ZB's Zone Return to TedSilary.com Home Page     Zach Berman is a student/athlete at Germantown Academy and has joined the site to write about the Patriots. Zach may be reached at Phillyboy6@aol.com.     Please offer your support. Thank you!!

FEB. 21
INTER-AC SHOWCASE FINAL
Penn Charter 86, Gtn. Academy 75
   As if Inter-Ac fans weren't spoiled enough with two outstanding
meetings between two outstanding foes, the Inter-Ac Postseason
championship presented a third duel, and possible revenge for Germantown
Academy as they looked to take down the undefeated champions, Penn
Charter.
   In early January, PC coughed up a double-digit lead but held on to
win by three. At the end of the month, the Patriots trekked to
School House Lane and played close-to- even basketball for three quarters
before succumbing in the fourth. The third meeting, this time on a
neutral floor at Episcopal Academy, did not have the type of meaningful
urgency that both the earlier bouts employed, but still supplied two
super basketball teams who seem to love gunning at one another. For the
third time, PC defeated the Patriots in the easiest game of the three,
86-75. The Quakers claimed their second consecutive postseason crown to
complement back-to-back league titles.
   Much-heralded seniors Rob Kurz and Sean Singletary struck early and
often in their swan songs, contributing over half the teams points in a
magnificent shooting display across the board. The X-Factor was next
season's Quakers star Zack Zeglinski, who scored a season high 24 points
on 7-9 shooting including 3-4 from beyond the arc. As a team, PC hit a
bit over 50% of their shots and nailed nine treys.
   One could argue that GA had their best effort out of the three
games, all things considered. They cut a double-digit lead to five
points midway through the third quarter before Singletary hit a deep
three that could have been shot from Lancaster Ave. The Patriots were
never able to muster the needed run after that shot, despite Kurz and
Singletary both getting whistled for their fourth foul with a few
minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
   The first period, like their last meeting, went back and forth.
Patriot point guard Larry Sharp knocked down eight quick points in his
final game of an impressive career. He finished with 13 on 5-7 shooting.
The score was 24-18 after the opening stanza, and Kurz, Singletary, and
Zeglinski combined for an excellent second quarter to grab a 43-30 lead
that was softened by GA senior guard Jeff Neubert's buzzer beating three
pointer. (He finished with a career high 8 points in his final game.)
Kurz and Singletary both had 13 at the break. Kurz finished with 18
points against his former school, while grabbing 10 rebounds and was a
only two blocks away from a triple-double. He also had an outstanding,
momentum-changing alley opp in the second half that brought much of the
crowd to their feet. Singletary ended a terrific two-year PC career with
26 points, five rebounds and five assists.
   GA's third quarter run was lead by junior guard Kirk Jones. He had
11 in the period, including two trey's. Jones knocked down a foul shot
in the fourth to finish with 12 points on the afternoon. PC was always
able to tame a Patriots rally, and overcame the foul trouble of their
two stars to come up with the 11 point victory.
   Saturday seemed to be the first game since Brian Grimes' injury
where the Patriots really missed him. Obviously his presence would have
been helpful in any of the games over the past two weeks, but he's
particularly an asset against the Quakers. His absence meant it was a
tough day for sophomore center Andrew Ott, who had to do his work
against a much more experienced Kurz. Ott finished with 10 points and
grabbed 10 rebounds. He undoubtedly has a bright future.
   Speaking of bright futures, GA star Ryan Ayers finished with 21
points and eight rebounds, on 6-16 from the field and 7-8 from the line.
He did not diversify his shots as much as normal, primary going to his
midrange fade-away. He hit two of his four three pointers.
   PC had a terrific two-year stint on top of the Inter-AC, but with
the graduation of Kurz and Singletary, they'll have a much tougher time
in the league. Zeglinski is going to emerge as the focal point in the
offense, and his younger brother Sam will also be a big-time
contributor. But GA (Ayers, Grimes, Ott, Jones all returning as
starters) and Episcopal (Henderson, Ellington, Rosati, and Brown all
returning starters) come back with loaded rosters and will be the
frontrunners for what looks to be another great Inter-AC race next
season, leaving fans of the six-team league spoiled once again with
great basketball.
   Notes: Like both teams, this is my final game reporting. I want to take
this space to publicly thank Ted for giving me this opportunity. As an
aspiring sports journalist, the past few months were invaluable, and I
owe much to Ted for providing a forum to practice and learn. I only
hope those who read this page enjoyed it half as much as I enjoyed
writing it.

FEB. 19
INTER-AC SHOWCASE TOURNEY SEMI
Gtn. Academy 54, Malvern 40
   There was no doubt Malvern Prep went into Thursday evening's
Inter-AC postseason semifinals seeking revenge. After falling in
overtime by three points twice this season to Germantown Academy, the
Friars were hoping that three's a charm. The Patriots knew this coming
in, and did what they failed to do the first two meetings: Pound the
ball down low, and get rid of Malvern in regulation. Led by a
career-high 25 point output by sophomore center Andrew Ott, and a near
triple double by Patriots star swingman Ryan Ayers, GA stomped over
Malvern 54-40, eventually setting up a chance for redemption of their
own against league champion and age-old rival, Penn Charter.
After the opening quarter, it was Malvern 13, Andrew Ott 8. The
rest of the Patriots showed up to finish the game. GA went on a run, and
ended the half up 22-21. Their dominance of the second quarter set the
momentum going into the locker room, and they never gave that up.
Credit coach Jim Fenerty on what seemed to be a super gameplan of
pounding the ball down low. I've praised Malvern on this page twice this
season, and for all their strengths, no one could argue their literal
shortcoming is a lack of sufficient size. The Patriots are fortunate
enough to have a capable big man in Ott, and they utilized him
effectively. Ott hit all but two of his 14 attempts. This number was not
as much a testament to his hot hand as it was his shot selection. He
didn't take bad shots, opting to accept what the defense gave him and
hit the glass hard, thus getting put backs.
  Ayers finished with one his most balanced games of the season,
scoring 15 points while pulling down 10 rebounds and dishing six
assists. He was able to find his teammates, and was a difference maker
without scoring a ton, a mark of a good player. He remarked after the
contest, "Going into the game, we recognized the mismatch down low and
really wanted to take advantage of [Ott]. I think we did a good job of
doing that." Helping out with the feeding frenzy into the post was point
guard Larry Sharp who had five assists, and Kirk Jones, dishing out four
assists including one fastball that streaked right between the heads of
two Friars and into Ott for the lay-in.
  The Friars just could not get the production they needed on the
offensive end. Brian Grandieri, brilliant in both earlier meetings this
season, struggled Thursday evening, He could only muster eight points,
and could not get off a good shot in the second half when they needed to
make their run. Dan Plunkett led Malvern scorers with ten points. The
centerfielder will have little time to sulk about the loss, however,
considering he will soon toss in his high-tops for a baseball glove.
   Following the game, PC beat EA in a great game to watch. It
featured a few lead changes and some rim-rattling jams in front of an
impressive crowd for a postseason tournament. (No need for a recap here.
Huck wrote a great report, and I have no doubt Ed will continue his good
work) That sets up the rematch between the two top Inter-AC teams in a
game that if either of the two prior matchups indicted, looks to be
fantastic finale.
   GA won't be able to have their way down low like they did against
Malvern, as Rob Kurz mans the middle for PC. The injury of Brian Grimes
will also hurt the Patriots, who suffered their only two losses to their
biter foes. The player to watch out for is PC junior Zack Zeglinski. He
had 11 and 13 points respectively in the first two meetings, and the
Quakers are a much more lethal power when they get that third option. GA
has the ability to beat PC, but if the Quakers get that critical third
scorer, it will be tough.
  Another interesting thing to look for is the foul count of PC's two
senior stars. EA played a great game Thursday, but put of their success
was the foul trouble of Kurz and Singletary. If one of them must sit
early, GA could take advantage.
  Regardless, it will be a great game.
Notes: Travesty might be too strong a word, but there really is a
problem when neither Lowry nor Singletary gets the McDonald's A-A Game
invite. Now I understand it's a situation like the NBA All-Star game
where the committee wants to get each position represented, but either
one of those point guards could easily shift to shooting guard. I've
seen all three point guards from the East play (Rando, Telfair,
Washington), and I can't take anything away from either three of them.
But I really thought this was the year that Philadelphia would finally
get the respect it deserves. (Eddie Griffin was the last Philly player
selected, playing in the 2000 game. Dujuan Wagner was the last area
player, selected in 2001. Many thought GA guard Matt Walsh got shafted
in 2002. Only Maureece Rice made a push for the area last season.)

