FEB. 9
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 57, West Catholic 36
     In the teams' first meeting the Burrs overcame a huge first-half deficit and fell just short of knocking off the upper-echelon Hawks. After the game there was hope that this young squad was making inroads toward becoming a more competitive team. However, that was then, and this now. Though the Burrs (9-14, 2-9) still maintain their two best players, they are a shell of their former selves because of academic/behavior woes. So, with this in mind Head Coach Bill Ludlow had his team take the air out of the ball on most of their early possessions. In the beginning this strategy had mixed results. The Hawks (19-4, 9-2) raced to a 12-1 lead, and some of the Burrs gave off this impression -- Why do we have to play this way? Then, as the first half continued, the strategy started to work and the Burrs managed to sneak back into it, trailing by 22-16 late in the second quarter and forcing Prep Head Coach Speedy Morris to use a timeout. The good fortunes would be short-lived though, as the Hawks scored the last four points of the first half and eighteen of the first twenty-two of the second. This gave them a more than comfortable 44-20 advantage. They would coast from here. Leading the way today was jr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower, who demonstrated ideal sharp shooting skills by depositing 5-of-7 triples on his was to a game-high 21 points. On many instances Mower found himself with much space to do his bombing. This kid is really developing into a reliable distance shooter. He also sank 6-of-8 from the free throw line, while adding 5 assists and 2 steals. Sr. PG Matt Griffin (Rider) hit three consecutive treys in the first half for his 9 points. He also hustled for 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. He was his typically gritty self. Jr. 6’6” F Larry Loughery scored 10 points (4-for-6 FG’s), but was just 2-of-8 from the line. I know he’ll want to improve upon this as the playoffs near. He did a solid job of controlling the paint with 12 rebounds. Sr. 6’7” F Rob Coney scored all six of his points early in the fourth quarter. He added 5 rebounds and 4 blocks too. This kid is a late-bloomer and still somewhat raw, but his best days on the hardwood more than likely lie ahead of him. Sr. 6’4” WG Matt Dolan chipped in with 6 rebounds and 2 assists. The Hawks had 15 assists on their 19 made field goals. They also doubled-up the Burrs on the backboard 38-to-19. With the win the Hawks remain tied with Roman and one-game behind Neumann-Goretti for first place in the CL South. The Hawks will tangle with the Cahillites on the last day of the regular season at Philly University. This game will more than likely settle second place, and decide which team will wear the home jerseys when they meet a week later in the first round of the playoffs. For West, soph. PG Rob Holloman (18 points) and jr. 6’5” F Eric Brennan (10) scored 28 of their team’s 36 points. Holloman went 6-of-12 (1 Trey) from the field and 5-for-9 from the line to get his. He also made 3 steals. I just really enjoy watching this kid compete. He doesn’t always get a ton of support, but his effort mostly stays par for the course. I don’t think he was too thrilled with having to hold the ball on the perimeter for the better part of the first three quarters. However, I think that was just his competitive nature coming out, more so than his disdain for his coach’s approach. Words of advice for the youngster – Keep playing hard, continue to look for ways to improve your game, and always trust your coach because he has the best interests of you and your teammates at heart. The same advice could be said to E. Brennan (2 rebs., 2 assists) too. He was just 4-of-12 (1 Trey) from the field, but three times converted driving floaters in the lane. Sr. 6’3” F Leonard McKlaine hustled for 7 rebounds, while sr. F Mike Williams added four of his own.

FEB. 8
CL SOUTH
Roman 69, Carroll 48
     I had to hustle a little to make this on time and when I finally arrived at Roman’s fabled third floor gymnasium only thirty-seven seconds remained on the pre-game clock. A sigh of relief, right? Not exactly! Why? Because located in my seat at the scorer’s table was none other than football-picking nemesis Tom “Puck” McKenna. Oh boy, here we go! Two hours of babble sure to follow. However, and to my surprise, Puck gave up his seat to yours truly. He also kept his perpetual silliness to a minimum. Huh? Has a transformation taken place somewhere along the line? I’m not going to ask and even if it only lasts for one day – I’ll take it! Smile!! OK, now onto the game. The young and promising Patriots (9-14, 5-6) are right in the thick of things for that fourth and final playoff spot in the CL South. A win today would have done wonders for that cause. But playing the Cahillites (18-3, 9-2) on their home court is no easy chore. The main components of this squad were built to excel on these tiny confines. Roman’s small, ultra-quick, guard-oriented nucleus often thrives in this place. Today was no different, even though the Pats were game throughout. By the waning moments of the first quarter Carroll was still trading jabs with the Cahillites. They trailed just 17-14 and had appeared to grab a little momentum. Then, Roman’s sr. WG Brian Wanamaker scored on a layup in the last half-minute. After a steal, Brian Wanamaker was fouled on an iffy call with just five-tenths of a second left. He promptly sunk both freebies and the lead swelled to 21-14. It doesn’t sound like much, but going from three to seven down that late in the quarter was a letdown for the Pats. The second quarter featured sluggish play by both squads with no real offensive continuity ever being established. Roman outscored Carroll 10-to-7 in this frame and took a 31-21 lead into the intermission. By the latter part of the third quarter the Pats only trailed 39-31 and forced a timeout by the Cahillites. I don’t know what the message was that Roman Head Coach Dennis Seddon relayed to his troops, but it worked. After this timeout the Cahillites ran off a 21-to-7 spurt to seize a much more commanding 60-38 advantage. Leading the charge was Pitt recruit sr. 6’3” WG Bradley Wanamaker. It seemed like every other possession he was stepping in the passing lane for a steal and coasting in for a layup. At one point in the game Brad connected on nine straight shots. For the game, he scored 23 points (10-for-13 FG’s, 3-of-4 FT’s). He scored sixteen points in the second half, with many coming during the big second half run. He also added 6 steals and 5 assists. Again, I just think his college destination will suit him so nicely. His brother (Brian) added 14 points (5-of-7 FG’s), 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. I told Roman scorekeeper Chris “Gator” McCoy that the Wanamakers were just born to play in this gym. He concurred! Setting the tone early was soph. PG Maalik Wayns (3 rebounds, 2 steals) by scoring 10 (8 in 1st QT) of his 12 points in the first half. In the first quarter he twinkled nothing but nylon with two triples. If he can add this to his arsenal, then watch out! Right now he takes a little bit of a backseat to the Wanamaker brothers. In time the show will be his and you’ll more than likely see his numbers inflate. Jr. 6’4” WG Will Kirkland was effective with eight points and six rebounds. He got off to a quick start too with six first quarter points. Not every team can have a roster full of scorers. There have to be guys who sacrifice this part of their game and concentrate on the little things that make the whole thing go. For Roman, that guy is sr. WG Nick Daggett. Today, he attempted just one shot, a first quarter misfire, and went scoreless. Not a problem though. As he scratched and clawed his way to 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals, and dogged defense on whoever he was assigned to guard. Great job! Every good team needs players like this, and it’s good to see guys welcome the role like Nick did today. Jr. CG Courtney Stanley came off the bench and contributed six points, 5 rebounds, and pair of assists and steals. A great stat for Roman was that they accumulated 21 assists on 28 made field goals. They also forced 19 Carroll turnovers, with 16 of them coming on steals. I like this Carroll team in that they play hard and have a pretty solid idea of what they want to do. Though they’re in the middle of the playoff hunt now, they’re more than likely a year away from making some serious noise. They have four starters that will be back next year and overall the roster is littered with underclassmen. Still, make no mistake; they’re going to do everything in their power to get to the postseason this year. Their leader today was jr. WG Ellis Rogers, who possesses a nice mid-range stroke. He went for 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting. He also hustled for 6 rebounds (5 offensive), 2 assists, and 2 steals. Jr. PG Lamar Jackson is quick and brassy. I like how he competes. Today, he scored 12 points, plucked 4 rebounds, and had two assists. Strongman soph. 6’5” F Kasheef Festus (4 rebounds) had trouble finding ample room early, but played a solid second half. He scored nine of his 11 points after halftime. On one move he showed some nimbleness as he tight-roped the baseline for a bucket. Before this he demonstrated his brute strength with a bullying hoop while drawing a foul. I like the possibilities of soph. 6’2” CG Andre Wilburn. He scored eight points on a pair of mid-range jumpers and in-the-lane floaters. He also added 4 boards and 2 assists. He looks like he is just beginning to scratch the surface towards something good. Carroll Head Coach Paul Romanczuk got my attention prior to the game. He said – “Huck, I hope to have the lowest stat notations in a game ever.” He was referring to the fact that his team would have a better chance of grabbing a win if the action wasn’t at a fast and furious pace. The verdict? Not bad, probably lower than the average Roman home game, but more than likely a tad high for his club. Today’s totals – 316!! Finally, it was GREAT to see that Gator was able to hang around for the duration. He often slides out around halftime, but today he graced us with a full-game outing. What a trooper!!

FEB. 7
CL SOUTH
Neumann-Goretti 47, O’Hara 34
     At roughly 7 o’clock I arrived at O’Hara’s gym (7:30 start time) for a rare Catholic League Wednesday night affair between the Lions and the Saints. As I approached the doors I noticed a group of people standing out front. Not thinking anything of it I reached for a door – locked! Then, for another – Also locked! This is when N-G’s assistant Charles Monroe said, “They’re all locked Huck.” Really? So, I called O’Hara AD Dan Algeo to ask how to get into the gym? He told me, “Go in where you usually do.” I would love too, but the doors aren’t cooperating. He was away at a meeting and said he would call someone inside to come out. A few minutes later a cheerleader came down the steps and let us in. You know what? I wish she hadn’t!! This baby was really hard on the eyes. Not so much in a sloppy, ragged way, but more so in a slow, deliberate, and uninteresting sense. The gym was dark and there was little-to-no atmosphere to be found. If you asked the Lions (7-14, 4-7) coaching staff to a man they probably wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Figuring we’ll lull the superior team to sleep. Well, it worked, at least for one quarter, as O’Hara led 10-7 after the initial stanza. The Saints (18-4, 10-1) were a chilly and ineffective 3-of-14 from the field after one. Also, I think all rhythm and cohesiveness belonging to them were trapped outside like I was earlier. However, they regrouped and eventually settled in. During the second quarter they slowly regained typical form and methodically pulled away. They scored the quarter’s first sixteen points and won the frame 18-to-2, building a 25-12 halftime lead. O’Hara scored the first five points of the second half to draw within eight, but would get no closer. Their deliberate play continued and the Saints were just happy to keep their man in front of them and at arm’s length. Many possessions took time off the clock. Then again, what could they have done to speed the game up? O’Hara doesn’t have the athletes or the foot speed to pressure the Saints. So, the game ended peacefully and without any kind of feverish finish. Even the Saints’ dynamic duo of sr. 6’8” F Rick Jackson and sr. 6’2” PG Antonio “Scoop” Jardine looked bedazzled at times. The Syracuse-bound tandem missed a combined seven of eight shots in the first quarter. Still, they dug deep and eventually made enough plays to lead their team to a somewhat comfortable victory. Jackson went on to make six of his final eight shots and scored 14 points. He also swept 13 boards and swatted a half-dozen. His presence severely hampered O’Hara’s post threat, jr. 6’6” F Mark Wedderburn. As for Jardine, he never did get to double-digits and ended with 8 points (3-of-9 FG’s). However, he had pretty solid floor game with 8 assists and 4 steals. Four of dimes and five of his points came in the big second quarter. Contributing a solid game was jr. 6’5” F Rashad Savage with 11 points (5-for-7 FG’s) and 5 rebounds. Jr. 6’4” WG Jamal Wilson only scored six points, but he provided an emphatic one-handed stuff in the late going. The Saints made all five of their field goal attempts in the fourth quarter. The only Lion to provide an above-average game was jr. 6’4” WG Jim Kelleher, who scored 12 points and grabbed 3 rebounds. He was 2-of-5 from distance. Wedderburn took four shots prior to the fourth quarter and missed them all. He ended with 7 points and 5 rebounds, but he didn’t score his first points until the 6:05 mark of the final quarter. He actually came off the bench, but entered the game almost immediately when jr. 6’3” F Matt Romano turned his ankle on N-G’s first possession. Next time down, he faced-up on Jackson from ten-feet and was snuffed just as the ball left his hand. I’m not sure if this had an effect on him the rest of the way, but he was hardly himself. I was told after the game that he didn’t start because he had been sick. This might have had something to do with his performance tonight. Jr. WG Zach Tansey managed 6 points and 4 assists. I like how jr. Ryan Wolski plays hard for the Lions. He gets the most out of his ability on a nightly basis. Tonight, he contributed 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. With Romano going down, and then playing sparingly, it was good to see sr. F T.J. Long get extended minutes for the Lions. I coached T.J. in youth baseball a few summers ago and he is a quality kid. He played hard and dented the stat sheet with 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist. This game was moved up to Wednesday so the Saints could tangle with Jersey toughie St. Augustine on Friday night at Villanova in showcase game.

