`people Know A Lot Of Facts, But Are They Changing Behavior?'

Alice Tompkins 
Nov. 25, 1994 
Alice M. Tompkins, 81, Of Binghamton, N.y., Died Friday At Her Home.

By STEVE BRESNAHAN; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Sunday, November 27, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 13C 





HAZLETON -- Bishop Hafey's Saturday morning preseason scrimmage is over.
The scattering of spectators has disappeared. The opposing team has left the
building. All that's left is to turn out the lights and lock the gymnasium
doors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But wait. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At a corner basket a half-dozen Hafey players linger. Still in uniform,
they shoot jump shots, practice spin moves and reverse layups. They razz and
goad each other during impromptu games of one-on-one. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Their shouts and laughter echo across the court and up into the stands,
where their coach, Ron Gerlach, watches them with a smile and a shrug of
resignation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Look at them," he says. "They won't leave until I take the balls away from
them and say, `OK, that's it...go home.' Last night, we had a play here, and
they were practicing right up until the curtain almost. They're gym rats is
what they are." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gerlach pauses as his 5-foot-9 senior guard, Pat Lloyd, attempts a dunk and
barely misses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Of course," Gerlach says, "I mean `gym rat' as a compliment." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hafey finished 8-13 last season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The team lost eight seniors to graduation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The gym rats are now the leaders. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's an accurate description," Lloyd says. "People are here whenever the
gym's open, people are always shooting around. It wasn't like that last year.
It was more laid back. People weren't as enthusiastic, and it showed in our
record." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lloyd will be joined in the Vikings' backcourt by seniors Mike Brugger
(6-0), Bruce McDevitt (6-2) and Tim Dudinyak (6-0). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Pat gives us good quickness and shooting," Gerlach says. "Brugger is a
stabilizer; he'll keep us patient. McDevitt is a good three-point shooter, not
to mention a 6-2 point guard, which is nice to have. Tim Dudinyak has been
looking good, too." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The rest of the Hafey lineup includes junior center David Stark (6-7, 240),
who will anchor the frontcourt; and T.J. Sterba and Matt Basso, both juniors,
who will fill the power forward slot. Seniors Sean Kostic and Joe Dougherty
will play small forward, while sophomores Paul Myers, Greg DeCosmo and Ryan
Pienkowski will provide bench support. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "A lot of hard work will be accomplished," Gerlach says. "We set a goal
last March that we would work hard to the ultimate end, whether that's a
winning season, a championship season or whatever." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hafey's first game is Friday against MMI Prep at the Freeland YMCA. Gerlach
says the competition, particularly in the Wyoming Valley Conference, will
challenge the Vikings. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's a super league with some great teams," he says. "Every night you can
get beat. How we play is going to depend a lot on how our opponents play." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gerlach says his team likes to run and will if it can. Without an
overwhelming scorer, he says, the Vikings will often try to patiently pass the
ball until the best shot opportunity appears. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I can see us doing pretty well," Lloyd says. "But I don't like to look
ahead too far. After last year, we're just going to take it game by game." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lloyd stands at mid-court, looking toward a basket. The reality that this
season will be his last in high school has taken hold of him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's different; now there's no next year," he says. "I think it'll make me
play a lot harder, because soon it's not there anymore. You don't know what
you have until you lose it." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a moment he is back at a basket, tossing up shots, slicing the ball
between his legs, enjoying the freedom of an open gym. His friends join him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There is basketball to play. And they will be here until the lights go out. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`gym Rats' Have Hafey Hopeful Last Year's Underclass Is This Year's Leaders