Trey Burns signs with Bethel Pilots

Penn High School student-athlete Trey Burns will continue his academic and basketball careers at Bethel College. Burns, a 6-foot-3 wing with a silky smooth shot and outstanding leaping skills, signed a letter of intent Monday, October 12, at Penn High School.

 

Back row (l-r): Aaron Leniski, PHS Athletic Director; Mike Lightfoot, Bethel Basketball head coach; Jerry Thacker, PHM Superintendent; Al Rhodes, Penn basketball head coach; Ryne Lightfoot, Bethel assistant coach; Tony Natali, Bethel assistant coach; Joe Sierzputowksi, Penn JV basketball coach. Front row: Trey Burns flanked by his parents, Mark and Lisa Burns.

 

 

“I’ve always known about Bethel, growing up around it,” Burns said. “When coach Lightfoot gave me a call to take a visit and meet the players, I felt like I was part of the team, already. It was like a big family, and I liked that.

 

“This is a great feeling. It’s always been a goal of mine to play college basketball. Bethel is a great program.” Coach Mike Lightfoot’s Bethel Pilots were 27-7 last season and seeded No. 10 in the NAIA national tournament.

 

Burns said that the Penn High School program under the direction of coach Al Rhodes has prepared him for the collegiate level. “Coach Rhodes has really helped a lot with teaching me fundamentals,” Burns said. “He’s helped me get a better attitude, and he’s developed me into a harder worker.”

 

Burns helped Penn rack up a 21-6 record, including a 7-1 mark in the Northern Indiana Conference. Last season, Burns average 9.2 points and 4.3 rebounds a game. He scored a career-high 19 points last season in a 97-50 rout of Andrean. While Trey suffered a shoulder injury in the off-season, he is expected to be fully recovered for Penn’s 2015-16 season.

 

In a statement released by Bethel, coach Lightfoot said:

"We are excited to have Trey as a Bethel Pilot. Trey has a great upside to his basketball career. His shoulder injury has been just a temporary setback and he has a great future ahead of him. Trey brings athleticism and size at the guard position. He is an outstanding student and is a great fit for our program. Trey comes from an outstanding family that I have known for years. We have also been blessed with a long line of Penn graduates over the years that have played for us. They are fundamentally sound and have a great understanding on what it takes to win."