FEB. 6
INTER-AC
Malvern 58, Haverford School 44
     It’s getting down to the nitty-gritty in Inter-Ac play this season and today’s game between the visiting Friars and the Fords had major implications on title possibilities. This past Friday the Fords (18-7, 6-3) traveled to Malvern and knocked off the Friars, 33-31, in a low-scoring slugfest. Today, it was the Friars (18-7, 7-2) returning the favor, as they controlled from the second quarter on and really never looked back. Now, the Inter-Ac crown will be settled this Friday when Malvern hosts Germantown Academy, also (7-2) in league play, for a winner-take-all finale. Today, the Friars used a 15-to-4 second quarter to build a comfortable 31-16 halftime lead. In doing so, they were patient on offense, constantly moving the ball until ideal opportunities presented themselves. Defensively, they kept the Fords on the perimeter and made clean looks hard to come by. This Malvern squad won’t overwhelm you with tremendous athletes, but their smarts and togetherness is more than enough to keep them in most games. For the game, they needed just thirty field goal attempts to claim their fourteen-point victory. They made twenty of them, including 5-of-7 from the arc. They also converted 13-of-14 free throws. This sparkling shooting effort by Malvern allowed the Fords to muster just six defensive rebounds for the entire game (12 total rebounds). I can’t remember too many other lower rebounding games I have covered. To preserve the win, the Friars scored their last nine points from the free throw line in ten attempts. For the Fords this was as an important a game as they have had in a while this late in the season. So, there was a good turnout and support was definitely in the gym. However, the Friars' unquestioned leader, sr. PG Joe Hoban, made sure the home folks would have little to cheer for early as he scored 12 of his game-high 18 points before the intermission. Included in this assault were two threes, a put back off a teammate's miss, and two lovely stop-and-go drives. For the game, he was 6-of-10 (2-for-4 on 3’s) from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line. He also had team-highs in assists and rebounds with five apiece. The only other Friar in double-figures was jr. 6’3” F Chris Cowell with ten points, on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. The nature of the game didn’t lead to lofty stats, but the rest of the Friars all did little things to aid in the win. Sr. CG Phil Gosselin connect on four of his five shots (1 trey) for nine points. He also added four boards. Sr. 6’4” F Mike Francisco tallied 7 points (2-of-3 FG’s, 1 trey), 3 assists, and a pair of boards and steals. Jr. WG Ryan Nassib chipped in with 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Playing an active role off the bench was sr. 6’7” F John Alberici with a pair of key second quarter buckets. Jr. WG Kevin Corbett supplied probably the biggest shot of the game early in the fourth quarter. HS’s jr. PG Matt Wunderlich had just swished a trey to pull the Fords as close as they had been in a while at 42-34. With his only shot of the game Corbett buried a right-wing trey off a pass from Hoban almost immediately after this. It gave them an eleven-point lead and they never looked back. With Hoban on the bench late in the first half jr. PG Matt McManus sank two freebies off a technical foul. As you can see Head Coach Jim Rullo got a contribution from everyone that played significant minutes. I really like the team-first attitude I see from this bunch. Even deep subs were continually rising off the bench to encourage and applaud good play. This is what it’s all about! Aside from a few decent runs the Fords really never made much noise today. Just as the case was last time I saw them (A loss to GA), I thought the Fords spent way too much time moving the ball around the perimeter. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate the deliberate and patient play. It’s always good to work for the best shot, but they stayed with this method even though they trailed significantly in the second half. Another thing, their leader, sr. WG John Haldy, is a bit unselfish for me. Today, he attempted just eight shots, making four for 11 points (3-for-3 at FT). He had couple of nice moves to break down a defender in the halfcourt set. I would’ve liked to see him try a little more of this, especially when his team was down by double figures. This kid is strong and has what appears to be a good set of offensive instincts, so scoring and getting to the line shouldn’t be that much of problem for him. He has scored over 1,000 career points. I looked back last season and he averaged 16.8 points per game in league play, but is down to 12.8 through nine games this year. I would have to think that taking fewer shots is part of the reason. High-man today for the Fords was sr. WG Drew Goldstein with 13 points. This kid is springy and has above-average athleticism. Freshman 6’5” F Dan Stewart has had a few excellent games while I’ve been in attendance this year, but today wasn’t one of them. Possessing one of the livelier young bodies in the city, this kid is usually a terror on the glass. Today, he snagged just five. Also, he did something that just can’t happen, and that is getting slapped with a tech for throwing the ball off the back wall after he was called for an over-the-top foul. Frustration was just pouring from him. He seems mostly mild-mannered, so we’ll chalk this up to a momentarily loss of reason. Frosh. PG Tyreek Duren showed good defensive skills by pilfering three in the second half. Look for this kid to make a serious contribution next season. The feel-good moment came in the final ten seconds when deep sub sr. G Mike Torres scored on a soft floater along the baseline. It was good to see the Haverford student section all still in the gym when it happened. Upon scoring they gave Torres a great cheer, making his senior day one to remember.

FEB. 2
CL SOUTH
O’Hara 64, West Catholic 52
     OK, folks, I have some things on my mind concerning West Catholic the SCHOOL, and I will get to them, but the main purpose of this web site and our reports is to promote the kids who play the games. So, with respect to that aspect I will hold back on my comments and focus in on the players who performed tonight. After all, these kids deserve the initial attention. Don’t you think? The Lions (7-13, 4-6) used a 22-to-13 second quarter to build a double-digit lead and mostly controlled from this point. The Burrs (9-13, 2-8) did reel off six quick points to start the fourth to pull within five, at 48-43. This sequence was capped by a mid-court steal by jr. 6’5” F Eric Brennan that led to a one-handed stuff. I believe it was his first career dunk. It wasn’t too long ago when he was referred as “Bambi” -- smile! The Lions regrouped though and ran off several consecutive buckets to reclaim control and win with relative ease. Leading the way was jr. 6’6” F Mark Wedderburn. The D-1 football prospect isn’t too shabby on the hardwood either and just had his way with the Burrs all evening. In fact, he didn’t miss a shot until his last free throw. The free throw followed a two-handed jam on top of a Burr defender and was more than likely the final nail in the Burr coffin. All told, he scored 19 points on a sizzling 8-for-8 performance from the field. He also went 3-of-4 from the line. Scoring wasn’t the only thing he did tonight, as he also contributed 9 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 4 steals. He still shows glimpses of lying back some and waiting for things to happen. Maybe it’s just his demeanor though, as he rarely outwardly shows outwardly emotion. Anyhow, I don’t think it would hurt his progression if he demanded the ball a little more. Equaling Wedderburn’s total of 19 points was jr. 6’2” WG Zach Tansey, who finished 7-for-13 (1 trey) from the field and 4-of-5 from the line to get his. Tansey also had 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Not blessed with tremendous foot speed this kid pretty much relies on being savvy to get himself in good positions. I like his deliberate style. The Tansey/Wedderburn tandem combined for 16 of O’Hara’s 22 second quarter points. In that quarter, the Lions were a steamy 8-for-9 from the field. Also reaching double-figures was jr. 6’4” WG Jim Kelleher with 13 points. Kelleher also added 4 assists. Jr. 6’3” F Matt Romano hustled for 7 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in a solid all-around performance. Jr. PG Ryan Wolski was steady by mixing 6 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals. The Lions were 26-for-43 (60.5%) from the field. However, take away shots from the arc and they were a blistering a 24-for-31 (77.3%). Sauna-like!! The Lions also had 19 assists on their twenty-six made buckets. Nice! The win kept the Lions just one game behind Carroll and tied with Bonner for that fourth and final playoff slot in the CL South. This should keep the Lions motivated the rest of the way, though, they’ll more than likely need to knock off one of the heavyweights to get in. Prior to player introductions Lion Head Coach Bud Gardler was acknowledged for becoming the all-time wins leader in Catholic League history earlier this season. Earlier in the year West did the same for Prep Head Coach Bill “Speedy” Morris for a milestone he had reached. Great gesture in both cases!! You need look no further than West Head Coach Bill Ludlow to figure out who was behind both acknowledgements. This man truly gets it! For the shorthanded (More on this to follow) Burrs it was just another frustrating night in the Burrdome. Both of their leaders, soph. PG Rob Holloman and E. Brennan, had off shooting nights. They combined to go just 8-for-32 from the field, including an 0-for-9 showing from distance.  There is just no chance that this team can win when this happens. It was a shame too, because the three other starters, all seniors; G Rory Brennan (Eric’s brother), F Mike Williams, and F Leonard McKlaine all probably played to the best of their ability. The elder Brennan scored 7 points (3-of-5 FG’s) and had 3 assists. McKlaine was 5-for-6 from the field for his ten points. Meanwhile, Williams was as active as possible and scored 14 points (6-of-9 FG’s) and swept 13 rebounds. Not much more you could’ve asked from this trio. Soph. 6’3” F Abraham Bah grabbed six boards off the bench, but was victimized by at least three of Wedderburn’s snuffs. Both E. Brennan and Holloman played hard, but they just couldn’t get enough shots to fall. E. Brennan ended with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals, and 3 assists. Holloman, WC’s leading scorer, managed just six points, but did deal 7 assists. While I tallied up the stats at the end of the game I mentioned to my partner in crime, Matt “Cauls” McCauley, that if they could have gotten a little more from Eric and Rob then West probably would have won. He responded in typical Cauls’ fashion with the line’s best night, “Maybe they were tired from playing in the JV game”. Sorry gang, but this isn’t a typo and it certainly isn’t a laughing matter. Though, the lighter side of me did let loose a chuckle or two. Due to academic/discipline probation the Burrs hoops program has YET AGAIN been besieged by mass losses. So, when the JV game began at 5 PM they had just five JV members in uniform. In order to have someone on the bench they had to take a varsity player. One problem – There’re only five of them left! Three are seniors, thus, ineligible for JV participation. That left E. Brennan and Holloman to sit on the bench. Here’s the kicker – These two players are the varsity captains!! Can you say? ONLY-IN-THE-CATH!!! I think the plan was for both kids to just sit there in case something happened to the five players on the floor. Something did! Bah was hit in the nose and it started to bleed, so E. Brennan was forced to go in. He scored two points in a brief stint. Amazing! By halftime, the freshman team had arrived back from a game at O’Hara and two players who usually dress JV were added to the bench. This allowed the varsity captains to join the rest of their teammates in the locker room. Underneath are some additional comments I have about the situation currently going on at West . . .
Huck’s Comments—
     I really don’t want to get into a long, drawn-out tangent about the problems I perceive there to be at my former school (West Catholic), in not only these days, but ongoing for many years now. I’m going to admit that it may not be my place. I haven’t spent a day during school hours in the building since I graduated. I’m not in the school on a day-to-day basis and I really don’t want to question the methods of the people (adults) involved without hearing their side of the story. I feel that would be totally irresponsible of me if I did. However, with that being said, I feel the need to release a little frustration and disappointment that currently overwhelms me about a school that I truly love.
     First, these comments have absolutely nothing to do with wanting to have a competitive, winning, or championship-contending basketball team. It goes much deeper than this. I believe that the academic/discipline problems the basketball team has felt are just a microcosm of what goes on throughout the school with many of their students.
     I have been assisting the basketball team in a statistical sense for nearly twenty years, going way back to my own time at West. Win or lose, I have and will continue to love every minute of it! Would I like to see the Burrs be a consistent contender for championships? Of course I would! I’m a fan and it would do wonders for the school. But my frustration now has nothing to do with wins or losses.
    Well, it’s the first week of February, which means its report card time at 45th and Chestnut. It’s also hold-your-breath time for the athletic programs and other school-wide activities. The Burrs basketball team lost three varsity players this week to grades. Not sure how many the JV lost. To date, Head Coach Bill Ludlow has lost AT LEAST seven players who played in a varsity game to academic/discipline miseries. A few other JV and freshman players have also been given their walking papers. Currently, the entire program has just 19 players left. Typically, you would probably see anywhere from 30 to 35 kids in a program.
     As an educator myself (Philadelphia Public School System – Elementary level) I’m fully aware that teaching and dealing with kids can be quite difficult. No one is ever going tell me that it’s an easy job. On occasion, and it’s unfortunate, you’re going to run into ‘bad’ kids and you’ll need to deal with these individuals in a serious manner. Sometimes in dealing with these kids you’re going to have to make a decision that’s probably not going to be all that pleasant. A school that promotes discipline and structure, along with  responsibility and accountability, are tremendous institutions in my opinion. We probably need more of them. This is not where my issue lies.
     Personally, I feel that West Catholic, in its every day operations, needs to have better balance in their methods, and without a doubt better and more DISCRETION when dealing with their students. The way one recent player was dismissed from the team because of a behavior incident just blows my mind. Did the kid need to be punished in some form? Absolutely! After looking at the facts, did he need to have 30 points taking away from his conduct grade (Was at a 96), therefore, putting him under a seventy and meaning he was now on conduct probation? Absolutely not! It’s called discretion and it needs to be applied and used on most occasions.
     Yes, losing kids to grades and discipline problems is inevitably going to happen. It’s a part of life. However, it is my opinion, that the rate it happens at West is borderline incomprehensible.  It’s mind-boggling and more importantly -- extremely SAD!
     If I went to the fifteen other schools currently playing in the Catholic League I could almost guarantee that they didn’t lose the amount of kids that West has combined. Combined!!
     OK, maybe it’s a bad year. Nah, hold on a second, this has happened every year at West for at least a half-dozen years now. And even before this, though it may have not been as bad, it has still been worse than any other school. Why??
     I’m not going to pin this terrible situation on just one person, or just one group of people. I believe there are many people that need to take responsibility here, including the students. However, I refuse to believe for one nanosecond that the kids walking around the hallways of West are any worse academically or more of a discipline problem than the kids patrolling the corridors of other Catholic high schools. I refuse to believe it! Not at this staggering rate at least!!
     Something serious is wrong with this picture and it needs to change. It’s not about having a good athletic team, it’s about saving lives. And if you think for second that throwing kid off a team or out of school doesn’t affect their development and potentially their path in life, then you are sadly mistaken.
     Again, and though it pains me to say this, but some kids are inherently bad and some just can’t handle the academics/discipline components of a Catholic school. I understand this! But it shouldn’t be at the level of what I see at this school. It just shouldn’t!!
     If these kids are that bad, then don’t accept them in the beginning! Don’t take their money. Tell them I don’t think West Catholic is for you. It’s not fair and it’s not right!
     I have heard disappointing stories of the amount of failure warnings and actual failures some of the teachers have submitted over time. Not saying some probably weren’t well-deserved. However, as teacher myself, I would have to seriously question my own capabilities if I had this many kids in danger of failing or actually failing.
     In the end, I just want West Catholic to survive and be a productive school for the young people who choose to attend it. It was a great place for me and I would love to see it be a great place for others.
     I don’t think it’s a lost cause and with a little bit of change from all involved, I think it can be a successful, nurturing, and rewarding place for EVERYONE.
     I know I said I wasn’t going to go on and on, and it seems like have, smile! However, West and its existence are very important to me, and I just would like to see it become a better place for the students here to learn, develop, and be more successful.
     I’m not sure how many people with West ties will read this. For those who do I’m sure some will applaud it, some might frown upon it, and for some maybe a light will turn on. In no way did I write this to upset people, but only to make people aware and for change to possibly come.
Thanks!
Ed “Huck” Palmer

