Derry grad, baseball player Ryan Bushey pinch hits for Mt. Aloysius basketball team

Athletically, Ryan Bushey went to college to play baseball. But he is the gym-rat type, a sign of his affection for basketball that still lingers beyond high school.

He likes to shoot around and play pick-up games, even if it’s against players from the men’s basketball teams at Mt. Aloysius, where Bushey is a freshman.

When the Mounties recently ran into a player shortage, they didn’t have to look far for at least one replacement.

Bushey, a Derry graduate who was a standout guard for the Trojans, was more than happy to fill in, even if it was only for one or two games.

A baseball recruit one day and a basketball stand-in the next, Bushey was added to the roster for Wednesday night’s game against Pitt-Bradford after several players were “unavailable” after an incident with Pitt-Greensburg on Jan. 31.

The Mounties only had six regular players dressed.

“Ryan simply volunteered to be available, in case of emergency,” Mt. Aloysius coach Marcus Thomas said. “He seems like a great young man, and we enjoyed having him on our roster for the night. He was doing some ball-handling and got some shots up throughout the day to prepare, and he was a valued member on the bench for us, bringing plenty of energy and enthusiasm, which we greatly appreciated.”

Bushey did not play in Wednesday’s 85-71 loss but felt like a part of the team nonetheless.

“Our athletic director gave me a call Wednesday morning and said, ‘If you would be interested, I’m going to need you to suit up for the team tonight,’ and I said yes immediately,” Bushey said. “He told me that I was most likely not going to get in the game, which I completely understood — it’s a conference game and I was not familiar with the offense — but if I did have to go in, I knew I’d be ready.”

The baseball team showed up to support Bushey.

“He took the opportunity very seriously,” Thomas said.

The stand-by role scratched an itch for Bushey, who will always enjoy the game.

“Just being in a gym shooting will forever be one of the greatest feelings,” he said. “So from that, it’s turned into any time a guy on the team needs someone to rebound for them or need an extra guy to workout with, I’m there to help.”

Bushey has not ruled out walking on to earn an official role on the team.

“I’ll have to ask my baseball coach if he’s comfortable with me doing two sports,” he said.