Catasauqua’s boys’ basketball team isn’t overly concerned with their initial returns this summer, but they are more concerned with the big picture.

It just isn’t about wins and losses. Instead it is about overall development.

The Roughies recently participated in the prestigious Cedar Beach Basketball Showcase and they exited after their first two games in the double-elimination tournament.

They dropped games to Bangor and Whitehall, being more settled and competitive in the latter game. The Roughies trailed Bangor, 29-2, with six minutes left in the first half.

“We’re a young team, really young,” said head coach Eric Snyder. “We struggled to score against Bangor and we were really nervous. We were more competitive in the second half.

“We were extremely competitive in the first half against Whitehall. We played much better.”

Snyder is optimistic the experience can benefit his team when they play on a similar stage in the Cedar Beach A-Town Throwdown July 13-15. They will have a minimum number of games in a pool play format.

“Hopefully, we will find out soon who we will play,” said Snyder. “We settled down and we should be fine in this tournament.”

Like they have in recent years, the Roughies again are battling height issues. Although there is promise ahead with budding sophomores Derek George, Ty Reitz, and Donovan Walakovits, all of whom hit the 6-foot-3 and just above mark.

George apparently will get the nod at center this winter.

“He’s (George) our starting center,” said Snyder. “He had really pushed himself this summer. Reitz is 6-4 and a half and also has played well. They are both very slender and will need to mature on the court.

“Walakovits has a nice jump shot and will need to work on his inside game.”

Senior Andrew Martinez, who is 5-10, also has looked good underneath, and junior Jacob Smith has been consistent.

Snyder also has been impressed with his team’s play in both the Catty and North Catty League this summer.

“They play hard and I really love these kids,” he said. “They battle and talk to each other out there. They are growing and developing a bond. They really remind me of a throwback team.”

Snyder noted the team also will play two Wednesday nights in July at Panther Valley against Schuylkill League teams.

“We play against teams we don’t normally see,” he said. “We’ll try it and it should help. These kids are really into it and we’ll see what happens.”