FEB. 1
NON-LEAGUE
Neumann-Goretti 76, Penn Charter 67
     This was an interesting match-up between two teams from different leagues, especially this late in the season. Both squads are in the final third of league play, where the stakes are always much higher. Neumann-Goretti (16-4) leads the Southern Division of the Catholic League by one game over both Roman and SJ Prep. The Quakers (9-15) are struggling in the Inter-AC some and quite honestly have been a tad off all season. In their defense, they have played a top-notch schedule and you be hard-pressed to find too many other six-games-under-.500 clubs who are better. As for the game, it was quite pleasurable, as both teams went after one another throughout.  A key moment came right at the beginning of the fourth quarter. With N-G holding a 50-46 lead, sr. PG Antonio “Scoop” Jardine grabbed a long offensive rebound that probably could have been an over-the-back call. After securing the ball he immediately found sr. WG Wali Hepburn for an easy layup. Protesting the call, PC Head Coach Jim “Flipper” Philips was slapped with a tech. Jardine deposited both freebies to make the score 54-46. So, in essence, the Saints scored four points, when potentially a foul on Jardine could have been whistled and possession given back to the Quakers down four instead of eight. Personally, I didn’t think the actual non-call was terrible, though it wouldn’t have surprised me if the whistle had hooted. However, I didn’t agree with the technical and thought with the game tight and at this stage, the referee could have held back. Flipper’s comments really weren’t that bad. There’s a chance I didn’t catch something, but I was sitting right behind the PC bench. Believe it or not though, and despite this, the Quakers hung tough and after a trey by sr. F Brian Teuber trailed just 57-56 with 3:30 to play. The momentum wouldn’t last though, as the Saints used a couple of put backs each from sr. 6’9” F Rick Jackson and jr. 6’5” F Rashad Savage. Before long they had scored ten straight points and led 67-56. A three-pointer by frosh. 6’3” WG Travis Robinson did make it 67-62 with a 1:44 to play, but by this time the Quaker tank was running on fumes. They would draw no closer. For the Saints, Jackson was an absolute BEAST, scoring 25 points (10-for-14 from the field), snatching 23 rebounds, and swatting four. Oh yeah, he even had time for three assists. Twelve of his boards came off the offensive glass. An area of concern for the big guy was that he went just 5-for-15 from the line. In fact, the Saints as a team were terrible, going 19-for-44 (43.2%), Ouch! Ouch!! Check this out -- The Saints went to the line on twenty-four separate occasions and only four times did they accomplish the ultimate goal of either making one (After a bucket while being fouled) or both shots (Shooting fouls, both ends of one-and-one’s).  This needs to be cleaned up some as the end of the season and crucial games near. This team is GOOD, but shaky foul shooting COULD ultimately do them in during a critical game.  Oh,  I almost forgot, but after a short turn-around hook in the third quarter Jackson eclipsed the 1,000-point barrier. Congratulations! His partner-in-crime, Jardine, accomplished this very feat a couple of weeks ago. Speaking of Scoop he had a solid outing and managed 23 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals. He did struggle some from the field with a 6-for-18 showing (3-of-8 on 3’s). However, he was the lone bright spot from the charity stripe with 8-for-11 marksmanship. He started the second half by hitting back-to-back treys to push N-G’s lead from one to seven. Athletic jr. 6’4” WG Jamal Wilson scored 13 of  his17 points (7-of-16 FG’s) in the second half on an array of acrobatic short-to-medium jumpers. I know he had had some good performances from distance, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him begin in this area and then working his way outward.  He also swept 14 rebounds, made 3 blocks, and added a pair of steals and assists. I liked how he supplied a few timely hoops when Scoop and Rick were being slowed some. Savage (6 points) had two huge buckets in the final quarter and also reached double-digits in rebounds with 11 (6 offensive). Promising freshman G Tony Chennault (0-for-9 FG’s, 2 points, 5 rebounds) had a miserable game offensively, but played pretty well on the defensive end in making things difficult for PC’s franchise CG Sammy Zeglinski, a Virginia recruit. Yes, Zeglinski did score 22 points, but he was just 7-for-24 from the field, including a 3-for-12 night from beyond. Zeglinski’s best moments came in the second quarter where he scored 11 of his points. Though he took his share of shots he also had time to deal some, as witnessed by his eight dimes. I couple of these coins were shiny, as well as snappy. He also mixed in 5 rebounds and 3 steals. It appeared that he started to wear down as the game wore on, and many of his shots were left short. But hey, many came from 25+ feet, so maybe that was why? He missed his last ten attempts from the field, with seven coming from the arc. Overall, this kid was really fun to watch! I would like to see him again before his PC career comes to and end. Maybe during the Inter-Ac end-of-the-season showcase? Robinson was next with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals. This kid has plenty of athleticism and when he learns the finer nuances of the game he’ll become that much better. His shot was off early, but he found the range later on with two dead-on swishes from distance. I see explosive scoring outings in his future. It might not be for a year or two, but it will come!! Teuber is the guy who does the little things that just does wonders for the team. Tonight, he finished with 11 points (5-for-7 FG’s, 1 trey), 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Soph. 6’5” Justin Renfrow came off the bench and did an adequate job banging with Jackson. This kid is strong and I be surprised if he’s not a relatively high football recruit in two years. I saw him during the gridiron season and liked his intensity then. He displayed more of that today. He finished with modest numbers with 5 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block. The Saints blasted the Quakers off the glass 64-to-37.  The Quakers had three players foul out and were whistled for 30 fouls. The teams combined for 135 shots from the field and 72 fouls shots. Finally, a new record was set in stat book notations made by yours truly --- 423!! You can be sure that the ink level on my pen will be checked…..

JAN. 30
INTER-AC
Malvern 55, Episcopal 42
     I was wavering all day on whether or not I would make the short trip after work to Episcopal to take in this Inter-Ac clash. By the end of the work day the inner hoops junkie in me must have taken over because when car started I was headed in that direction. How did it go? Not bad, and mostly enjoyable. No matter what the talent level of the teams involved is, you know you’re always going to see a game that is at least played the right way in the I-A. How about the participants today? Well, let’s just say they're headed in opposite directions as the conclusion of this season nears. Episcopal (4-16, 1-6) is in a serious transition year, while Malvern (17-5, 6-1) has hopes of capturing their first solo I-A title since 1981 (They shared one with GA in ’95). With the win today the Friars will keep at least a one-game lead over GA and Haverford, depending on how these teams fared in their games, also played today. Ironically, the Friars only league loss came to the Churchmen (48-44), at home no less. Anyone who follows the Inter-Ac will tell you that this isn’t a great year for the league, at least by recent standards. Still, this Malvern team plays right and they play together, and when you have these two components good things are bound to happen. They are led by sr. PG Joe Hoban, whom I was very anxious to see today. I have heard many good things about this kid to date. In the end, he didn’t have his greatest game, and I’m sure he’d admit to this too. However, he did exhibit subtle skills that led me to believe that he’d be a joy to watch when on top of his game. He went just 3-of-11 from the floor (2-for-5 on 3’s) and 4-for-8 from the line for his 12 points. His last field goal, an off-the-dribble fading pull-up near the foul line, was huge and gave his team a 47-42 lead. This ended a Churchmen 7-0 run and they would never recover. The Friar leader also hustled for 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. What do all good teams do when their main cog struggles somewhat? They dig deep and pick up the slack. Today, multiple players found themselves in the chipping-in mood. Sr. 6’4” F Mike Francisco had an efficient game from the floor, to the tune of 6-for-7 (1 trey) for 14 points. He also claimed 8 rebounds. I liked how he expended little energy and kept things simple in scoring his points. You know, keeping the ball high, using the glass when needed, use of both hands, and having solid balance underneath him. The basics, baby! Jr. 6’3” F Chris Cowell contributed 12 points, on a 4-for-7 from the field and 4-of-5 from the line showing. He’s another one who kept things simple. He also added 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Sr. WG Phil Gosselin hit an early trey and then was mostly quiet thereafter. Until the end of course, this is when he hit all six of his freebies. He finished with 11 points and 4 rebounds. Jr. WG Ryan Nassib, of QB fame, hustled for 5 rebounds. The Friars ended the game going 8-for-10 from the line in the final 1:15. They did a tremendous job of rebounding the ball, especially on the defensive of end. Overall, they held a 33-to-18 advantage. But the stat I really loved is that they allowed ONE measly offensive rebound to the Churchmen, a pull by sr. WG Blair Fox in the first quarter. Talk about blocking out!! Episcopal’s Head Coach Dan Dougherty still has his club playing hard and mostly smart, but they just don’t have the horses to get it done on a nightly basis. During the past three seasons leading up to this one his team had a total of thirteen losses. But, hey, the dynamic duo of Wayne Ellington (North Carolina) and Gerald Henderson (Duke) resided here. Today marked the 16th setback for this season! The Churchmen have three seniors that see significant time in 6’8” PF Mike Nealis, 6’7” F Herbert Bowen, and PG Pat Kelly. Nealis showed potential and a soft touch in scoring a team-high 11 points. He was 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from the line. Twice he hit mid-range soft jumpers. He also added 3 assists and played within himself. Bowen was a non-factor mainly because he picked up three ultra-quick fouls before five minutes could elapse off the clock. He never got into the flow. Kelly came off the bench and managed a team-best four rebounds and 3 assists. However, he committed a handful of turnovers. This kid has some quickness and likes to go when he has the ball. Great! But the problem is that his teammates rarely reach that type of speed. It probably would behoove him to use his experience and ball-handling prowess to be more of a calming influence for the young kids he plays with. There are no Hendersons and Ellingtons filling those lanes anymore. The Churchmen’s best moments probably came when they had three of their young kids on the floor together. I’m speaking about a pair of freshmen in WG Omar Grier and 6’3” F Jack O’Neil, as well as soph. WG Cory Goodman. Grier and Goodman have almost identical bodies, lean and athletic with room to fill out. O’Neill used some niftiness in and around the basket for ten points. Grier added five points (trey), 3 assist, and 2 steals. Meanwhile, Goodman was good for eight points, including a 2-for-3 effort from the arc. This trio might not be a bad group to build around over the next couple of years. We’ll see what develops.

