Not only does he have the height and brawn, he has the smarts.
Thomas Jefferson graduate Ethan Dunsey plans to continue his basketball career at Saint Vincent.
Dunsey, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound frontcourt player, was awarded the Chancellor’s Scholarship — the college’s highest level of merit scholarship — for his academic achievements.
“What drew me to SVC was opportunity,” Dunsey said. “Coach (Terrance) Smith let me know straight up that I would have the opportunity to come in and fight for playing time — and even a starting position — when most of the other schools I talked to didn’t.
“And academically, they were extremely flexible and willing to work with me to find a path that sends me towards my desired end goal.”
Smith, SVC’s third-year coach, said Dunsey is a welcomed addition to the program. He expects him to make a prompt impact.
“I think Ethan will go through an adjustment period like most freshmen do, but I think he will be able to step in and make a significant contribution,” Smith said. “Size was a need for us, so we were looking hard at any available inside players. Ethan looked like a great fit for what we needed. He has size and skill, so we thought he was a really good player.
“Ethan uses his body well and is a good passer for his size. I also think Ethan is a really good finisher around the basket. He will bring a good physical presence to the team and be an anchor both defensively and offensively inside. We are excited to have him at SVC.”
TJ hoops coach Dom DeCicco believes once Dunsey adjusts to college life, he will have a successful career with the Bearcats.
“I really think his best basketball is ahead of him,” DeCicco said. “Ethan had a lot of nagging injuries early in his career, but late in his junior year and all through his senior year he became a force on the floor.
“Ethan is outgoing and has a great personality. He matured in his senior year, and I hope that boomerangs to college.”
Dunsey, who was a member of the TJ football team the past two years, graduated with highest honors and was treasurer of the National Honor Society, an AP scholar and STEM club member.
In the gym, he was a four-year varsity player and three-year letterman. He also earned one varsity letter on the gridiron.
“My fondest high school memories include (winning) the WPIAL football championship this year against Aliquippa, and even though I didn’t play in the game it was still amazing to be part of,” Dunsey said. “Basketball-wise, my favorite memories are our 2019 Christmas trip to Deep Creek where we won a tournament, and the entire 2020-2021 season when we overachieved in most people’s eyes. It was great to come together as a team and really prove a lot of people wrong.”
Dunsey, whose brother Aiden is a 6-3, 250-pound sophomore on the TJ football team, competed for Campy’s Pizza for four years in the Greb basketball league held at Cal (Pa.), and has been active in several AAU hoops programs including the DAP2KK team run out of the Ammon Rec Center.
As a junior, Dunsey rebounded from a torn labrum suffered in football training camp to help spark the boys basketball team to a quarterfinal-round win in the WPIAL playoffs.
He led the Jaguars with 20-plus points in their playoff loss to Latrobe last season. Sadly, it was the day after his grandfather (and Dunsey’s biggest fan) was buried.
Dunsey chose to continue SVC after also considering Alfred, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Washington & Jefferson, Penn State Greater Allegheny, Penn State Behrend and Bethany.
He plans to major in engineering and minor in biology, with a concentration in bio-technology, and hopes to pursue a career in biomedical engineering.
“I’d like to thank all the coaches that have had an impact on my life so far,” Dunsey said. “We (our family) were faced with some very unfortunate circumstances as we reached the playoffs this year in basketball, and I’d really like to thank everyone who kept my head high and helped me make it to game day.
“Those people are why I decided to play college basketball. That support is what I really needed to feel.”
Saint Vincent competes in the NCAA Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference along with Westminster, Geneva, W&J, Grove City, Chatham, Thiel, Waynesburg, Franciscan and Bethany.
Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.
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