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Ed "Huck" Palmer is one of our trusty statisticians/observers. He is not to be confused with Tom "Puck" McKenna. (Huck is normal. Puck is not even close). He will make occasional reports on games he sees. You may contact him at TEDDYCAT10@aol.com.
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Ed "Huck" Palmer is one of our trusty statisticians/observers. He is not to be confused with Tom "Puck" McKenna. (Huck is normal. Puck is not even close). He will make occasional reports on games he sees. You may contact him at TEDDYCAT10@aol.com.
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FEB. 22
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 44, Bonner 31
Going into this game both teams knew they had shot at
capturing first place in the Southern Division with a win. With a lot at stake, both teams
seemed to be a bit tight throughout the contest. As the score indicates it was defensive
struggle, but nonetheless, it still featured some entertaining moments. The Hawklets
(21-4) could get nothing going offensively through a quarter and a half. The Friars (19-6)
really had the usually poised Hawklets considerably off-balance. Bonner built an 15-6 lead
midway through the second quarter. They did so by pounding the offensive glass and
creating second chance opportunities. They were also effective at holding the ball for
lengthy possessions. It seemed to me that the Prep got somewhat frustrated, and hurried
some shots. Prep soph PG Chris Clark (10 pts, 5 asst) hit two huge threes late in
the second quarter. The latter was a right-corner trey with just seconds remaining before
halftime, pulling the Hawklets to within one at 19-18. The second half started just like
the first half with Bonner scoring two early field goals, and giving themselves a 23-18
lead. This is when the Friars misfortunes began. The Prep went on to score the last 13
points of the quarter. There were a couple critical plays in this sequence, and both
involved the aforementioned Clark. First, with Prep leading 26-23, Clark scooped-up a
floor offensive rebound near the key. He took a dribble into the lane, and found sr. F 6-3
Jim Good (7 pts) in the corner who nailed a three. Secondly, immediately following
the Good three-pointer, Bonner's, jr. PG Frank Nunan hurried the ball up court and
while trying to call a timeout was picked cleanly by Clark. Clark retrieved the ball, and
found a streaking soph WG John Griffin (8 pts) for a layup. The Friars eventually
got that timeout, but could never recover. Prep team leader jr. F 6-5 Mark Zoller
was held in check for the most part, but did finish with 10 pts, 9 rebs, and 5 steals.
Zoller wh! o picked up three-first half fouls did most of his damage in the 3rd stanza
where he scored three baskets. Jr. F Kyle Eisenmann is effective at doing the
little things, things that really don't show up in the box score. He often finds himself
in the right place at the right time, and plays strong defense. As a team Prep played
excellent defense all afternoon. Especially effective was Good who did a nice job of
clamping down on Bonner star, sr. F 6-4 Matt Kearney, who shot just 4-for-12 from
the field. The Prep student section was in full effect, and I would have to say their most
satisfying moment was when sr. WG Mike Haubrich scored on a driving layup late in
the game. The Friars looked confident early, but this confidence quickly fizzled. Kearney
led the Friars with 13 points and 9 rebounds, but did not receive much help. Bonner sorely
missed sr. WG Badir McCleary, who was serving a one-game suspension for receiving
double-technicals last weekend. McCleary is very capable of getting hot, and the Friars
very much needed somewhat to get hot. The inside duo of sr. F 6-3 Anthony Bennett (5
rebs) and sr. C 6-7 Vince Taraborrelli (6 rebs) were non-factors offensively. They
managed to score just 6 points between them. Sr. WG Kevin LeSage (6 rebs, 4 steals)
took McCleary's spot in the starting lineup, and was scrappy throughout. However he could
not supply the scoring punch that McCleary's absence called for. With Carroll's win over
Roman, the stage is now set for a rematch this upcoming weekend between these two teams.
Prep won both regular season meetings, but I think with McCleary back in the lineup the
Friars will be better able to make it much more competitive game. Not to go unnoticed were
some of the catchy lines the Prep students sent towards the small group of Bonner fans.
Chants such as, "We own Bonner, we own Bonner, .......", and my personal
favorite, "Just like in football, just like in football,......" We all remember
the Prep beating Bonner for the CL Red Championship in football this past fall. One more
tidbit about this game, and it has nothing to do about basketball. I'd like to commend the
tremendous job put in by Prep sr. Justin Hopkins, who was awesome in singing the
national anthem. This was the second time I witnessed this performance, and I could not
let it go unnoticed.
FEB. 21
PL FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF
Simon Gratz 52, Engineering & Science 39
Early on it looked like the Engineers (15-7) were going to
give the perennial Pub power Bulldogs (18-6) all they could handle. E&S led 8-2, after
the 1st quarter, and eventually built their lead to 12-2 early in the second. Gratz went a
chilly 0-for-10 from the field in the first stanza, and did not score their first hoop
until 6:41 of the second quarter. With good defense, the Bulldogs were able to get back in
it, and only trailed 21-19 at the intermission. The Engineers managed to score the first
two points of the third quarter, but from this point on, it was all Gratz. The Bulldogs
unleashed a 16-0 run, and built a 35-23 late into the third quarter. E&S would get no
closer than nine points for the rest of the contest. Gratz was led by versatile, 6-4 F Maurice
Collins (7 rebs, 3 blocks) who scored a team high 16 points. The highly athletic and
silky smooth Collins, showed an array of moves to the cup for scores. He reminds me
somewhat of Michael Cuffee, who came out of nowhere to star for the Bulldogs last
season. Collins may not be as polished as Cuffee, but nonetheless all the state schools
should be salivating over him. His best days are without a doubt ahead of him. Sr. F 6-6 Micheal
Blackshear returned for the Bulldogs after injuring his wrist a few weeks ago. Though
he did not start, and offensively was not much of a factor. Blackshear did SNATCH 13
rebounds, in just 20 minutes of action. On two occasions, he showed great balance and
positioning to score on two tips. Blackshear snares rebounds so hard, you can hear the air
coming out of the ball when it hits his hands. The starting backcourt of jr. WG Tariq
Wharton (14 pts) and jr. PG Omar Johnson (12 pts) struggled mightily in the
first half, they combined to score just 3 points and had some careless turnovers. However,
this duo had a major reversal of fortune in the second half. They combined to score 23
points, and collectively shot 8-for-10 from the field. Defensively, t! hey shut the door
on the guards from E&S. Johnson also hit on 5-of-7 from the charity stripe. I also
thought that jr. WG Tyree Watson played a major role in Gratz seizing control. In
limited time, the active Watson caused some serious havoc in the second quarter. He
finished 3-for-3 from the floor, for 6 points. He also added a couple of steals and
assists as well. It doesn't sound like much, but all of these stats came at critical
times. E&S played hard and smart for a good portion of this game, but just wilted with
the constant pressure that the Bulldogs through at them. Sr. PG Justin Scott was
sensational, and nearly put his team on his back. Scott is a heady player and could
probably be a dream for a coach at one of the area's smaller colleges. He finished with 17
points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and two blocks. I would have liked to see him
taken a few more shots (6-for-11 FG's) when his team needed a basket, but you could tell
that he plays very unselfishly. No other Engineer provided much support, 6-5 F Matthew
Jefferson (6 pts, 5 rebs) had some success early, but found himself plagued by fouls,
and with a constant seat on the bench before actually fouling out. After the Bulldogs
0-for-10 start, they finished the game 20-for-34. They easily won the rebounding battle
35-23. The people at E&S were only letting fans in who had a ticket. For some reason
it didn't seem as chaotic (I mean that in a good way) in E&S's bandbox of a gym. The
game had atmosphere, but didn't really provide that extra juice that is so often prevalent
in this place.
FEB. 17
CL SOUTH
West Catholic 66 O'Hara 58
After trailing 58-57, with just under two minutes to go, the
Burrs (7-17) scored the game's last nine points to gain a nice late-in-the-season victory.
