When you talk about basketball junkies — those who profess a love of the game, who eat, sleep and breathe it — one name comes to mind: Jeff Onushco.

He is the epitome of a “true basketball junkie.”

Onushco may be one of the first coaches to lead two basketball teams at the same time — one at the high school level and one in college — during the same season.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Onushco is a different kind of coach. He loves the game, holds it close to his heart and is — at his core — a teacher.

He is doing a phenomenal job with the women’s program at Penn State Hazleton, and also serves as head coach at Marian High School.

Both programs made the playoffs. The Lady Nittany Lions competed in the Commonwealth University Campuses postseason, and the Fillies are currently chasing a District 11 Class 2A title.

“I just have this tremendous love for the game,” Onushco said during a recent practice in Hometown. “I may not get a lot of sleep, I always say you’ll get enough sleep when you die.”

The affable coach chuckled after that last remark.

Indeed, he is burning the candle at both ends. In addition to coaching, he works the night shift as a mental health technician at KidsPeace in Orefield, near Allentown. The job puts miles on his car and strains his sleep schedule. It is serious work — sometimes dealing with children on suicide watch — far tougher than losing basketball games.

That experience carries over to the court. Onushco communicates firmly but calmly. He is a steady presence for young student-athletes. When he says others face challenges greater than his own, it is easy to understand why.

And how Onushco returned to Marian is a story in itself.

It began in the summer of 2025, when he volunteered to work with the team in the offseason after popular coach Damian Fritz was let go.

“When coach Fritz was let go, the team wasn’t doing anything for the rest of the summer,” Onushco recalled. “The search committee contacted me in July, asked me to take the head job. Well, I said ‘I’m not leaving Penn State, I’ve got kids coming back, I’ve got recruits coming in, new players coming in, I’m not doing that.’

“So, I said I’ll come in and work with your new players over the summer, because I don’t want to see them sit doing nothing. So I came in, maybe had 10-11 open gyms with these players working on skill work. I did that until they hired Jeanette (Barron), and once she got the job I said ‘Jeanette, I’d like to stay on and volunteer. I can’t be here all the time.’ That never really materialized for whatever reason.”

Early in December, with the season already underway, Barron resigned and the program was close to collapse. There was no head coach in place. Onushco, who had spent 22 years as an assistant under longtime Marian coach Paul Brutto, still felt a deep connection to the program.

First-year athletic director Billy O’Gurek — who also serves as head football coach and works a full-time job outside the school — was in desperate need of help.

“Billy calls me and said that the season was being canceled if he didn’t take the job,” Onushco said.

“Oh, I said I can’t let that happen.”

And just like that, he was back — this time as head coach.

“All the (players) knew me from the summer workouts,” Onushco said.

The timing helped. Penn State Hazleton was heading into winter break, allowing Onushco to focus on Marian for several weeks.

“Of course, my first commitment was to Penn State, but I’m going to put the time in at (Marian),” he said. “And it worked out fairly well. For Marian, I missed just one game, missed two or three practices and I haven’t missed any (time) at Penn State.

“It was nice that Penn State told me that you’re part-time ... here, go do what you want. They were understanding and allowed me to do it, and Marian is understanding, too.”

Onushco has built strong relationships with players on both teams — and earned their respect. When Marian defeated Shenandoah Valley to clinch a spot in the Schuylkill League girls playoffs, several Penn State Hazleton players attended the game.

“My whole team came down from (Hazleton) and when we beat Shenandoah all my players came down to the locker room, they had silly string with water and we had a little celebration,” Onushco said.

Onushco is quick to credit his assistants.

“It doesn’t work without my assistants Mandy Reinhart at Penn State, and Nick (Miska) and Cheryl (Stanitis) you can’t do this without good assistants, they’re able to run these practices (when I’m) not here, and keep us sharp,” he said.

They have all answered the call at Penn State Hazleton and Marian.

Two programs winning games — and embracing the leadership of Jeff Onushco.