JAN. 29
CL SOUTH
Roman 77, West Catholic 50
     The Cahillites (15-3, 7-2) were coming off two extremely impressive wins over the weekend that saw them nip league rival Neumann-Goretti by a point on Friday and handle Pub goody Simon Gratz yesterday. So, if they had a little bit of a hangover to start the game against the Burrs (9-12, 2-7) it was definitely understandable. Three-minutes into the second the quarter the Cahillites trailed West by five, 19-14. OK, time to wake up, we have a lofty ranking on the line here. Using a swarming defense, Roman forced multiple Burr turnovers that led to either layups or opportunities at the free throw line. They ended the first half with a don’t-blink-or-you missed-it 21-3 spurt. This allowed them to hold a 13-point (35-22) lead at the intermission. A 25-point outburst in the third quarter was all she wrote, and the Cahillites coasted from here. Leading the way were the Wanamaker twins, as in sr. WG’s Bradley (Pitt recruit) and Brian. Each took turns dominating a half. Bradley scored 15 of his 19 points in the opening session, while Brian torched the nets for 14 of his 20 points in the second. Bradley was 6-for-12 from the field and a dynamite 7-of-7 from the line. I say dynamite because this kid has done a remarkable of job of turning himself into a productive asset at the line, rather than the liability he was a year ago. Kudos! Brad the Bully also racked up 7 rebounds, 7 steals, and 5 assists. There is no stat column this kid doesn’t like to visit, which is why the people at Pitt are going to love him in time. As for his brother, he went 8-for-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. He also added 5 rebounds and 3 steals. I love the way this kid approaches the game. Rarely, if ever, does he take a play off. I admire his intensity! As for the next level it will be interesting to see where he ends up. At 6’1” he’s not really a point guard, nor is he a wing. What he is though, is a good basketball player. He has very good defensive instincts and any club can use a guy like this. The other Cahillite to reach double-digits was jr. CG Courtney Stanley with 10 points. He also managed 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Stanley is a good on-the-ball defender and has some length to him for his position. I would like to see more consistency in his shooting, but that can be accomplished with additional work. Sr. G Nick Daggett, another Cahillite with good defensive skills, chipped in with 8 points (4-of-6 FG’s) and 4 assists. Frosh. CG Rakeem Brookins didn’t do anything crazy statistically, but he has the ‘look’. In a year or two, he could be a big-time scorer in this league. Only time will tell, but I have a feeling that he’ll have his share of impressive moments. The Cahillites were 19-for-23 (82.6%) from the line. They made 18 steals and ten Roman players reached the scoring column. As a team they shot 28-of-57 (49.1%) from the field. For West, soph. PG Rob Holloman competed and provided some brassy moments. He finished with 16 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals. A few times he beat his man off the dribble, cradled the ball for protection, and finished while absorbing contact. He was just 6-for-11 from the line and has suffered through foul shooting miseries all season. Fortunately, I think this part of his game can improve, as it is more of a concentration/confidence issue, than skill/technique. He does need to get more air under the ball though. Many of his misses hit straight on at the front of the rim. A little more arc buddy!  Jr. 6’5” F Eric Brennan had periods of good play for the Burrs too. He ended with 15 points (6-for-14 FG’s, 3-of-6 on 3’s), 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists. Brennan is a two-sport athlete for the Burrs and his time on the football field has definitely stunted his basketball growth in my opinion. By no means am I suggesting to give up one sport. However, the more I watch him, then the more I believe that basketball is his ticket to college. I still believe he can be a contributor for the West football team, but this summer I would play as much basketball as possible. Constantly playing is what is going to make him a better player. When he struggles I believe it is a direct result of him not playing enough. He’s a super kid and I just want to see him succeed in whatever he chooses to do. Sr. F Mike Williams had a decent mix of six points and 9 rebounds (6 off the O-glass). Jr. 6’3” F Sergino Mystil grabbed six boards, but was a colder-than-cold (0-for-9) from the field. Soph. WG Haleem Hayward chipped in with eight points. I sat with TS.com sidekick Amauro and asked him if he would like to handle report honors? He respectfully declined, smile! During the game he mentioned a few times how disappointed he was that the game was so sparsely attended. He stated that Roman/West games at the Burrdome have always been well-attended. I hear ya, buddy!

JAN. 28
CL SOUTH
Bonner 60, O’Hara 52
     The scheduled time for this critical Southern Division tussle between two neighborhood rivals was supposed to be 8 o’clock. However, when the clock did strike eight, the fourth game (Roman Catholic vs. Simon Gratz) of an all-day showcase was just slightly past the midway point of the third quarter. When the Lions and Friars finally begun warm-ups Bonner Head Coach Brian Daly playfully mentioned to O’Hara AD Dan Algeo, “It’s great to be playing in the midnight game.” Well, it wasn’t that bad, but the game didn’t tip-off until 8:47. Probably not what either coach wanted considering the importance of the contest. Both teams entered the game (3-5) in league play, thus, leaving them one game behind Carroll for the fourth and final playoff spot. The first half was tightly played and Bonner (14-7, 4-5) led 25-23 at the break. The second half began sluggishly, with neither team appearing to want to seize control. Then it happened, and it happened quickly! Yes, Bonner’s franchise, sr. 6’4” WG Jeff Jones took the bull by the horns and put a stranglehold on the game. When he eventually did let go, his team was well on their way to winning handily. With his squad leading 30-26, the offensively-gifted Jones hit the Lions (6-13, 3-6) with multiple daggers, scoring his team’s next thirteen points, and propelling them to a comfortable 43-31 advantage. With an assassin’s glare in his eyes he scored on drives, pull-ups, and even hit a long trey. The Lions had no answer! For the game, Jones ended with 28 points, going 9-for-18 (3-of-4 on 3’s) from the field and 7-for-11 from the line. He started the game with two bombs from way out, with one coming off a hard dribble to his right. Offensively, this kid is one of the more gifted perimeter players as I have ever seen in the Catholic League. He can flat out score the basketball. However, I would still like to see him fill up some the other stats columns more consistently. And I only say that because I think it would make him a more complete player. Tonight, he managed 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. He now has 1,762 career points, placing him exactly 100 points away from breaking the Catholic League record held by Roman’s Reggie Jackson ’78 (1,861). Two other Friars reached double-figures in sr. WG Nagbae Saylee (12 points) and sr. 6’6” F Tim Vanderslice (11 points). Saylee scored seven of his points early on a couple of hard drives and a trey. ‘Slice came off the bench and didn’t miss a shot, going 4-for-4 from the field and 3-of-3 from the line. Sr. 6’4” F Rob Wyley was very active and had a productive game. He finished with 11 rebounds (7 offensive), 4 blocks, 2 assists, and a steal. His production was needed as soph. 6’7” F Lijah Thompson (5 rebounds) was held scoreless and encountered foul miseries throughout. Sr. PG Rob DiNicola played a solid floor game and stuck to the basics. I like how this kid plays within his limitations. This is what makes him effective. He scored 6 points (4-of-4 FT’s), hustled for 6 rebounds, dealt a pair of assists, and played hard defensively all night. Solid effort! The Friars were steady from the line (18-for-24, 75%), including a nice 11-of-13 in the final quarter. The best Lion tonight was jr. 6’6” F Mark Wedderburn, who was extremely aggressive and played hard. Yes, he missed a few chippies that could have helped, but overall he was extremely active and effort was there. He finished with 21 points (8-for-19 FG’s, 5of-6 FT’s), 12 rebounds (9 offenisve), 4 blocks, and 2 steals. This kid is a D-1 football prospect, and I’ve been told that he already possesses offers from the likes of Rutgers, West Virginia, Temple, and Boston College in this sport. He isn’t too shabby on the hardwood either and possesses a soft touch from 15-feet or so. We’ll see where his talents take him. The only other Lion in double-digits was jr. WG Zach Tansey with 11 points. However, he scored eight of these points when the game was no longer in doubt. Before this he had a tough time getting clean looks. He did add 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Jr. PG Ryan Wolski showed spunk early and finished with 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 rebounds. Jr. 6’3” F Matt Romano chipped in with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. Jr. 6’4” WG Jim Kelleher, who the Lions rely on for perimeter scoring, had an off night, scoring just 6 points. He was just 2-for-11 from the field, including a 1-for-7 showing from distance. The first time these teams met the Friars rocked the Lions by twenty-five. I thought this game would be closer and it was for about three quarters. The eight-point spread isn’t indicative how much Bonner controlled things late though. They actually led by fourteen with 21 seconds left, only to see O’Hara score six quick points to give us a more respectable score. The first game also featured a tremendous turnout by the Bonner students. I thought we might see O’Hara return the favor tonight. Not to be! There were students in the gym, but nothing ever got going in that regard. This was the fifth game of the day and though the players gave decent effort, the atmosphere was very subdued I thought. It was like everyone there had sat through the first games and had a hard time digging deep to expend more energy. Wedderburn and Jones captured MVP trophies for their respective clubs.

JAN. 26
CL SOUTH
West Catholic 43, Kennedy-Kenrick 40
   Let the whirlwind of a day continue. I just saw the Prep’s Matt Griffin dash Bonner’s hopes of a huge win with a buzzer-beating trey. So, it’s off to 2nd Street in South Philly to pick up Shannon Connor, aka The Girlfriend (Hey, that’s Ted’s line!). Next, there’s a little bit of time to stop home in Clifton Heights to meet good buddy Matt “Cauls” McCauley, another Burr loyalist, who would be joining us for the trip up the Blue Route. Wait, mandatory stop required by girlfriend to Dunkin’ Donuts. Medium coffee, with cream, and two Splenda needed. Accurate West stats are officially in jeopardy! As is relationship, smile!  Ok, everyone situated, and journey to scenic Norristown begins. Can you think of any other way to spend a Friday night? Smile! We get to K-K in plenty of time and the coffee-stop avoids becoming an issue. The game? Well, I’ll try to be kind. There were moments of decent play and we did have a fairly suspenseful ending, but overall this experience was lacking. Good thing girlfriend is in attendance to provide comments that spruce-up moments during periods of ragged play. Meanwhile, Cauls is doing his best to liven things up with some of his best lines from the movie Napoleon Dynamite. Very funny! Back to the game – The Burrs (9-11, 2-6) were physically here, but not much else was happening. Meanwhile, K-K (0-20, 0-8) has endured a long season to date and both Head Coach Jack Flanagan and players alike knew that if they were going to get a win this season that their best chance presented itself tonight. Flanagan’s gang played hard and claimed a 14-10 lead after one quarter of play. The Burrs would seize control in the second quarter, behind soph. PG Rob Holloman’s 10 points, eventually building a double-digit lead. However, a desperate bunch of Wolverines clawed their way back, scoring the first eight points of the third quarter and tying the game at 30-30. West eventually led 38-36 after three. Now, we’re off to the final stanza, where the Burrs went on to outscore the Wolverines in an action-packed (Sorry, can you sense the sarcasm?) session 5-to-4. Let’s head quickly to the final minute. The score is tied at forty and Holloman makes a steal and lay-up deep in K-K’s backcourt for 42-40 Burr lead with 58 seconds left. Holloman would then convert the front-end of a one-and-one to push the lead to three with 27 seconds remaining. After that, K-K’s jr. PG Greg Santangelo barely misfires on a high-arcing trey from the left corner. Shortly thereafter, West would miss two front-ends of one-and one’s, giving the Wolverines one last gasp. A timeout was called with 7.3 seconds left. The plan? Get the ball to jr. 6’3” WG Karlton Byrd and let him try to create some magic.  Byrd dribbled upcourt and took a contested trey from slightly right of the top of the arc. The shot missed badly, hitting high off the glass, and before anyone could coral the rebound the horn had sounded. The Burrs survive, while the Wolverines will have to give it another whirl for that elusive first win. The K-K kids played hard and determined and that was good to see this late in the season. Their one true player is Byrd. Tonight, he scored half of his team’s points with twenty. However, he had difficult night from the field, going just 5-of-19. He did do a good job of penetrating, absorbing contact, and finding his way to the line. He was 10-for-13 here. He also hustled for 8 rebounds and 3 assists. The rest of the Wolverines did go 9-for-18 from the field. The other more productive K-K players were; jr. 6’5” Duane Alford and sr. Ryan Donovan. Alford is a wide-body and strong in the post. He scored two huge baskets in the fourth quarter after getting supreme position. He also battled for 7 rebounds and 5 blocks. Meanwhile, Donovan made himself noticed with 7 points and 7 rebounds. Sr. F Mike McCabe notched five boards, while Santangelo added four and a couple of assists. The Wolverines hurt themselves with 19 turnovers. For West, Holloman led with 13 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. He was just 5-for-15 from the field. Jr. 6’5” F Eric Brennan came off the bench to register nine points, 3 boards, and a pair of assists and steals. Sr. F Mike Williams hustled for 11 rebounds, but had trouble finishing near the hoop. Sr. 6’3” F Leonard McKlaine scored all eight of his points (4-of-5 FG’s) in a productive first half. Soph. WG Haleem Hayward was steady with 5 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. West could only manage thirteen second half points. They also took twenty-two more shots from the field than the Wolverines did. The Burrs did do a job of taking care of the ball, committing just nine TO’s. Ok, now back to more of the girlfriend chronicles. When she attends games she likes to play a little game called – What time do you think the game will end? Little does she know, but for hard-nosed statmen like me, the hope is that the game never ends. Though, I may have been on her side for this baby. Tonight, as the fourth quarter wound down her predicted time was in the ballpark and she told me to look at the clock. I was like yeah, but what if we have some overtime action. Her response -- “Umm, I don’t care who wins, but there better not be overtime.” I replied, you mean to tell me that you would rather have West lose, than there be OT? Girlfriend --“Yea!” Wow, does she know who she’s dealing with? I let it slide though because I have been told that trips to Norristown, on a blistering cold night, and on a Friday evening can make individuals mentally unstable. Double-Smile!!! (I just reviewed this report with the girlfriend and she wants the boys from West to know that she didn’t want them to lose, but was becoming tired at this time and home was where she wanted to be). We forgive her!!

