The Fox Chapel boys basketball team didn’t have time to get their legs underneath them before the heart-pounding plays happened. John Rehak’s game-winning basket with less than a second remaining in the season opener set the tone for what would be an entertaining but tense first few weeks to the season.

Fox Chapel opened the season by winning three of its first round games. All four games were decided by six points or fewer.

“It’s a good thing,” Foxes coach Zach Skrinjar said. “There’s a strategy there. We’ve had some things go good and bad. When we get later in the season, we can talk about what we ran against this time and in this situation.”

Fox Chapel (3-1) opened the season with a 65-64 nonsection win over Shaler. In addition to Rehak’s 18 points, the Foxes had Grant Fenton chip in 16 points.

The Foxes followed up with a pair of wins at the Chartiers Valley tipoff tournament, beating Johnstown 45-43 before knocking off the host Colts in the championship game, 47-41.

As those scores indicate, Fox Chapel’s season hasn’t featured many games where the offense has piled up.

Skrinjar said the Foxes are still trying to get used to new rotations and how their best lineups can fit together.

“We have a long way to go,” Skrinjar said. “At times, we play well together. We need to get in rhythm. We are still getting used to playing with different lineups. We are a work in progress is my biggest takeaway. There have been plenty of positives and negatives.”

Fox Chapel has done a good job of rebounding by committee this season. Fenton and Joe McGivney were tied for the team high, averaging 4.7 per game. Rehak also averages 4.3 rebounds per contest.

Fox shoots 35% from beyond the 3-point line. The Foxes’ lone loss so far this season was a 44-41 decision against Hempfield.

Rehak led the Foxes with 13 points against the Spartans, while McGivney added 10.

The Foxes were scheduled to open section play Dec. 12 against Seneca Valley. Results from the game were too late for this edition.

“I think this section is going to be incredibly competitive from top to bottom,” Skrinjar said. “I don’t think there is going to be an easy game. I don’t think any of those games will be blowouts. We are preaching to our players about what it’s going to be like when the intensity turns up alot.”