Tyrone Head Basketball Coach Luke Rhoades earned his 300th career coaching win on Friday with a 71-38 victory over Philipsburg at home.
Tyrone was led by senior Sam Crilly’s 18 points, with fellow seniors Andrew Escala scoring 11 and Trent Adams adding 10.
Rhoades was honored after the game and presented with a plaque in honor of the milestone, the first by a Tyrone Area High School basketball coach.
Reflecting on his career to this point, Rhoades was reluctant to name any favorite players from his successful 19-year coaching career but was thankful for the help he received from his assistants, especially Steve Ramsey, who moved with Rhoades from the girl’s program to the boys two seasons ago.
“As far as players, there have been so many that have left an impact on Tyrone basketball that I have had the pleasure of coaching,” Rhaodes said. “Also, I have been fortunate to have some great assistant coaches. I am very appreciative of the commitment and time Coach [Steve] Ramsey has committed to the basketball programs. He is a valuable asset.”
A Tyrone alum who had an outstanding athletic career as a student at Tyrone, Rhoades also serves as the Athletic Director and Dean of Students at TAHS.
Rhoades began his basketball coaching career as an assistant to then Tyrone boys’ Head Coach George Gripp from 2000 until 2005.
When the Tyrone girls’ head coach position opened up following the 2005 season, Rhoades jumped at the opportunity to lead the girl’s team.
Rhoades earned his first win over Juniata Valley on December 6, 2006, in the second game of his varsity head coaching career.
True to form, even after a 13-point victory, Coach Rhoades chose not to celebrate but instead focused on areas where his team could improve.
“I don’t think they were happy at all,” Rhoades told the Tyrone Daily Herald of his team’s reaction to the win. “I think they realize they didn’t play well down the stretch and they didn’t put them away when they could have. We didn’t play as well as we needed to get ready for the upcoming week.”
One of the things that makes Rhoades such an effective coach is his attention to detail, drive to always improve, and never be satisfied.
When looking back at his favorite wins he didn’t have much to say, instead choosing to focus on the losses.
“I could talk about three to five memorable wins but could talk about 35-40 memorable losses,” Rhoades said, “At this point of my career, the losses leave a much longer lasting dissatisfaction than any win gives me satisfaction.”
In Coach Rhoades’ debut season, the team struggled with a 7-14 record. However, just four years later, the program began a remarkable turnaround.
By the time the freshmen from Rhoades’ first year became seniors, the team had its first winning season under his leadership. The 2010 squad posted an impressive 18-6 record, went undefeated at home with a 10-0 mark, and finished second in the Mountain League.
Another winning season followed in 2011, and in 2012 Rhoades won his first Mountain League title with a 20-5 record.
Rhoades’ girls team won another Mountain League Championship in 2017 with a 24-5 record.
The 2019-20 season was arguably Rhoades’s best, though it came to a disappointing end because of the COVID pandemic.
Led by standouts Stephanie Ramsey, Jaida Parker, Shannon Shaw, Kayelin Gibbons, and Emma Getz, Tyrone won another Mountain League with a perfect 14-0 conference record but lost a hard-fought contest against Cambria Heights in the District Championship, 49-37.
But Rhoades’ team bounced back in the state tournament, winning Tyrone’s first state playoff game in 22 years by defeating Avonworth 45-37. In the next game, the Lady Eagles advanced to the elite eight with a convincing 53-38 victory over Mercyhurst Prep.
The team was to face Beaver in the quarterfinal round, but the pandemic put an end to the Lady Eagles playoff run, canceling the remainder of the season for all high school sports.
Rhoades’ team continued its success in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, Tyrone won its first district championship, and in 2022 they won back-to-back district championships for the first time in school history.
When long-time Tyrone boys head coach George Gripp stepped down following the 2022-23 season, Rhoades seized the opportunity for a new challenge, going back to the boys’ team, this time as head coach.
“I thought it would be a good change for me,” Rhoades told the Eagle Eye at the time. “I coached the girls for 17 years and had a good run with them, and I got to the point where I could take my experience from the girls to the boys.”
Rhoades opened with a win in his boy’s varsity head coaching debut, beating Penns Valley 75-55 on the road.
In his first season, Rhoades led the boys to a solid 17 wins, but the goal of ending Tyrone’s 25-year district championship drought remained after being upset by Forest Hills in the district semifinals.
Former Tyrone teacher, coach, and athletic director Tony Yaniello knew Rhoades as a student, athlete, and fellow coach. He was very pleased to see his former student reach the 300 wins milestone.
“It is so satisfying to have one of the athletes you coached become a coach, athletic director, administrator, and teacher,” Yaniello said. “Nothing that Luke has done is a surprise. He had that competitive spirit early on as an athlete. His drive and passion were the recipe for success in whatever career he chose.”
After the game, Tyrone School Board member Brian Bressler also extended his congratulations to Rhoades.
“As chairman of the Athletic Committee at TASD, on behalf of the School Board, we congratulate Coach Rhodes on his 300th victory coaching both the girls and boys basketball programs,” Tyrone School Board member Brian Bressler said.
With the 300-wins milestone behind him, Rhoades is now focused on the rest of the season and the ultimate goal of winning a district championship and making a deep run in the state tournament.
“We need to start playing our best basketball every time we step on the floor,” said Rhoades, “We need to start transferring drill work into our play and really commit to playing with the goal of getting our teammates better.”
