Injuries and Triumphs: The Story of Andrew Bithell

School’s out, but Tom, Biz, and Coach Curley refuse to coast into summer. Instead, they welcome 6-foot-7 bruiser-turned-firefighter Andrew “Bith” Bithell (’21) for a conversation that crackles hotter than a three-alarm blaze. Bith rewinds the tape on his roller-coaster college career—three shoulder surgeries, two concussions, and a nine-game senior season shortened by COVID—then fast-forwards to life in full turnout gear with the Altoona Fire Department, where he moonlights as a record-setting strongman (yes, he once cuddled a 415-lb atlas stone).

Along the way, the crew trades stories about rehab-forged grit, weight-room epiphanies, and that Winston Churchill mantra Bith keeps taped to his locker: “Stay ready—your finest hour might start in 60 seconds.” A lightning round reveals his Dr Pepper–powered post-lift diet, the most underrated Eagle of his era, and whether he’d rather squat 800 lbs or drain a Landmark title buzzer-beater (spoiler: team first, always). Equal parts locker-room banter and life-advice clinic, this episode is a master class in turning setbacks into strength—on the court, in the gym, and under the flashing lights of a fire engine.

The Juniata Men's Basketball Show is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by lifelong friends Tom Frank, Drew "Biz" Besket, and Head Juniata Basketball Coach Greg Curley. Got a question for the guys? Please contact us through Instagram @JuniataBasketballShow. Please subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts, leave us a rating on apple and spread the word #EaglesNation. Juniata College basketball is part of the The Landmark Conference, an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III.