Around the Ches-Mont

Back for more. Discipline will be a priority as Fred Ellzy returns to take over the Coatesville girls' basketball program with the goal of restoring it to its former stature.

Ellzy worked as a Coatesville assistant under Ray Jenkins from 2000 to 2002. In that span, the Red Raiders won a Ches-Mont League championship. Last season, Coatesville went 8-13 overall.

Ellzy, who was an assistant boys' coach under Damien Blair at Downingtown West, works as a supervisor for the Chester County Youth Center, which is for adjudicated youth.

"We want to turn the [basketball] program around," Ellzy said.

Coatesville athletic director Jim Donato said the school was looking for someone like Ellzy.

"He has a plan to bring girls' basketball back to prominence," Donato said.

Winning ways. Since becoming the first coach in the five-year old West Chester Rustin boys' basketball program, Keith Cochrane has posted a 58-45 record. Take out the program's first year, when the Golden Knights went 1-23, and you get an idea of the job Cochrane has done.

This season appears to be no different.

Although the White brothers, Rondell and Rahmier, are now at West Chester University, Cochrane has a pair of returnees he hopes will help the winning tradition continue.

Anthony Nash, a 6-foot-6 senior center, and 6-4 guard Corey Blake have picked up the experience to keep the team going strong.

"I feel very comfortable with them," Cochrane said. "They improved over the summer. They've made a lot of progess."

Last season, when the Golden Knights won the Ches-Mont League American Division crown, Blake averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game. Nash averaged 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Where's East? The Downingtown East girls' basketball team may not be in The Inquirer's preseason top 10, but that doesn't mean coach Bob Schnure's team should be overlooked. This marks the beginning of his 31st season.

Last season, his Cougars edged district rival Downingtown West for the Ches-Mont National Division crown and finished 22-5 overall. With the 5-11 Ro Gentry gone, Schnure will look to Kelly Devlin, a standout lacrosse player, to lead West, along with Noelle Alicea, Melissa Hummel and Kaitlyn Dougherty.

Small and young. Coatesville boys' coach Rick Nelms lost a couple of players because they moved, so he will look to younger players such as sophomores Chris Miller and Tymeier Miller and 6-3 junior Leroy Hoggard to work with seniors Jordan Anderson (6-2) and Wil Schuler.

"If we don't get killed on the boards, I think we can be successful," Nelms said.