FEB. 20
CL SEMIFINALS (@ Palestra)
North Catholic 52, SJ Prep 41
   It’s been 38 years since we had an all-Northern Division Catholic League Final, but come Monday night that is just what we’ll witness. The Falcons, after a hard-fought and sound victory over the Hawks, will do battle with Archbishop Ryan (44-42 win over Bonner in opener) for CL supremacy. Yes, it was in 1970, when Cardinal Dougherty edged North, 45-44, for CL glory in an all-North final. This will be North Catholic’s first championship game appearance since back-to-backers in 1993 and '94, and they last garnered a little hardware in ’87. Over the past thirty seasons a team from the North has only captured three crowns. Well, that number will increase to four in the near future. Ok, enough of the history side of things, let’s see how the Falcons ended up reaching the finals. At the end of the third quarter the Hawks led 36-35, and the game was being played at their pace for the most part. On top of that, North (21-5) had just endured back-to-back quarters where they shot an icy 7-for-29 combined. The Falcons use a deep rotation and they have many different players who bring different assets to the table. If there is one constant, it is the scoring ability of sr. 6’2” WG Lenny Young (Coppin St.). Adept at slicing and dicing between defenders and using his strong body to create space, Young put those such attributes to use and just literally took matters into his own hands. Young scored 11 straight points for the Falcons and when he was finished, they were staked to a 46-39 lead. The huge play in this sequence was a driving lay-up where upon he drew a foul in the process. The old school three-point play was successful and a comfort level was had! Meanwhile, on the other end, the young/tough-minded Falcons were stingy to no end. Rarely was the case that the Hawks (16-11) could get a quality look. The Prep just never could run any of their sets smoothly during this stretch. Possibly, the Falcons sensed a victory and dug in even deeper. Whatever the motive, it worked! Young went on to score 13 points in the fourth quarter, a frame won by the Falcons, 17-5. Amazingly, he took all five of his team’s shots from the field in the quarter. Guess what? They all found the comfort zone of the twine. He also went 3-of-4 from the line in the stanza. Impressive freshman 6’5” F Xavier Harris converted a pair of freebies in the final frame, as did another youngster, soph. PG Woody Redding. For the game Young was a notch short of half his team’s point total and finished with 25 (11-of-19 FG’s). Blessed with excellent body control and a sense were ample space exists, he often easily finds himself in ideal position for quality shots. Next in the scoring column was Harris with 10 points, who impressively converted 6-of-7 from the line. This kid has a live body and nice frame. He was extremely active tonight, especially in the second half, where I thought he was a difference maker on the defensive end and on the glass. Six of team-high seven rebounds came after the intermission. He also supplied a pair of blocks, while adding an important steal and assist in the fourth quarter. He’s one to keep an eye on! Another impressive sophomore for the Head Coach Mike McCarron’s crew was soph. 6’2” F Bob Makor, who did yeoman’s work on Prep star sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower all night. Mower, who had been scorching teams of late, was hounded by the defensive-minded Makor all evening. He was held to just 7 points on 2-for-10 shooting. He misfired on all five second half attempts. Redding (4 steals) contributed 7 points and took turns with soph. G Jaleel Mack in pressuring Hawk sr. PG Joe Meehan throughout. This was a huge factor. I thought in the Prep’s upset win over Roman, that the Cahillites waited too long to pressure and didn’t make the Prep’s most reliable ball-handler work hard enough to get the ball over half-court. This was not the case tonight! The Falcons were supreme in this area. Early on they accrued some fouls (8-to-0 midway thru 2nd quarter), but it was worth it. As Meehan and company seem to be gasping as the half-time clock approached. North’s other prominent player is sr. PG Velton Jones, who is headed to Robert Morris. Jones has had an achy back for a few weeks and never really got in the flow. He went 0-for-5 from the floor and all were from the perimeter. Sr. F Pete Sellecchia didn’t enter the game until the fourth quarter, but gave the Falcons solid minutes during their stranglehold moments. North did a great job in taking care of the ball with just 8 turnovers. They were equally as efficient from the charity stripe going 13-for-15 (86.7%). As for the Hawks, they were game throughout, but just didn’t have enough in the tank to hold-off the offensive prowess of Young and defensive intensity from the rest of the Falcons. Prep went just 1-for-9 from the field in the final quarter. They also uncharacteristically turned the ball over 15 times, but North was greatly responsible for this. Mower, who exudes class and all-around good qualities, grabbed 8 rebounds and blocked 2 shots. Meehan battled throughout and led the Hawks with 10 points. He also added 3 apiece of assists and steals. Sr. 6’7” F Mike Bradley banged for 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Sr. WG Rich Hofmann (4-of-4 FT’s) chipped in with 7 points. This wasn’t Head Coach Speedy Morris’ most talented or deepest club in his 8-year tenure, but it was a good group of kids, who were easy to like. They battled injuries all season and persevered to make themselves a CL semifinalist. That’s something to be proud of! The Catholic League final will be played Monday night as part of a doubleheader. The first game will feature the girl’s final between O’Hara and Carroll. The Falcons and Raiders will do battle afterwards. The scheduled times are 7 o’clock and approximately 8:45. During league play North bested Ryan twice by scores of 68-58 and 65-57. I think it will behoove Ryan to keep the game in the fifties, as the higher the score rises, the lower their chances become for a victory. Still, with familiarity certainly going to play role, I think we have the makings of a good final.

