Zach Reiner does it all for Wissahickon
Every team would love it if their tallest player was able to run the floor and pass like a point guard.
Everyone wants it, Wissahickon has it.
Point forward Zach Reiner stands at 6-foot-4 and is the Trojans primary ball-handler.
“I said, ‘You have to be our Ben Simmons out here,’” Wissahickon coach Kyle Wilson said. “Pass, move, do those little things and he loves that … He just loves to distribute out there and he likes to get guys involved. Sometimes we have to yell to him, ‘Don’t force it.’ He likes sometimes to make the real hard, savvy pass. Save that for later when we’re up eight. He’s such a good leader. He’ll own it, come back and play hard.”
Reiner, a three-year varsity starter, played significant minutes since he was a freshman. As a ninth-grader, he was knocking down shots from three-point land and looked like he was going to be a big guard that can score from anywhere.
He still has the ability to make shots from any spot on the floor, but he has developed into much more of a facilitator.
“(Passing) is probably my first option,” Reiner, a team captain, said, “freeing up Max (Rapoport) and Eddie (Fortescue) because they’re our two main scorers this year. I do what I can to get a win. Whatever happens, happens.”
“I know when he has the ball I’m going to cut,” Rapoport, a longtime teammate, said. “I know he’s looking to find me. He might have five points, but you know he’s having 10 assists a game. He’s the most unselfish player I think I’ve ever played with.”
He’s moved more into the point forward role this year after point guard Zach Gelman graduated from the 2017 team.
“I’ve always had the passing trait,” Reiner said, “but this year I had to step it up just to free up our guys.
“This year since Max is one of our top scorers we need him off the ball. Having me pass the ball to him and facilitate is probably our top option efficiency wise.”
Reiner’s been playing some of his best basketball down the stretch this season to help the Trojans earn the No. 4 seed in the District 1 Class-5A playoffs. They will open up the postseason Wed. Feb. 21 at home against No. 13 Strath Haven at 7 p.m.
The senior flirted with a triple double twice within three days. Against Hatboro-Horsham on Jan. 30 he posted 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists. On Feb. 2 against Cheltenham he had nine points, eight rebounds and 10 assists. Both games were Suburban One League American Conference wins.
He scored 26 points in a 75-52 win over Upper Moreland on Feb. 6 and wasn’t needed too much after the Trojans jumped out to a 25-0 lead in a 76-33 win over Springfield-Montco to close out the regular season. Wiss finished 16-6 overall and 11-3 in the SOL American Conference, good enough for second place.
