Senior Brett Matson has been a starter on the Pine-Richland High School boys' basketball team since he was a freshman, but it might seem like he is on a brand new team this year.

Four starters graduated from last year's squad. Matson had played with those four starters for three seasons and this year he is playing alongside four new starters.

"He has become much more assertive this year," said Rams coach Dave Krakoff. "Last year was a real experienced veteran team and he kind of fit in and filled his role on the court.

"This year he is stepping up verbally and making sure everyone else does their job. He has shown a lot of good leadership skills and has really embraced the challenge."

Matson has helped the Rams to a 10-5 start and a 3-3 mark in Section 3-AAAA. After 15 games he was averaging 18.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. After playing as a "two guard" most of his career, he moved to point guard last season and is averaging nearly five assists and 2.5 steals a game. He scored 18 points in a 64-47 loss to Shaler Tuesday.

"When [coach] moved me to point guard my junior year, it helped me a lot to step up and be more aggressive," said Matson, who spent most of the offseason playing AAU ball for the Pittsburgh Storm. "It's tough losing all those guys from last year. It's a different year and we are building new relationships with the new guys."

His most impressive performance may have come against Seneca Valley in the Rams' section-opening game. Matson was limited to six points at halftime and his team was trailing by 10. He helped rally the Rams to a 69-65 double-overtime win by scoring 30 points, including nine in overtime.

"Brett really ended up stepping up and taking over that game against a very talented Seneca Valley team," Krakoff said. "That was a situation that defined him. He is a winner and he really did take over that game."

In that contest Matson eclipsed the 1,000-career-point mark and is now within reach of Mike Decker's second place all-time mark of 1,281. Decker, a 2001 graduate, is an assistant coach on Krakoff's staff.

"He jokes around with me about it all the time," Matson said. "He tells me if I get close to that record, he's going to have to do something about it."

Both are well behind Pine-Richland's all-time leading scorer, Allan MacQuarrie, a 2001 graduate who ranks 10th on the WPIAL all-time list with 2,247.

Matson played a key role in the Rams' playoff run to the WPIAL semifinals last year and a game in the PIAA playoffs. He scored 35 points in a first-round win over McKeesport. Last season Matson was the highest vote getter for the all-section team.

"Last year you always knew where each guy was going to be," said Matson. "Now you have to play the game with the new guys and figure out what they can do. We are getting better each day."

Krakoff is also in his fourth year as head coach at Pine-Richland. When he took the job, he made an investment in a lot of young players, including Matson who has progressed since his freshman year.

"He went through all the stages of growing and improving as a player. He makes everyone else better," Krakoff said.

Guard Kevin Wissinger is the only other senior in the starting lineup. Freshman guard Eric Holmes, sophomore forward Eric Kordenbrock and junior forward Tommy Johnson make up the rest of the starting five.Pine-Richland's top two

The following are the top two all-time leading scorers on the boys' basketball team at Pine-Richland High School. Brett Matson, a senior, is third.

Name.....Career points

Allan MacQuarrie.....2,247

Mike Decker.....1,281