FEB. 14
HOOP GROUP SHOWCASE
St. Benedict (N.J.) 68, Gtn. Academy 50
   After Saturday afternoon's humiliation against St. Benedict's Prep,
Germantown Academy's basketball team could agree on one thing: Watch
out, Duke fans! That's because North Carolina-bound swingman Earl "J.R"
Smith is a dynamic player. Smith did not let fans wait for the NBA's
Slam Dunk Contest on Three Point Shootout on Saturday Night; He gave the
specatators their own show, nailing five trey's and showing off three
highlight-reel jams on way to 33 points and even more impressive, a
68-50 win.
GA played plenty of terrific players this season, some among the top in
the country. In terms of a single performance, all could take a backseat
to Smith's afternoon. It's not his point total, or even how he scored
it, but just his physical presense. He's a shooting guard who could play
offensive guard on the gridiron, considering his ripped physique. He had
10 first quarter points and 21 at halftime. Smith finished 12-20 from
the field, including 5-10 from behind the arc while nailing all four
foul shots. He also recorded four assists while pulling down four
rebounds.
  From the get-go, he was on fire. He nailed four quick points in the
early going, but GA kept tight due to the play of big man Andrew Ott. GA
was able to feed the sophomore center, and Ott showed nice footwork and
a soft touch. He finished with a team-high 15 points, but only managed
to grab three rebounds. Smith and UTEP signee Alex Galindo conneccted
from long range before the quarter ended, giving the Grey Bees a 15-7
advantage after the first period.
  St. Benedict's broke open the gates in the second quarter. Smith
started the period with a double-pump dunk on the left baseline, off
only a one dribble. The barrage continued for the Bees, and the Patriots
could not handle the sting. St. Benedict's success from the perimiter
really killed GA. Smith had four of the team's six first half three
pointers, while also drawing a foul on a long three-point attempt, and
knocked down each ensuing free throw.
  For GA, there were no outstanding performances. Ayers took home the
MVP plaque with 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, but he
would probably be the first one to admit that it was a tough afternoon
all around. Doug Depte added a spark off the bench with eight points,
but he shouldn't be too happy shooting 3-9 from the field. Joe Gill had
five points and seven rebounds, but his percentage was weak as well,
only connected on 1-5. Larry Sharp managed to score five point but was
only able to distribute one assist. Kirk Jones had four assists, but he
also committed four turnovers. As a team, the Patriots shot 39% from the
field, and only 29% from three-point range. GA is a team that
traditionally excels by moving the ball around and finding good shots,
but credit the Bees for applying constricting pressure on the Patriots
and forcing them out of their game.
   Notes: The Bees are 27-1 on the season, with their only loss coming
against Lawrenceville...This was my second time watching St. Benedict's,
and their coach Danny Hurley employs the same hard-nosed attitude that
his legendary father Bob Hurley does at powerhouse St. Anthony's. The
pedigree is even more sensational considering former Duke star and
Sacramento Kings first rounder Bobby Hurley is the older brother of
Danny...The Patriots only have the Inter-Ac postseason tournament
remaining, and have a bye in the first round because they finished
second.

FEB. 13
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 73, Haverford School 45
   Haverford's senior guard Pete Kathopoulis went into Thursday night's
game needing four points to reach the 1,000 point milestone in his
career. Considering it was Senior Night at the Fords' sparkling, pristine
gymnasium, the stage was only appropriate. When Kathapolis sank a runner
from the left baseline, the game was immediatly stopped and Haverford
students charged the court, mobbing the man of the minute. Unfortunately
for the Maroon and Gold, that was the last time their fan base could
erupt in such excitement. GA burst away from Haverford in the second
quarter, and concluded their Inter-AC season with a 73-45 victory.
The Fords were clearly pumped for the game, and it showed in their
play. Haverford's seniors and crowd were fueled with energy from the
tip, and they hung in their with the Patriots in the first quarter, only
trailing 15-14. GA let them have their fun in the first quarter and then
buckled down and became all buisness in the second quarter, only
allowing one point, and scoring eighteen. That second quarter pretty
much wiped away the Fords, who can never put together a rally to cut the
margin.
Ryan Ayers led the victory for the Patriots. He was on fire early,
scoring eight quick points. The junior finished with a double-double, 18
points and 10 rebounds. Ayers also dished a pair of assists. Senior Joe
Gill and sophomore big man Andrew Ott both tallied double-digits for the
nights, scoring 13 and 12 respectively. Gill added five rebounds, while
Ott pulled down four. Kirk Jones looked very good, knocking down a trey
and two long jumpers for seven points, while also handing out four
assists. Larry Sharp rounded out the lineup with five points and five
dimes.
Kathopoulis ended up with 20 points, leading all scorers. He was
able to connect from long range, knocking down three three's. The Fords
also received decent production from Tom Close, pumping in 10 points
while playing tough defense. To their credit, Haverford moved the ball
well and played smart basketball. GA simply has more weapons.
The Patriots ended the Inter-AC 8-2, both losses coming from
champion Penn Charter. Haverford finished 2-8 in league play, with both
wins coming against doormat CHA.
  Notes: Congratgulations to Kathopoulis on the 1,000 points. He
seems like a class act, and he's a nice basketball player....GA plays
powerhouse St. Benedict on Saturday at Villanova in the CN8 High School
Hoops Fest. There are four great games, starting with GA vs. St.
Benedict's (NJ), followed by Episcopal vs. Brimmer and May (MA). After
that St. Raymond (NY) takes on St. John Neumann and for the nightcap,
Archbishop Spalding battles Cardinal Dougherty. There are eight or nine
D-1 signees that I can think of, and that's just seniors. Considering all
the talented sophomores and juniors in the event, it will be a great day
of basketball. The action begins at 3:00.

FEB. 11
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 61, Chestnut Hill 32
   GA's seniors saved their best for last. On Senior Day, when Larry Sharp,
Joe Gill, Doug Depte, and Jeff Neubert were honored, the graduating
class looked to complete an eight-game sweep of CHA in the four year
span. They did just, defeating the Blue Devils 61-32 in an all-out
effort, leaving an impressive legacy behind.
   The Patriots marched to an 18-4 first quarter lead and just rolled
from there, getting every player on the roster in the box score and
leaving the admiring crowd. The second quarter was no improvement for
CHA, who only managed to score one basketball, going into the locker
rooms with a mere six points. To their credit, they scored 26 points in
the second half, but the game was already so far out of reach, it was
merely just a case of padding stats.
   Logging his first start of the season, Depte headlined the Patriots
scoring output. The senior provided the energy he always brings, while
adding the scoring punch. He finished with 17. Gill was the only other
Patriot in double-digits, scoring 12. Sharp finished with five points
and five assists on his final day. Neubert tallied three for the cause,
while also contributing many hustle plays while recording the most
minutes of his career. GA advanced to 7-2 in the league, although are
gridlocked in second place with PC clinching the league Tuesday
afternoon. The Blue Devils remain winless.
   Notes: GA plays Haverford on Thursday night, an unusual league
date...CHA still has Malvern to play...The Inter-AC tournament, which
has no bearing on the league championship, is next week at EA.

FEB. 7
PRIMETIME SHOOTOUT
Gtn. Academy 51, Tabor (Mass.) 42
   The arena was mundane, vacant seats outnumbering used ones. There were
very few fans per se, more basketball spectators passively watching the
game. The game itself embodied the conditions it was played in, a
melancholy outing where both teams seemed to be running through the
motions. Such is life when a Pennsylvania powerhouse squares off against
a Massachusetts mainstay on 1:00 on an otherwise idle Sunday afternoon
in Trenton, NJ. Nevertheless, it was still a tough game pitting two
competitive teams, and despite the bore, GA defeated Tabor (MA) 51-42.
Ryan Ayers and Larry Sharp led the way for the Patriots with 12
points a piece, tied for the leading scorer. Ayers, who also chipped in
eight rebounds, was awarded the game MVP. Sharp played with the
confidence he's exuded the past two games, and despite still taking a
low number of shots, tallied the double-digits. He also added four
dimes. Fellow captain Joe Gill provided nine points and six rebounds,
while Andrew Ott recorded an impressive line of nine points, seven
rebounds, and four blocks. Starting in the place of injured forward
Brian Grimes, classmate Kirk Jones added five points to the winning
cause.
For traditional New England power Tabor, who just two years ago
featured highly touted Notre Dame forward Torin Francis and this season
rolled out with two Division-One signees and one uncommitted D-1
prospect, it was a very unimpressive afternoon. Ranked about the top
teams in the nation in some preseason polls, Tabor lost some spot games
earlier this season, and did not show much punch on Sunday. St. Bonnie's
recruit Charles Burch scored 19. Cornell commit Khaliq Grant was held to
only four points. Bilal Abdullah, the third of their trio, added eight
points in the losing effort.

