A third-team all-league pick as a sophomore … Also a four-year letterwinner in track and field … Took sixth in high jump as a junior with a personal-best 5-11 leap.