hoops heroes get their props

The Muhlenberg basketball coaches had no trouble singing about the unsung.

Seniors Chris MacIntosh and Bethany Enterline were named to the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball “Unsung Hero” Team at a luncheon at Starter’s Pub in Bethlehem.

MacIntosh (right) is in his third season as a starting point guard and second season as a team captain for the men. He is currently averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 assists per game and leads the Mules in steals. Last year, MacIntosh was third in the Centennial Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio, but his value to the team goes beyond the statistics.

“Chris is truly an unsung hero,” said head coach Dave Madeira. “It doesn’t matter to him if he scores zero points.

“A typical night for Chris was in our league opener [vs. Haverford]. He took one shot. He was assigned to guard the other team’s top scorer – 6-3, real athletic, an all-conference player – and held him to four points, both on breakaway layups after a steal. In the halfcourt offense he had nothing.

“Those things are not in the box score, and reporters never ask questions about them, but night in and night out, that’s what Chris gives us.”

Enterline’s influence on the women’s team is even less noticeable in games, as her playing time is severely limited by injuries. A team co-captain, she has played only 14 minutes this season, often put into games to get a key rebound or give the Mules a defensive spark.

“As a freshman, Bethany was playing starters’ minutes by the end of the year, but then she had some leg injuries,” said head coach Ron Rohn. “They’re the kind of injuries that our trainers say she’s not going to hurt them anymore, it’s just how much pain she can tolerate.

“She plays with an unbelievable amount of pain. She’s such an inspiration to the team. I’ve never coached a player who has put herself through as much as Bethany does.”

Enterline (left) is part of a senior class that has an exceptional four-year record of 72-17 (.809), including a 6-0 mark this season. That start has put the team into the top 20, as Muhlenberg jumped from No. 21 to No. 16 in the new D3hoops.com poll. It’s the highest national ranking for the Mules since they were 15th in the 2006 pre-NCAA Tournament poll.