FEB. 7
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 57, Malvern 54 (OT)
   If one was in need of ice water on a Saturday afternoon where cold
roads were streaming, there would be no need to look any further than
the veins of Malvern senior Brian Grandieri and GA senior Larry Sharp.
And if those same fans were in need of any excitement, there was no need
to look any further than GA and Malvern clashing in an overtime bout.
  Again.
  On a day when practically the entire high school basketball
community was focused on New Jersey's capital a few miles up route one,
or simply on West Philly's new jerseys, Malvern sought revenge in Fort
Washington on business they failed to take care of in Wayne. In
mid-January, the Patriots defeated the Friars in a terrific overtime
thriller filled with tough defense, constant lead changes, and clutch
shooting. Apparently, both sides had so much fun the first time, they
decided to do it again.
   Just like last time, it was the same result: a three point overtime
victory. GA defeated Malvern 57-54, the game-winner a three-pointer by
Larry Sharp, who capitalized on Tuesday's terrific performance with the
biggest shot of an impressive career.
   With 26 ticks left and down by a bucket, Sharp caught the ball at
the top of the key and let the contested three-pointer loose for the
potential and eventual lead. A split second later, the elated crowd
roared. Malvern had twenty seconds to win the game. Brian Grandieri
drove down the lane strong, drew a triple team before kicking it out to
a teammate who had a good look mid-range jumper. 6'9 Patriots center
Andrew Ott used his long reach to block the shot, junior Ryan Ayers
pulled in the loose ball, and the Patriots prevailed.
   Vince Lombardi coined the famous phrase, "We didn't lose, we just
ran out of time." That's the feeling Saturday's game gave you. Both GA
and Malvern had leads and lost them, meaning both squads were trailing
and got back in. If there was another minute, I'm not certain the same
team would come out on the left.
   The end of regulation was as exciting as the game-winner. The
Patriots had a three point lead with nine seconds left, leading by
three. While Malvern is stocked with super outside shooters, there was
little doubt that Grandieri, the Friars star, wanted the ball in his
hands. Some players are just gamers who want the spotlight when the
pressure's on, and the lefty is one of them. He was handed the ball of a
screen, took a step back and drilled the clutch trey, sending the game
into overtime.
   The first three quarter resembled the typical no-frills,
all-buisness style that GA-Malvern games always seem to employ. Malvern
went on a 9-0 run to open the second quarter, leading by as much as 12,
but the Patriots kept chipping it away. With the game close in the
fourth quarter, Malvern had a critical possession where the Patriots
blocked four consecutive Malvern shots. Malvern kept getting rebounds
and putting it back, and a long-armed white jersey would swat it away.
What the Patriots had trouble swatting away, however, were
Grandieri's shots all game. He exploded for 22 points, many on hard
drives to his left side, some on mid-range jumpers, and a put-back here
and there. The one thing I did not see from him was a right-hand,
something I'm sure he'll sure up at the next level. His right-hand man
for the afternoon was Dan Plunkett, who tallied 16. Kevin Dougherty and
Ryan McManus added six a piece.
   Sharp ended up with 14 for the Patriots. Ryan Ayers lead the team in
scoring with 16 points, while pulling down nine rebounds. Senior Joe
Gill helped out with nine points and five assists, the latter an
impressive number for a swingman. Kirk Jones chipped in seven points,
including a huge hustle play in the fourth quarter where he stole a lazy
pass and brought it in for an easy lay-up.
   Despite the Patriots' win, the suffered a big loss. In the second
quarter, junior Brian Grimes went up for a lay up, got fouled hard, and
fell down on a Friar crouching below him. Grimes broke the fall with his
hand, but dislocated his left ring finger on the play. I was sitting
behind the bench, and he was in clear pain. I have no confirmation on
the prognosis, so I won't deal with speculation, but it doesn't look
good for Sunday's big game against Tabor Academy at the Primetime
Shootout, or even next weekend's game against St. Benedict's (NJ).
   Notes: This game was originally scheduled for Friday night, but Malvern
did not have school due to the weather....After the game, I hopped in
the car and drove to Trenton for the remaining Primetime Shootout games.
An admitted hoops junkie, my initial plan was to watch all seven
showcases, but due to the rescheduling, I was only able to watch the
final three: Dougherty-Oak Hill, Rice-Mt. Vernon, and the big card of
the night, Lincoln-SW Atlanta Christian Academy. All three were great to
watch. Dougherty hung in there with the best team in America, leading by
15 at the break. Oak Hill responded. It was my first live glance of
highly acclaimed Indiana recruit Josh Smith, and I left impressed. I was
even more impressed with Kentucky pledge Rajon Rando. All of Tubby
Smith's naysayers will be in need of new material, because Rando is
proof that the underappreciated coach knows how to recruit. The second
game featured two of the top 20 teams in the country, and Mt. Vernon
prevailed, even without the help of Keith Benjamin (Originally committed
to 'Nova, but later changed his mind to Pitt. (No worries Main Liners,
his renege paved way for Lowry to pledge). The final game was the
showdown the crowd was waiting to see: Healthy, hyped NYC point guard
Sebastian Telfair vs. projected #1 pick in the NBA Draft, SACA center
Dwight Howard II. Howard saw triple teams the whole game, and still
found a way to score 22 points and drop 19 boards. It was Telfair,
however, who gave the crowd the show they wanted to see. He
ohh-and-ahhed his way to 30 points and a game winner, while dazzling the
audience with Rucker Park ballhandling and AND1 mix tape-type passes.

FEB. 3
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 47, Episcopal 44
   It was Senior Day at Episcopal Academy on Tuesday, although it was
Germantown Academy's seniors who had a day. Playing without junior star
Brian Grimes, who was out sick, and for much of the game without other
junior star Ryan Ayers, who flirted with foul trouble, GA needed to look
elsewhere for production. Spearheading the "elsewhere" were senior
captains Larry Sharp and Joe Gill, highlighting the impressive 47-44
squeaker against EA.
   Sharp, a starter since his sophomore season, stepped up to rally a
charge. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone before the game who would
believe that the Patriots could knock off the talented Churchmen without
Grimes or a lot of production from Ayers, but the shaggy-haired Sharp
did not flinch. He was solid all afternoon, finishing with a team-high
15 points on 4 of 6 from the field, including 2 for 3 from long range.
He also hit some clutch free throws, finish 5 for 6 from the charity
stripe.
   The third quarter was the most telling of the contest. Ayers was hit
hard by the whistle in the first half, and had to sit for the entire
third quarter. The defensive duel was knotted at 18 at the half, and it
seemed to be Episcopal's chance to pull away. It turned out to be quite
the opposite. Sharp, Gill, Kirk Jones, Andrew Ott, Joe Traynor, and Doug
Depte each stepped up, particularly on the defensive end, and held EA to
a mere five points. The momentum was set by Gill, who blocked Brian
Shanahan's three point attempt less than a minute into the half, then
hustled to save the ball before it went out of the bounds. The hustle
play was telling of the whole afternoon: EA just could get not get the
break, and GA made the plays they needed to make.
   Gill scored eight points on the afternoon, but led the team with
eight rebounds. He also dished four assists. Ott admirably manned the
paint, scoring 13 points and tallying seven rebounds. Jones started in
Grimes' place and chipped in a few rebounds, a few assists, gritty
defense and a number of hustle plays. Ayers scored four first half
points, and then hit 5 of 6 free throws in the waning minutes of the
game to hold on to the lead.
   Episcopal missed out on what seemed to be a great opportunity for a
huge league win. Their super sophomores, Gerald Henderson Jr. and Wayne
Ellington, played well, scoring 17 and 15 respectively. However, the
supporting cast only provided 12 points of support, and that hurt the
Churchmen. Henderson started slow but kept EA in it with terrific foul
shooting, hitting 8 of 10 from the foul line. Ellington scored in all
types of acrobatic ways, and he will certainly be a fun player to watch
over the next two seasons.
   For this season, however, EA slipped to 3-4 in the Inter-Ac, and GA
advanced to 5-2. The Churchmen face cellar dweller Chestnut Hill on
Friday. GA is hoping to be healthier for Friday night's bout against
Malvern, a formidable squad that took them to overtime the last time
out. They round out the weekend on Sunday afternoon at the prestigious
Primetime Shootout in Trenton against nationally recognized Tabor
Academy(MA).
   Notes: Assistant coaches were on hand from Michigan and Syracuse, along
with Penn's head coach Fran Dunphy to watch Tuesday's headliners...As
mentioned, it was senior day for EA. They recognized Brian Shanahan,
Brian FitzPatrick, and Mike Contino. Congratulations to each of them for
their high school careers.

