Springfield’s Patrick Flaherty, right, in a game against Conestoga last season. (PETE BANNAN – MEDIANEWS GROUP)
By Matthew DeGeorge
TJ Valletti learned quickly on the job as a freshman last year.
The Springfield forward saw an offense running through a pass-first big man in Colin Treude, saw the way the senior made himself indispensable to the Cougars by being unafraid to put the ball on the floor or pull the trigger on an open 3-pointer.
As a freshman, Valletti worked up from an understudy to an equivalent partner, able to push many of the same actions or force teams lacking one post presence to contend with two.
With Treude having graduated, Valletti has a larger share of ownership over Springfield’s offense this year, and it’s working wonders.
“I need to start taking on that role more,” Valletti said Thursday after keying a 65-48 win over Ridley. “And I think I’m going to start getting used to that. I’ve got to let it come to me more, kind of like I did in this game.”
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