Patrick Wanamaker was a part of the Northwestern Lehigh boys basketball coaching staff under Billy Hallman, who left following the 2018-2019 season. When Jerry Lloyd took over as the Tigers’ head coach for the 2019-20 season, Wanamaker left the program as he got his first shot as a head coach when he returned to his alma mater, Northern Lehigh.

Lloyd lasted just one season and exited two months before the 2020-2021 season when he found out that coaches would be required to wear masks because of the continuing risk of COVID. Cory Cesare stepped in at the last minute and coached the next two seasons and left after the 2022-2023 campaign.

Wanamaker coached three seasons at Northern Lehigh and this past spring was hired away from the Bulldogs to return to Northwestern. The Tigers are looking to their former assistant to provide some needed stability to the program. It’s going well except for one bittersweet issue. Wanamaker is without nine of his players because they are on the football team that is making a run for a state championship.

“We kind of had a monkey wrench thrown at us with that, but it’s OK,” said Wanamaker. “One thing that it has done has been to give us the chance to work with the 11 other guys on a closer basis. I think it’s great for those guys and I am cheering them on. They’re getting a great opportunity in going for a state championship and I’m sure they’re gaining confidence by playing in big games.

“It’s really been a smooth transition and the kids have bought in on what we are trying to do, and they have made all of this a non-issue,”

While the players have not practiced with the team, they have been around to support the other players and learn some of the new wrinkles that Wanamaker is using.

The Tigers finished last season with an 11-12 record and had a team with just one senior. This season, there is also just one senior in Ethan Kozlowski. Kozlowski averaged 1.7 points per game last season for Northwestern Lehigh and Wanamaker likes his versatility.

“Kozlowski is kind of that Swiss army knife guy, who we can use in a lot of different ways,” said Wanamaker. “We can move him around and know that he is going to be able to handle whatever we give him.”

Junior Gavin Nelson led the team in scoring last season, averaging 12.6 per game. Fellow juniors Shane Marth and Del Tyler impressed Wanamaker with their play in the summer league and will see increased minutes this season and Eli Zimmerman averaged 4.6 per game last season, playing in 23 games as a sophomore.

Current sophomore Mason Bollinger averaged 6.1 PPG last season on the court and his football teammate and sophomore classmate Shane Leh impressed Wanamaker this summer and can give the Tigers a strong role player.

Freshmen Brady Zimmerman and Brady Krimmel are also still on the football field but showed some skills during the summer. Once the run for a state championship is over, will be welcomed onto the hardwood.

“We’re going to be a much better team later in the season than we will be at the beginning,” said Wanamaker. “When we get the whole group together and get them all on the same page, we should be in pretty good shape. Until then, we’ll work hard and go with the guys we have now and bring in the other guys when they’re ready.”

Last season, Northwestern finished 11-12 and were eliminated from districts in the quarterfinal round.