JAN. 31
SCHOLASTIC PLAY-BY-PLAY CLASSIC
Gratz 69, Gtn. Academy 57
   Germantown Academy had all of 20 hours to sulk about Friday night's
loss. Unfortunately, they did not improve their sprits on Saturday
night, falling to nationally ranked and perennial power Simon Gratz
69-57.
   What it came down to was percentages. GA tried doing their damage
shooting jumpers, both mid-range and from beyond the arc. Hence the word
"tried." Simon Gratz did their damage by slamming it down, a much higher
percentage shot than the jumper. In the Bulldogs case, hence the word
"did."
  The game got off to a quick start, with Bulldogs forward Mark
Tyndale taking charge. The 6'4 senior was creative and versatile,
scoring 30 on the evening. He was helped by point guard Tyrone Smith,
who had one those Delonte West-type nights, one field goal and one foul
shot away from perfection. He was 6-7 from the field (including a
three), and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Gratz's big men, Jason
Hickenbottom and Matt Walden, chipped in 9 and 6 respectively. More
importantly, they were tough on the glass. GA had the height going in,
but I wouldn't say they had the size. The Bulldog bruisers have a nose
for the ball, claiming anything loose.
  GA hung in with Gratz, trailing by four at the end of the first,
and staying even in the second quarter to head into the locker room down
29-25. The third quarter is when the flood gates opened and the dunk
contest started. Gratz scored eight consecutive points on fastbreak
jams, each by four different Bulldogs. They opened up the lead, and
never surrendered it.
  After a draining loss to Penn Charter the night before, GA could
easily have cashed in the chips and called it a night. To their credit,
that never happened. Ryan Ayers continued his strong play, scoring 20
and earning GA's MVP. (Both teams are awarded an MVP. Tyndale took the
honors for the Bulldogs) Ayers is just a model of consistency, and you
appreciate him more and more every game. GA has played in 24 games this
season, and the junior has scored double-digits in each one. The key to
his success is he seldom takes bad shots, so even when his jumper isn't
falling, Ayers has the basketball sense to try to score different ways.
That ability to mix it up will prove pivotal down the stretch, and
certainly next season.
   Fellow junior Brian Grimes followed Friday's terrific performance
with 16 points and five rebounds. He was able to get his hand in the
passing lanes a few times, sprinkled in a few blocks, and was able to
bang with the Bulldogs big boys. Kirk Jones, the third junior on the
Patriots roster, tallied 11 points including a perfect 3-of-3 from
beyond the arc. Jones has come off the bench and provided good minutes
all season for GA, and it seems he has nothing but good days ahead of
him. He's a tough kid, and at 6'4, Jones' height at the combo-guard spot
creates mismatches. Gratz was able to hit their foul shots, particularly
Tyndale who pounded his point total when GA kept fouling to try to keep
the game a game.
   The schedule does not get easier, as Episcopal's sophomore
sensations await on Tuesday, seeking revenge. Except this time, the
Patriots have more than two dozen hours to recover from the loss.
   Notes: This is the first time I've watched Gratz since Micheal
Blackshear beat the buzzer with a put-back to beat GA at McGonigle Hall
two seasons ago. Then, legendary coach Bill Ellerbee was coaching the
Bulldogs. Two seasons later, they're the same type of team and just as
fun to watch, a tribute to head coach Leonard Poole and the entire
program....The PC-CD game afterwards was terrific. I'm sure everyone's
read about it by now, so need no to recap it. But I'm interested to
seeing who makes the McDonald's All-American game of the two. Some in the
house were thinking the winner would, others thought the leading scorer.
It's going to be an interesting situation. Regardless, it was fun to
watch the two duel.

JAN. 30
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Penn Charter 74, Gtn. Academy 64
   Wow. Maybe a more clever lead would be a craftier way to begin this
report, but the natural reaction after watching Friday Night's showdown
between rivals Penn Charter and Germantown Academy is simply, "wow." The
two foes treated fans to a back-and-forth battle that featured a pair of
outstanding pairs, two schools of fans that were rabid and raucous, and
a game that was so super, it's no surprise it was played on Super Bowl
Weekend. But unlike Sunday night's football game, these Patriots did not
go in as favorites to win. The Quakers did, and when the buzzer sounded,
they held their end of the bargain, outlasting the rival Patriots 74-64,
and putting themselves in the drivers seat for the Inter-AC crown.
The Quakers entered the contest 5-0 in the first go-around of the
league, hot off shellacking Episcopal Academy. The Patriots stood in
second place at 4-1, with their lone loss a thriller against PC.
Needless to say, this game carried heavy implications.
As opposed to the first clash, Friday night's action started from the
opening whistle. The PC duo of Sean Singletary and Rob Kurz were in full
force, and third option Zack Zeglinski had a hot hand, as well. GA's
tandem of Brian Grimes and Ryan Ayers were answering back, particularly
Grimes who was steaming, scoring ten points in the opening eight. GA
carried a 22-20 lead into the intermission between the first and second
quarters.
That lead was short lived, however, as PC stormed off to a quick run as
the second quarter opened, and Singletary was able to get going, scoring
eight in the stanza. They were running a full court press, and it proved
effective not just because of the pressure applied by the guards up
front, but because Kurz was able to aptly handle the odd-man breaks that
resulted when GA advanced past the press. There was one sequence when
Kurz blocked a shot on one end and hustled down the court to finish the
play with a dunk on the other. There was a neutral fan sitting behind me
who knew about neither squad and remarked, "I can't believe a 6'9 kid
can run like that!"
GA remained in the game with sparkplug Doug Depte off the bench. The
senior got his hands in the passing lanes, pestering Singletary on the
defensive end. He did an admirable job staying in front of the speedy
star. On offense, Depte never met a shot he didn't like, and managed to
score six points in the first half. PC outscored the Patriots by six
though, going into the break with a four point advantage, 37-33.
Halftime was buzzing on Schoolhouse Lane, as both teams' fans knew
this was bound to be an instant classic. Both squads proved the patrons
correct. Senior Larry Sharp came out of the Witness Protection Program
for the second half, and finally remembered what it felt like to shoot.
It's not that he wasn't effective in the first half, because he did make
some nice passes and ran the offense well, but once he started to fire
away, a whole other dimension was added to the Patriots attack. He hit a
runner, and that got his confidence going, as he soon knocked down a
baseline three. He finished with seven on the night.
For PC, you have to love the hustle of sophomore Joe Rauchut. Going
into the game, I was interested in watching how he filled in for injured
starter R.J Hollinshead, and Rauchut brings that same intensity and
selflessness that makes R.J a contributor. He floorburned his way to
eight points on the evening.
GA's Ryan Ayers, hit only three of his quiet 16 in the third quarter,
but that was a trey that helped give the Patriots a 57-56 lead entering
the fourth. One-point game, eight minutes to play, two terrific tandems,
a group of impressive complimentary role players and eager crowd
combined for the perfect ingredients for a memorable fourth quarter.
That was when Kurz and Singletary went to work for possibly the most
important quarter of their two years together. Their chemistry was
clicking, as Singletary was able to find Kurz in the pick-and-roll and
on entry passes to the post. Singletary hit a key three with 4:55 left
in the fourth to put PC up four, and that two possession lead was too
much for GA to overcome. With 2:45 left in the quarter, Singletary got
control of a loose ball and had nothing but iron and cotton in front of
him. He rose high, finished with the slam, and that was the nail in the
coffin. He ended up with a game-high 30 points. Kurz capped the night
with 19. Foul shots gave the Quakers a ten point win, but the game was
much closer than the double-digit margin.
PC gained a two game lead in the league, and it's tough to see them
giving up their advantage in the standings. Malvern and EA will offer
tough games, but it's tough to imagine the Quakers losing both. However,
there is a postseason tournament, and GA and PC could meet for a third
team like they did last season. And just thinking about that, I have
only one reaction: Wow.

