For decades, Point Park basketball seasons have had two things in common, Bob Rager and Bill Ketrow.

Rager is in his 26th season as coach of the Point Park men’s basketball team, and Ketrow has been in charge of the book which determines points, fouls and other statistics for both basketball teams for 24 years.

For those that have seen women’s basketball head coach Tony Grenek run over to the scorer’s table during a home game asking how many timeouts he has left, he is always asking Ketrow.

Ketrow transferred to Point Park from CCAC Boyce in 1991, and it was his mother that made him become a work study because she did not want him “sitting on his butt all day.” Ketrow’s role that year was basketball and he worked in the athletics office while ensuring he had under 200 total hours worked as per his requirement.

1999 was a big year for Ketrow’s development as keeper of the official book. He was asked to do road games in addition to home games, something he has done since. This is rare, because now with advanced software less colleges and universities send official books, but Ketrow’s book endures.

Rager and Ketrow’s relationship is one that, in a sense, has stood the test of time. Many call them father and son, including assistant coach Gabe Bubon.

“Billy and [Rager] work perfectly together,” Bubon said. “Rager trusts Billy and Ketrow is a true professional.”

Ketrow sees their relationship as a testament to his work. He applies Rager’s philosophy of “if you do good work, you can keep coming back” to himself.

Bubon also enjoys Ketrow’s optimism.

“The thing about Billy is that he always thinks we’re going to win, and he always tells us how,” Bubon said. “Before every season, Billy tells us we’re going to go undefeated.”

Ketrow has consistently been a trusted source of information for players and coaches alike. He remembers in 2011, when the Daemen College men’s basketball team was up 27 and argued about a foul call they felt shouldn’t have been in the book. Point Park would come back to win and according to Ketrow, he’s been given the stink eye there ever since.

The only question that remains for Ketrow is how long he plans to do the book. His reply is, “as long as I am asked to.” It is this attitude and mentality that has made Ketrow a trusted fixture with both basketball teams.