There were many key performers for the Burrs on this afternoon, but the player who really
had it going on was jr. PG Curtis Bryant. Bryant, who has performed well in the
second half of the season, was remarkable in running the team. He finished with 11
assists, and 0 turnovers. Not to go unnoticed was the marksmanship he showed from
distance, where he hit all three of his three-point attempts. Bryant finished with 14
points, and did grab 4 rebounds as well. Recently, I have noticed that Curtis has seemed
to have gained a better understanding of how the game is supposed to be played. He reminds
me a little of former West PG Ronald Banks. He is not as nearly as quick as Ron,
and probably not as strong. I think if he dedicates himself in the off-season he could be
one of the league's surprise players next season. He will without a doubt have to get
stronger and try to become quicker to maximize his talents. He is a VERY capable shooter
from distance, over 40% in league play. Remember, Ron Banks came out of nowhere to receive
2nd-team All-Catholic in his senior year. Another player who had somewhat of a
breakout game was soph F 6-4 Marshall Taylor. Taylor hit three consecutive
standstill treys in the first quarter. Taylor is a gifted player, but at times has
drifted for periods of time during games. Today, he put together his best 32-minute effort
of the season. He scored 23 points, including 10-of-12 from the charity stripe. He hit
5-of-6 freebies in the waning moments to seal the victory. He also grabbed 6 rebounds,
made 3 blocks, stole a couple, and dished two dimes. Jr. F Brandon Wicker (10 pts,
6 rebs) was his typical self around the basket, hitting 5-of-8 shots. Jr. WG Kevin
Williams built upon his good game Friday night, and contributed 11 points. Williams
hit three from distance! , including a huge one in the fourth quarter. When Williams let's
the game come to him he can be an effective shooter and player. It's when he starts
worrying about his next shot that he finds himself in trouble. The Burrs were 9-for-15
from three, and 15-for-19 from the line. Both of these numbers are league best for them
this year. This was only the second time in Coach Bill Ludlow's term (9 years) that
one of his teams have won at O'Hara. The Lions looked a little disinterested in this one,
and that is not to take anything away from West. I do believe that the talent level
between the two teams is rather even. With that being said, I think the Lions found
themselves going through the motions for stretches. This could have been the case for that
O'Hara is a senior oriented team that was out of the playoff race, and West is a team of
underclassmen trying to build for next season. O'Hara (10-13) was once again led by sr. WG
6-2 Chris Grandieri (8 rebs) who scored a quiet 17 points. He did shoot 7-for-12
from the field. Sr. CG Harry Dougherty was probably the best Lion on the day.
He finished with 15 points (7-for-8 FT's), and dealt 7 assists. Many of his assists
were pretty feeds. Sr. WG Ryan Cleary (5 rebs) had a strong game as well, scoring
11 of his 13 points in the second half. Slim, F 6-3 Pat Baylor shot 6-for-7 from
the field, and scored 12 points. O'Hara coach Bud Gardler was honored prior to the
game with the ball from the game in which he got his 500th win. That was truly a great
accomplishment!!!
FEB. 15
CL SOUTH
West Catholic 73 Kennedy-Kenrick 65
The Burrs (6-17) finally got into the win column in league
play, and avoided going winless in league play for the first time in 72 years. West seized
control midway through the second quarter, and built their lead to as many as 12 points
during the fourth quarter. A late Wolverine (6-17) rally made things interesting, but
finally the Burrs withstood another end of the game run to secure the victory. Improving,
jr. F Brandon Weston (5 steals) recorded his third double-double of the season with
team highs of 23 points (10-for-15 FG's), and 12 rebounds. Weston, who at just a shade
over 6-0 has two other games in which he just missed achieving double-doubles. Quite an
amazing feat for the athletic forward. Weston, has been the Burrs most consistent player
this season. Jr. F Brandon Wicker, who in many ways mirrors Weston, had another
solid outing by posting 15 points and 10 rebounds. Wicker shot 7-for-10 from the floor,
and is quite effective working the baseline and hitting the offensive glass. Wicker
grabbed 7 of his 10 boards on the offensive end. Jr. CG Kevin Williams had one of
his more productive games of the season. The sometimes erratic Williams bunched 10 of his
15 points in the fourth quarter offsetting a Wolverine comeback bid. Included in this
flurry were two three's (one NBA range), and a 4-for-4 stint at the foul line. Soph F 6-4 Marshall
Taylor scored all 9 of his points in the first half. He did add 4 steals and 4 blocks
on the evening. Jr. PG Curtis Bryant had a team high 6 assist. Soph F Robert
Latimer (5 points) provided some off-the-bench energy in the second half. After the
game no Burr player was happier than lone sr., F 6-4 Souleymane Bah. Bah, who never
started a game, varsity or JV while in the program was given a start in the Burrs last
home game of the year. He scored an early bucket, grabbed 3 rebounds, and blocked two
shots. The team dedicated the win to him, and prior to the game he was given a framed
picture of the team. Later on, coach Bill Ludlow had nothing but kind and sincere
words to say about "Sul" as he is called by fellow students. Stating that
Bah, "Is the epitome of a team player, someone who came to school everyday and worked
as hard, if not harder than any of his players." Sometimes in high school athletics
we get caught up in the glory of wins, points, and championships. With this being the case
at times, many other qualities get lost in the shuffle. Attributes such as building
character, learning responsibility, and developing relationships with people. Also,
knowing what it is about to be part of a team, becoming a leader, and developing a special
respect from your coach, as well as your teammates. In these areas Souleymane Bah is first
team All-Catholic. I commend his efforts, and the values he brought to the West Catholic
basketball program. The Wolverines' staked claim to 21-13 lead after the first quarter,
but were mostly disorganized from that point on. Sr. sniper, Ryan Rich had nice
moments at the beginning and end of the game, but struggled in between. Rich finished with
20 pts (4-three's), 5 rebs, 3 steals. Intriguing soph CG 6-2 Amarildo Matos
supplied 14 points, 4 rebs, 4 assist, and 3 steals. Matos is shifty with the ball, and
nailed a couple of spin, fadeaway jumpers reminiscent of Michael Jordan himself. He
also hit a couple of 25-foot plus three's late in the game. It will be interesting to see
what direction Matos goes in the next two seasons, personally, I think he can be a star.
Gritty, sr. F Mike Rafferty fought tooth and nail for 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 4
assist. This kid goes after it, and never takes a possession off.