JAN. 26
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 44, Bonner 41
      One interesting thing that I have realized about high school athletics during my time covering them is this – No matter how so-so or bland a game begins, this is not always a good indicator on how it may end. Today, that was just the case, and then some! No, the game didn’t begin terribly by a long stretch, but it was indeed lacking something. I immediately had the feeling that the Friars (13-7, 3-5) were going to be game for the long haul. They were patient on offense and defensively they kept the Hawks (17-3, 7-1) a tad out of their comfort zone. The first half was extremely clean, as the teams combined for just two turnovers (both by Bonner) and a total of five personal fouls. Why? Aside from the Prep’s large court allowing both teams to spread the floor, giving ample space to conduct business. Each team was deliberate when it came to shot-taking purposes. When they did launch many of them came from distance. Of the forty-four shots fired in the opening half twenty-one came from behind the arc. For the most part each squad was one-and-done too. The Hawks led narrowly 24-23 at the intermission. Ok, let’s get into the meat-and-potatoes of this contest. With the game in tight-fashion it appeared that more and more Prep students began to file into the gym, probably from other after-school activities. Be my guess! The more the merrier! It brought more life to the spacious confines, and more life, usually leads to more action. The Prep student body tried their best to rile Bonner franchise sr. 6’4” WG Jeff Jones with taunts of “Jeff’s a gunner or ball-hog” Well, he was gunning well in the third quarter, where he unleashed an assortment of big time moves to score 12 points. And no, he didn’t force the issue and was under control throughout the session. If anything, considering the way he was feeling it, more shots may have been appropriate. Shortly after Jones’ onslaught the Prep’s fiery leader sr. PG Matt Griffin got himself noticed. The Prep made four baskets in the third quarter and Matt provided dimes for each. The prettiest came after a he scurried after a loose ball off a missed trey by a teammate, saving it just before it went out-of-bounds. After regaining his footing he swung toward the top-of-the-key and whipped a beautiful through-the-backdoor heave to jr. WG Matt Williams for a wide-open lay-up. This sent the Prep faithful into a frantic frenzy. Griffin’s leadership cut a Bonner five-point lead to just one after the third quarter, 37-36. Before I jump ahead to the late-going I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention two other sequences that set off the Prep student body into epic proportions. The first, and undoubtedly the loudest came when Griffin took an outlet pass right in front of where I was sitting at the scorer’s table. Coincidently, most of the students where located behind me, rather than the opposite side far corner of the court, their normal stomping grounds. Anyhow, as Griffin took the pass, Bonner’s sr. PG Rob DiNicola must have thought he had an angle at a potential steal. However, all-in-one-motion Griffin caught the pass and cutback to his left, leaving a flying DiNicola to go sliding past him. The play would have brightened the eyes of Reggie Bush, had he been in attendance. It did brighten the eyes of the Prep student body and then some, sending them into an eruption that saw kids scrambling around the gym. Yes, in vintage Pub style, who would have thunk it? Later on, a great defensive sequence occurred. At one end, Bonner sr. Robert Wyley made a big-time block on a shot taken by jr. 6’6” F Larry Loughery. The Friars grabbed the rebound and raced down court. The hustling Lijah Thompson found himself with what appeared to be an easy layup, but Loughery returned the favor with a snuff of his own. Rebound by Thompson, he goes back up, SWAT by sr. 6’4” F Matt Dolan. Crowd explodes! Tremendous action! Let’s move ahead, ballgame tied at 41-41 and the Friars held possession after a timeout with just two-minutes left. At 1:21 DiNicola is well short on a 12-foot right-side jumper off a pass from Jones. Then, an errant pass by Williams gives the ball back to Bonner at 31 seconds. Next, the Friars call timeout with 22 ticks left. After the TO, they in-bound to Jones near the baseline and he heads to the top of the key. At 12 seconds he begins to make his move, he’s doubled, and he dishes to sr. 6’6” F Tim Vanderslice. After a little move in closer ‘Slice takes a clean 16-foot jumper at 8 seconds. The ball bounces over the rim where Thompson nearly hauls it in. It eventually finds the hands of Loughery on the floor and a timeout is granted at 4 seconds. Ok, how good of shot will the Hawks be able to get off? Inbounding underneath his own basket Dolan finds a streaking Griffin up the right-sideline, near the Bonner bench and yours truly. With full steam behind him Griffin cuts back towards half-court. He draws closer and at straight-on fires a 22 or 23-foot shot over Jones. The ball rises, rises, then descends, the buzzer sounds --- SPLAAASHH!!! Nothing, but the bottom of the net! Pandemonium!! What a scene! What an experience! The triple was Griffin’s (9 points) third of the game. I know it had to feel good. Beforehand he caught the wrath of Head Coach Speedy Morris for taking shots from extreme distances. Hey coach, I’m just getting loose for the BIG ONE, smile! Besides the few questionable shots Grif was beyond solid. He also added 6 assists, 6 boards, and oodles of leadership/brass. Loughery had moments inside with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Jr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower, who is beginning to develop a sniper’s resume, added 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. He was 3-for-7 from downtown. Williams (8 points) hit a couple of timely treys. Dolan added little things with 3 blocks and a pair of boards and assists. Sr. 6’6” F Rob Coney was hit with foul woes in the second half and pulled all seven of his boards before the intermission. The Prep didn’t shoot particularly well (15-for-39), but did manage 13 assists. For Bonner, Jones played well, at times, extremely well! He finished with 22 points, but all came during the first three quarters. Interestingly, he took just two shots in the final quarter and as I mentioned above did not partake in shooting on Bonner’s final two possessions. Part of this was unselfishness and giving the ball to more open teammates. Still, even a Jones’ semi-forced shot might have been the Friars best option at this point. As the game wore on I was starting to get the feeling that he was going to win it on a last-second shot. Not to be, but his overall play was still top notch. He shot 8-for-17 (2-of-7 on 3’s) from the field and 4-for-4 from the line. He also had 7 boards. His career scoring total now stands at 1,734, as he draws closer to former Roman player Reggie Jackson’s (‘78) 1,861. Aside from Jones, the rest of the Friars were just 6-for-24 from the field. Thompson ended with 8 points, 4 boards, and 2 blocks. Sr. WG Nagbae Saylee hit two shots from distance, while DiNicola dealt four assists. The teams combined for just 11 turnovers. Good stuff! A funny exchange between Bonner Head Coach Brian Daly and referee Pat Shanahan occurred when Daly was told by Shanahan to get back in the coaches' box. Daly spouted, “Will you look at him (Speedy).” Quite naturally, Speedy was three feet onto the court. Early on, the demonstrative Daly screamed to his team – “Pass and move! Pass and move!” Immediately the students chanted, “Pass and move, pass and move, pass…..” Late in the game Prep AD and good guy Jim Murray stood close by and eyeballed the crowd/game in a this-is-getting-good way. I said to him, I’m surprised to see the students over here and not over where they usually are. He responded, “The probably want to have a better chance of getting on TV.” Duh! It didn’t take Jim long to figure that out. I stated, you would think that even a West Catholic grad could have done the same a bit sooner. Jim chuckled at this. The game was taped by PCN and was to be shown later at night. I think they enjoyed the ending, smile!

JAN. 23
INTER-AC
Germantown Academy 63, Haverford School 59
     This game marked the midway point of league play for both squads in a wide open and balanced Inter-Ac. One had to think that the side of urgency favored the Patriots (10-10, 3-2) because they entered the game trailing both the Fords and Malvern by a game in the standings. If urgency was with the Pats, then momentum was with the Fords (15-6, 3-2). Haverford had captured three straight league games, including a huge win over Penn Charter this past Friday. Something had to give! And in the end, it was the Pats barely holding on to knock off the Fords for the second time this season. In the league opener, GA bested the Fords, also by four points, 43-39. I say barely because GA took control almost immediately. They only led by five after one and by ten at the half, but it seemed like the advantage was even more than this as the Pats dictated and controlled play. HS had a mini run in the third quarter to draw within seven at 33-26, but GA responded with a 13-to-2 spurt to end the quarter. They ended the stanza leading 46-28 and I thought to myself -- Looks like this one will end harmlessly enough in GA’s favor. Not the case! Some clutch shooting from distance, brassy play by HS veterans, and shaky foul shooting from the Pats were just enough ingredients for the Fords to turn this into something delicious. Trailing 50-35, with a little under five-minutes left, the Fords deposited three treys in four possessions to make the score an interesting 50-44. Doing the honors were sr. WG John Haldy and sr. WG Drew Goldstein twice. GA’s athletic/springy/energized sr. 6’3” F D.J. Johnston followed with a lay-up to push the lead back to eight, but HS’s jr. PG Matt Wunderlich instantaneously followed with yet another trey, making the score 52-47.  Next, GA’s soph 6’3” F Jeff Holton and freshman 6’2” PG Cameron Ayers each converted a pair of foul shots to make the score 56-47 with roughly two-minutes to play. Ok, order has been restored. Not exactly! Haldy followed with an old school three-point play to again provide a glimmer of hope. Let’s flash ahead a little. GA’s soph. 6’4” F Dean Melchionni converted the second of two freebies to make it 59-54 with 22 seconds left. HS’s impressive freshman 6’5” F Daniel Stewart made two free throws of his own to make it a one-possession game with fifteen ticks remaining. Then, GA franchise and La Salle recruit sr. 6’2” PG Kyle Griffin made the second shot of a two-shot foul, pushing the lead to four. With time winding down, Wunderlich unleashed a desperate shot from roughly 30+ feet that tickled the twine. This made the score 60-59, but just 1.1 seconds remained. Griffin was fouled at four-tenths. He missed the first shot. I said to myself, miss the second on purpose. There is no way HS would be able to grab the rebound and launch one from 90-feet away. On top of this, making the shot only gives you a two-point lead. Chances are that if the Fords do get a shot off it will be a three and another made shot wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Oh well, what do I know? Griffin made the second. Haverford called a timeout and set-up a play that saw Haldy run along his own baseline and try a long heave to Stewart, who has little problem rising to skyscraper limits. However, Haldy’s pass misfired and sailed over the other end line giving the ball back to GA. Johnston was fouled before GA inbounded and calmly converted two to give us our final. Let’s come up for some air!! As I mentioned GA’s headliner is Griffin. But today, he took somewhat of a backseat to Johnston. I like this kid! I hear that he is a late bloomer. He looks like the type of kid that could probably run and jump for hours upon hours. Expending energy is not an issue here! Today, he finished with 20 points, on 8-for-14 shooting (Made only trey attempt) and 3-of-3 from the line. He also added 8 boards, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. Great all-around effort!! Griffin may have been a sideshow today, but he certainly wasn’t too shabby either. It appeared that he was making a concerted effort to get teammates involved. He did for the most part, dropping six dimes. Many were of the look-away variety. He ended with 15 points (4-for-8 FG’s, 1-of-3 on 3’s, and 6-for-10 FT’s). He also hustled for 7 rebounds and 3 steals. His fourteenth point of the game gave him 1,000 career points as a GA player. He played his freshman season in Allentown and had eclipsed this milestone last season when you add the points from both schools. Jr. WG Joe Hill scored nine of eleven points in the second half. He was 5-of-8 from the field (1 trey). He also demonstrated the will to hustle and scamper relentlessly around the court. As witnessed by his four steals. GA’s other rotation members are all underclassmen. They all flashed positives on occasion. I liked Melchionni’s willingness to mix it up. He made all three of his shots from the field and scored seven points. More impressively, he added 6 boards and 3 swats. Horton was timely with four assists. GA shot 53.5% from the field, going 23-for-43. They had a splendid 17 assists. One sore spot was that they shot just 9-of-20 from the line in the final quarter. Aside from a small spurt here and there the Fords pretty much slept-walked through the first three quarters. They did finally wake up, but it was too little too late. The Fords turned the ball over seven times in the first quarter, while GA did not commit a single miscue. In the second quarter, they went after it, but shot just 2-for-17 from the field. Many of the misses were on follows and in traffic. In the end, they did post four players in double-figures. The most impressive Ford was Stewart. This freshman should have a bright future ahead of him. He is still a bit raw, but I envision he’ll flourish in time. He managed 12 points (6-of-8 FT’s), despite misfiring from in-close. In his defense, a few of his missed attempts came off of teammate misses and were athletic tips, not missed wide-open lay-ups. He was the ultimate Windex-man today with 16 pulls, seven on the offensive end. He also swatted three. Haldy started slowly, but picked it up late. I sensed that he may have been a little too unselfish at times though. He scored 15 points (6-of-12 FG’s), grabbed 4 boards, and dealt 4 assists. Goldstein (5 rebs.) scored all 13 of his points in the second half. He was 3-for-6 from downtown, but just 4-of-15 overall. Wunderlich (3 assists) was the last Ford in double-figures with 15 points (5-for-14 FG’s). Ten of these points came in the final quarter. He was also 3-of-6 from distance. After scoring 28 points in the first three quarters Haverford exploded for 31 in the final session. I thought the Fords may have been guilty of looking for the perfect shot early in the game, so I thought a little tentativeness developed over time. Finally, even though there were probably 25+ Pub games today, where do you think Mr. Tom “Pucklehead” McKenna ended up? Yep, you guessed it, with me!! Unknowingly, and not planned of course. The man was rather mild, but his sneaks were far from it. He had some kind of Ronald McDonald-looking red sneakers on that illuminated the gym like a flare does the night sky. I’ll end this report with probably the biggest understatement ever – The dude is one-of-a-kind!!