FEB. 16
CL SOUTH – QUARTERFINAL PLAYOFF (@ O’Hara)
Bonner 63, Neumann-Goretti 53
  Where to begin? Well, for one, this clash between the Saints and the Friars was littered with sub-plots throughout. And even though Cardinal O’Hara’s gymnasium was only about 75% full, energy and juice was rather high on the plentiful meter. In fact, at times, I got the sense that a good bit of venom was being spewed from the fan bases of each club in the other’s direction. So, in an emotional sense, I have no problem dubbing this baby as wildly entertaining. The Saints (15-10) scored the game’s first basket on a reverse layup by sr. 6’5” Jamal Wilson (Rhode Island) just three-seconds into the game. But guess what? This would be N-G’s only lead of the game. Bonner (18-7) scored the next six points and went on to lead 14-9 after the first quarter. Then, within the first minute of the second quarter Bonner’s star jr. 6’7” F Lijah Thompson picked-up his second foul and was forced to accrue some pine time. It didn’t matter, though, as the Friars built upon their lead, and in time led, 23-10. Paying a huge a role in Bonner’s momentum were a couple of bench players; sr. 6’2” F Kristian Johnson (Del. St for football) and soph. F Keefer Francis. This duo was remarkable throughout, as Johnson bullied his way around in Charles Barkley-like fashion, while Francis used some eye-opening athleticism to create opportunities. This allowed Thompson to remain on the bench and avoid picking up his third foul. He did return at the end of the quarter and scored four quick points that help take the steam out of a Saint run. Bonner led 33-24 at the intermission. At the outset of the second half the Friars picked up where they left off and methodically built on their lead. The Saints were without answers and you could just see Bonner’s confidence swelling. Things took an even worse turn for the Saints towards the end of the quarter. After a teammate was called for a foul, Wilson dejectedly slammed the ball to the court and was slapped with a technical. Bonner’s jr. 6’5” F Henry Smith converted both free throws. By the time the third quarter expired, the Friars had constructed a comfortable 45-30 lead. Ok, onto the fourth, and what a quarter this would be. I didn’t track the time prior to it starting, but I had to think that it had to take in-and-around 35-to-45 minutes to complete. It was one of these deals. You’d look up at the clock and it would say 6:42, then a few minutes later you would look up and see 6:11, and so on. Talk about a snail’s pace! All total, there were 38 free throws shot in the quarter. With a sense of desperation in the air the Saints increased the pressure a few notches and the Friars became a little tighter with each passing minute. When N-G’s soph. WG Tony Chennault buried a trey and then converted one-of-two after an immediate steal, the Saints drew close at 47-41. Then, with play entering a big-time mad-scrambling stage, the Saints’ Tyrell Taylor was whistled for his fifth foul. Right after the whistle tweaked, Taylor ran off towards his bench in a disbelief nature. As he got closer, the disrobing ensued, and he chucked his jersey to the floor. Whap! He was hit with a technical too. The Saints caught a break, though, as the Friars only converted one of three freebies and turned the ball over with their subsequent possession. Still, Head Coach Carl Arrigale couldn’t have been pleased that the two seniors in his starting lineup picked up techs at the most inopportune moments. With the Saints plugging away, the Friars were dealt another blow at the 3:42 mark. In an attempt to create a little space, soph. PG Jamal Melvin was whistled for his fifth foul on a push-off. Melvin handles the ball ninety-percent of the time and with the Saints’ heat rising at a feverish pace, one had to think that Friars lead could be in serious jeopardy. Next, N-G soph. PG Tyreek Duren provided a beautiful sequence that included: A three-pointer, a 1-of-2 effort from the line after a steal, and a basket. This made the score, 53-50 Bonner, and it appeared that their lead was on life support. Not to be, though, as the Saints would draw no closer. A big play came when Thompson fed jr. G Jerry Colvin for a basket and 56-51 lead with 1:25 left. Thompson made it 59-53 with 39 seconds remaining after a couple of free throws. Jr. WG Brian Boyle (one), Smith (two), and Thompson (one) made fouls shots to close out the scoring. It should be mentioned that a couple of 50/50 charge calls went against the Saints down the stretch. I’m not saying that the correct call wasn’t made, but both were close and could have easily been whistled as blocking fouls. With the victory the Friars reached the CL Semifinals for the first time since 1988. The star of that team is none other than current Head Coach Brian Daly. By the way, the Friars went on to capture the CL crown that year. For the Saints, the loss ends an up-and-down campaign. The Saints string of three straight CL Title appearances also comes to end. N-G has actually played in six of the last eight finals, and they were champs in four of them. How about some numbers? There were a total 51 fouls called and 65 foul shots taken in this game. The Saints did themselves no favors with their visits to the charity stripe, as they went a disappointing 14-for-31 (45.2%). They were 7-for-16 in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Friars were a move livable 22-for-34 (64.7%). For Bonner, Thompson played just 20 minutes, but still accumulated 18 points, including a solid 10-of-12 outing from the line. He also snatched 8 rebounds. I loved his aggressiveness early in the game. I really thought he set that, we-can-play-with-this-team tone. He misfired on a most of them, but it was his mindset that stood out for me. Smith, who spent his first two years at N-G, also had a nice game from the line, going 7-for-10. He finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and a pair of assists and steals. I think Francis has a bright future and just love the way he plays, especially along the baseline. Fearless! He ended with 12 points and grabbed four boards off the offensive glass. Known for only spelling the regulars from time to time, Johnson was sensational. In my mind he played one of the best games I have ever seen from a role player. He scored seven points (3-of-3 FG’s), cleaned 9 rebounds, dealt three assists, and offered oodles of attitude/energy in a positive sense. Words can’t really tell the entire story, but it is doubtful that the Friars leave the gym victorious without his outing. For Neumann-Goretti, Chennault had many warrior-like moments and produced a game-high 22 points (7-for-16 FG’s, 6-of-11 FT’s). For a time it appeared that he was going to throw his team on his back and snatch a win from the jaws of defeat. He also added 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Wilson was the only other Saint in double-figures with 12 points (5-for-13 FG’s, two 3’s). He never actually seemed to find a comfort level though. He did manage 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Duren scored alls even of his points in the fourth quarter and plucked five of his seven steals in that final frame. He demonstrated pest-like qualities throughout N-G’s comeback bid. Soph. 6’6” F Daniel Stewart claimed six rebounds. The Friars will play Archbishop Ryan in the first half (7 o’clock) of Wednesday’s night CL doubleheader at the Palestra. In early December, Ryan bested the Friars 41-34 in a non-league tussle.