JAN. 23
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 61, Haverford School 50
   Nolan Richardson put Arkansas basketball on the national map with
his famous "forty minutes of hell." The clever moniker was in regard to
the pressure put on opponents through a vaunted press. Germantown
Academy seems to get and give "sixteen minutes of hell" everytime out,
although are hard-pressed to find a full thirty-two minutes. The last
few games, they arrived at halftime. On Friday night, they seemed to
leave at halftime. Despite this, they did enough damage in the first
half to hold off Haverford 61-50.
   The Patriots outscored the Fords 24-13 in the first half, but were
evenly matched 37-37 in the second half. This is a telling sign of
Haverford's no quit attitude, but also the Patriots inexcusable
complacency once they got off to the big lead. In all sports at all
levels, teams who jump to large margins often sit back on it, and
Haverford took advantage of GA doing just that on Friday night. There
were even parts in the fourth quarter when they chopped the lead down
below ten points, but Haverford lacked the firepower to outmatch the
Patriots.
   GA did not have any outstanding performances, but did get solid
efforts all around. Brian Grimes had his best game in two weeks, scoring
17 points, and grabbed eleven boards. Ryan Ayers tallied 16 points, all
scored in versatile ways, including a terrific dunk in the second
quarter. That was the best dunk of the game for all of twelve seconds,
when senior Joe Gill went up for a dunk, muscled through the opposing
defender in air, and finished with the jam and the foul. He failed to
hit the ensuing free throw, but ended the night with nine points, and
eight rebounds. Sophomore big man Andrew Ott ended up with twelve
points, continuing his terrific league play. Larry Sharp chipped in with
five points, and seven assists.
   Haverford hasn't had a winning league season since they won the
title in 1999 with Doug Fairfax & co., and it's tough to imagine this
season will be any different. You have to take your hat off to their
determination, and they have a solid player in Pete Kathopoulis, who was
second team All-League last season. He scored 17 points on Friday night.
Athletes Dan Coleman and Tom Close also provided a punch for Haverford,
scoring 10 and 12 respectively. Coleman does his damage on the football
field, while Close is an effective southpaw on the pitching mound during
the spring.
   Friday night marked the end of the first half of league play. The
Patriots, 4-1 in the first go-around, will look to do something that
they've had trouble doing: Finally put two halves together.
   Notes: The Patriots advanced to 18-4, and 4-1 in the first go-around of
league play. Their loss to Penn Charter has them sitting in second place
in the league, one game behind PC. The highly anticipated rematch will
come on Friday night at PC. But in between is a Tuesday duel against
CHA, one that the Patriots should not overlook....Haverford slipped to
1-4 in the league and 7-8 overall, with Episcopal on deck.

JAN. 20
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 53, Malvern 50 (OT)
   After January 3rd's Inter-Ac league opener, Ted relayed in his report
that Malvern looks the same every year. And to that point, he was right
on. Year in, year out, the Friars are a team that's hard not to like, or
at the very least, appreciate. Hard working, tough, smart, and scrappy,
Malvern Prep is always one of the toughest teams on the schedules, and
for no other reason than regardless who is on their roster, they put up
a fight.
   Tuesday afternoon was no exception.
   However, be careful of how you interpret the above description: the
Friars are seemingly a homogenous bunch of interchangeable parts, but
those parts are very good. And they include the reigning Inter-Ac MVP,
Brian Grandieri, who brought his A-game Tuesday, scoring a game-high 22
hard-fought points. But Germantown Academy, the visitors out in
Malvern, also put up a fight, and took the bout, 53-50, in overtime.
For the Patriots, it was same old, same old: A lackluster first
quarter, followed by an encouraging finish going into the locker room.
The Patriots came out of the locker room as red-hot as their away
jerseys. The headliner in the red jersey was undoubtedly Ryan Ayers, who
scored when it mattered most-- in the fourth quarter and overtime. Ayers
was terrific on Tuesday, finishing with 21 points, 4 boards, and 2 assists.
He had 14 in regulation, but it was the overtime period where he really
started to get going. The junior scored 7 in the overtime period, which
started with drawing a foul from Grandieri on a three point attempt,
giving the Patriots an advantage never relinquished.
    The regulation portion of this league battle was marked by Malvern's
toughness. The Friars used all their parts early, jumping out to a 15-5
first quarter advantage. Junior Ryan McManus helped the cause with 12
hard-earned points on the afternoon. The Patriots cut the lead in half
by halftime, and responded well in the third quarter, particularly on
the defensive end where they held Malvern to only two points. The Friars
did not quit, however, making for an exciting final quarter.
Malvern was up one with less than a minute to go, when Patriots
senior point guard Larry Sharp drove in, pulled up at the foul line and
shot a leaner that was off left, but Sharp was bailed out by the
whistle. The Malvern parents, who were vocal as usual, gave the
official many headaches all afternoon. Sharp hit only one of his two,
tying the knot at 44 a piece. The Friars set up a play to get Sean
Dougherty a shot on the baseline, a spot that he seems to love. The shot
rimmed out, and McManus picked up the loose ball in traffic with 3.4
left, only to trip over the pile of players scrambling for the rebound,
drawing a foul. The Patriots were in the penalty, sending McManus to the
line to win the game. The junior missed the front end of the one-in-one,
and the Patriots had no time to set up a shot, sending the game into
overtime.
   At that point, Ayers took over, and the Patriots left the gym with
the three-point, overtime victory.
   Starting in the place of injured center Andrew Ott, junior Kirk
Jones stepped up for GA. The lengthy guard is gritty, and has formidable
court awareness. He knocked down a trio of jumpers, finishing with six
points, while also grabbing four boards and finding three teammates for
assists. Sharp, his backcourt mate, finished with five points and seven
assists. Ott got time off the bench, scoring nine points.
   The usually reliable junior forward Brian Grimes is in a funk right
now, not able to find his groove in any of the past few games. He’s a
terrific player, and is most effective when he’s pounding the glass and
scoring off put-backs down low. His shooting percentage the past few
times out has been very poor, and that is in direct result to the shot
selection. Once he starts taking better shots, his totals will go up
dramatically. He had seven on Tuesday, but did pull down a team-high
eight rebounds.
   The Friars run on the fuel of Grandieri, and that’s a heck of a way
to run. The senior is a fantastic player, gets everyone involved, and
scores in many different ways. He’s developed so much the past four
seasons, and wherever he ends up next season will be getting a treat.
Malvern is solid all-around, and while they don’t have the
headliners that GA, PC, and Episcopal have, they certainly bring the
ability to beat any one of them on any night, as proven when they
knocked off EA a week and a half ago. They were the same way last
season, and they’ll be the same way next season, a testament to the
program that seems to be the same every year.
   Notes: GA’s next two games are against Haverford at home on Friday,
and then CHA at home on Tuesday. Both teams are the cellar-dwellers of
the league thus far…Malvern still has CHA left in the league, and then
they have a rematch against PC.

JAN. 17
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 62, Episcopal 46
   Next game, GA might as well just show up at halftime. It would probably be
tough to tell a difference. For the third straight outing, the Patriots
struggled in the opening sixteen, but the locker room proved to be a
site of transformation as they came out after the break as sharp as a
tack -- not to mention their point guard's last name -- and rallied past
Episcopal Academy for an eventual 62-46, a score which says as much
about their second half as it does their first.
   EA came out strong, led by the Inter-Ac's answer to Pippen-Jordan
in Henderson-Ellington. For the past few months, there has been an
unusual buzz about Episcopal generally regarding star transfer Wayne
Ellington. Last season, the same buzz was being heard about Sean
Singletary. Area fans saw that the hype was warranted in Singletary's
case.
   Ditto with Ellington.
   The sophomore was electric from all over the floor. Taking the ball
to the hole, pulling it up, knocking down the three. He finished with
16, but was marred in the second half by foul trouble. His
partner-in-crime, Gerald Henderson, Jr., ended up with 12 points, but
foul trouble struck him even earlier as he recorded his third foul in
the second quarter.
   The duo was the primary reason for the Churchmen marching out to a
25-21 halftime lead, which was eased by a last second three by Patriots
point guard Larry Sharp. EA's foul trouble killed them in the second
half, though, as the discrepancy in height between the Patriots and most
other teams GA plays is substantial. When the opponent's two main cogs
in the paint must hamper their aggressiveness, a smart team like GA will
undoubtedly capitalize.
   GA did just that.
   Wearing off the rust of exam week, where their toughest opponent was
a math mid-term, the Patriots' first half was not very encouraging, Keep
in mind, this is a team that lost a non-league game to Hun on a Tuesday,
and then suffered an emotional fourth-quarter defeat to arch-rival Penn
Charter on the ensuing Friday and had to sit on that for a week. It's
the equivalent of the Eagles falling to the Broncos one week, then the
Cowboys the next, and then having to wait two weeks before facing the
Giants, another league foe. Just not an easy situation. So in this case,
the lackadaisical first half is understandable, and the impressive
second half is encouraging.
   The second half surge was propelled by the play of senior Joe Gill
and sophomore Andrew Ott. Ott, a 6'9 sophomore who has been a bright
spot for the Pats this season, played one of his two or three best games
of a short career last night, carrying the team with a double-double.
His 17 points (15 in the second half) were well-executed: He never tried
to do too much, a trap many young players fall into. He was cleaning up
the boards efficiently, finishing with 13. Gill had a 0 on the
scoresheet going into the locker room midway through, but 11 when he
went in for the final shower. His buckets came in many different ways,
an impressive arsenal that will be on showcase in the Palestra next
season, as Gill pledged to Penn.
   Ryan Ayers led the Patriots in scoring with 16 points, and
contributed eight rebounds. Larry Sharp added ten points and executed
the point guard position effectively as usual. However usually reliable
Brian Grimes could not hit a thing, literally. He was 0-14, and his four
points came from the charity stripe. It was just one of those nights for
the junior. Even a dunk attempt in the fourth quarter was pinned by
Henderson, although the whistle ensued and Henderson picked up his
fifth.
   The Churchmen's supporting cast struggled to support the headliners,
although three-sport athlete Joe Rosati played impressively. In high
school hoops, it's important to have someone like Rosati on your team. A
tough-as-nails, unselfish athlete willing to accept his role. Rosati
muscles underneath and scraps together an impressive line each game. The
linebacker/tight end/forward/first baseman ended up with nine points.
Brian Shanahan brought some of the snow in with him, unable to find the
bucket on any of his eight field goal attempts.
   EA slipped to 15-2 overall, 2-2 in league. GA advanced to 16-4, 2-1
in the Inter-Ac. With the second half of their schedule in full swing,
the Patriots are expecting it to be promising.
   They know full well how they do they do in second halves.
   Notes: EA plays PC next on Friday night. Needless to say, that's going
to be a great game...GA has Malvern out at Malvern on Tuesday...Good
Luck to Special Ed on his picks, although I need to go with the
Patriots. I'll take bad weather and a good defense against a domed team
in January, even if Manning is playing out of his mind...Finally, go
Birds. Let's hope three's a charm.