FEB. 10
CL SOUTH
Roman 81 West Catholic 65
The game was tied 55-55 going into the fourth quarter, and
there was a sense that the Burrs may get into the win column for the first time in league
play. The Cahillites put a squash to these ideas quickly. Roman (16-6) went on a 26-2 run,
yes, 26-2 run. The game was far more competitive than the final score implies. Soph
sensation F 6-3 Charron Fisher was contained in the first half. The Burrs (5-17)
played a zone that featured two players leaning on Fisher almost entirely. Fisher was just
1-for-4 from the field in half number one. Things drastically changed in the third
quarter. Fisher scored 13 points, but still the Burrs behind a 25-point third quarter
outburst forged a tie. Fisher, who by the time he is a senior will be posting scary
numbers, led his team with 25 points, including a 9-for-9 performance from the line. He
also bullied his way to 15 rebounds, and made 3 steals. Fisher has a knack of grabbing
one-handed rebounds out of the air, like Sir Charles himself. Roman received
excellent play out a number of players on this afternoon. With West sagging multiple
defenders around Fisher, that left things open for others. Sr. F 6-3 Jon Duperon gladly
picked up the slack, shooting 8-for-11 for 18 points. Duperon showed a nice touch on a few
foul line jumpers. Sr. PG Tyree Wallace played a fabulous floor game. Wallace
finished with 12 assists, including six in the pivotal fourth quarter. He did score 8
points as well, and showed some quickness while beating a West defender to the rack. Soph
WG 6-2 Andre Sloan-El scored 9 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. The lefty
has seemed to have found his comfort zone. On numerous occasions he hit baseline jumpers
from either side of the floor. He also hustled for 7 rebounds, 3 assist, 2 steals, and 2
blocks. JR. CG Calvin Jones had strong outing with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Last
time these teams met Jones suffered a scary injury. Thankfully, he has fully recovered,
and it was good to see him perform well. The Cahillites shot a gaudy 22-for-26 from the
line, without a doubt one of the differences in this contest. West gave their faithful
some hope, but again could not get over the hump called the fourth quarter. Jr. PG Curtis
Bryant played a sensational game. After going scoreless in the first half, Bryant
poured home 18 second half points. He hit 4-of-7 from deep, and dished out 11 assists on
the afternoon. The assist total is one of the highest from a Burr player for one game in
recent memory. Jr. F Brandon Weston (5 rebs) found himself in foul trouble, but
still managed to score 16 points on some nifty moves in the paint. Soph F 6-4 Marshall
Taylor chipped in with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks. I would like to see him be
a bit more assertive on the offensive end. The Burrs desperately need someone who can take
the game over offensively. In time, Taylor may be this player, but right now, probably due
to inexperience, he is having trouble with this. Jr. F Brandon Wicker found himself
in the right places and scored 10 points. Jr. G Kevin Williams hit two key three's
in West's productive third quarter. Overall, this was an entertaining game with plenty of
athletic moments. The win was especially important for Roman, which needs every win they
can get to make into the second season. Friday afternoon's home tilt with Bonner is a huge
game, with major playoff implications.
JAN. 25
CL SOUTH
Neumann 69 West Catholic 49
I've could have sworn that earlier in the day when I read the
DN that the Sixers had a game at the Fleet Center in Boston. If this was true, then how
did Allen Iverson end up in Wesy Philly at the Burrdome. It may not have actually
been Allen, but Neuman's Richard "Tabby" Cunningham's play mirrored that
of the NBA all-star. Cunningham was flat-out sensational, and very instrumental in the
Pirates not as easy as the final score indicates win. Neumann (13-4) led just 46-42 going
into the final quarter, but a sudden outburst from Tabby eliminated all upset hopes of the
Burrs. Cunningham scored 11 of his team's first 13 points, and assisted on the other hoop,
expanding the Pirate lead to 59-44. All of this happened in a two-to-three minute span at
the start of the fourth quarter. The explosive guard did it with an assortment of moves. A
couple of times he made quick moves to the hoop, and creatively laid the ball off the
glass, then he made an ultra-quick pick of a West guard, going in for an uncontested
lay-up. Finally, he stepped back and splashed a nothing but net three. For the game, Tabby
shot 10-for-14, finishing with 25 points, he also dropped 5 dimes, and made 3 steals. This
was one of the best individual performances I've witnessed all year. Early in the contest
jr. F 6-5 Todd Johnson (9 pts, 5 rebs) put on a dunk contest. He scored 7 of his 9
points in an impressive first quarter. All three of his buckets came on dunks, two off
passes (Cunningham and Del Brocco) where he stormed along the baseline. The other came on
a follow off a missed shot. Jr. WG Kenny Fulton chipped in with 10 points, and
played defense. Soph F 6-4 Adon El was quick off his feet, and pulled 8 boards, and
swatted 5 shots. Jr. PG Antwyn Wynn (9 pts, 5 rebs, 4 assist) is equally as quick
as Cunningham. It seemed to me that Wynn could get into the lane at will, and appeared to
have the ball on a string. Jr. F 6-6 Kevin Lauer chipped in with 9 points, on
4-for-5 shooting. Though not much of a factor in this game, sr. WG Chris Del Brocco
can be lights out from beyond the arc. This Pirate team can be very explosive, and with
guard combination of Cunningham and Wynn they posses one of the quickest tandems in the
league in recent memory. Their frontcourt players are not completely developed, but are
still considerable factors. Cunningham has an I-can-take-the-game-over look. This bunch
should be right in the thick of things come playoff time. The Burrs (5-13) hung tough for
a while, but ultimately a poor shooting second half hindered them. They shot just 7-for-25
from the floor in that second half. They were led by jr. F Brandon Wicker, who once
again patrolled the baseline, shooting 8-for-9, and scoring a team high 18 points. One
thing Brandon is doing this year that he didn't always do in his sophomore campaign is
finishing around the bucket. He has been very consistent in this area. Jr. CG Victor
O'Connor (12 points, 4 rebs, 2 steals, 2 assist) also showed flashes of solid play.
Soph F 6-4 Marshall Taylor (9 pts, 5 rebs) and jr. F Brandon Weston never
got in the flow in this one. These two leading scorers for the Burrs shot just 3-for-17
from the field. Jr. PG Curtis Bryant (8 pts, 5 assist) played a solid game, and
nailed a couple of three's. The Pirates shot a steamy 29-for-45 from the field, a 64.4%
clip. The Burrs hurt themselves with poor foul shooting, hitting only 8-fo-17 (47.1%).
JAN. 20
CL SOUTH
O'Hara 64 West Catholic 61
Not that it matters, but somehow the final score was called
in at 64-62. With West trailing 62-58, jr. PG Curtis Bryant hit a three to draw the
Burrs to within one. With :01 left, West called a timeout, one that they did not have. A
technical was subsequently called, and sr. WG 6-2 Chris Grandieri hit both freebies
to give us a final of 64-61. What the Lions (8-8) lack in size, they make up for in
quality guard play. O'Hara has three in, Grandieri, sr. CG Harry Dougherty, and jr.
PG Craig Haywood. On this afternoon, Grandieri was the difference. A heady player,
he filled up the stat column. Grandieri finished with 23 points, on 6-for-10 from the
filed (hit his only three), and a steamy 10-for-10 from the line. Not to go unnoticed was
his 9 rebounds, 4 assist, and 4 steals. More than a days work!!! There is no reason why he
shouldn't be able to generate solid D-2 interest. Sr. F Pat Baylor seemed to be in
the right place at the right time, and chipped in with 11 points and 6 rebounds before
fouling out. Dougherty (4 assist) struggled from the field, but did manage to hit 6-of-7
fouls shots, including four straight in the final stanza. Sr WG Ryan Cleary and sr.
WG Mark Barrar played pivotal roles. This tandem shot a combined 6-for-7 from the
field, and managed to score 17 points between them. Barrar nailed a huge three from the
corner in the fourth quarter. The Burrs (5-12) stayed close throughout, but never got over
the hump to gain a lead. The placed five players in double-digits. Jr. F Brandon Weston
(13 pts, 9 rebs, 4 blocks) and jr. F Brandon Wicker (11 pts, 7 rebs) patrolled the
baseline, and each shot 5-for-7 from the field. The problem with these two players is
that, though they play bigger than their 6-1 heights, they have trouble getting enough
shots. Most of their looks come on putbacks, or off passes along the baseline. I would
like to see both expand their perimeter game before next season. Bryant (12 pts, 3 asst.)
has taken over at the point for West. Also, he is probably their most reliable beyond the
arc shooter. Jr. CG Victor O'Connor played his first solid game in weeks. The
ultra-quick, but sometimes erratic O'Connor scored 13 points, handed-out 5 assists, and
made 5 steals. The diminutive O'Connor also rose high late in the game to make a beautiful
block, in which at the time kept the Burrs still alive. Soph. WG 6-4 Marshall Taylor
(10 pts, 6 rebs) never really got in the flow in this one. Part of his problem is that he
constantly finds himself in foul trouble. At least once, sometimes twice a game Taylor is
called for charges, as he rumbles down the lane out of control. Also, on the defensive end
he tries to block everything, and right now plays perimeter defense using too much of his
hands. I think as he learns more about the game this should improve. The Burrs are now
(0-6) in the league for the first time in a while. Four of those games could have gone
either way, but inexperience has taken over. On the other hand this experience should help
this team next year, when they return every contributing player.