FEB. 16
CL SOUTH – QUARTERFINAL (@ O’Hara)
SJ Prep 61, Roman 55
  Let’s talk upsets! David slays Goliath, U.S.A. hockey magically gets by Soviets, Villanova edges Georgetown, and Douglas knocks out Tyson. Yes, these are some of the greatest upsets we have come to know over time. So, do we put the Hawks victory over the Cahillites in that class? Probably not, but the fact that it happened does have the Catholic League basketball community talking about its place in history. This was the third time since the CL went from six to eight playoff teams (’67-’68), that an undefeated regular season champ fell in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs. The other schools to experience such misfortune were North (’74) and Roman (’81). Coincidently, Prep Head Coach Speedy Morris was the head man for Roman in that season. In my opinion, this was certainly an upset, but not one of epic proportions. Yes, Roman (17-5) was unbeaten and I don’t want to classify it as a soft (14-0), but roughly half of their wins in league play were settled in the latter stages of games. In contrast, Roman’s unbeaten team of ’91 won their league games by an average of thirty-five points, and then swept the CL playoffs at a thirty-two point clip. Now that was dominance! This particular group is talented, but I wouldn’t consider their talent level overwhelmingly superior to the other Southern Division playoff participants. With this in mind, the possibility for a slip-up definitely existed. The fact that it happened in their first game, against a team that had to win a play-in game on Wednesday night, does add to the shock value some. So, how did the Hawks do it? Well, like they have on so many other occasions during Morris’ tenure. They had supreme execution, excellent focus, players playing to their capabilities and accepting their roles, and a superb day from their star. In the end, it wasn’t that Roman played a bad game, but more so that the Hawks (16-10) played a great game, and at certain junctures they were exceptional. The first half was a thing of beauty, as sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower (Lafayette) and sr. WG Matt Williams were a two-man wrecking crew. This duo combined for 36 of the 38 Prep points. In fact, they took all but two of their team’s shots. Sr. PG Joe Meehan missed a drive in the second quarter, while sr. 6’7” F Mike Bradley banked in a shot from the left of the foul line, also in the second stanza. Mower (22 1st half points) knocked down his first five shots, while Williams (14 1st half points) deposited his last three (2 treys). All total, they went 15-for-20 from the floor. And trust me, they weren’t shooting layups! They went 8-for-13 from downtown. Meanwhile, Roman was a solid 50% (13-for-26) from the floor. Both teams were taking care of the ball too, as they evenly split eight turnovers. It really was a fun half of hoops and at its conclusion; the Hawks led 38-31. I had an inkling that the Cahillites would come out a little more determined on the defensive end in the second half. During the first half they pretty much let the Hawks bring the ball up over halfcourt without much pressure. Also, though, they were playing man-to-man, their energy definitely wasn’t where it needed to be. All of that changed in the third quarter when the pressure gauge ascended in rapid fashion. Four of Roman’s six steals occurred in this third frame and these were a major reason why they turned a 42-32 deficit into a 46-46 deadlock at the end of the third quarter. Obviously, the Hawks weren’t going to sustain that type of shooting prowess, but the Cahillites were doing their best to make sure just in case. During the fourth quarter the teams traded jabs during the first half of the session. Then, it even appeared the Cahillites were beginning to wear the Hawks down. Roman actually grabbed a lead, 53-50, with just less than three minutes left. Still, the Hawks kept scratching and clawing. Trailing, 55-53, the game’s most crucial play occurred when Williams found Bradley with an entry pass along the baseline. Showing no hesitation, Bradley turned and banked home a shot from a difficult angle, while drawing a foul. He converted the bonus to give the Hawks a 56-55 lead with 50 seconds left. On Roman’s next trip down court star jr. PG Maalik Wayns (Villanova) had his shot cleanly blocked by Meehan in-close. Meehan secured the rebound and was fouled at 36 seconds. He converted the second of two for a 57-55 advantage. Then, Roman called timeout with 25.9 left. Afterwards, Wayns dribbled out front and passed to sr. 6’5” F Will Kirkland near the foul line, he was immediately stripped by sr. WG Sean Dooley. However, the ball bounced right to Roman sr. WG Courtney Stanley (Loyola Chicago), who in turn was stripped by Meehan. After a brief scramble, a held-ball was called and the Prep kept possession with 11.5 left. After a timeout, Mower inbounded to Williams, who was fouled, with 10.3 showing on the clock. To this point Williams was scoreless in the second half and had only attempted one shot from the field. No problem! He pushes the lead to 59-55 with a couple of clutch freebies. After a missed trey by Wayns, Mower secures the rebound and his fouled with 1.9 left. He ends scoring with two more free throws. The Hawks went 6-of-7 from the line in the final minute. As you would suspect the Roman players were deeply saddened with their defeat, but it was elation city for the Hawks and their faithful, who poured onto the court at game’s end. Leading the way was Mower, who was simply sensational, with 32 points. All total, he shot 12-for-21 from the field (5-of-10 on 3’s) and 3-for-4 from the line. He also added 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. This kid isn’t strictly a standstill shooter either, but will also drive closer for shorter shots when the opportunity presents itself. Williams ended with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Bradley went 3-for-4 from the field for 7 points, while adding 5 boards and 2 assists. Meehan contributed 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals to the Hawks’ cause. The Prep got back that services of Dooley (4 boards) and it was just in the nick-of-time. Out since late December with foot/ankle woes, this kid brings a lunch pail mentality to the defensive end of the court. I can tell already that grittiness is his forte. Tonight’s assignment – Contain, frustrate, irk, etc. Wayns! Mission accomplished! Wayns scored 9 of 19 points before Dooley entered the game midway through the second quarter. From this point, the star guard shot just 3-for-12. In all, Wayns was an erratic 6-for-20 from the field (0-for-6 on 3’s) and 7-of-11 from the line. He did grab 5 rebounds and had a couple of steals, but managed just one assist. On a few occasions things got a bit chippie between the players and the refs had to intervene. I thought Wayns let Dooley get to him way too quickly. This was proven by a blatant push by Wayns that sent Dooley flying to the court moments after his arrival into the game. No call was made. Understandably, players like this are hard to compete against, but I thought his composure dipped to unproductive depths. And in the end, it probably affected his game. I know that some of the Roman faithful probably feel that their star player was unfairly harassed, but I didn’t really see it that way. I never got the sense that his play entered cheap territory, but was more on an annoyance level.  Will Kirkland played aggressively and had a quality game with 17 points (7-for-11 FG’s) and 5 rebounds. A few times he showed great body control on drives through the lane. Stanley (6 pts) and soph. WG Rahkeem Brookins (2 assists) each grabbed 5 rebounds. Freshman Aaron Brown scored 6 points on 3-for-4 shooting from the field. In closing, I would like to give a special shout-out to Prep alum Mike Bucci and his unprecedented support of “Huck’s Corner”. Your loyalty is much appreciated!!! Smile….