JAN. 9
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Penn Charter 56, Gtn. Academy 53
   Friday night was as good as high school basketball could be without
Jimmy Chitwood. Two of the top teams in the area, bitter league rivals,
rabid fan bases, packed gymnasium, television cameras, college coaches
on hand, and a terrific, exciting game to boot. These duels are intense
enough when there's nothing at stake: imagine the intensity when they
are playing for first place in the Inter-Ac. And not until Penn Charter
rebounded a desperate jumper with five seconds remaining was the fate
sealed on this classic, as the Quakers held on to beat GA 56-53, taking
game one of their two, possibly three meetings of the season.
PC was led by their dynamic duo, Rob Kurz and Sean Singletary.
Singletary started the fun early with an uncanny swagger, leading the
Quakers to a 10-5 advantage. He lead the Quakers with 19 points, and
showed the moves that the Wahoos down at UVA are eagerly anticipating.
GA was beyond cold in that first stanza, making the weather outside the
gym look like beach conditions.
   As the second quarter opened, the Patriots feel even more behind.
The lead was as high as sixteen with not a Band-Aid in sight. Kurz,
a former GA student, took over, scoring seven of his 18 points. The
Notre Dame pledge was showing off for future head coach Mike Brey, who
was smiling seeing his gem shine. The GA rowdies were riding Kurz as
expected, ridiculing him with chants like "Overrated."
   While it all was all out of good fun and definitely adds to the
atmosphere, there is not a chance Kurz is overrated. If anything, I'd
say the senior is underrated. In high school when you're 6'9, there is
little choice but playing the post because 9 times out 10, you're the
tallest player on the floor. Next season when Kurz gets to the Big East,
he'll be able to open his game more towards the perimeter, where he'll
really excel. He's immensely talented, is very long, and knows how to
play. The highest compliment I could give him is that I've seen him play
at least once every season for the past seven years, and every year he
is bigger and better, a testament to his commitment in the gym and the
weight room.
   Adding to the second half attack was Zack Zeglinski, who nailed two
big threes and hustled all over the place. The junior finished with 11
hard-earned points, and had a nose for the ball, hustling all over the
floor and playing tough defense. The Patriots created a little rally at
the end of the quarter, spearheaded by bruising junior Brian Grimes.
Grimes finished the night with 17 points and nine rebounds. Still, they
went into the locker room facing a tough 11 point margin, 27-16.
Whatever happened in the Patriots locker room during the break
worked. They came out without the angst that troubled them in the first
half. If the Patriots wanted any sniff of a chance, they needed someone
to step up and take over the game. Ryan Ayers became that man. Ayers
showed why scouts rave about his game, scoring from all over the floor
including a sequence where he hit two treys and a lay-up in less than 90
seconds. It got to the point where the crowd started to rise in
anticipation once the junior caught the ball, because he had his sights
on the rim. If you think I'm over-exaggerating, listen to this: He lead
the game in scoring with 22 points, only two of which came in the first
half. The Patriots outscored Charter 19-9, setting the game up like a
perfect drama: the home team down one entering the final quarter.
In between the quarters, everyone in the packed house could feel the
excitement. The PC faithfuls traveled in good numbers, and were getting
into it with GA's section, who never lost faith despite the lousy first
half. A matter of fact, the fans themselves could have been enough
entertainment to last the night.
   Both teams were on in the fourth quarter. Brian Grimes laid in a
tough basket off a rebound thirty seconds into the half, giving GA their
first lead of the game. The game just kept getting more exciting after
that, when both squads were outdoing one another. Does anyone else ever
get addicted to those old Magic-Bird highlights where it's like the
other eight players on the hardwood should just take a break and stand
in awe as two stars square off? Well there was a sequence in the fourth
quarter like that where Ayers and Singletary were going back and forth,
each upending the terrific play the other had before, and certainly
dazzling the crowd. Singletary does a lot with the ball, adding a lot of
style and pizzazz to his points. Ayers remained more workmanlike,
scoring on efficient pull-ups and running back on defense with a cool
demeanor and ice water in his veins. With a minute or so left, the
Patriots were down three when Zeglinski was dribbling the ball at the
top of the key, and Ayers jumped out, reaching across and picking the
ball out of his handle. An anticipated second later, the ref blew the
whistle and called the reach, a foul that one side couldn't believe and
the other side embraced. I was sitting behind the television booth, able
to see the replay which the announcers were analyzing. It was one of
those calls that could go either way, and you're just happy you're not
wearing zebra stripes. PC kept position, converted free throws, and the
five point margin was too much for the Patriots to overcome. Larry Sharp
hit a buzzer-beating three, but it was too little too late, and PC took
round one.
   Round two is 7:30 on Friday, January 31st at the cramped Penn
Charter gym where bleachers only line one side of the gym. Judging by
Friday night's crowd, it might make sense to start camping out for a
seat now.
   Notes: GA has no games this week due to midterms, but the schedule does
not get any easier. They host still-sizzling Episcopal (despite a loss to Malvern)
on Saturday  night at 7:30 at GA. The duo of Ellington and Henderson will
try to give GA their third loss in a row...Speaking of Kurz's, congratulations to GA
senior and the leading scorer in Patriots history, Rob's sister Laura
Kurz, for becoming the first GA player of either sex to score 2,000
points in a career.

JAN. 6
NON-LEAGUE
Hun (N.J.) 66, Gtn. Academy 54
   Three seasons ago, a little-known Eastern Washington squad thwarted St. Joe’s preseason top ten ranking. Such is the case with the unknown; you simply do not know. GA, like the Hawks, learned that lesson Tuesday evening when the Hun School from New Jersey, a relatively unknown postgraduate school to the Philly leagues, came into Fort Washington and rallied in the fourth quarter to win an exciting 66-54 thriller.
    Although not as much of an unknown opposition as Eastern Washington was to St. Joe’s because GA has played Hun a few times the past few seasons, the Raiders feature fifth-year seniors, fielding practically a different lineup every season. Regardless of their rosters in years past, the five they marched out on Tuesday were very impressive. Undaunted and nice marksmen, the Raiders rallied from two down in the beginning of the fourth to win by twelve. While the margin is somewhat misleading because of forced foul shots in the last few minutes, what cannot be doubted was the play of Tim Pounds and Noah Savage for Hun.
    Pounds lead all scorers with 28, including spearheading the Raiders attack in the fourth. Savage, despite foul trouble, finished with 21 points and let the crowd know it. He was babbling back and forth with GA’s student section, but when the game came down to it, he let his smooth outside stroke do the talking.
   GA was down six with five and half minutes to go in the fourth when Joe Gill rimmed in a three-pointer to split the lead in half. Savage responded with a three-ball of his own to show that the Raiders meant business, ran back on defense and stared down the Patriots crowd, a la Reggie Miller to Spike Lee in the ’94 Eastern Conference Finals. Also working the crowd was Hun point guard Mingus Murray, who battled both the fans and the Patriots defense all evening. His ten points were important, but even more was his ability to control the pace of the game.
    The Patriots snapped their eight game win streak, although not without the impressive play of Ryan Ayers. The junior scored 17 and dished a team-high six assists while collecting four rebounds. He was helped out as usual by fellow forward Brian Grimes, who scored a quiet ten. Point guard Larry Sharp remained unselfish scoring nine points on three of five shooting and two for two from the charity stripe. When you look at Sharp's line at the end of every game, you wonder if maybe he’s being too unselfish to the point where it becomes a disadvantage. The shooting percentage is great because Sharp takes good looks, but if he could be more aggressive, I can only imagine it would strengthen both his arsenal and open things up for Ayers, Grimes, Gill and sophomore center Andrew Ott to cause more havoc.
   The Patriots did battle back from an 18-11 first quarter defecit, but couldn’t hold on it down the stretch getting outscored 27-16 in the final stanza. With rival Penn Charter looming on the schedule for the highly-anticipated Friday Night, the Patriots have little time to sulk. But unlike Tuesday, when these adversaries meet to begin the weekend, they will certainly be well-acquainted.

