AJ Sports

Gerard Hetman Abington Journal Correspondent

For Ross Danzig, the game of basketball has come as second nature since birth. Born into a family with a rich and prestigious basketball heritage, the Abington Heights High School junior struggled to remember his earliest attempts at playing the sport.

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Above, Comet Ross Danzig in Abington Heights’ 65-25 win over Berwick on Friday, Feb. 20.

Abington Journal Photo/ Stephanie Walkowski

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“I’ve been playing for as long as I can remember; I honestly can’t remember not having a basketball in my hands,” he said. “Most weekends, I wind up attending three or four games in person between everyone in the family.”

With the rest of his family providing plenty of encouragement and evaluation, Danzig has been providing them with plenty of results, as he has been a driving force behind his team’s run to 21 straight victories and the Lackawanna League Division I championship.

Combining the height and rebounding of a forward with a deadly outside shooting touch, Danzig has proved to be a player to watch as the district playoff race takes off.

“Ross has been tremendously more selective on the court as he’s matured in the last few years,” Comets Coach Ken Bianchi said of his key performer. “He lets things come to him and takes advantage of them, instead of trying to do too much and forcing things. He steps up when we need him.”

As Danzig continues to build his own career, his legacy is added to a continually-growing list of accolades collected in his family.

His grandfather, Hal Danzig, was a standout at Bucknell University and is one of only two players to have his number retired by the school. Ross’ father, Carl, is currently the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Scranton, and previously served as an assistant at Bucknell. Ross’ two younger brothers, Ethan and Jackson, continue to progress through the junior basketball leagues in the Clarks Summit area.

As the Comets have powered their way to frontrunner status in the local and state rankings, Danzig has showcased his skills on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

His 24-point effort against North Pocono in the regular-season finale allowed Abington Heights to lock up the division championship, while his defensive efforts have locked down some of the league’s top scoring threats. When asked for a specific example, Bianchi referred to Danzig’s performance in both of the team’s games against Scranton this season.

“His biggest area of improvement has been on the defensive end,” Bianchi said. “He was okay in his earlier years, but we knew he was capable of doing better. We had him matched up with Terry Turner in our games with Scranton, and he did a fantastic job against him both times.

“As I said after one of those games, we knew the offense was there, but we never thought we’d be calling him the defensive stopper,” said Bianchi.

While Danzig is looking forward to both the current playoff race, as well as his senior year at Abington Heights, he is also aiming to push his game to the next level.

“Obviously, my dad is an option when it comes to school and playing, but I want to keep improving to play at the best level possible,” said Danzig “We’re having a great season now, and we’re looking forward to the playoffs.”