JAN. 11
CL SOUTH
Carroll 75 West Catholic 48
The Patriots (7-7) ended their 6-game losing streak in
convincing fashion against a undermanned West (5-9) team. Early in the second quarter West
was hanging in there and trailed just 27-21, but Carroll quickly seized control with an
18-2 run and never looked back. Jr. PG Kashif Payne scored 20 points, collected 4
rebounds, and dropped 3 assist on the night. The whirlwind point guard pretty much had his
way with all of the West defenders. However, I thought Payne looked a little less dynamic
than in previous games in which I have seen. Though a very good player, it seems to me
that he hasn't gone to that next level as of yet. Plenty of games still remain, so there
is still time for Payne to go from a very good player to a dominating one. Soph. CG 6-3 Mike
Springman continues to develop, as he filled up the stat columns in this one.
Springman finished with 14 points, dealt 5 assist, pulled 8 rebounds, and made 5 steals.
He seem to flourish while driving to the hole, and is a good alternative to Payne to
handle point guard duties when he needs a breather. Sr. F 6-5 Evan Dittler shot
7-for-9 for 14 points, mostly all came off passes where he found himself uncovered in the
lane. Jr. F 6-7 Jordan Ingram had mixed reviews. Defensively, he did block three
shots, and rebounded well with 10 boards. However, offensively he continues to struggle.
Besides teammates, the closest player to him in height was down at the First Union Center.
Against a team with not much height, and just as much inexperience I expected Jordan to
dominate. This was not the case, he could only manage 6 points. I think he needs to work
on his footwork, maybe, develop a drop-step. He still takes too long to gather himself,
but I think he can improve before it is all said and done. Soph G Matt Chambers (4
assist, 3-for-3 FG's) and sr. WG Ned Dougherty (7 points, 3 assist) add some grit
and hustle to J.R. Roe's squad. Many observers had lofty expectations, myself
included, for this year's Carroll team. However, something seems to be missing, but I
can't figure it out. I'm mostly speaking about the season to date, not necessarily this
game, afterall they did win by 27. Another part of me feels that sooner or later they will
emerge, but it will need to be sooner, or they will find themselves in a wild race for a
playoff spot in the ever-tough CL South. I knew coming into this game that Burrs would
have an uphill battle. They would be facing a quality team that had already lost two
league games, and would be looking to atone for it in the worse way. Things became even
more difficult when I noticed that starting forwards jr. Brandon Wicker (back) and
jr. Brandon Weston (thumb) were out with injuries. Oh boy!!! To make things worse,
soph F 6-2 Chris Clahar got hurt early in the second quarter, with an apparent knee
injury. We hope he recovers swiftly. The Burrs hit their first three three's, and even
held an early lead. Soon after, things quickly began to unravel. Soph. WG 6-4 Marshall
Taylor had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks. He continues to improve. Marshall even
nailed a halfcourt heave at the third quarter buzzer. Soph. F Robert Latimer sliced
and diced his way to the hoop for 15 points, showing good athleticism. The Burrs shot just
5-for-24 from the field in the second half, and shot a below freezing mark 29.8% for the
game.
JAN. 11
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 65 Kennedy-Kenrick 55
The Hawklets (13-1) led comfortably throughout,
but had to fend off the feisty Wolverines (4-10) in the late stages. After scoring the
first two baskets of the second quarter the Wolverines knotted the game up at 14 apiece.
However, immediately following that second basket, sr. G Mike Rafferty (6 rebounds)
was slapped with a technical for grabbing the ball and throwing it at a Prep player. These
were the first two points of eighteen unanswered, ballooning the Prep lead to 32-14. KK
went nearly five minutes before scoring again, and seemingly looked out of it. To their
credit, they came within six, at 54-48 with 5:21 remaining in the contest, but couldn't
draw any closer. It was another day at the office for jr. F 6-6 Mark Zoller, who
constantly seems to find himself in excellent scoring position. Zoller shot 8-for-11 from
the field, 9-for-10 from the line for a team high 25 points. He also snatched 16 boards (7
offensive), and blocked 4 shots. Mark is rapidly becoming one of the better juniors in the
city, and I don't think we seen the best of him yet. Sr. F Jim Good had a very
productive game. Good, who is usually relied upon to do the dirty work, or to defend the
other team's best player scored 12 points. Included in those twelve, were to clutch
three's from the corner. Soph WG John Griffin shook-off a sluggish first half, and
scored 8 of his 11 points after the intermission. Soph PG Chris Clark (4 rebs, 3
assist) who missed two consecutive games was back in the lineup for the Hawklets. After
hitting an early deep three, Clark, look to be a little unsettled offensively. I would
have to say his timing was probably off, but he will need to get it back soon. The Prep
has a tremendous test Sunday when they visit Neumann. Jr. WG T.J. Valerio chipped
in with 7 assist and 4 rebounds. The Prep was once again good from the line, where they
went 19-for-26 (73.1%). However, they struggled from beyond arc going just 6-for-24. This
Prep team just continues to win, and are an intriguing bunch. They should be very tough to
beat at home, where on that big court they should be able to spread the floor and get
plenty of open looks. They are a good shooting team, play smart, and are well coached. I
expect them to be in most games, and to earn a playoff spot. Things that could impede them
on their way to the top of the division may be depth, team quickness, and the fact that
they only have one true inside player. With that being said, they will be in the hunt. Of
all my years of watching CL ball, I would have to say this year's KK team has to be that
school's most talented in recent memory. Though they have started league play (0-3) they
have been in all three games. Mark it down now, they will beat a team or two, and possibly
ruin that team's playoff hopes. Sr. WG Ryan Rich has a pretty of looking shot that
I have seen this season. Silky smooth, with great elevation and form on his jumper,
Rich can score from just inside the gym doors if need be. He finished with 27 points
(5-for-12, three's), and 7 rebounds. He led his team's charge by scoring 18 second half
points. In fact, with :04 remaining in the third quarter, Rich came around a screen a
nailed an NBA distance three that splashed threw the net to draw the Wolverines to within
six. However, Rich was called for a questionable walk on the play to negate the basket. On
Prep's opening possession, Griffin hit a three that pushed to the Prep lead to 12. In
essence, that was a six-point sequence. I was extremely impressed with 6-2 CG Amarildo
Matos (14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals). Matos shot 7-for-10 from the field, which
included some impressive off-the-dribble pull-ups. Though just a sophomore, Matos already
has a physical look to him. I think he can be a very good player down the line. I would
like to see him be a little less unselfish, he needs to take more than 10 shots. Also, I
think he could thrive on the offensive glass, but didn't look real aggressive doing that
i! n this game. Jr. F 6-4 Quincey Goggins supplied some energy off the bench, and
scored 9 points. I would also like to see him get a few more touches. KK Head Coach
David Neeld looked pretty comfortable on the sidelines, and seemed to be having fun
during the game. He let his kids play, and didn't seem to get caught up in the officiating
too much. Going up against a Speedy Morris coached team could be distracting for
some coaches, especially a coach as young as Neeld. Overall, I thought he did a very good
job.