JAN. 3
INTER-AC TRIPLEHEADER
Gtn. Academy 55, Chestnut Hill 34
   The cliche is probably as old as the Inter-Ac itself: There's no
such thing as an easy league game. While it might seem like an attempt
to outdo Knute Rockne in the locker room, there is some validity to the
claim. All records aside, when two Inter-AC teams play against each
other, there will be no such thing as an "easy win." Despite GA's
advantage in the 55-34 final score, "easy" would not be the adjective
used to describe this contest.
   While it was not extremely competitive, Saturday's league opener was
what you would expect out of a league opener. Both sides were excited,
physical, and resilient. Neither team came out particularly sharp in the
first quarter, one that ended with a buzzer-beating, fade-away, banked
three pointer by Gabe Eldred making the score 12-11. For the
intermission in between, I was thinking maybe, just maybe, CHA had an
upset brewing. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, they responded with
two points in the second quarter, dispelling that notion. The Patriots
separated themselves to a ten point halftime advantage, and never let
CHA back in.
   The Ryan and Brian duo down low of Ayers and Grimes dominated the
glass and lead the scoring for GA. Ayers was six of eight from the
field, finishing with 17 points. The junior forward also pulled down
eight rebounds, four of which came on offense. Grimes scored 12 points
and grabbed seven boards. Senior Larry Sharp hit three three's on way to
nine points, and dished four assists in his final league opener. Andrew
Ott and Joe Gill also chipped in with eight and seven points
respectively.
   CHA's scoring was not as balanced, as only three Blue Devils got in
the books. Point guard Julian McFadden led the way with 14 points. He
was helped out by Chris McInerney, who finished with 11 points, and
Eldred's nine points. Still, you must tip your cap to the Devils. They
came out and played hard, and despite the deficit, never quit and kept
trying to chop away at the lead. CHA is young, and their JV team looked
impressive on Friday afternoon. The loss slipped them to 4-9 on the
season, but with a team full of hustlers, they will at the least put up
a test, proving there is no such thing as an easy win in the Inter-AC.
   Notes: GA had a successful winter break. They beat Carroll 53-51
in an overtime thriller on 12/21. Two days later, they shellacked
McDevitt by 40 points, 75-35. After the Holiday, the Patriots were put
to test at the prestigious Slam Dunk to the Beach Tournament down in
Delaware. As Special Ed reported, the Patriots came home successful,
albeit not exactly in one piece. Sharp, Grimes, Ayers, Gill, and Joe
Traynor all found their way on the injury report, but the Patriots were
able to manage....Now that the Inter-Ac has opened, the schedule will get
interesting. Despite PC's record, they're clearly the favorites. As the
defending league champions, and featuring a stacked roster, the Quakers
will be the hunted over the next few weeks. Episcopal is drawing much
hype, and deservedly so, as their dynamic duo could make a run. Malvern
is always competitive, and Grandieri was MVP for a reason. CHA and
Haverford are not as hyped as the other four schools, but are always
looking for an upset to rattle the league.

DEC. 19
MAKE A WISH SHOWCASE
Gtn. Academy 74, Abington Fds. 62
   This game would have made a heck of a battery commerical, because both
sides were energized, the crowd was fully charged, and neither squad ran
out. Actually, check that. The Patriots did run out, to an early lead
that is. They never looked back, defeating the streaking Abington
Friends, 74-62, in front of a packed house.
   The Kangaroos were fresh off an upset against area power, not to
mention GA adversary, Penn Charter. They were confident and pumped, but
their intesity was rivaled by the Patriots. Brian Grimes and Larry Sharp
got things rolling in the first. Grimes scored 11 of his 21 in the
opening quarter, including two hard "and-ones" where he drew contact
and finished successfully. Even more impressive, he finished the three
point play on both attempts. Sharp brought the energy with his
long-range stroke and confidence running the point. He penetrated and
created to the tune of ten assists, and finished with 15 points to record
the double-double. It often gets to the point where as an observer, you
get surprised if Sharp misses an outside shot. He could even shoot more
often if need be, but he prides himself on getting his teammates
involved. His most impressive stat, however, was zero turnovers. It was
Sharp's court vision and Grimes' toughness that propelled the Patriots
to the early lead.
   At that point, Ryan Ayers took over. Ayers was scoring from all over
the floor and grabbing rebounds like a seasoned veteran. He finished
with 22 points and 10 boards. He seldom forces anything, one of his more
impressive attributes. Ayers stays patient when on the perimeter, waiting
for whatever the play may be to develop. He proved he could bruise down
low as he worked the glass effectively.
The Patriots brought a 63-42 advantage into the locker room at
halftime. On the flipside, Kirk Jones filled in off the bench very well.
Jones pretended he was Magic Johnson for a few minutes, as he lead three
consecutive sequences in the third quarter where he ran the break,
whipping the ball to a cutter through practically the entire Kangaroos
roster. He rewarded five assists on the night. They maintained a
comfortable cushion throughout the game, but not without Abington
Friends challanging.
   The Kangaroos are one of the top teams around year in and year
out, which is really a testament to head coach Steve Chadwin. This
season's squad is extremely talented. They are lead by senior Dan
Lepone, junior Aron Cohen and sophomore big man Jason Love. Lepone had
an off night, but his talent is obvious. The 6'4 senior works screens
well, finding open shots. Tonight was just one of those nights where
they were not falling. Dishing to him was Cohen, who is a terrific point
guard. He doesn't jump out at you, but grows on you over the course of
the game. At 6-1, he finds ways to create space and has a soft touch. He
finished with 16.
   As for Love, there is a lot to love. Only a sophomore, he is already
a solid 6'7. At that age it's rare to see someone at that height built,
much less have the agility that Love has. He was running up and the
floor, even finishing with a nice finger roll twice. Love lead the
scoring for AFS with 23 points. Keep an eye out for him, I'll tell you
that. I can't imagine there being many sophomores in the area as far
along as Love.
   No report would be complete without recoginzing the crowd. These
December games are always fun to go to as many of the former players who
aren't competing in the college ranks come back for their Winter Break
and support their former teammates. Tonight, such was the case as last
season's captains Jeff DeLong and Mike Morgan were in attendance, among
other former Patriots. But as a whole, the crowd kept enthused
throughout the game, encouraging GA as they played another all-around,
solid game. And like a battery, they're hoping they keep it going.
Notes: Former GA contributor Matt Nunn now starts at AFS. He played
solid, scoring 10 points, and always hustling...GA plays Carroll
tommorow night, followed by McDevitt on Tuesday.

DEC. 17
NON-LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 84, Peddie (N.J.) 56
   What looked like a game that would be "just another day at the office"
for Germantown Academy was interupted by Peddie, who had different plans
for the afternoon, or at least for the first quarter. An unknown to many
Philly area teams, the New Jersey prep school erupted to an early lead,
up as much as 9 in the first quarter before the Patriots gathered
together, clawed back and destroyed Peddie 84-56.
   Peddie was led by extremely talented swingman Will Monica. He was
electric all afternoon, scoring 34 points from all over the floor. And
he let you know about it, too. Monica hit a 3 to get his 11th point only
four minutes into the game, and screamed at the Patriots defense for the
whole gym to hear, "Can anyone guard me?"
   Not a smart move.
   Less than a minute later, Monica had a nice entry pass to 6'10
center Danko Barisic, who went up for the easy lay in when Brian Grimes
came from behind and ferociously pinned the ball against the backboard
much like an irritated person would swat and kill a bee against a wall.
The crowd was ecstatic, sparking a GA run lead by Larry Sharp. The
Patriots never looked back, and cruised to an easy victory thereafter.
The most impressive part of the afternoon was the balanced box score
from the Patriots. All starters accounted for double digits, with Grimes
leading the way with 20 points and Ryan Ayers not far behind, dropping
18. Sharp accounted for 13 points, including a perfect 6-6 from the
line. Joe Traynor continued to replace injured center Andrew Ott in
impressive fashion, tallying 10 points. Joe Gill rounded out the
starters with 11 of his own.
   It was Monica, however, who headlined the game despite the loss.
While sometimes erratic and making Allen Iverson look like Eric Snow
with the amount of times he was looking for his own shot, there is no
doubt Monica can fill it up. Most impressive was his range and his
brashness, as he would set up from beyond the NBA three point line
without hesitation, and just run back on defense with the confidence the
shot would fall. To his swagger's credit, the shot usually did. A
college coach sitting behind me noticed I was keeping stats and asked
for updates every now and then on # 22, as he too never heard of the
prospect. Walking out, parents and observers proposed the same question,
asking who # 22 was.
   As impressively as Monica played, the Patriots starting five played
solid, all-around, team basketball, and tamed the rest of the Falcons.
When observing my scoresheets from the games so far this season, I
noticed that the balanced scoring attack is common for the Patriots.
This trend is impressive, and will certainly be tested as the schedule
only gets more difficult. In other words, There won't be too many more
games where it's "just another day at the office."
   Notes: GA is hosting the Make-A-Wish Tournament this weekend (although
it's more of a showcase than a tournament). Catholic League programs
Ryan and Carroll, along with Friends League power AFS (fresh off an
upset against PC) and GA make up the boys field. The girls side features
GA, O'Hara, Ryan, and Central. It's for a heck of a cause, and hopefully
the games will be exciting.