FEB. 13
CL SOUTH PRE-PLAYOFF
SJ Prep 43, Carroll 42
  In a game played at Cardinal O’Hara, the Hawks and Patriots did battle to settle the fourth and final playoff spot in the Southern Division. During the regular season these two combatants split their contests, with the home team each taking turns winning by ten. Even though the Hawks (15-10) built an early 7-0 lead, this game was tight throughout. Carroll (13-12) actually came back to lead, 10-9, after the first quarter. From this point the Hawks mostly played in front, and early in the fourth they grabbed a six-point advantage (39-33), after a trey by sr. WG Rich Hofmann. If Carroll ever had the lead after the first quarter, then it was short-lived at best although my memory slips me some on this matter. However, the Pats did jump ahead late on a wonderful sequence by soph. G DJ Irving. First, the unassuming 5’10” Irving rose up to block a shot by Prep star sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower in tight. Then, on Carroll’s subsequent trip down court, Irving calmly swished a trey from the top of the key. This gave his team a 42-41 lead with 1:48 to play. A timeout followed, but afterwards, the Hawks answered in kind. As sr. PG Joe Meehan, who played a wonderful game, neatly found a wide open sr. 6’7” F Mike Bradley for a layup with 1:28 left. Amazingly, these would be the final points of the game as each team squandered opportunities to either increase (SJP) or take (Carroll) the lead.  The end of the game possessions/sequences went like this: Hofmann steal with slightly over a minute left. Prep turnover at 47 seconds. Irving missed two-pointer; rebounded by Meehan, who misfires on a one-and-one at 34 seconds. This leads to a Carroll timeout at 27 seconds. Then, an entry pass intended for jr. 6’5” F Kasheef Festus bounces out of bounds for a turnover at 15 seconds. Prep follows this with a timeout and sets up a play to get it to the reliable Mower. Do you sense a trend? Yep! Mower’s front-end attempt rims out with 11.9 seconds left. With only five team fouls, Meehan provides a heady play and fouls Carroll sr. PG Lamar Jackson with 5.4 left as he races upcourt. After a Carroll timeout the ball finds the quick Jackson near mid-court. He drives hard into the lane and gets a decent look on a runner, which back-rims from slightly to the left, and about seven-feet away. The horn sounds at the ball hits the floor. Ballgame! The Hawks move on and will try to knock off the Cahillites of Roman Catholic, who went through league play unblemished at (14-0). Overall, this game was methodically played and hard-fought. As the score shows it wasn’t the prettiest of affairs, but in the end there were enough tense moments to make it enjoyable. If you told Prep Head Coach Speedy Morris that his two leading scorers; Mower (Lafayette) and sr. WG Matt Williams, would combine to score just nine points, nearly twenty tallies below their combined league season averages, I would think he would have prepared the managers to get the end-of-the-season duffel bags ready. Well, that’s exactly what happened. As Carroll’s sr. G Ellis Rogers (Mower) and Irving (Williams) did a yeoman’s job defensively on the sharp-shooting duo. Mower, who sizzled this past weekend to the crackle of 59 points, was held to nine, on 2-for-6 (Both 3’s) shooting. One of his treys came off a deflected pass that was more than likely intended for another player. With Rogers’ efforts stifling at times, he did a great job of not forcing the issue and playing within the team concept. He was able to manage 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Meanwhile, Williams failed to connect on a trio of bombs and went scoreless. So, how did the Hawks escape with a win? Easy! A couple of teammates raised their game to higher levels. Bradley scored a game-high 18 points, on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 at the line. He also snatched 7 rebounds. He was the recipient of a few nice feeds along the baseline and added a couple of timely put-backs. The other essential Hawk was Meehan, who scored 13 points. In fourteen league games the heady floor general never exceeded a total of nine. Granted, he’s not needed to score on most occasions, but tonight was not one of them. He routinely beat his man off the dribble for driving layups. All total, he went 5-for-9 on FG’s and 3-of-4 from the line. He also added 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. This outing should do wonders for his confidence. The Prep only committed seven turnovers, as their high regard for taking care of the ball continued. For Carroll, they were led by Festus with 12 points (5-for-9 FG’s) and 9 rebounds. On a few instances the big guy showed some nimbleness along the baseline for scores. In the end, a few more touches probably would have benefited the Pats, but the Hawks made it difficult for him to get the ball in ideal areas. Rogers (5 rebounds, 2 steals) and Irving each contributed nine points. Jr. WG Andre Wilburn (7 rebounds) scored all seven of his points in the third quarter. Jackson added three apiece of assists and rebounds, but failed to score on six shot attempts. The game was seen by a solid, but not overly large crowd. However, those who were in attendance were active and involved for the most part.

FEB. 10
CL SOUTH
Carroll 51, West Catholic 42
  OK, you have recently learned that Neumann-Goretti defeated St. Joe’s Prep to open up a possible playoff opportunity for your squad. All you need to do to have such an opportunity is defeat a team that you have already bested on the road by twenty-two points. On top of that, it’s Senior Night for your club, so emotion, motivation, and goodwill should all be flowing freely in the gym. Sounds like a piece of cake, right? Then, why was the score a way-too-close-for-comfort 40-37 with 1:50 left? I don’t have the answers, and I’m not too sure that Carroll Head Coach Paul Romanczuk does either. Don’t get me wrong, because Burrs’ Head Coach Bill Ludlow and his team coached and played extremely hard. There was no lying down for this group on the last day of the regular season. Still, West (12-12, 3-11) was without four guards that played prominent roles earlier in the year and their line-up also featured three freshmen for a solid portion of the game.  It’s hard to understand why the Patriots (13-11, 8-6) didn’t take the bull-by-the-horns much sooner. Maybe, the juggling of the line-up to accommodate a few further-down-the-bench seniors had an effect. Not so much on them, because they built leads of 7-0 and 12-5 by the end of the first quarter (Good job!), but maybe on some of the usual starters instead. Hey, no one ever said they all had to be pretty. And at this time year you’ll take them anyway you can. So, when the clock struck zero, I’m sure Romanczuk was both relieved and happy to be playing another game. My sense does tell me, though, that he gave his club a meaningful talking to afterwards. Knowing a similar performance Wednesday night will not be good enough versus the Hawks. This Carroll team has talent and if they can somehow get that mid-season cohesiveness back, then they’ll be very capable of posing problems from here on out. One area Romanczuk was definitely pleased with was the Pats’ performance from the charity stripe. Carroll went 13-of-16 from the line in the fourth quarter, and an excellent 17-for-20 (85%) for the game. Many contributed in this free throw bonanza during the final stanza, as jr. 6’5” F Kasheef Festus nailed 6-of-8, while sr. WG Ellis Rogers (Huge 3-pointer earlier in the quarter), sr. 6’3” F Bender Retif, and sr. PG Lamar Jackson all converted a pair. Festus actually tallied 8 of his 10 points in the fourth. He helped his team terrorize the Burrs on the boards (53-to-25) with 13 cleans (12 in 2nd half) of his own. He also added 3 swats. Pacing the Pats early on was jr. WG Andre Wilburn, who finished with 12 points (5-of-9 FG’s). Rogers (Two 3’s) also reached double figures