JAN. 6
CL SOUTH
Bonner 69, West Catholic 45
The Friars (11-2) seized control midway through the
first quarter and never looked back. Balanced scoring and stingy defense enabled the
Friars to dismantle the inexperienced Burrs (5-7). Sr. 6-2 F Anthony Bennett (5
steals) led Bonner with 17 points, on 8-for-11 shooting. Bennett has improved by leaps and
bounds over last season. He does a good job of letting the game come to him, and for the
most part this season that approach has enabled Bennett to post consistent numbers. He is
an ideal complementary player on his team, but if he continues to produce it won't be long
before he becomes the headliner. Sr. swingman 6-4 Matt Kearney (7-for-10 FG's)
contributed 15 points. Physically, no Burr could match him. He was just too strong with
the ball, and pretty much could get any shot he wanted. A low D-1 look should not be out
of the question for him. Sr. WG Badir McCleary played extremely under control and
had a nice afternoon filling-up the stat sheet. McCleary broke into double-digits with 10
points, but also pulled 5 boards, dished 5 assists, and swiped a couple. I said in the
beginning of the year that Badir was one of three question marks for Bonner if they were
going to make serious noise in league play. On this afternoon, it was evident to me that
he put his team first. McCleary has picture-perfect form on his jumper, and when his
threes go down they are extremely sweet-looking. Another question mark would be the play
of sr. 6-8 C Vince Taraborrelli. Vince stayed out of foul trouble and gave the
undersized Burrs fits on the offensive glass, cleaning the window for 6 O-boards, and
having a game high 7 rebounds. He also chipped in with 10 points. Finally, point guard
play was my third concern. Jr. PG Frank Nunan (6 pts, 3 asst, 2 steals) looks to
have taken command of this duty, and did a respectable job on this afternoon. The Friars
played a complete game and were extremely impressive. They did what they needed to do, by
taking care of business on their home court in convincing fashion. The Burrs showed some
promise in the early stages, but before long things began to unravel. They committed 21
turnovers; many of them were unforced. An interesting stat that I noticed at the end of
the game that I don't think I have ever seen before in a game featuring West. Bonner
made 18 steals to West's 2. For the Burrs to be buried so bad in this category has got to
be a first. Soph WG 6-4 Marshall Taylor and soph F Robert Latimer led the
Burrs with 8 points apiece.
JAN 4.
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 78 West Catholic 68
This game featured a few serious runs. The Hawklets
(11-1) spurted out to an early 21-4 lead just five minutes into the contest. The Burrs
(5-7) then answered with a 28-13 run into halftime. West even took a 5-point lead at 43-38
in the early stages of the third quarter only to see the Prep unleash a mammoth run once
again. The Hawklets over the last half of the third quarter, and into the first few
minutes of the fourth, outscored the pesky Burrs 23-2, including 19 straight at one point.
Building their lead to an insurmountable one, at 61-45. To their credit West did not quit,
and even crept beck within smelling distance at one point. The Hawklets were awesome from
the line in the fourth stanza. They nailed 17 straight from the line before missing their
last attempt of the game. For the game, the Hawklets hit on 26-of-31 attempts. Playing
without starting soph PG Chris Clark (ankle), the Hawklets received excellent games
from a few players. Jr. WG TJ Valerio and soph WG John Griffin were asked to
handle primary ballhandling duties. Both did respectable jobs. Griffin (5 steals) sparked
his team in the first half by scoring 12 of his 20 points. He was an efficient 6-for-8
from the floor, including 2-for-2 on three's. He also hit on 6-of-7 from the line,
including 6 straight in the second half. Valerio, scored just 1 point and was victimized
by some turnovers in the first half. However he was the main cog in his team's third
quarter run. He scored 12 points in the 23-2 run, and finished with 18 points (10-for-12
FT's) on the night. Jr. F 6-6 Mark Zoller had a quiet 20 points and 10 rebounds. He
was spelled frequently because of foul trouble. Zoller also excelled from the line hitting
8-of-9. His team's primary rebounder, grabbed their only 6 offensive boards, in fact, the
rest of the team could only manage 9 total rebounds. Sr. WG Ryan Lynch saw
much more time with the injury to Clark. He did not disappoint. Lynch, contributed 16
points, on 6-for-10 shooting, and also hit two-three's. This could be the breakout game
coach Speedy Morris and his staff were looking for from Lynch. When given time he
can be an effective long distance shooter. Jr. F Kyle Eisenmann made three nice
assists in Prep's second half run. The Burrs were shooting 100% from the field nearly five
minutes into the game. One problem, they were just 2-for-2 and had committed a lofty 11
turnovers. The young Burrs, whose rotation now features 5 juniors and 4 sophomores, can
create havoc at times. For both themselves and their opponent. I mentioned to Ted and
Amauro, who watched the first half before heading on down to Neumann, that as a
statman when you enter the Burrdome you need to bring your A game. No taking any nights
off, try not to get distracted as well, or you will miss quite a bit. The erratic Burrs
committed 27 turnovers on the night, and had a difficult time solving the Prep's full
court zone press. However, when they got the ball into rising soph WG 6-4 Marshall
Taylor's hands good things seemed to happen. Taylor did a nice job of catching the
ball at center court, turning, and aggressively taking the ball into the lane for scores
or nifty passes that led to baskets. He finished with 19 points (7-for-12 FG's,
2-three's), 7 rebounds, 7 dimes, and 5 steals. I see this kid possibly growing a couple of
more inches, but at the least getting quite a bit stronger. When this happens he should be
a force. Athletic, jr. F Brandon Weston once again showed excellent body control
and cleverness around the hoop for 19 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assist. At just 6-1, this kid
is very strong, and plays well bigger than his size. I wouldn't mind seeing Weston try his
luck on the gridiron, he has ideal defensive back/linebacker size, strength, and
quickness. Jr. F Brandon Wicker did some nice work around the hoop for 8 points, on
4-for-5 shooting. There was a good crowd on hand for the CL opener for both squads, and
the Burrdome was spirited throughout. In recent memory the Burrs have had a decent number
of adult supporters, but student's were rarely seen. On this night, West had a good number
of student supporters who tried their best to spark their team. I'll continue to watch for
progress in this area.
DEC. 19
NON-LEAGUE
Episcopal 48, West Catholic 41
The Churchman (6-2) watched the Burrs (4-4) score the
first eight points of the fourth quarter to knot the game up at 34-34. This is when sr. F
6-6 Joe Person took over. Person scored six straight, and Episcopal never
relinquished the lead. Person scored 10 points in the quarter, and finished with 16 for
the game. All of his baskets came off of passes, where Joe found himself alone in lay-up
range. Sr. F 6-5 Terrence Mack (Rhode Island signee) tied Person for game high
honors with 16. Mack, who also finished with 13 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 blocks, bullied
the smaller Burrs all afternoon. Mack, who could probably flourish on the gridiron, was
extremely tough to contain. Mack did some nice things in the game. His most impressive
moment came in the 3rd quarter when he took a baseline out-of-bounds pass and jammed it
authoritatively over a West defender. On one occasion, Mack caught the ball in rhythm and
spotted-up hitting a three near the top of the key. He showed good form in doing so.
Coincidentally, the was his teams' lone attempt from beyond the arc all day. Physically
there is no question that Mack can hold his own at URI, but he will need to improve his
perimeter play if he plans to have much success. He did put the ball on the floor, but
looked uncomfortable. Also, many times he seemed out of control on drives and with shots
off the dribble. He will not be able to out-muscle players at the next level. Well, maybe
he will, but not so convincingly. Jr. PG Matt Deasey overcame a skittish first half
and finished with 6 assist, and 6 second half points. Jr. WG Ron Frazier showed
some quickness with 6 first half points. The Burrs looked good in a recent four game
stretch, but have followed those games up with two duds. Inexperience is certainly a
factor, but not having a go-to guy is really hurting them now. They are going to need
someone to step-up and become this player if they plan on having any success in the
ever-tough Southern division. Jr. PG Victor O'Connor led the Burrs with 10 points.
Six of those points came on three-fourth quarter steals that led to baskets. Jr. F Brandon
Weston (9 pts, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 blocks) played a solid game. He also gets my
most courageous player award on this afternoon. In the first half he took a wicked
elbow/forearm from Mack, as the hulking specimen drove to the rack. Then, he took a charge
from Mack in the third quarter, when the Churchman franchise steamed down the lane. More
than enough abuse in a day's work. Jr. F Brandon Wicker chipped in with 6
rebounds and jr. PG Kevin Williams dished 5 assists.