JAN. 19
CL SOUTH
Roman 72, O’Hara 40
     For the first five or so minutes the Lions (5-11, 2-4) hung around with Roman and even held a 12-10 lead. Then, like they do so often, the Cahilltes (12-2, 5-1) unleashed one of their ultra-quick runs and never looked back. They ended the quarter with a 14-2 spurt to grab a 12-point lead after one. In Roman’s fish bowl of a gym, they usually use their supreme quickness and athleticism to their advantage. When they are clicking, their offense resembles that of a layup line, in both half-court and fast break opportunities. Today was no different! Early in the contest I asked my table counterparts, PA announcer Dan Hoban and scorekeper Chris “Gator” McCoy, what percent of Roman’s made baskets would come from lay-ups? “A ton! Probably ninety-percent!” Hoban spouted. Well, he was damn close. The Cahillites made twenty-eight baskets in the game and all but four came on lay-ups. Some quick math tells me that’s 85.7%. Actually, four might be a tad generous because that’s counting a four-foot floater by soph. PG Maalik Wyans in the second quarter. The other three were a three-pointer by Wyans late in the third quarter and a pair of baseline jumpers by subs frosh PG Raheem Brookins and jr. 6’5” F Brian McBeth in the fourth stanza. To say that the Cahillites overwhelm teams on their home court is putting it mildly. It will definitely be interesting to see them tangle with Neumann-Goretti next Friday on this very court. Usually, the Cahillites would move this game to a bigger arena to accommodate a larger fan base, not to mention pad their pockets with a larger gate. Smile! However, that won’t be necessary this season because fans have been banned from these teams’ head-to-head match-ups this season because of events that transpired at the end of last year’s title game. Hey, we’ll worry about that game next week. How about some numbers from today?  Four Cahillites reached double-figures led by Wyans 17 points (7-for-10 FG’s) off the bench. He scored 14 of his points in the first half, using his deceiving quickness in-and-around the basket. He also added 3 boards and 3 steals. Sr. G Brian Wanamaker was next with 16 points and he also did much his damage early, scoring twelve in the first half. He was 6-for-10 from the field. He added 4 boards, 4 steals, and 3 assists. This kid has very good defensive instincts to go along with an improving offensive game. Twin brother, sr. 6’3” WG Bradley Wanamaker (Pitt recruit) was his typical relentless self. He finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 assists. Early in the third he cleanly picked an O’Hara player out front and soloed in for a wicked one-handed wolf. Jr. CG Courtney Stanley put forth a solid all-around outing. He ended with 11 points (4-for-5 FG’s, 3-of-3 FT’s), 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. I liked how he didn’t force the issue and just let the game come to him. McBeth deposited six fourth quarter points. Freshman 6’6” F Rasi Jenkins gave a glimpse of the future with three swats late in the game. Jr. 6’4” G Will Kirkland did some nice little things off the bench and contributed 3 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Roman was 28-for-58 (58.3%) from the floor. They also were a solid 15-for-19 (78.9%) from the line. One deficiency the Cahillites might have is the ability to knock down shots along the perimeter. This COULD become an issue later in the season when they face quality opponents in bigger gyms. Aside from that, there is much like about this group and how they compete. After some early success the Lions wilted under the extreme Roman pressure. Many of their kids need space to succeed and little of it was available today. The Lion that played the best was probably jr. 6’2” WG Zach Tansey, though he had trouble getting his shot off. He ended with just nine points. Though he did deposit two long treys, as well as add 4 assists and 3 steals. Jr. Jim Kelleher led the Lions with 12 points, including a 3-for-6 showing from beyond. Jr. 6’6” F Mark Wedderburn scored all of nine of his points in the first half. For some reason he only managed one shot attempt after halftime. He also added 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals. O’Hara only scored 15 second half points. How about a little table talk? McCoy once again pulled a Houdini act and departed at halftime. He had to get to the recreation center he runs. The problem I have is that his stints at the table seem to be getting shorter and shorter. Before long he’ll be leaving as I’m coming up the stairs. Smile!!! During the first half the O’Hara scorebook keeper (Student, but I didn’t get a name) asked what all the different marks were in my book. I told him it was a complicated system I used for keeping stats – NASA type stuff. Later in the game, he came back to it again, and asked what everything meant? So, I explained it to him and he responded, “Damn, it is like NASA type stuff.” Hardly! Still, it made for a funny moment.

JAN. 18
CL SOUTH
Neumann-Goretti 92, West Catholic 62
     The final score shows a 30-point spread, and yes, the Saints did in fact win handily. However, with 2:38 left in the first half their lead stood at just two points, 29-27. After a timeout, West even had the ball with a chance to tie or go ahead. During the TO Head Coach Bill Ludlow preached smart play and quality shot selection. These two usually go hand-and-hand. However, the Burrs (8-10, 1-5) launched a pair of questionable shots on their next two possessions and the Saints never looked back. They ended the half with a 12-to-1 spurt, to build a more comfortable halftime lead, 41-28. In the second half they picked up where they left off, quickly building their advantage to over twenty points. Amazingly, at one point in the third quarter I looked down at my book and saw that West had made their first six shots of the third quarter. Yet, they were actually down more than they were at half. Weird! West hung around for a long stretch early because they were playing hard, for the most they took care of the ball, and shots were fallen. Another reason was probably that the Saints (13-3, 6-0) lacked some energy and were somewhat disinterested. This all changed in the latter part of the second quarter when their dynamic duo just erupted onto another level. I could only be referring to sr’s 6’2” PG Antonio “Scoop” Jardine and 6’9” C Rick Jackson, both Syracuse recruits. Here’s a suggestion – During the ‘Cuse’s next home game have someone play a clip from this game at halftime. If so, then this South Philly tandem will instantly grab the attention, more likely the love, of 25,000 screaming fans dressed in orange. What a performance!! Let's start with Scoop first, who did his best to put forth a Kobe Bryant-like outing. He finished with 28 points, on 10-for-16 (1-of-3 on 3’s) shooting from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line. He also had time to mix in 11 assists, 7 steals, 3 rebounds, and a block. Many of his baskets came on pull-ups along the perimeter, probably in the 14-to-17-foot range. He’s gets nice elevation on his shot and just oozes confidence. At least tonight he did! I will say this, if he’s hitting these off-the-dribble, mid-range pull-ups consistently, then Saints will be extremely difficult to beat. Jackson wasn’t too shabby himself, but he did most of his damage right near the rim. He finished with 25 points, on 12-for-14 from the floor. His two misses were a trey that was long and a missed slam. Eleven of his twelve made shots came in the form of dunks. I repeat -- ELEVEN of his twelve made baskets came on slams!!! His two most impressive moments occurred during the late second quarter run. First, he grabbed a defensive board, dribbled down court, crossed over a defender near the foul line, and then finished with a one-handed wolf. The frenzy meter in N-G’s gym soared well over ten on this baby. Then, after Jardine made a steal, he raced down court, and as time was expiring he perfectly lofted a ball towards the rim where Jackson was waiting for yet another throw-down. This ended the half. Impressive! Jackson also added 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. Hey, for selfish reasons I wish these two kids were staying home to play their college ball at one of the Big Five schools. Still, I’m going to enjoy watching them play in the Big East for the next four years nonetheless. I wish them both well and hope they can make Philly proud. All total, the Saints had FIFTEEN dunks in the game. Jr. 6’4” F Rashard Savage (6 points) was the recipient of another Jardine dime for a two-handed slam off a lob. Jr. 6’4” WG Jamal Wilson (7 points) had an acrobatic left-handed dunk off a fast break. Reserve sr. G Wali Hepburn showed serious hops with an alley-oop slam. From? You guessed it – Jardine!!. He also managed 5 boards and 3 assists in some active minutes off the bench. Closing out the slam-fest was soph. 6’8” C Andrew “Scooter” Gillette off a feed from soph. 6’5” F Henry Smith in the late going. With standout freshman Tony Chennault saddled with foul issues, jr. CG Tyrell Taylor saw plenty of quality minutes. He performed well too. He finished with six points, 3 each of assists and rebounds, and a couple of steals. Tyrell is the younger brother of former West star Marshall Taylor, who played briefly at La Salle. The Saints were a blistering 38-for-59 (64.4%) from the floor. They also dealt a total of 22 assists. The Burrs were definitely game early and showed plenty of nuisance-type moments. Leading the way were soph PG Rob Holloman and jr. 6’5” F Eric Brennan. Holloman (3 steals) had a few unstable stints of play with some unforced turnovers, but for the most part competed all night. He shot 8-for-18 (2-of-4 on 3’s) and 3-for-6 from the line for 21 points. Brennan finished with 14 points on 6-for-14 shooting. He was just 2-of-8 from the arc, but made at least three mid-range pull-ups. I would like to see more of this in his game. He also plucked seven rebounds. Soph. WG Haleem Hayward scored eight points, including two three-balls. Sr. 6’3” F Leonard McKlaine hustled for 8 points off the bench. Springy sr. F Mike Williams added 5 rebounds and 3 blocks. I sat next West football coach Brian Fluck during the game and I did what all good statmen do when space is limited -- I put him to work. The Fluckster handled the minutes for me and did a great job too. Afterwards, he kidded and said that I’ll want to do the football stats next year with him in the stands. Not likely!! He later said, “You like when I’m up in the stands?” I said, of course I do – You won a championship in doing so. After years of coaching from field level Fluck moved to the stands after a midseason loss to Conwell-Egan. The Burrs didn’t lose a game the rest of the year. Hmmm, any ideas of where he’ll be next year to start the season? I have a strong guess on where it will be.

JAN. 17
NON-LEAGUE
West Catholic 57, Marple-Newtown 54
     In all my years with West I can never remember them playing a non-league game after their league season had begun. I asked Head Coach Bill Ludlow prior to the game if they have ever played a game under these circumstances while he’s been the coach (14 seasons). He said that this was indeed the first during his tenure. I didn’t mind too much, though, as the game was played at Marple, which is just a 15-minute drive from my house. On top of that, it spiced up what was otherwise going to be a low-key Wednesday night. The game? Not bad, considering the teams are hardly familiar with one another and little to nothing was on the line for each squad. The Burrs (8-9) had to fend off the Tigers (5-12) in the late going to capture a much-needed win. West played a really solid two-and-a-half quarters and built a comfortable 42-29 lead. However, they hit a cold spell and the Tigers got blistering hot, eventually tying the game with 2:40 remaining. West soph. PG Rob Holloman made a critical basket, a huge steal, and a few free throws very late to preserve the victory. He led the Burrs with a game-high 18 points (7-for-14 FGs). He also added four steals and three boards. The only other Burr in double-digits was sr. F Mike Williams with 11 points. He was an efficient 5-for-6 from the floor. Jr. WG Eric Beal provided energy off the bench with 8 points (4-of-5 FG’s) and a team-high 9 rebounds, including 6 off the O-glass. Improving soph. 6’5” F Koron Reed was 3-for-4 from the field and added 8 points. Two of his baskets came off of slams. One was a perfectly executed lob pass from soph. WG Haleem "P-Nut" Hayward (3 assists, 3 steals). Jr. 6’5” F Eric Brennan was just 1-for-9 from the floor for just two points. However, he did contribute 7 assists and 6 rebounds. The Burrs' foul shooting woes continued, as they were a pitiful 10-for-25 (40%) in the game. Nearly every member of this team is an underclassman. This has to change if they expect to experience success down the road. There is no reason for it not to. Practice! Practice! Practice! Not just at school-related workouts either, but ON YOUR OWN!! The Tigers are coached by former West assistant Kevin Newsome. His team has no problem playing hard for him. I liked the effort they showed late to get back in the game.