DEC. 14
PHILLY HOOPS FINAL
Roman Catholic 63, Germantown Academy 57
   For a little while I was convinced Charles Barkley came out of
retirement and played for Roman Catholic. I finally realized it was
Charron Fisher, the Cahillites star forward. Fisher was sensational as
the Cahillites mustered a second half rally to surpass GA 63-57 in the
championship game of the Philly Hoops Inviational.
Some scouts have mentioned that Fisher is undersized. He's shorter
than most power forwards, but he's not undersized. He is punishing on
the football field, and he has that mentality on the basketball court.
Gridiron or hardwood, you don't want to be in his way. He scored 22
points, and was an absolute monster on the glass.
Roman point guard Bobby Jordan played a great game, also. Jordan is
the type of point guard you love to watch, but probably hate to play
against. He throws his body around, is always chirping, and is gritty to
the hole. He had a few finishes where you just wonder how he found a way
to finish. He finished with 12 points, although he probably led the
game in floor burns.
The Patriots played well, but Roman was just too much, especially
on the glass. Ryan Ayers was his usual self, stepping up and hitting
shots from all over. He scored 16 on the afternoon. One of the best
features of Ayers' game is his ability to recognize when to show a
mid-range jumper, and then knock it down. Not to get all Dick Vitale on
you, but the mid-range jumper really is becoming a lost art. Ayers shows
the "coach's son" part of his game that scouts seem to rave about
everytime he takes that fifteen footer.
Senior point guard Larry Sharp was also a big contributor. He's
another hard-nosed point guard. When he gets confidence in his shot,
it's almost lights out. Opponents could remind you of his sophomore year
when Matt Walsh would draw double teams, Sharp's deft touch helped lead
the Patriots. Since then, defenses are wiser and don't leave him open,
and Sharp has helped set up shots for other rather than looking for his
own. But he was terrific on Sunday, scoring 10 points, 8 of which coming
from the outside.
As a whole, the tournament was great. Next year, it be even better
if there was a Philadelphia Public League team in the place of one of
the Catholic League squads, so the pairings would be Inter-Ac, Catholic
League, Public League, and a Suburban school.
Notes: When annoucing the All-Tournament team, the tournament
director Edward Piszek got ahead of himself and called "Bobby Fisher"
instead of Bobby Jordan, as Charron Fisher was accepting the MVP next.
Either that, or Mr. Piszek's a chess fan....Mr. Piszek and everyone
involved did a great job, overall. The games were competitive, the fans
were interested. They even had a 10,000 dollar half-court shot at
halftime. Unfortunatly, the contestent heaved the shot closer to his
seat in the bleachers than he did the basket....GA takes on Peddie, 4 PM
Wednesday at GA.

DEC. 12
PHILLY HOOPS SEMIFINAL
GA 75, Harriton 52
   In a casual conversation on Friday afternoon, Brian Grimes remarked,
"Man, I love taking charges!" Or at least that's how I heard it. After
Friday night's game, maybe what he meant was "Man, I love taking
charge!" In the first round of the Philly High School Hoops Invitational
at Philadelphia University, Grimes took charge for the Patriots, leading
them to a 75-52 victory over Harriton.
Only a junior, Grimes displayed his versatility in spectacular
fashion. He scored 25 points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished out
eight assists. Helping him scoring was junior Ryan Ayers with 21 and
senior Joe Gill with 19.
Gill was extremely impressive, especially in helping the Patriots
pull away in the third quarter. He tallied nine points, knocking down
key shots, running smoothly in transition, and disrupting the passing
lanes. Gill's emerged the past two seasons, and it seems as if he gets
better every game. At 6'5, he is long and he has good court sense. If he
can extend his range and add much-needed muscle, he'll really be a steal
for whatever program he ends up at next season.
Harriton is a good area team. They have a great big man in 6'7 Matt
Weisbrot. He has tremendous footwork down low, and he finds ways to get
to the line. He scored 14 points on the evening. 6'5 guard Brandon
Edelstein chipped in with 12 points.

DEC. 10
NON-LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 67, Friends' Central 33
    If you missed this one, you're probably better for it. No knock on GA or Friends' Central, but this nondescript contest was long on missed shots and short on excitement. Nonetheless, it embodied the day it was played on in perfect (or perhaps gloomy) fashion. Outside, it was sloppy and ugly, and it was not much better inside. GA routed FC, 67-33, although neither squad could be left bragging.
    GA was winded from playing five games in three days in San Antonio over the weekend (They won their first four before losing in the finals), and shorthanded (literally) due to injury of starting center, sophomore Andrew Ott. To their credit, they played strong defense and won comfortably. Brian Grimes led the way with 13 points. Ryan Ayers and Ott's replacement, Joe Traynor, also took care of business down low, each accounting for 12 points. Senior starting guards Joe Gill and Larry Sharp rounded out the starters with 8 and 4 points respectively. Sharp experienced the trials of being a point guard, as he could have easily tallied double-digit assists but GA was missing easy shots. The point margin gave the bench ample opportunity, as each player on the Patriots roster got into the box score.
    As for FC, they're obviously rebuilding. They have some nice young players, but yesterday was just not their day. No one on the Phoenix tallied double digits, although holdovers from last season's team Channon Easley and Justin Plummer each had 8 points while demonstrating resolve for the underclassmen to follow. If you look at some of the players whom they graduated in the past few years (Mustafa Shakur, Mike Cook, Shejdie Childs), the prospects of their young gun's developing look nice.
    Notes: The Patriots will try to get some rest, as they have a big weekend ahead of them. They play in the inaugural Philly High School Basketball Invitational, with Harriton up first on Friday night. The other game is Judge vs. Roman, with the two victors squaring off on Sunday.

DEC. 1
NON-LEAGUE
Gtn. Academy 76, North Catholic 43
   The back of North Catholic's shorts read "Defense," although that was
the only defense they seemed to bring, as the outmatched Falcons fell to
GA 76-43. North Catholic played tough, but they couldn't put it together
against the Patriots.
   Playing without the services of starting point guard Larry Sharp,
the Patriots remained sharp, especially on the glass where their size
played a huge part in the victory. Juniors Ryan Ayers and Brian Grimes,
the headliners for the Patriots, opened up the season in stellar
fashion. Ayers got the Patriots going early, scoring eight first quarter
points. He finished with 17 on the afternoon. Grimes followed suit,
scoring 18 including a few highlight-reel dunks. Senior Joe Gill found
himself in foul trouble early, although still managed to score a dozen.
Gill had a breakout season last year as a junior, and his ability on the
wing will be pivotal for the Patriots. Sophomore center Andrew Ott added
11 in his first game as a varsity starter. Junior Kirk Jones filled in
for Sharp efficiently, distributing the ball and logging key minutes.
As for the Falcons, they feature a nice squad that will put up some
battles in the Catholic League North. They're not big, although they
have shooters, which is important for them because they relied on the
"three-ball." NC features a nice duo in Nate Edwards and Charles Evans,
who scored 12 points and 10 points respectively. Their defense will be
critical as they try to hold their own in the solid North. If they need
a reminder, they can just look on the back of their shorts.
Notes: GA will travel to San Antonio this weekend for a 32 team
tournament featuring some of the nation's more recognized programs,
including Dominquez in California, a program that produced the likes of
Tyson Chandler and Tayshaun Prince. They will play five games in three
days, a stretch that will certainly test their ability, not to mention
their lungs.