with 10 points. He hustled for 7 rebounds and 4 steals too. Retif added 6 boards and 2 assists. Jackson scrambled for 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, but struggled mightily from the field (0-for-8) and had an inordinate amount of turnovers. He wasn’t alone in the turnover department, though, as the Pats were victimized 21 times by miscues. Sr. 6’5” F Brian Concio grabbed 5 boards. For the Burrs, their season came to end, and after beginning the season (11-1), they reversed that number over the last dozen games. Still, one end-of-the-season positive was that they competed and made things extremely difficult for a handful of playoff-bound opponents. And this was good to see! Sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan played a strong game and went out with some good numbers. He finished with 15 points (6-of-12 FG’s), 8 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 blocks. During my long time with West, I can honestly say that in terms of quality of kid, he is right at the top of the list. I’ll miss the reliability and team-first approach he brought to the table on a daily basis. Not bad as a player either. As he participated in all 100 games that West has played over the past four seasons. Trust me folks, but you don’t realize how difficult that feat is to accomplish at West. His final numbers aren’t earth-shattering, but they’re nothing to discount either: Points (929), rebounds (516), assists (190), steals (173), and blocks (98).  Great career, by a super kid! Hey, I still believe his best days are ahead of him too, so wherever he lands, that program will be getting an asset. Freshman PG Aquil Younger was active throughout and bothersome for the Pats all afternoon. He finished with 14 points, 7 steals, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. If this kid can learn the finer nuances of the game, then he could be delightful in time. His quickness is already unique! Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil missed his first eight shots from the field before hitting a trey for his only bucket of the game. He also contributed five apiece of rebounds and blocks. As the temperatures dipped outside, the effects were felt inside as well. Witnessed by the teams collectively shooting 29-for-97 (29.9%) in the game. Icy!!! Carroll (58-48) and SJ Prep (62-52) split their two games in the regular season. Each squad was victorious at home by a ten-point margin. It’ll be neutral court (O’Hara) time come Wednesday night, so I’m thinking the winner will hold a five-point margin. There I ago again, somehow getting numbers involved. Smile!

FEB. 10
CL SOUTH
Neumann-Goretti 58, SJ Prep 51
   High stakes were on the line in South Philadelphia today, as the Hawks (14-10, 8-6) were trying to cement one of the four playoff berths in the CL South. Meanwhile, the Saints had already locked up a spot, but more importantly, were hoping to maintain the momentum they had established over the past few weeks. After all, who wants to limp into the playoffs, right? In the end, it was the surging Saints (15-9, 10-4) who prevailed in a hard-fought, highly enjoyable contest, played in front of a large crowd. This was N-G’s sixth straight league win, and one has to think, has the ship been righted? Only time will tell, as the Saints will enter the postseason as the second seed and tangle with third-seeded Bonner this coming weekend. For the Hawks, even with the loss, a play-in game had been garnered and when Carroll bested West Catholic later in the day, then this stage was set. A pre-playoff will occur Wednesday night between the Hawks and Patriots at O’Hara (7 PM).  Today’s most defining moments came early in the fourth quarter. The Saints began the final stanza with a slim 39-36 lead, but quickly built on that with a pair of buckets. First, soph. 6’6” F Daniel Stewart converted in-close off a pass by sr. PG Tyrell Taylor. Then, soph. CG Tony Chennault delivered a lovely reverse lay-up off another nifty pass from Taylor. Chennault was fouled on the play and when he converted the three-point play the score swelled to 44-36. Breathing room was had! A short time thereafter the Hawks did close to within 45-41 on a trey by sr. WG Rich Hofmann, but no more ground would be covered, as the Saints made the plays they needed to secure the win. Extremely instrumental in the securing department was Chennault who converted 6-of-7 free throws in the fourth quarter. Soph. PG Tyreek Duren also converted a pair of freebies to lend a hand. Overall, Chennault finished with 20 points, on 6-for-13 shooting from the field and an 8-of-9 showing at the line. He also provided five each of assists and rebounds. He once again displayed an all-around game, while adding plenty of leadership for a youngster. The only other Saint to reach double-figures was sr. 6’5” F Jamal Wilson (Rhode Island) with 12 points (2-for-4 on 3’s). He also added 6 rebounds and a couple of assists. Head Coach Carl Arrigale received productive play from his post players; Stewart and jr. 6’8” F Andre “Scooter” Gillette (2 blocks) during the second half. First, Gillette converted a couple of dump-ins for baskets. Stewart, who didn’t attempt a shot in the first half, knocked down 4-of-5 attempts after the intermission for his 8 points. He also snatched six of his eight boards in a productive second half. One cause for concern for the duo was that they combined to go 0-for-6 from the line. Taylor played a solid game and contributed 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and a block. Duren always seems to dent each of the stat columns when I’m attendance and today was no different. He ended with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal, and a block off the bench. They Saints were an efficient 21-for-42 (50.0%) from the field and kept the turnovers under double-digits with nine. Defensively, the Saints allowed the Hawks to get shots that were rather high on the quality meter in the first half. However, they were much better in that regard in the second half and looks weren’t nearly as promising. A good team approach, I thought!  Like I mentioned earlier this team appears to be headed down the right path. Nothing’s a guarantee in this tough league, but don’t be surprised if they do their share of noise-making over the next few weeks. Hawks were game throughout, but in the end just couldn’t make enough shots to hold off the talented Saints. Leading the way was likeable sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower (Lafayette), who completed a 59-point weekend. Today’s total was an even 30 points, on 9-for-19 from the field (4-of-9 on 3’s) and 8-for-9 sniping at the line. Including in this was perfect 40-foot shot at the second quarter buzzer to knot the score at 25-25 heading into the locker rooms. This kid has little trouble looking smooth on his jump-shot. And though I don’t know him on this level, I have little trouble seeing that he must be a joy to coach. He also hustled for 7 rebounds. Unfortunately, the rest of the Hawks could only manage a 7-for-28 showing from the field. Also, as a team they were just 7-for-24 on two-point shots. Not nearly a Prep norm! Early on, sr. WG Matt Williams was in a sniping mood, as he posted three triples in the first half. However, he went scoreless in the second half and finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Hofmann knocked down both of his three-point shots in the second half and scored all 8 of his points during that time frame. He added three apiece of assists and rebounds. Sr. PG Joe Meehan managed 5 assists and 2 steals. Sr. 6’7” F Mike Bradley had a difficult time with N-G’s athleticism and accrued fouls that forced him to the bench for a spell. He scored his only bucket in the fourth quarter and grabbed a total of 5 rebounds. The Hawks also took care of the ball and committed just 7 turnovers. The winner of the Carroll/SJ Prep game will get Roman on Saturday. The Cahillites finished league play 14-0!!!