JAN. 12
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 50, West Catholic 47
   For one half of basketball this game had blowout written all over it. The Hawks (13-3, 3-1) had methodically built an 18-2 lead early in the scored quarter and eventually led 29-11 at halftime. The Burrs (7-8, 1-3) were coming off back-to-back losses to Roman by forty-eight points and a nineteen-point setback to O’Hara. On top of this, they were having a hell of time putting the ball in the basket, going a chilly 5-for-26 (19.2%) from the field in the opening half. So, hopes of a comeback were hardly at the forefront of anyone who follows this team closely. However, West came out of the locker room with effort and energy, and slowly inched their way back into the game. They opened the second half with a 16-to-4 run that brought them within 33-27, with three-minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Prep did their best to keep them at bay though and seemed to be on their way for a semi-comfortable victory. The Hawks are one of the most well-prepared, organized, and coached teams in the area. They rarely, if ever, beat themselves. However, it they do have an Achilles heel, it probably lies in that they have just one true ball-handler. This player is sr. PG Matt Griffin, who is without a doubt the glue that keeps this team together. Midway through the final quarter Griffin picked up three ultra-quick fouls. The third in this series left him disqualified for further play. The Hawks led 46-35 at this juncture, but 3:41 still remained. With a scent of blood in the water the Burrs pounced like a school of sharks. Turning the Burrdome into what the Hawks must have thought was a five-gallon fish tank. Let’s move ahead to when things really got heated. Trailing 48-40, soph WG Haleem "P-Nut" Hayward, who was sensational in the second half, fired home his third trey of the game to make it a five-point contest with 1:05 left. Then, soph. PG Rob Holloman made a steal and found Hayward for a layup, making the score 48-45. Prep’s sr. 6’4” WG Matt Dolan was fouled at 43 seconds. He made the second of two freebies (Only point of the game) to create a four-point lead. WC’s jr. 6’5” F Eric Brennan converted two foul shots with :21 seconds left and West now trailed 49-47. On the play, Dolan picked up his fifth foul. This left Head Coach Speedy Morris no choice but to dig a little deeper into his bench. He opted for jr. G Phil Giordano, who entered the game for the first time. Like it has on so many occasions, the ball found Giordano almost immediately and he was fouled with eighteen ticks left. Colder than the last ice cube in the tray Giordano walked to the line and misfired on his first attempt. However, he collected himself and deposited the second for a critical point that gave his team a three-point cushion. In the total scheme of things it was a great job to get this additional point. It more than likely forced West to try a trey on their final possession. With the ball brought beyond halfcourt the Burrs called a timeout with twelve-seconds left. Head Coach Bill Ludlow more than likely wanted either Holloman or Hayward to take the final shot. Brennan was probably the third option. West got the ball in and Holloman and Hayward played catch with it at first. Eventually, with time running down, Holloman dribbled to the left-wing and fired a heavily-contested three as the buzzer sounded. Prep’s sr. 6’8” F Rob Coney was in the area and got as piece of the shot, leaving it well short from its mark. The Hawks played tremendous perimeter defense on this final possession and were able to escape with a hard-fought win. One has to think that if another minute remained on the clock, the Burrs indeed would have overtaken the Hawks. It’s just a feeling that I left with. Leading the way for the Hawks was jr. 6’6” F Larry Loughery with 17 points and 9 rebounds. After a rough stretch in the third quarter Morris yanked the aforementioned Loughery for the final four minutes of the third quarter. He came back with more energy and scored six of the Hawks ten fourth quarter points. This was my first look at the Hawks this season and appears to me that Loughery has added an inch to his frame. He was 7-for-12 from the field, but just 3-for-9 from the line. The only other Hawk in double-digits was Griffin with ten points. He was 4-for-10 from the field, including 2-of-4 from distance. He also hustled his way to 5 assists, 4 steals, and 3 rebounds. I love the way this kid competes. You can just tell that plenty of hard work as made him into the player he is today. Jr. 6’3” WG/F Jim Mower, who has been lighting it up lately, had a strange game. In the first quarter, he made all four of his shot for nine points, including a three-pointer. His first three baskets came on layups has he continually beat the Burrs down the floor. However, he went on to miss his last six shots from the field and went scoreless after the first quarter. He added four rebounds. Coney made three of his four blocks in the final quarter, as his length gave the Burrs problems throughout. He also added 7 points and 4 rebounds. Dolan didn’t attempt a shot, but hustled for 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block. The Hawks were 20-for-41 (48.7%) from the field, but a lousy and Un-Hawk-like 6-for-19 (31.2%) from the charity stripe. After a listless first half, the Burrs put forth a performance that had to make Ludlow proud after the intermission. Hayward (4 rebs.) scored all 17 of his points in the second half, going 7-for-9 (3-for-3 from the arc) from the field. At least three other baskets were mid-range pull-ups.  This kid does an great job of really squaring up when he shoots the ball and always seems to have good balance from his waist on down. He’s still young, so growing pains will more than likely take place. Still, I think he has a chance to be a real nice offensive option over time. Holloman scored 9 of his 11 points in the second half. He struggled shooting the ball going just 5-for-20 from the field. Yes, he probably took a few ill-advised shots, but for the most part I had no problem with his shot selection. Two of his misses occurred at buzzers, with one rimming out just before the halftime horn. Others were close too, but fail to get the roll. An area you can’t question about Holloman is in his effort, especially in the second half. This is where he made all five of his steals and gave Griffin fits coming up the court. He also did a solid job in taking care of the ball, committing just one turnover. The Burrs got good production off the glass from sr. F Mike Williams with 11 snags (5 offensive) and soph. 6’5” F Koron Reed who chipped in with 10. Seven of Reed’s boards came off the offensive glass. Like I stated in the past Reed is still green, but I see improvement from game to game. Brennan chipped in with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. He was victimized by a handful of first half turnovers, but he mostly played well after that. West outrebounded the Hawks 44-to-27. I spent the first half in my usual season-ticket location. Far baseline, front row! Been there for years! However, with former West coach, English teacher, and mentor, now Prep freshman coach Joe Donahue in the house I decided to move. Yep, I went to the nosebleed seats of the Burrdome – One section over, three throws back, smile! I decided to take in the second half with Crazy Joe’s Clan of Computer-Crazed-Cronies. How’s that for an alliteration, Mr. D? Nah, just kidding all of Joe’s guys seem to be really good kids and they definitely do a great job. I kidded with Mr. D that if there were All-Catholics for stat-keepers, then the Prep would more than likely sweep the board. Though, we did have an issue during the halftime stat-checking sequence. Joe’s boys had West with six made field goals. One problem, they only had 11 points!!! Let’s chalk it up to Burrdome craziness!!

JAN. 11
CL SOUTH
Neumann-Goretti 74. O’Hara 48
     The Lions (5-9, 2-2) just had to know it wouldn’t be their night by the end of their first possession. After winning the opening tap, O’Hara ran their offense patiently and after seventy-five seconds had ticked off the clock, jr. 6’2” WG Zach Tansey found himself all alone for an easy layup. Clang! He misfired badly and the Saints (10-3, 4-0) raced down court and scored. Would it have mattered? I doubt it! However, it just would have been the perfect way for heavy underdogs to start the game. From here, the Saints would roll and eventually build an 18-4 lead before O’Hara knew what hit them. Their lead hovered between fourteen and twenty points throughout, and they eventually won going way by twenty-six. Assistant Coach John Mosco, serving as head coach, capped off his fourth victory in as many tries to begin Southern Division play. Regular Head Coach Carl Arrigale will once again be patrolling the sidelines for league games beginning next Tuesday when his team travels to Monsignor Bonner. Arrigale was suspended for the first four league games this season by Catholic League officials because of events that transpired at the end of N-G’s title game win over Roman Catholic last year. I’m sure Carl is glad this ordeal is over and is looking forward to taking his spot back on the sideline. For Mosco, he’ll go into the CL record books for highest winning percentage (Minimum 4 games) in CL history. Rumor has it that he may turn in his clipboard and go out on top. Smile! Highlights? For the Saints, there were oodles of them. Let’s begin with the big guy, as in sr. 6’9” C Rick Jackson. It was just another day at the office for the Syracuse recruit, who is in my opinion is the league’s best talent, if not the city’s. Tonight, he went for 28 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 assists, and a steal. His baskets came in all forms too. Yes, he had some put backs off misses from teammates, but that’s not where it ended. He hit a nice 10-foot baseline jumper, a few times he made strong and aggressive moves along the baseline for scores, he ran the floor and was rewarded with a couple of throw-downs, and he even hit both of his attempts from beyond the arc. Has he added this to his arsenal? I’ll tell you this much, he looked real comfortable shooting them and neither came close to touching the rim. Overall, he was an extremely warm 13-for-17 from the floor. Not a bad night’s work, huh? This kid has really blossomed in four years, maybe more so than any other player that I can remember. Running mate and close buddy, sr. 6’2” PG Antonio “Scoop” Jardine, who is also off to Syracuse after this season as well, ended with an efficient double-double. He finished with 12 points (6-of-11 from the field), 10 assists, and 4 steals. Many of his dimes were lovely. One in particular led to a beautiful alley-oop slam by jr. 6’4” WG Jamal Wilson. Shortly thereafter Wilson would injure his right ankle and would not return. At halftime, he had the ankle heavily wrapped and was limping considerably. Later on, I saw him in street clothes and the limp didn’t seem to be as bad. Hopefully he’s not out too long. Jr. 6’4” F Rashad Savage rivals Wilson in athleticism. He’s not as polished on the perimeter, as he prefers to work along the baseline, but he has a stronger body. He was active in this one with 8 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals, and a pair of assists. I got my first look at freshman sensation CG Tony Chennault. He wasn’t at his best tonight, but I can tell he’s a keeper. He already fits in and appears to have solid defensive edge to him. His offense and decision-making will undoubtedly improve with maturity. He had modest numbers with: 7 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds. Sr. 6’3” WG Mark Hatty (Trey, 5 rebs.) and sr. WG Wali Hepburn (5 points) gave Mosco good minutes off the bench. The Saints shot a blistering 32-for-52 (61.5%) from the field. They also blasted the Lions on the boards to the tune of 43-to-19. The Saints are good and as long as they continue to realize that Jackson is on the court, letting the offense begin with him inside, then they are the favorites to win another CL crown in my opinion. Even though they fell behind big early the Lions kept battling throughout. A couple of times they made a decent run and one actually led to N-G using a timeout. The 26-point loss doesn’t give a good indication that effort was there, but it was. O’Hara just doesn’t have the athletes, or experience to keep up with a team like the Saints on the road. They did place three players in double-digits. Leading the way was Tansey with 13 points and 4 rebounds. He shot 3-for-6 from distance. Jr. 6’4” WG Jim Kelleher added 11 points (4-for-12 FG’s, 3-for-10 on 3’s) and 3 assists. Jr. 6’6” F Mark Wedderburn also added 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks. After a promising start at the offensive end he struggled with his shot, often rushing it. I’m sure Jackson’s presence didn’t help his cause. Jr. PG Ryan Wolski (3 steals) had a nice spurt in the third quarter where scored all seven of his points on three consecutive made shots (A pair of 3’s). For some reason the Saints wore their away jerseys, while the Lions wore their home white. Not sure why. This game was moved up a night because the Saints will travel to Springfield, Massachusetts this weekend to play in the Hall-of-Fame game. They’ll take on DeMatha (MD), currently the 10th-ranked team in the country. Scare of the night came in the third quarter when the announcer said that a Toyota Camry and Black Jeep were illegally parked in the back part of the school. Guess who has a black jeep? And who was in the back part of the school? Yep, Huck was! About five minutes remained on the clock. Do I check out the situation, risking faulty stats? Or do I stay put, risking major hassle, not to mention damage to the wallet? Stay! Check! Stay! Check! Huck’s staying, it can’t be me! Ahhh, game ends and Jeep is still in place. Imagine that? How ironic would that have been? I get towed for PARKING ILLEGALLY IN SOUTH PHILLY!! Give me a break. For the record, I was parked legally and it wasn’t my Jeep that they were talking about. This is why I’m a better statman than Puck. He never has to worry about his car getting towed. They don’t allow SEPTA buses in school parking lots, smile!

