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Houghton Basketball Signs Three from Schenectady Christian

HOUGHTON, N.Y. — Three teammates from Schenectady Christian School have signed letters of intent to play basketball for Houghton College in the fall. The trio—Jake Bowman, a 6-1 shooting guard, Bryan Bishop, a 6-2 guard and Petar Serafimovski, a 6-3 swingman—led Schenectady Christian to a 19-3 record and the #16 spot in the final rankings of Class C in New York this year.

From left: Chad Bowman, boys’ basketball head coach, Schenectady Christian; Petar Serafimovski; Bryan Bishop; Jake Bowman; Brad Zarges, men’s basketball head coach, Houghton College.

            Bowman, whose father Chad coaches the Schenectady Christian team, averaged 22.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. “Jake’s work ethic and knowledge of the game have helped him become one of the finest high school players in the Albany area and beyond,” says Brad Zarges, head coach of the Houghton men, “He reads defenders like a seasoned college player and his instincts defensively are impressive. Jake will be a perfect complement for our returning players. I will expect to see him compete for major minutes at the shooting guard and possibly a starting role, even in his first season.”

            Bowman was the MVP of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) South League his senior year and Co-MVP his junior year. He also earned All-State honors (Class C, third team) and a berth on the all-tournament team for Section II, Class CC. His parents, Chad and Greta Bowman, live in Niskayuna, N.Y.

            Serafimovski’s family is from a lot further away—Skope, Macedonia, to be exact. The exchange student played just one year with Schenectady Christian, averaging 10.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. “Petar is just beginning to realize his basketball potential,” Bowman said, “He is smart and extremely coachable…He became an outstanding rebounder.”

            Zarges agrees, saying “Early in the year, I thought Petar had potential. By the end of the year, Petar had developed so much that it was obvious he could help our program.” Zarges expects that Serafimovski will provide some depth on the varsity squad, as well as play in some junior varsity (JV) games to gain experience.

            The JV squad is where Bishop is likely to begin his college career, but Zarges thinks he’ll work his way up. “I expect with added strength and a bit of college experience, he will soon land on the varsity roster,” the coach says. He and the high school coach agree that it is Bishop’s shooting ability that will get him there. “Bryan helps to spread defenses with his ability to knock down perimeter shots,” says Zarges, “He is a tremendous shooter.”

            “Bryan is one of the best shooters I have ever coached,” said Bowman, “He has a high basketball I.Q. and loves to play.” Bishop holds the school record at Schenectady Christian for three-point field goals with 151 and earned WAC All-Star (First Team) status his senior year.