FEB. 8
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 56, West Catholic 54
  With a potential playoff bid hanging in the balance, the Hawks had one thought on their minds prior to their game with the Burrs – Get a win! And in the end, they did just that. Now, they sit tied for third place with Bonner at (8-5). Meanwhile, Neumann-Goretti (9-4) handled Carroll (7-6) up in Radnor. So, the Hawks control their own destiny and can do no worse than a play-in game depending on Sunday’s results. The Prep will have a tall order, though, as they’ll travel to South Philly to tangle with the Saints. Elsewhere, Carroll will host West, while Bonner will finish with Kennedy-Kenrick. Looks like well have some developments! As for tonight, the Hawks (14-9, 8-5) barely escaped past a pesky group of Burrs (12-11, 3-10) in a very enjoyable contest. Let’s head right to the latter stages to see how things ended. Trailing 53-52, Burr freshman PG Aquil Younger missed on a drive and Prep’s sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower rebounded with 11 seconds left. He was immediately fouled and then promptly sunk two for his 28th and 29th points of the game. Electing to go for a quick deuce, West sr. 6’6” F Eric Breenan scored on a drive. Wait! Amazingly, there are still 11 seconds on the clock as the referee grants the Burrs a timeout. Then, three seconds tick off after the whistle. Someone’s confused! In the end, the refs worked it out and put five seconds on the clock, which I thought was a fair amount of time. With the score now 55-54, the Burrs fouled sr. WG Matt Williams with four ticks left. He calmly sunk the first, but then watched the second rim out. Brennan grabbed the rebound and raced upcourt. Eventually, he let fly with a healthy left-wing trey as time was expiring. The shot was somewhat of a line-drive and rattled in-and-out to end the game. OK, Hawk fans, you can breathe! Early on, it appeared that the Hawks would win in easy fashion. West came out in a triangle-and-two on Mower and Williams. Somehow the Lafayette-bound Mower found space and whap, whap, whap, whap later the Hawks had a 13-3 lead. Yes, Mower hit four straight treys to begin the game. Afterwards, West Head Coach Bill Ludlow stated, “I think we set a basketball record for most three-pointers by a player being covered in a triangle-and-two.” I concur! Despite the Mower onslaught, the Burrs regrouped and even took a 23-19 lead, before trailing 26-25 at half. Then, early in the fourth quarter Prep built a 48-37 lead and appeared to be headed to a going-away victory. Not to be, as West again fought back to make it a game. Brennan and Younger combined for 18 fourth quarter points to help carry the game to its climatic finish. For the Hawks, Mower was sensational with 29 points, on a 7-for-12 effort from the field. He went 5-for-8 from downtown and was a big-time clutch 10-for-12 from the line. He converted 7-of-8 in the fourth quarter. His teammates went just 2-for-10 from the line in the game. This was very un-Prep-like and more than likely kept Head Coach Speedy Morris’ satisfaction meter at lower depths. Mower also battled for 8 rebounds and 2 assists. The other Hawk in double-figures was sr. 6’7” F Mike Bradley with 13 points. Ten of his points came in the second half and he also snatched 9 rebounds. Sr. PG Joe Meehan played an excellent floor game once again and dealt 10 dimes in the game. Five of these coins came in a 16-to-9 third quarter for the Hawks. Williams had a tough night from the field going just 2-for-9, including 0-for-6 from the arc. He did manage 4 rebounds. Sr. WG Rich Hofmann also had a tough shooting night (1-for-8 FG’s), but collected five rebounds. For the second time this week the Hawk starters played the entire second half. For West, Brennan wasn’t overly assertive on the offensive end through three quarters. He finally came around in the final stanza, where he scored 10 of his 15 points. Prior to his last-second shot, he hit four straight from the field. Overall, he was 6-for-13 (2-of-5 on 3’s), while mixing 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Mystil was 7-for-15 from the field and went 3-for-9 from distance. Also contributing 18 points was Younger, who went 7-for-13 from the field, but just 4-of-10 from the line. He also mixed 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Again, he demonstrated good things for a young player. No other Burr managed a field goal (0-for-10 collectively) other than the three I just mentioned. The Burrs went a costly 5-for-12 from the line in the fourth quarter. Jr. WG Haleem Hayward (5 rebounds) played sparingly as he fought through an illness. Brennan eclipsed the 500-rebound plateau in the first quarter. He did so on senior night!

FEB. 5
CL SOUTH
Roman 71, Bonner 58
  OK, when the Friars and Cahillites concluded play today, the sixth week of the Catholic League Season had ended. Now, just one weekend remains. During this final weekend four teams will vie for three playoff spots in the ever-difficult CL South. The Cahillites (15-3, 12-0) are firmly entrenched in the top spot. Meanwhile, the Friars (15-7, 7-5) find themselves tied with both SJ Prep and Carroll, while Neumann-Goretti (8-4) sits with a little breathing room. With a pair of home games left versus neighborhood rival O’Hara and winless Kennedy-Kenrick, the Friars probably have a more favorable schedule than their playoff-seeking counterparts. Nevertheless, it should be an extremely interesting closing weekend to say the least. In today’s game, the Cahillites broke open a tight affair in the opening minutes of the second half. Actually, the momentum shift probably began on the last play of the first half.  The Friars had just done their best to cut a ten-point deficit to only three, as the final seconds wound down. And when they forced the ball out of Roman’s star jr. PG Maalik Wayns’ hands, then they had to be feeling even better. However, Wayns’ pass found sr. 6’5” F Wes Kirkland on the deep wing. In desperation fashion, Kirkland threw up a shot that banked, spun around the rim a time or two, and then touched glass again before falling through. This gave the Cahillites a more comfortable six-point (40-34) lead and without a doubt had the Friars feeling a little less satisfied. Anyhow, Roman built upon this and scored the first six points of the second half to grab a 12-point cushion and forcing a timeout by Bonner’s Head Coach Brian Daly. During this time, Wayns made his mark, as he scored two of the baskets and assisted on the third. On the other end he snatched the first four defensive rebounds of the second half. Shortly thereafter, things began to deteriorate to new depths for the Friars. Star jr. 6’7” F Lijah Thompson was whapped with a technical after he was fouled on an offensive rebound. My view was blocked, so I didn’t see what happened, but apparently Lijah swung the ball around his back, and hit a Roman player with it as he walked away. Both Thompson and Daly gave surprised looks, and eventually, Daly offered some calm, but pointed comments to the referee who assessed the tech. My guess is that it more than likely happened, but probably could have been a more warning-type offense. I have seen Thompson a lot and rarely have I ever seen him give off even a morsel of cheap play. On top of that, it was a big game and emotions sometimes can run a little high. Oh well, I guess the lesson in all of this is to not take that chance. Afterwards, soph. CG Rakeem Brookins deposited both freebies and frosh. 