DEC. 12
NON-LEAGUE
Dougherty 60, O'Hara 44
I hate when this happens!!! I live roughly five minutes from
O'Hara, so I take my time getting there. Everywhere I read had the game starting at 8:00.
I pull up, and it is about 7:45. Plenty of time for a seasoned vet to get lineups and
things. As I approach the doors I see familiar faces on the court. The bleeping game had
started. In fact, Dougherty was up 21-7, with just over five minutes to play in the second
quarter. I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Oh well, let me regroup, and get
something out of this game. Dougherty's (5-0) lead swelled to 36-15 by halftime, and this
baby was over!!! Soph. F 6-6 DeSean White finished with 25 points. On three
occasions in the second half he made wonderful plays that were all different. First, while
showing excellent body control he put the ball on the floor for a dribble or two, and then
hit a nice runner. Secondly, he made a magnificent catch underneath the basket on a pass
from sr. PG Mike McDonald. Then, all in one motion, caught the ball, switched to
his left for the bucket, while being fouled. Thirdly, he made another nice catch of a pass
from McDonald over his shoulder, gathered himself about fifteen feet from the hoop, and
then went up for the one-handed stuff, again being fouled. This kid is a keeper, and if he
lets himself become coachable, then the sky is the limit. Soph F 6-5 Shane Clark was
the only other Cardinal in double-digits with 15 points. Clark showed his athleticism on a
failed alley-oop pass from White. The ball slammed off the back of the rim, nevertheless
it was impressive. McDonald had at least 5 assists in the second half on some pretty
feeds. Sr. WG 6-2 Tim Smink was relatively quiet in this one. To his credit, the
heady Smink didn't force the issue, showing good leadership in letting other players do
their thing. Jr. WG Isaac Greer started, but reaggravated the ankle he injured
against West Catholic last week early in the contest, and did not return. Dougherty looked
much better than the last time I saw them. They were far more under control, and did a
good job looking for each other. The scary thing is that this team has won all of their
games, but I don't think they are that close to peaking just yet. I'll be surprised if by
the start of league play if this team isn't running on all cylinders. The Lions
(2-3) have three experienced players back from last year's squad in, PG Craig Haywood
(12 pts), CG Harry Dougherty, and WG 6-1Chris Grandieri. It was not an
especially good night for Dougherty and Grandieri, as the two only combined to score 11
points. Maybe due to the fact that they trailed by so much early, but the trio mainly
settled for three-pointers. Also, The Lions have really no quality post players. Sr. F 6-4
Pat Baylor did score a team high 15 points, and had a few head-fakes in getting
himself in position to score. Baylor, who is ultra thin, is probably the Lions only hope
for some consistent inside play. Also, sr. F 6-2 Ted Rydesky who played many
minutes last season for O'Hara may have been lost for the season with a shoulder injury.
Knowing that he is a quality pitcher for the O'Hara baseball team, I asked if it was his
throwing shoulder, but was unable to come up with that information. This year's Lions
could still be dangerous on their home court. With three quality guards, they should be
able to control tempo, especially on their big court. However, they will probably need
excellent shooting from beyond the arc if they have any chance of making significant
waves.
DEC. 11
NON-LEAGUE
Bonner 53, Glen Mills 50
Sr. WG Kevin LeSage hit a foul shot with :12 left
for a 51-50 lead, and then sr. swingman 6-4 Matt Kearney iced the game with two
more freebies with :03 left. Jr. PG Chris Eccles stole the inbounds pass, and the
Friars (4-1) were able to grind out the win. Kearney (15 points) was non-factor for three
quarters, but then scored 10 of his teams 18 points in the final stanza, including 6-for-6
from the line. This was a good test for Bonner. I wouldn't say that Glen Mills (4-2) is a
very good team, but they are solid. They are quick, and play very physical. This style
hampered Bonner at times, but to their credit they still managed to get the win. The
aggressiveness of Glen Mills was even more evident in the fact that they were called
for 27 fouls to Bonner's 14. Sr. WG Badir McCleary has a nice looking shot when he
squares, he was the only other Friar in double-digits with 11 points. Sr. F 6-7 Vince
Taraborrelli showed a few nice moves in the box. He finished with 9 points and 7
rebounds. I thought he played much better than he did last week against Haverford High.
Soph F 6-4 Randy Reid gave his team some nice minutes off the bench with 7 points
and 3 rebounds. Now that head coach Jim Welde has football players back, he'll
probably be looking to figure out some kind of rotation. The point guard position looks to
be up for grabs with Eccles, jr. Frank Nunan, and sr. Kenny Jackson all
competing for some minutes. Bonner won the game from the foul line as they hit 12-of-14 in
the 4th quarter. Ironically, they were just 9-for-23 through three quarters. Also, they
shot 37 foul shots to Glen Mills' 13. The Friars will be dangerous in CL play, but I'm not
ready to anoint them as shoe-ins for one of the four playoff spots. They have enough
talent to be right near the top, but enough deficiencies to be on the outside looking in.
DEC. 11
NON-LEAGUE
Penn Charter 64, Carroll 47
Trailing by four at the intermission, the Quakers
(5-1) blitzed Carroll in the third stanza to the tune of 25-6. PC shot just 4-for-19 in
the opening half, but good foul shooting kept them in it. They came out of the locker room
dialing up long distance. PC shot 10-for-14 from the field, including 5-of-8 threes. It
was quite a display against a Carroll team that usually defends well. Sr. CG Mike
McGarvey (3 steals) scored 20 points, he hit 7-of-8 from the field, including 3-for-3
from deep. He hit one in his team's third quarter spurt from NBA range, that hit nothing
but net. He showed great poise and leadership in directing his team. I left very impressed
with frosh. WG Zack Zeglinski, who scored a team high 21 points. Zack showed
beautiful form on three-point attempts, in which he went 3-for-5. He also chipped in with
5 steals and 5 assist. Jr. F 6-6 Rob Kurz (3 blocks) oddly enough did not get
involved on the long range bombing, though he is more than capable. However, he scored 8
points, and hit three consecutive shots in the decisive third quarter. Jr. F 6-4 Matt
Ryan is a quality quarterback for the PC football team, but proved he can be more than
just a role player for the hoops squad. Ryan pulled down 8 rebounds, and chipped in with 9
second half points. He also nailed two from beyond the arc, and looked good in doing so.
Jr. F 6-5 Mike Boles sat out the first quarter for arriving late, but contributed
when he got to play. Boles hit all six of his free throws, to go along with 6 boards. The
Quakers two top reserves jr. G Tony McDevitt and jr. F Jordan Canino are out
with injuries. McDevitt will be lost for the year with ligament damage in his ankle.
