Sports Spotlight: Derek Null and Brandon Geesaman
It's not likely to become a made-for-TV movie, but Waynesboro Area Senior High School graduates Derek Null and Brandon Geesaman are back together on the hardwood.
The 2011 graduates of WASHS, who played under head coach Tom Hoffman on the varsity basketball team, are teammates again. Both are freshmen on the Penn State Mont Alto men's basketball team and enjoying the sport they love most.
Null is a 6-foot-4 starting foward for the Lions, which beat Penn State Schuylkill on Tuesday night 67-54 in Mont Alto. Geesaman is a 6-2 reserve guard/forward who saw some playing time last night.
On playing together again
Derek Null: It's awesome, because we've played together since travel league ball. I know what he's going to do before he does it, and he knows what I'm going to do before I do it. To have that carry over from high school is always great to have.
Brandon Geesaman: It's great to have another teammate that you've played with over the years, who knows you and you get along with. And again, we know what each other is going to do, which makes it nice.
On their new team
Derek Null: I think our team chemistry is pretty good. We've been working four days a week with conditioning and open gyms to get to where we are today. We've had 12 weeks of practices leading up to now, always being together, always working together.
Brandon Geesaman: We do all have a common goal. They want to work and be successful. When you have that, it makes everything better.
On the college game
Derek Null: It's college. It's not high school anymore. The game is quicker and more physical.
Brandon Geesaman: I've been getting better with it. It's kind of like Derek said. It is a little bit faster and you do have to think a little more, and when you're playing, you have to play within yourself so that you can do well.
On playing close to home
Derek Null: It is nice to be able to stay home. It's always cool to have you family and your friends to come up and watch me play. It's kind of cool that the high school guys can come up and watch us play.
Brandon Geesaman: I enjoy it, definitely. It is nice to see friends and family come to the game and see faces you know and be able to talk to them.
On attending PSU-Mont Alto
Derek Null: I was getting some Division III looks but nothing worked out academically or athletically. I knew I wanted a Penn State degree. Erie was too far away, so I came to Mont Alto. I get to play basketball for two years, we have a good coach, we've put a lot of good work. I get to play with Brandon for a couple more years. It's been fun. It's all worked out the way it was supposed to.
Brandon Geesaman: I like it here and I like playing basketball, too. It's something I've enjoyed doing and I want to keep playing for as long as I possibly can. I talked to one of the assistant coaches and I came up here for a visit. I met a lot of people. They were all good people and I wanted to come up here and play.
Mont Alto head coach
Jack Schenzel
"It's great to have local kids. Foremost, with these two kids, they're excellent kids, great students, great people to be around. Derek's a little further along than Brandon basketball-wise, but Brandon's really starting to improve. They're both going to have very good careers here, because they're willing to put the time in. Their parents did a great job raising them and teaching them values."