6’5” F Aaron Brown converted a pair of buckets on consecutive possessions. This pushed the score to out-of-reach parameters at 54-36. Twice, the Friars drew within ten points in the fourth quarter, but solid foul shooting by the Cahillites kept them at bay over the final minutes of play. Roman Head Coach Dennis Seddon received great team play from his squad today, as five Cahillites traveled into the land of double figures. Wayns paced the effort with 20 points (7-of-13 FG’s, 2-of-5 on 3’s, 4-for-4 FT’s). He also dented the stat sheet for 7 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 steals. After one of the steals he raced in solo and clanked a slam attempt. Seconds later he was reminded of the no-no by taking a brief stint on the pine. Even the star needs an occasional message! Three other Cahillites -- Brookins, Wes Kirkland, and Brown -- all contributed 12 points. Brookins went 4-for-6 from the field and 4-of-5 from the line in getting his. He also hustled for 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 swats. Wes Kirkland nailed a pair threes and dealt three assists in his efforts. Brown is a little unorthodox, but quite effective for a young player. He also grabbed 5 rebounds. Sr. WG Courtney Stanley (2 blocks) scored six of ten points in the fourth quarter and contributed a team-high 8 rebounds. Sr. 6’5” F Will Kirkland added 5 points (trey) and had 3 assists. Roman converted 12-of-13 (92.3%) from the line, including their first twelve attempts. Of course, yours truly jinxed them, after mentioning the twelve in a row detail. The Cahillites were an efficient 27-for-52 (51.9%) from the field. For Bonner, they just couldn’t over come a dreadful third quarter than saw them make just three of thirteen shot attempts, and miss all three of their free throws. Leading the way was Thompson with 15 points (7-for-14 FG’s) and 11 rebounds. However, the big guy never really did look comfortable on Roman’s telephone booth-sized court. Jr. 6’5” F Henry Smith nailed 5-of-6 second shots in the second quarter for 11 points, but went scoreless in the other three stanzas on 0-for-4 shooting. Soph. PG Jamal Melvin contributed 11 points, but was just 4-for-13 from the field. He often got himself in too close and had to settle for low percentage opportunities. Still, I liked how he kept after it and never quit. He also scrambled for 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Sr. F Rob Siter added 8 points and 5 rebounds. Soph. F Keefer Francis also scored 8 points (4-of-6 FG’s) and grabbed 4 rebounds in a solid effort off the bench. Keeping the official book today was Roman alum Chris “Gator” McCoy. McCoy, also a religion teacher at Roman and currently ranked 3rd in the country in that role, all the while being the 17th-ranked Dept. of Recreation employee in this great nation, and the 2nd-ranked inner-city Sunday bartender, is said to have put the “rich” in Port Richmond. Whether or not this true is still unfounded, but it sounds good over the mic at Keenan’s Irish Pub when his greatness makes his noticeable, but brief appearances. Anyhow, I was working on a 97% stat-keeping ability in today’s game. So, occasionally I looked over to Gator for a little assistance. Of which he supplied none! While offering up this less than flattering reply, “The only stats I concern myself with are the score, fouls, and timeouts.” If only all of us had it this easy, smile! Luckily, situated to his right was, Dan "I don’t miss anything concerning Roman” Hoban, and he graciously aided this statman’s cause. Thanks to Dan! And as for Mr. Gator, I guess you’ll just have to hook me up with one of those Mid-August three-team baseball parlays. Smile!!!

FEB. 3
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 62, Carroll 52
  It’s getting down to the nitty-gritty for Catholic League playoff hopefuls, and today’s Super Bowl Sunday match-up between the Hawks and Patriots had major playoff implications. In a game pushed back an hour to accommodate potential partygoers, the Hawks put forth a terrific second half to garner an ultra-important win. With two games to play, the Hawks and Pats each sit at (7-5), tied for the fourth spot in the CL South. Meanwhile, Bonner and Neumann-Goretti lurk just a stone’s throw away at (7-4), with three yet to be played. After trailing 23-21 at half, the Hawks (13-9, 7-5) went on to outscore Carroll 41-29 over the final sixteen-minutes of action. The Prep first began to seize control in the latter part of the third quarter, and eventually built a 36-27 lead with inside of a minute to play. However, Carroll’s sr. WG Ellis Rogers’ two free throws and a last second three-pointer were sandwiched around a layup by Prep’s sr. 6’7” F Mike Bradley to make the score 38-32 after three quarters. Then, Rogers dialed up long distance once more to start the final quarter and we had a 38-35 game. In time, the score went to 44-44, but before supreme crunch time could begin, the Hawks made their move. In about a two-minute stretch, the Hawks reeled off nine consecutive points to take a 53-44 lead with 1:15 left. That sequence went as follows: Sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower scored on a spinning 8-foot baseline jumper after an offensive rebound, sr. WG Rich Hofmann followed this with a strong driving layup, sr. PG Joe Meehan converted one of two at the line for a 49-44 lead. Then, after a Mower steal, Meehan passed to Bradley for another layup and a 51-44 lead. Finally, Hofmann converted a pair at the line, as this followed another Mower steal and offensive rebound. The Pats (13-9, 7-5) kept fighting, though, and when soph. CG DJ Irving converted his second healthy three in as many possessions, they trailed just 56-52, with 29 seconds left. But further suspense was thwarted when Mower and sr. 6’2” WG Matt Williams deposited two apiece at the line. Mower added a little window dressing with a solo slam (sort of half of slam, smile!) at the buzzer to give us our final. The Hawks starters played all but seven of the 160 possible minutes in the game, including every single tick in the second half. Each made heavy contributions in sealing the victory. Mower, a Lafayette recruit, is unquestionably the Hawk headliner. After a ho-hum first half (2 points, 1-for-4 from the floor), he finally was able to find a little rhythm after the intermission, where he scored 15 of game-high 17 points. He finished 7-for-14 from the field and buried all three of his freebies. He also claimed 10 boards (8 in 2nd half) and made 3 steals. I like how he doesn’t settle and explores other parts of his game to find positive results. Williams was a perfect 6-of-6 from the line in the fourth quarter and notched 14 points (Two 3’s). He also hustled for 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. He demonstrated plenty of fire and energy throughout. Bradley, the unsung Hawk, went 6-of-8 from the floor for 13 points. I like how he makes himself available for easy looks when teammates drive. He also grabbed four boards and did a solid job defensively in the