Canino is sidelined with a sprained thumb. Sr. G Mike McKenna (3 assist) played
quality minutes in their absence and proved himself worthy of more playing time. It is a
shame that Boles and Kurz will be unable to play in league games because they are
transfers. It would have been interesting to see them against I-A power Germantown
Academy. With Boles and Kurz, PC is a top 10 city team, but without them they are not deep
enough to hang with the upper echelon of area teams. Undoubtedly, there will be better
days for the Pats (2-2). Though they led at half they were sluggish in doing so, and this
continued in the second half. Whirlwind, jr. PG Kashif Payne (14 points) hit three
early threes, but struggled from that point on. Payne committed 5 of his team's 17
turnovers, and never really got into sync. Soph. CG 6-3 Mike Springman (3-for-3,
3's) also scored 14 points. However, he was plagued by foul trouble, and spent a good part
of the game on the bench before fouling out. Jr. F 6-7 Jordan Ingram managed 12
points and 5 boards, but it was not one of his better games. Ingram was neutralized on the
defensive end, as PC opted to bomb away from distance. This was evident by him having only
1 block. He needs to do a better job in the post with his foot work. He looked
uncomfortable when receiving the ball in the post, and this led to some turnovers. Soph. G
Matt Chambers looks like he is being groomed to take the place of defensive
whiz Ted Piotrowicz. Not at that level yet, Chambers likes to do the dirty
work and is constantly hustling. Reserves, jr. F 6-9 Sean McKeon and frosh F 6-8 Kenny
Tribbett are space eaters, but are getting just limited time right now. Tribbett is
raw, but resembles a young Adonal Foyle when he was with O'Hara. He should be a
good one. McKeon likes to play on the perimeter, and can knock down a three. He needs to
get a little tougher, and then he should start producing. Jr. F 6-4 Kyle Giresi who
had a very solid soph campaign is now 8th or 9th man. Though cleared to play a early back
injury has slowed him considerably. I think this Carroll team will be very good in time,
and might just be the favorite to win the CL. However, right now it looks like something
might be missing. I couldn't pinpoint it this afternoon, maybe they just had a clunker. It
will be interesting to see how they perform leading up to the start of the CL season.
DEC. 9
NON-LEAGUE
West Catholic 75 La Salle 73
The Burrs (2-2) led comfortably throughout, and then somehow
almost gave the game to the no-quit Explorers (1-2). West's largest lead reached 16 points
in the third quarter. They led, 75-67 with under :30 remaining. Two La Salle three's in a
:11 span, drew them to within 75-73. The Explorers then stole the ball, but with :04 left
sr. CG 6-3 Rob Sullivan, who was magnificent, was called for traveling. The Burrs
then ran out the clock before La Salle could foul. Leading the way for West was jr. F 6-2 Brandon
Weston. Weston (6 rebs) shot 8-for-10 from the field, and had 18 points. Most of his
baskets came on moves around the basket. He is very athletic, and shows wonderful body
control. Ever-improving soph F 6-4 Marshall Taylor also had 18 points. He shot
7-for-12 from the field, and had 7 rebounds. This kid who is only 14 has serious
potential, and has a scorer's edge to him. Jr. F 6-2 Brandon Wicker (4 steals, 4
rebs) chipped in with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting. Soph F 6-3 Chris Clahar had
some quality minutes off the bench. and scored 8 points. The Burrs were 28-for-56 from the
field, and 16-for-20 from (9-for-9 in 4th qt) the line. The Burrs did a nice job of
sharing the ball. West had 19 assists on 28 baskets, with 7 players contributing at least
2 apiece. However, they were hampered by 21 turnovers. Coach Bill Ludlow
substituted regularly as 12 players got in the game.
For LaSalle, Rob Sullivan did everything imaginable. The heady combination guard
scored 33 points. He was 10-for-22 on FG's, and 13-for-17 from the line. He also led his
team with 9 rebounds (6 offensive), 6 steals, and 4 assist. He did a great job of drawing
contact and getting himself to the line. He is a solid D-2 player, and has some Patriot
League schools taking a look. Sr. WG Victor Ukwu (4 steals) scored 16 of his 19
points in the second half. He was 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Jr. sniper Brian Donohoe
added 11 points, scoring 5 of them late in his team's comeback bid. Soph. F Kevin
Moll collected 7 rebounds. La Salle played without jr. PG Chris Reedman.
Reedman was late, and didn't get to the game until midway through the third quarter. This
LaSalle team will vie for one the four playoff spots in the North. This was my first trip
into the Burrdome since it was refurbished. There are some major differences. The benches
and scorer's table are now on the opposite side. Also, three of the four corners now house
trophy cases that are lit up. The floor and spectator seating areas have been splashed
with some new paint. All and all, the new and improved Burrdome looks pretty good. The
changes in my opinion even make the gym look bigger.
DEC. 7
NON-LEAGUE
Roman 72 Haverford School 49
The Fords (1-2) attempted to run with the
Cahillites (2-0) and that was a no-no. Roman spurted to a 46-25 halftime lead, and never
looked back. Of all the Roman teams I have seen this group is probably the smallest. They
also only have two seniors on their roster, so coach Dennis Seddon will have to do
some nurturing with this bunch. One thing the Cahillites do have is a possible dominating
player in man-child soph. F 6-4 Charron Fisher. Fisher snares rebounds with
authority, and bullies his way to the bucket. Fisher finished with 17 points (all in the
first half), 12 boards, and 3 blocks. Early in the third quarter, coach Seddon became
upset with Fisher and yanked him from the game. Fisher did not return. I think initially
coach Seddon was trying to drive a point home to the talented, but young player. Then when
the game stayed a blowout there was no need to have his franchise re-enter the game.
Further driving home his point. Soph. WG 6-2 Andre Sloan-El can be silky smooth at
times. Sloan-El shot 9-for-18 (3-three's) for a game-high 21 points. He also snared 7
rebounds. Though more than capable from distance, I thought that he settled for the three
more than needed. I would like to see him drive to the hoop more, and think he could be
quite effective in doing so. I also envision him thriving in the open floor. SR. PG Tyree
Wallace (5 rebounds) dished 9 assist, and was confident directing the offense. On many
occasions Roman had Wallace, jr. CG Calvin Jones, and jr. PG Kevin Hightower (5
assist) on the floor at the same time. All are very quick, and all are under 6-foot. I
can't say I remember a Roman team having this feature in the past. SR. F 6-3 John
Duperon (8 rebounds) is the other Cahillite senior, and lone post presence in the
starting line-up. In time, soph. F 6-4 Scott Mascio's playing time should increase.
Mascio showed good foot work, and the willingness to use both hands when around the
basket. He did some glass cleaning, with 10 boards. I like something about this kid.
Haveford's lone offensive option was sr. WG 6-1 Cameron Youngblood (6-14, 8-12, 20
pts). He did a nice job of slashing his way into the lane for hoops, or in drawing fouls
and getting to the line. No other member of the Fords reached double-digits. Jr. WG Mike
Volpe did hit two-threes for 8 points. Soph. PG Pete Kathopoulis led his team
in assist and rebounds with four. I envisioned a nice peaceful night on Lancaster Ave.
Then it happened! Tom "Puck" McKenna showed up, on yet another scouting
mission. Peacefulness turned into Puckness. You know, now he wants me to sit in a certain
spot, what stats am I going to take, can a make up a stat-sheet, and of course after the
game, the unenviable task of dropping him off at 30th Street Station. Also, is Puck now
the John Chaney of high school hoops. When I ask him who he thinks the four playoff
teams in the South will be, he always downplays Carroll, and has them on the outside
looking in. Puck, stop!!! Everybody knows the Pats are loaded, you're not fooling anyone.
He did supply one of the few highlights of the night. Shortly after arrival, and needing a
chair he took matters into his own hands. So, he went into the AD's office, and took the
swivel chair from behind the desk, and then proceeded to roll into down the sideline to
the scorer's table. I loved it!!!
DEC. 7
NON-LEAGUE
Cardinal Dougherty 75, West Catholic 64 (OT)
To be honest with you I didn't expect much of a contest.
Dougherty (4-0) has to be the preseason favorite in the North. The Burrs (1-2) are real
young and have only one player, jr. F Brandon Wicker who saw much varsity time last
season. I do have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the Burrs. They are athletic
and quick, and this allows them to cause some havoc. For CD, Soph F 6-6 DeSean
White (23 pts, 8 rebs, 5 blocks) followed a sr. WG Tim Smink shot at the buzzer
to push the game to OT. White had an up-and-down game, he scored 21 of his points in the
second half. Numerous times he found himself on the bench in the first half when he caught
the ire of coach Mark Heimerdinger. White committed 9 of his team's 20
turnovers. He is going to have to adjust somewhat to the differences in styles between the
public league and catholic league game. He has a boatload of talent, and should be a force
in the North. Yet another pub transfer, soph. F 6-5 Shane Clark figured prominently
for the Cardinals. Clark, making his debut, swept 16 rebounds, and scored 11. He is
extremely athletic, but will need to get stronger and add some muscle to his thin frame.
