Return to college ‘blessing’

Gary Satterwhite of Farrell is making an unexpected but happy college basketball comeback with Slippery Rock University this season.

A former standout for the Kennedy Catholic High basketball team, the 24-year-old Satterwhite is in his first season with The Rock after a five-year layoff from basketball following a two-year playing career with the University of North Florida from 2001-03.

Although the 6-foot-5, 240-pound junior who specializes in shot-blocking and rebounding has been used only in a backup role, he has enjoyed a rewarding comeback by being part of Slippery Rock’s most successful season (21-7) since 1990-91.

The Rock placed second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division (11-3 record), and has gained a berth in today’s PSAC tournament semifinal game.

Slippery Rock will play Kutztown (25-3) today at 5:30 p.m. in Erie after rolling past Indiana (Pa.) Monday, 86-69, at Morrow Field House in a quarterfinal game for its ninth straight win and a 13-2 home record.

Slippery Rock also edged Indiana last Saturday in the regular-season finale, 73-72, for its first 20-win season since the 1990-91 squad won 23 games in 32 outings.

SDLqI lived in Florida for a couple of years and moved back here for a couple of years and just worked,” said Satterwhite of his time spent away from college. But, “I wanted to finish my degree. It is something I always wanted to do. I just didn’t have the opportunity.”

The son of Gary and Cheryl Satterwhite who is majoring in accounting said that he didn’t “have any interest in playing basketball” when he decided to resume college at Slippery Rock.

“I was at Slippery Rock for a couple of months and the coaches contacted me and asked if I was interested in playing basketball. It wasn’t something that I expected. It was just a blessing.”

Satterwhite said that he is getting back into basketball shape and that his game is getting better, and he is looking forward to continued improvement this year and next season.

“I am having a great time playing. I got back into shape. I was up to 280 pounds but I’m down to 240,” said Satterwhite, who has played in 23 games with one start and is averaging 10.9 minutes per game.

He has made 18-for-37 (48.6 percent) from the field, and is averaging 1.8 points and 3.5 rebounds with 15 blocks.

Satterwhite is happy to be part of a winning program.

“We didn’t lose a game in February,” said Satterwhite, who hopes the team can keep winning, win the PSAC title and qualify for the NCAA tournament.

The Rock needs only two more wins to tie the school record for most wins in one season shared by the 1972-73 (23-7), 1989-90 (23-6) and 1990-91 (23-9) teams.

Satterwhite expects to graduate in 2010. “I completed two full years at North Florida, so this is my third year and then I will have next year,” he said.

During his two seasons at North Florida, Satterwhite was among the team leaders.

He played in all 29 games in 2002-03, starting 24 of them, and averaged 1.17 blocks (34 in 29 games) to lead the team and rank No. 5 in the Peach Belt Conference. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds to rank No. 3 on the team and No. 17 in the PBC, and was the team’s third-leading scorer and rebounder during a 15-14 season.

In 2001-02, Satterwhite played in all 27 games, starting 22 of them, and was the team’s No. 4 scorer and rebounder as it compiled at 13-14 record.

While at Kennedy Catholic under coach Joe Votino, Satterwhite helped the team win three state titles as part of a run of four straight PIAA crowns (1999-2002).

As a senior, he averaged 15.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots and made fourth-team AP small school all-state as well as the All-Mercer County first team.

XJohn Kovach covers colleges for The Vindicator. E-mail him at kovach@vindy.com.