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Men’s Basketball Signs Local Standout and Second Team All-State Selection Andy Byer
05/19/05...After adding six players prior to the 2004-05 season, Head Coach Bob Rukavina and the Pitt Johnstown Mountain Cat men’s basketball program signed one player for the upcoming season. Local standout Andy Byer, a guard from Conemaugh Township Area High School, has signed to join the Mountain Cat squad for the 2005-06 season. Byer, an Associated Press Second Team All-State selection in 2004-05, finished his high school career with 2,360 points, second in school history to his cousin and former Mountain Cat star Paul Byer, who wrapped up his Pitt Johnstown career last season.
     “Andy is a pure scorer who can shoot the three-pointer,” Coach Rukavina said. “He has a really nice mid-range game and he has the ability to take the ball to the basket. We’re looking for a lot of good things from Andy in the future,” Coach Rukavina said
     Byer, who played for Head Coach Scott Cable in high school, averaged 24.1 points (699 points), 7.7 rebounds (224 rebounds), 3.1 assists (91 assists) and 4.5 steals (91 steals) in 29 games-played as a senior. Byer shot 45.7% (260-569) from the field, 32.0% (62-194) from three-point range and 79.1% (117-148) from the free-throw line.
     Byer, the Somerset County “Outstanding Senior” in 2004-05 and four-time Somerset County First Team selection, also holds several school records, including most three-point field goals in a career (218), most games played in a career (111) and most steals in a season (131).
     Byer led Conemaugh Township to a pair of District 5 championships in 2002 and 2005, two PIAA “Sweet 16” appearances (2002 and 2005) and an PIAA “Elite 8” appearance in 2002. Byer, whose 2,360 career points also rank third all-time in Somerset County behind Travis Eisentrout (2,824 points) and Paul Byer (2,502 points), was named to the 2004-05 West-Pac All-Conference Team. He also earned Most Valuable Player honors the 2004 UPJ Mountain Cat Tournament and the 2004 Boswell Jaycees Tournament. His 41 points in a game in the 2004 Mountain Cat Tournament is a single-game record.
     Coach Rukavina must replace four seniors, including Paul Byer and Carlos Cogsdell (Homestead, Pa./Central Catholic H.S.). Byer led the Mountain Cats in scoring at 14.8 ppg. and was tied with Cogsdell for the team lead in rebounding at 5.9 rpg. on his way to being named Second Team All-Independent in 2004-05. Cogsdell, an Honorable Mention All-Independent choice last year, was Pitt Johnstown’s third leading scorer at 12.5 ppg. Coach Rukavina must also lost senior back-up guards Allen Robinson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills H.S.) and Erik Anderson (Curwensville, Pa./Curwensville Area H.S.).
     The Mountain Cats are scheduled to tip-off the 2005-06 season at Bloomsburg University on November 16, before hosting the UPJ Tip-Off Classic on November 18-19.
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