Smink sparkled early, and then faded during the middle quarters only to come up big with
some clutch foul shooting down the stretch. Smink scored 17 points on the day, and hit
5-of-6 from the line late in the game. Jr. WG Issac Greer (11 pts, 3 steals) looked
to be hampered by some sort of injury throughout the game. Late in the game he made a
crucial block on a driving layup by the Burrs, jr. PG Victor O'Connor. He got up so
high on the block that he was able to say hi to his friends in the pit. Quite
impressive!!! However, he landed awkwardly, seemingly turning an ankle, and did not
return. Sr. PG Mike McDonald (3 steals) did a good job of handling pressure and
dropped 6 dimes. With the new arrivals of White and Clark this Dougherty club seems to be
lacking some cohesiveness at the moment. This, and the fact that they don't seem to be a
real deep team are the only thing that should stand in their way of making some serious
noise. Once Coach Heimerdinger settles his troops down, and figures out a rotation he is
comfortable with, things should be just fine. West coach Bill Ludlow has some
athletes on this year's team, but he'll have to be patient with this bunch. This team has
already taking on the identity of being able to string together a few minutes of high
octane, fun- watching basketball. Then the next few minutes of, what the heck is going on
out there ball. Should be interesting!! After the game, Ludlow said, "I don't want to
say that I'm happy with a moral victory because we should have won the game, but I am
happy." He was right, the Burrs probably should have won the game. O'Connor missed
the front-end of a one-and-one to stage White's heroics with :09 seconds left. As it
stands, the Burrs really don't have a go-to-guy. Jr. WG-PG Kevin Williams led the
Burrs with 18 points. Williams hit 4-of-6 three's, including three straight late in the
fourth, turning a 6-point deficit into a 2-point Burr lead. That go-to-guy could
eventually be soph. F 6-4 Marshall Taylor. Taylor chipped in with 9 points, and
used his long arms to swat 5. This kid has nice skills, and should improve each time out.
The aforementioned O'Connor (10 pts, 5 steals) is a high-energized guard. He needs to work
on his decision making and shot selection, but is one of the fastest player's I've seen in
a Burr uniform. Jr. Brandon Weston is a jumping-jack who can run the floor, and is
nifty around the basket. He chipped in with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. Wicker,
came off the bench to add a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Right now the
Burrs play just one senior in their rotation, so the future could be promising.
DEC. 5
NON-LEAGUE
SJ Prep 47, Pennsbury 31
The Hawklets (3-0) watched Pennsbury score the first
two-points of the game, and then reeled off 18 straight. In fact, Pennsbury (0-3) didn't
score again until 5:15 of the second quarter. The Prep coaches were concerned about this
matchup prior to the game. Though Pennsbury lost its first two games, they were involved
in close ones on the road against usual state powers Williamsport and Chester. Personally,
I wasn't that impressed, but let's give the Hawklets some credit for some excellent
defense. The Prep forced 25 turnovers, and held Pennsbury to just 27 shot attempts. In all
my years of being at games, I can't say I remember one with this low of attempts. Jr. 6-6
F Mark "Tree" Zoller was the only Prepster that showed any offensive
consistency. The "Tree" crammed 10 pts, 8 rebs, and 3 steals into the first
quarter. He finished with game highs, 19 pts (6-11-FG's), 12 rebs, and 4 steals. The rest
of the Hawklet starters shot a frigid, 8-for-37. The Prep as a team shot just, 33.3% for
the game. Soph. PG Chris Clark (3 steals) nearly broke into double-digits with 9,
and did a good job of running the offense. Sr. 6-3 F Jim Good struggled with his
shooting, but did drop 4 dimes, and pull 6 boards. Sr. WG Ryan Lynch did not play,
though he was dressed on the bench with his wrist taped. There was a good student turnout
when the game started, and they wanted to make sure that Ted Silary knew about it.
I told them I'd relay the message. Early on, they began to chant, "We can't hear you,
we can't hear you,.....". That was probably due to the fact that Pennsbury had about
12 people in the bleachers behind their bench. I also have to commend the guys on their
attempts to make the Pennsbury cheerleaders feel right at home. There was so much hooting
and hollering, I felt like I was at a bachelor party. Hey, what can you expect from an
all-boys school. Their energy quickly fizzled when the game turned routish, and by game's
end I would say only one-third of the students remained. These were probably the guys who
thought they had a shot with one of the cheerleaders. Former West Cathoilc head coach Joe
Donahue is the new Prep freshman coach, and an assistant to head coach Speedy
Morris on the varsity. It was coach Donahue whom I first started doing stats for;
boy, do I remember the days. Friday afternoons, English class at West. Mr. D had a
thing called SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) that the class would do. Except me of course,
I had SSS (Sustained Silent Stats). He would say, "Eddie, close that book. Go down to
the office and get the scorebook. I need foul shooting percentages." Oh gladly,
Mr.D!!!
DEC. 4
NON-LEAGUE
Bonner 67 Haverford High 51
The game was competitive until the early stages of the fourth
quarter, then the Friars (2-0) used an 8-0 spurt to balloon their lead to 51-37 and never
looked back. Sr. 6-4 swingman Matt Kearney erupted for 14 first quarter points to
set the tone. The heady Kearney finished with a team high 24 points, and grabbed 7 boards.
Kearney, who has added some muscle from last year scored on an assortment of moves. More
than capable from distance (2-three's), he also scored on mid range pull-ups, as well as
drives along the baseline. Should be no worse than a D-2 player by year's end. I was
pleasantly surprised by the play of sr. 6-3 F Anthony Bennett. If this game is any
indication, then Bennett maybe one of the more improved players in the Southern Division.
Bennett finished with 18 points, mostly on putbacks and drives. He also collected 11
rebounds, and using his long arms swatted four. This kid showed a nose for the ball, and
defended rather well too. Coach Jim Welde just might have a wildcard in his deck
come league play. Once again sr. 6-7 C Vince Taraborrelli (8 pts, 7 rebs) was
besieged by foul trouble. Most of his fouls are the result of being out of position, and
not being quick enough to make up for it. If Bonner is going to have any success in the
ever tough CL South, Vince will have to stay on the court. Bonner was without the services
of three players. Jr. PG's Frank Nunan and Chris Eccles just started
practicing with the team yesterday. Both were starting DB's on Bonner's CL Red runner-up
football team. Also, sr. WG Badir McCleary was reduced to scorekeeping duties for
undisclosed reasons. All three should be major contributors. Soph 6-3 F Randy Reid
scored 7 second half points, and hauled in 8 boards to go along with 3 steals. Reid is a
space eater, and should have a nice future. Bonner did receive very solid play from
sr. PG Kenny Jackson (6 pts, 7 assist) and jr. WG Anthony Spatichia (6
assist, 3! steals) both had pretty dimes on the evening. First, Jackson hit a cutting
Kearney with a beautiful no look pass. Later, Spatichia made a nice catch of an outlet
pass, took a dribble, then used a hop-step to go around a Haverford defender, hitting a
wide open Bennett. Both were conceived nicely. Until Nunan, Eccles, and McCleary get back
this duo will be getting valuable experience which should pay dividends come league play.
Haverford High's (1-2) sr. WG 6-3 Jim McMahon did some sniping for a game
high 28 points. This Bonner team has interesting possibilities. The three keys as I see
them are, solid point guard play, keeping Taraborrelli out of foul trouble, and
eliminating any internal problems that have hurt them in the past. If Coach Welde and his
staff can get consistent results in these areas, then they can be a very good team with a
chance to make some noise.