Waynesburg senior guard Frank Bozicevic finishing with a flourish

The adjustment period is in the rear-view mirror for Gateway graduate Frank Bozicevic at Waynesburg.

Bozicevic, a talented 6-foot-1 guard, is one of five seniors for the Yellow Jackets and four players averaging double figures. Bozicevic’s astute leadership abilities have emerged front and center as the season has progressed.

And first-year coach Tim Fusina has noticed.

“Frank has had a great second half of the season,” said Fusina, who is assisted by A.J. Uhl. “It is an adjustment getting used to a new system, and Frank has adjusted tremendously as a player and, most importantly, as a leader.

“Frank has done a great job recently of making shots and being a good on-ball defender. He has been instrumental this year in transitioning to a new staff.”

The sharp-shooting Bozicevic is a second-year starter and fourth-year player at Waynesburg, which competes in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.

“I always tell people, I could never have imagined going anywhere else and not meeting the teammates and friends I’ve made,” Bozicevic said, “and not experiencing the things I have uniquely been able to be a part of. My first time flying was to the West Coast in my sophomore year to play the preseason No. 1 team in the country. Taking a 10-day trip to Ireland to play three games and tour the country are experiences I wouldn’t have been able to do being at another school.

“It’s always been more than basketball though. As a freshman and sophomore, upperclassman like Timmy Kaiser, Christian Koroly, Jon Knab, Kendall Paige and Marcus Wallace demonstrated the brotherhood that Waynesburg basketball provides to those who buy in. This year’s senior class learned from those guys and has tried to establish that kind of culture these last two years.”

This season, Bozicevic, an applied business major, leads the Yellow Jackets in 3-point shooting percentage (33 of 74; 45%) and steals (36). Bosicveic has made 81% of his free throws and ranks second in assists and blocked shots.

“I have only been here for one season, but I think Frank has been a great leader for our program and I am grateful he is here in this transition period,” Fusina said. “He is an outstanding person from a great family, and I am proud of how he has grown in the short time I have known him.

“Frank is always positive with his teammates and is always looking for ways to get better. He works hard every day and is a leader for our program.”

Bozicevic ranks fourth on the team in scoring (11.7 average).

“Personally, I’ve always prided myself on being an all-around player,” Bozicevic said. “Being able to be a playmaker and scorer on offense while being a great defender has always been a goal every single year in college. I feel like I’m playing the best I’ve ever played in my career, which is all I could ask for with this being my final year of playing competitively.”

Bozicevic averaged 10.3 points as a junior, and scored a career-high 23 points three times last season.

The Gateway grad’s top performances in 2019-20 were 21 points on Dec. 16 against Westminster and 20 on Jan. 15 at Saint Vincent.

“The overtime win (at St. Vincent) was my best individual performance,” Bozicevic said. “It was one of the most memorable wins of my career in an intimidating road game.”

Waynesburg (4-14) strung together a four-game winning streak against conference foes Geneva, Washington & Jefferson, Saint Vincent and Thiel to go to 4-5 in the PAC and climb into postseason tournament contention.

“We are a team that has a new coach and a new system with a group of experienced seniors who played under a different system for three years,” Bozicevic said. “That’s the hand we’ve been dealt, and I think we are learning how to win with this system. I’m excited to see how the end of the season goes.”

Bozicevi was a three-year letterman in basketball at Gateway and a two-time all-section selection.