JAN. 9
CL SOUTH
Roman 79, Bonner 62
   The Friars (11-4, 1-2) entered this intriguing Southern Division contest with hopes of knocking off the Cahillites (9-2, 2-1) for the first time in Roman’s gym since 1988. Coincidently, that was Friar Head Coach Brian Daly’s senior season. During that season he captured MVP honors and led his team to the school’s last basketball championship. With a starting line-up consisting of four seniors, including Virginia-recruit sr. 6’4” WG Jeff Jones, you have to think that the Friars believe they can be a player in capturing some hardware this season. Personally, I thought there was a slight chance that the Friars could create some attention today, but more than likely, the possibility of besting a team of Roman’s caliber would ultimately come on their home court. Was my assumption correct? You betcha!  Roman’s gymnasium has always been a HUGE advantage for Cahillite teams. However, in my opinion, the makeup of Roman’s teams the past two seasons has made their home court advantage even more intimidating. With no true post player, this team is beyond quick with their seven-guard rotation (Though jr. 6’4 F Brian McBeth started today, playing briefly). How about a little recipe for success? Small court, plus quick players, equals plenty of turnovers leading to easy buckets in transition. Well, that was the formula today. The Cahillites raced to a 24-13 double-digit lead after one quarter. That lead swelled to twenty, at 44-24, by the intermission. Roman’s lead would get as high as twenty-two in the second half, and the Friars would never draw closer than fourteen after the first quarter. The Cahillites forced 16 first-half turnovers and a grand twenty-eight for the game. Including in this were twenty steals, with many leading to lay-ups. Roman’s headliner is Pitt-recruit sr. 6’3” WG Bradley Wanamaker. Blessed with a strong body and a warrior-like mentality he bullied his way to 18 points (7-for-12 FG’s, 4-for-6 FT’s), 5 boards, 6 steals, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in a strong all-around performance. I love the tenacity he brings each time out! Equally as impressive was soph. PG Maalik Wyans. I have seen this kid twice in less than a week. Guess what? He’s grabbing my attention! He’s strong, confident, and for the most part makes the right decisions. I love how he can finish around the basket with his off-hand (left). I’m not positive how well he shoots it yet, but time will tell. In my opinion, he has a chance to be the best Roman point guard since Clayton “Stink” Adams, a first-team All-Catholic performer in ’87, who went on to have a solid career at Duquesne. It’s early, but I really like his game. He finished with 20 points, on 10-for-14 shooting from the field. He added 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Temple Head Coach Fran Dunphy was in the house, and I wonder if he was sneaking an early peak at this kid?  Sr. CG Brian Wanamaker, Bradley’s twin brother, is the ideal complementary player for the Cahillites. This kid has gotten better each year and though he is smaller than his bro, he also brings a defensive edge to the court. His offensive game has improved too, witnessed by his 12 points. He also chipped in with 4 steals and 3 assists. D-2’s should be sniffing, and maybe a handful of low 1’s who may be looking for a defensive-minded guard who can do the little things. Jr. CG Courtney Stanley didn’t shoot the ball particularly well (3-for-10, 7 points), but had a nice floor game with 6 assists and 3 steals. He also did a dogged job in chasing Jones on the defensive end. When Stanley wasn’t on Jones, reserve sr. guard Nick Daggett (8 points, 5 rebs) was. Both were instrumental in seeing that Jeff had a tough time of it. Jr. 6’4 G/F Wes Kirkland also came off the bench to post 8 points (4-for-6 FG’s) and grab 5 rebounds. The Cahillites dealt 20 assists on 34 made buckets. They shot 34-for-61 from the field (55.7%).  For Bonner, the high-scoring Jones managed just 14 points. He was only 2-for-10 from the field, but did convert 10-of-14 from the line. He also added 6 rebounds and a pair of assists and steals. If Bonner was going to win this game they probably needed Jeff to be unconscious, but it just wasn’t to be in the tight confines of Roman’s gym. I did like the fact that he didn’t overly force the issue and there were moments when he made some very good basketball plays that wouldn’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet. Promising and still-developing soph. 6’7” F Lijah Thompson posted 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half. I loved the fact that he kept battling, even when his team was down significantly. A few times he showed some strong/aggressive moves at the hoop. He also contributed 8 boards and 2 rejects. It’s possible that Dunphy liked what he saw from this kid too. His best days are certainly ahead of him. Sr. 6’6” F Tim Vanderslice (4 rebs) scored 11 points (4-for-8 FG’s). Known for long-range bombing ‘Slice only managed one attempt and knocked it down. Of all the Friars, he was probably the one most affected by the small court. He likes to shoot from the corners, but there are no corners (three-point distance) on Roman’s court. Daly got productive and encouraging minutes off the bench from diminutive freshman PG Jamal Melvin, who reminds me of former Carroll standout and Thomas “Pucklehead” McKenna idol, Kashif Payne (Current Univ. of Toledo player). Now, he’s not as polished or advanced as Payne, but there are undoubtedly similarities. He definitely bears watching! He ended with 8 points (2-for-3 on 3’s) and a couple of assists. This wasn’t garbage time production either. More impressive was the fact that I didn’t see one hint of him being scared or intimidated. Impressive! I think in the teams' next meeting, on Bonner’s much larger court, you could see a much more competitive game. The Friars have size and if they can push Roman further away from the basket, forcing them to launch deeper shots, then they’ll have a chance. They did out-rebound the Cahillites 36-to-24. I also liked the fact they played hard for the full 32-minutes. They outscored Roman 38-to-35 in the second half, when both teams still had important cogs in the game throughout. This is something to build on! Now for some table talk. Last week, I was not afforded a spot at the scorer’s table, but that scenario did not repeat itself this time, even with the larger table not making down into gym because of a faulty elevator. Kudos to Roman AD Dave Falcione and PA guy Dan Hoban for hooking-up yours truly. Hoban went on to commit the game’s first two turnovers when the CDs he had playing during warm-ups and the National anthem began to skip multiple times. He exclaimed, “I’m switching to tape!” Yea baby, go retro! Scorekeeper Chris “Gator” McCoy was again manning the book. He proclaimed, in so many words, that he loved his first taste of ink from my last report on Roman. This man brings much to the table (No pun intended), that he may become a weekly feature in my reports. He even inquired about what it takes to write on Ted’s site, stating he may have some interest in doing some diamond notes come spring. I informed him that it’s a complicated process that often takes many months to complete. That there are well over 200+ applicants a year and it can take a while for Puck to get through them all. Smile! Nah, a simple e-mail to Ted stating you interest would more than likely be suffice.

JAN. 5
CL SOUTH
Bonner 55, O’Hara 30
     Let me set the stage a little. The Friars were coming off a tough home loss to a strong SJ Prep team that saw them get within four points late, after trailing by fifteen to start the final quarter. The Lions were coning off a an encouraging road win at Carroll that gave Head Coach Buddy Gardler the Catholic League record for wins in a career. These two schools are only a couple of miles apart and friendliness during athletic competition is far from the norm. Bonner’s gym is packed to the gills in anticipation of a rock’-em, sock-’em brouhaha. Sounds good to me, right? Ahem, NO DICE!! Listen closely --- Do you hear that?? Clank, clank, clank, clank clank, clank…..Am I getting redundant? Well, that’s what it sounded like at the Lions’ offensive end throughout this game. With the Friars in a semi-active 3-2 zone O’Hara just launched, launched some more, and launched even more from distance. They went 1-for-16 in the first quarter from the field, 1-for-9 from the land of the three. Matters got worse in the second quarter for the Lions and by halftime Bonner had built a 27-to-13 lead mainly due to O’Hara’s ineptness to make a bucket. They finished the first half 4-for-30 from the field, and 1-for-14 from the arc. And this is supposed to be one of the warmest winters ever? For all intents and purposes this was the game. To tell the truth many of the shots taken by O’Hara were clean, so to speak. It wasn’t like Bonner’s defense was ultra-aggressive. Not only did the chilly shooting take O’Hara out of the game, but it also took the large Bonner student section out of it, along with many of the other folks in the gym. Bonner’s headliner is Virginia-recruit sr. 6’4” WG Jeff Jones. Jeff gets a lot of pub, so I’ll start with someone else and then work my way back. Playing impressively tonight was slinky/long sr. 6’5” F Robert Wyley. He scored three early buckets, including a nice two-handed slam in transition. Overall, he only scored nine points, but was the ultimate glass cleaner with 14 pulls. He also added four blocks and a pair of assists. I think this kid is the wildcard for the Friars if they are to challenge the top three in the CL South. I know consistency has been an issue in the past, but if he can give efforts like the one tonight on a regular basis, then Head Coach Brian Daly will certainly feel good. He has long arms and is springy, with much bounce. Much of his damage comes around the hoop and this is where he’ll ultimately be a factor. Now, back to Jones, who scored a game-high 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting (2-of-6 on 3’s). He did all of his damage in just three quarters of work. Included in his output, were a couple of his signature mid-range pull-ups. He splashed in a long a three as the first quarter buzzer sounded. He also added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. It was good to see results in the other statistical categories from Jeff, too. This has always been a concern of mine in evaluating his game. I saw improvement tonight! Promising soph. 6’7” PF Lijah Thompson banged for 8 points, 8 rebounds (6 offensive), and 2 blocks. This kid has a pretty big upside and it’s going to be interesting to watch him develop over time. Sr. sniper 6’6” F Tim Vanderslice shot just 3-for-10 for six points, but had at least four go halfway down and then spill out. He did hustle for nine rebounds. Great energy and effort were provided off the bench from sr. WG John Sheehan who busted for six points and 5 rebounds. Sr. PG Rob DiNicola (4 rebs, 2 assists) did some of the little things. The Friars pounded O’Hara on the glass to the tune of 51-to-31. This Bonner team has size and a star in Jones. On the right night it wouldn’t surprise me if they knocked off one of the top three (Neumann-Goretti, Roman, & SJ Prep). However, ultimately what may do them in is the lack of multiple perimeter players that defend and handle the ball confidently. No matter what, this team should not be an easy out. Not much to say about the Lions tonight. Ultimately, I do think they’ll have better nights. With an all-junior starting line-up and few seniors on the roster they are probably a year away anyway. Overall, they shot 10-for-56 (17.9%) from the field and 4-for-24 (16.7%) from beyond the arc. The starting line-up was a mind-boggling 7-for-47 (14.9%), with three members failing to make a bucket. Jr. WG Zach Tansey (4-for-13 FG’s, 2-of-9 3’s) finished with 12 points. He also added 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Jr. 6’4” F Jim Kelleher (3-for-16 FG’s, 1-of-10 3’s) had an equally as frustrating evening. Better days will occur for both. Jr. 6’7” F Mark Wedderburn managed just three points, he did pull 7 boards. He didn’t look comfortable at all tonight. Like I mentioned earlier, the gym was electric and filled with enthusiastic fans. These conditions won’t make it easy for league heavyweights Roman and Neumann-Goretti when they come calling later this year. Before I check out I want to thank the Catholic League Basketball Gods for allowing me to see not one, but two scintillating games today. NOT!!! The margin of victory in these two games was only 73 points. What did I do to deserve this??

JAN. 5
CL SOUTH
Roman 79, West Catholic 31
     This isn’t your typical Cahillite club for they don’t have a true post player in the top part of their rotation. However, they are very typical in the fact that they are extremely quick and cause much havoc with their pressure-the-ball defense. This was especially the case today, with the game being played in the cozy and tight confines of their third floor gymnasium. After a so-so start the Cahillites (8-2, 1-1) slammed on the gas pedal in the second half of the first quarter and never looked back. Roman forced 31 Burr turnovers and made 20 steals in the game. Obviously, many led to easy, fast-break layups. Five Cahillites reached double-digits and every member dressed made at least one bucket. Pitt-recruit sr. 6’3” WG Bradley Wanamaker scored all 11 of his points in the opening half. Included in this were three mid-range jumpers and a vicious one-handed wolf. He also made time to pilfer six, claim four boards, and add three assists. This kid is as strong as ever and I love his college choice of Pittsburgh. I just think his style of play will fit well with the aggressive, defense-minded, and physical Panthers. I see him having no problem fitting in during some of those Big East wars that are sure to come while he’s there. High-man today for Roman was nifty soph. PG Maalik Wyans with 13 points (6-for-9 FG’s, 1 trey). It appears that he has shredded some of the baby fat that he had last season.  He’s still strong looking, but has quickness to offer too. Jr. CG Courtney Stanley, a transfer from Kennedy-Kenrick, had a solid all-around outing. He scored 12 points (6-for-10 FGs), grabbed 7 rebounds, and managed three each of assists and steals. He appeared much more under control today than he did at times last season. I’m going to attribute that to having better players around him and not having to shoulder too much of the load. Experience and maturity may also be factors. Jr. 6’4” F Will Kirkland added 10 points and four boards off the bench. Freshman PG Raheem Brookins certainly wasn’t bashful and scored 11 points in 13 minutes of action. Blessed with tremendous quickness, he appears to have a scorer’s scent within him. He got eleven shots off while in the game, but also had time to swipe three and deal three assists. Bruising sr. F Mark Reeves banged his way to six points and seven rebounds. Jr. WG Wes Kirkland had three each of; rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Roman used a 41-10 scoring advantage in the middle frames to ignite the assault. For the game, they took 71 shots, with seven players having at least six attempts. They were 35-for-71 (49.3%) from the field. I knew the Burrs would be in trouble when I arrived to the gym and only eight players were in the lay-up line. One starter was not with the team for school-related reasons. Another rotation member was late getting to the game because of dentist appointment. And yet another member was missing because of illness. It’s never a good thing to enter a hornet’s nest with just eight players ready to go. Soph. PG Rob Holloman battled for 13 points (6-for-17 from the field) and 3 steals. He was chased, trapped, bumped, and swarmed upon all afternoon long. Little help was provided offensively from teammates though. Sr. F Mike Williams did hustle for 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. I thought soph. 6’5” F Koron Reed gave some encouraging minutes too. He added 7 boards and 3 swats. Sr. F Leonard McKlaine claimed seven rebounds too. It was good to see shore buddy and Roman teacher Chris “Gator” McCoy heading the Roman scorebook. Gator is always good for a story or two, and when the suds are flowing the stories usually take an interesting turn. I had to lay into The Voice of Roman Hoops, Dan Hoban (Playfully of course!), prior to the game. I was a little perturbed by the lack of room for yours truly at the scorer’s table. He promised to break out to the longer table for future games. You can be sure I’ll hold him to his word. Boy, were the stats flying fast and furious in this baby! At times I felt like I was tied to my seat and someone was shooting tennis balls at me from one of those machines. I was bobbing and weaving to see around people and things were happening at a feverish pace. How fast? Check this out! It’s my favorite stat of the day. I made 372 trips to the scorebook to document a stat during this game. That’s 11.7 stat marks per minute or just over five seconds per stat. Yeah, let me see Mr. Tom "Pucklehead” McKenna top that!!

JAN. 2
CL SOUTH
West Catholic 54, Kennedy-Kenrick 41
     To quote 76er play-by-play announcer Marc Zumoff, “IRON UNKIND!!!” Actually the iron was downright mean-spirited towards incoming basketballs in this Catholic League opener for both squads. And even though the Burrs (7-5, 1-0) were double-digit winners, they were the main culprits. Brace yourself for this baby – The Burrs were an anemic 15-for-42 (35.7%) from the free throw line. What is free about those numbers? Most of the futility occurred during the fourth quarter where West went just 9-for-26. However, they actually rattled off thirteen straight misses that covered their last two attempts in the second quarter, all five in the third quarter, and first six in the final stanza. Unbelievable!! Nine West players got to the line at least once, and all nine missed at least once. So, this was a team effort. However, soph. PG Rob Holloman, who has skill and