In his first year as head boy’s basketball coach at Northampton, Matt Scholl gas experienced a roller coaster of emotions. To cap it all, he and his team are waiting to hear on a district berth

However, he did expect it.

When a team loses nearly 90-percent of its scoring and five starters from a 21-8 state semifinal team that won two state playoff games, for the first time since 1972, Scholl has a good sense of what was ahead.

Still, the Konkrete Kids learned and matured as they plowed through their season. They began the season with a sluggish 2-6 start, but they rebounded to win eight of next 14 games down the stretch. That stretch included them winning four straight and five of six, as well as losing four of six games.

The Kids finished with an overall 10-12 mark, and as of Monday, Scholl was waiting to hear if District 11 would award them the sixth seed in the Class 6A bracket. They pulled percentage points ahead of Nazareth. Northampton dropped its final game to Allen, which, like them, needed the game to even its record at 11-11 to instantly qualify.

Scholl has a strong feeling his team will receive the invite.

“We are assuming we will qualify,” said Scholl. “We have been practicing every day since our last game. The team is full of hard working kids who have been giving everything at practice even though their future is uncertain.”

Whatever the outcome, Scholl believes his practice time will again have long-range positive results.

“This time has been beneficial to our program before, and we are using the two-plus weeks between the end of the season and the beginning of districts to work on fundamentals and refine our offensive and defensive schemes.”

The team has revolved around the player of junior Tristen Pinnock, the team’s leading scorer at 10.4 points per game and a team-high 4.7 rebounds per game; senior Tyler Kauffman, who averages 9.4 points; and junior J.J. Kolumber, who adds 7.7 points and a team-high 4.6 assists.

“I think all of them have stepped up,” added Scholl. “Tyler Kauffman gets a lot of defenses’ attention, but Tristen Pinnock is now our leading scorer. Kolumber has picked up his offensive output as well.”

Despite his team’s district outcome, Scholl has been pleased with his team’s showing.

“This group is a lot of fun to be around,” said Scholl. “They are great kids and students. If we end up playing, we will be ready for whomever we play.”