post, helping limit Carroll bull jr. 6’5” Kasheef Festus to just five shots from the field. Hofmann again played within himself and displayed over-achieving attributes that you just have to appreciate. Mostly counted on to do the little things, he once again sprinkled in a little offense. And like in the past, his buckets always seemed to come at a good time and were spark-igniting. He finished with 11 points (trey, 2-of-2 FT’s), while adding two each of assists and steals. Meehan is not the most gifted offensive player, and he probably needs to work some on his free throw shooting, but boy, does he run the offense nicely for Head Coach Speedy Morris’ Hawks. What he brings to the table are good point guard instincts, confident ball-handling, and a knack for getting teammates the rock in quality positions. He ended with 8 assists and played an excellent floor game. Sr. G Phil Giordano and jr. WG Dan Fitzpatrick (3-pointer) were the two other Hawks to see action. The Prep shot 14-for-20 from the line in the fourth quarter. Not to take anything away from the Hawks, because they more than likely had much to do with it, but I didn’t think the Pats (13-9, 7-5) looked overly impressive. They received decent individual play from a handful of kids throughout, and this allowed them to stay close, but I didn’t get the sense that as a team, that there was much fluency in their play. For example, OK stints from individuals at different junctures, but never at once or as a group. Oh, well, sometimes these things happen. Rogers packed 12 of his team-high 15 points into a three-minute span at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth. He connected on three triples during the game, while going 4-of-6 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line all total. No other Pat reached double digits. Festus (7 rebounds) and sr. PG Lamar Jackson each recorded nine points apiece. Jackson also added 4 boards and two assists. Sr. F Bender Retif gave positive energy off the bench and converted all three shots he took (2 FG’s, 1 FT), as well as hustling for 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Irving (7 pints) struggled before his two late threes and frosh. Juan’ya (Pronounced: Juan-Yay) Green chipped in with 3 assists. I sat with good pal Joe Donahue as he handled PA duties throughout. To say things were interesting would be putting it mildly, as Joe routinely mixed in his version of former 76er PA legend Dave Zinkoff’s voice.  He insisted that I sit where I did, so I could help with the stats, though the Prep managers are pretty reliable. I had good time throughout! Before the game I told Joe that Green’s name is pronounced (Yay) on the back half. Though I wasn’t positive. However, he proceeded to call him everything imaginable. A few people behind us did not appreciate it after a while. Knowing Coach D. the way I do, I can honestly say that it wasn’t done intentionally. He was just getting confused for not knowing it and probably didn’t remember me mention it to him earlier. I thought some of the crowd over-reacted to a degree, especially, since no one took the time to come over and give him the correct pronunciation. Kudos to the Prep athletic department and coaching staff for a wonderful Senior Day send-off for the kids. Each player/manager received a plaque with their picture on it and had a short bio read about them. Their parents received a bouquet of flowers (mothers) and a SJ Prep baseball cap (fathers). Another nice touch was how they lined up folding chairs alongside the court on the far side for the parents to sit in. I thought everything went really well and demonstrated how appreciative/thankful the Prep brass were of the parents and players. Good stuff all the way around! In the final week of the season the Hawks will play two road games, West (Fri.) and N-G (Sun.), while Carroll will host a pair, N-G (Fri) and West (Sun.). Should be an interesting week in the Catholic League!!!

JAN. 29
CL SOUTH
Roman 78, West Catholic 68
  I think it is safe to say that Roman star jr. PG Maalik Wayns’ injured toe is pretty close to healed. Showing no ill-effects of the injury that has limited him over the past couple weeks, the Cahillite whirlwind dazzled at times, and led his team to their 17th straight Southern Division victory over a stubborn and game bunch of Burrs. With West (12-8, 3-7) playing loose and determined, they twice grabbed a seven-point lead in the second quarter. Meanwhile, Wayns was doing his best to ensure that the Cahillites (13-2, 10-0) didn’t slip into additional dangerous territory before the intermission. Mixing treys, drives, and follows, the Villanova recruit was simply scintillating. He ended the opening half with 23 points, on a 10-for-20 (3 treys) effort from the floor. No, that shot total is not a typo. Still, despite the lofty first half attempts, I didn’t get the sense that he was forcing things or taking ill-advised heaves. The point total prompted Roman PA announcer and longtime supporter Dan Hoban to suggest that Roman’s one-game scoring record could be in jeopardy. That mark is held by Lonnie McFarlan (’80) and stood at 45 points. Well, Lonnie can sleep well another night, as Wayns only went on to add another 11 and finished with 34 points, on 14-for-30 (4-of-10 on 3’s) shooting from the field and 2-for-3 from the line. Still, and it might not happen this year, but I suspect that this kid could come close to that Roman record at some point before his career is finished. What a terrific player! He’s very smooth off the floor and on his release with his jump-shot. Blessed with a strong body and unique quickness, beating an opponent on strong, quick drives is not an issue. Today, a handful of shots came off his own misses, as he aggressively hit the glass for follow attempts. He finished with 9 rebounds, with 6 coming on the offensive end, and added 4 assists. In terms of the game, the second half actually saw the Burrs build a 45-40 lead at one juncture, but the Cahillites responded with twelve straight points to grab their first significant lead of the game, at 52-45. Sparking this flurry were sr. WG Courtney Stanley (Loyola-Chicago) and soph. WG Rakeem Brookins, who each contributed three baskets in the quarter. Stanley also added two of his game-high six assists in the third quarter. I really like how Stanley has developed in terms of being true team player. The days of random jacking are gone and now he just supplies basically whatever the team needs. Additional numbers for him were; 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Brookins was hit with a pair of fouls in the first half and misfired on all three shot attempts in a scoreless half. He bounced back nicely in the second half, though, where he scored seven points in each of the final two quarters for a total of 14 (6-of-11 FG’s, one trey). This kid has scoring ability and playing alongside Wayns will allow him to get more than his share of opportunities to illuminate scoreboards. With time winding down in the third quarter, the Cahillites led just 52-49, and it appeared that is how we would head into the final stanza. Then, with the final seconds dwindling away, sr. 6’4” F Will Kirkland launched a shot from about 35-feet or then some. Put it this way, he was closer to the mid-court line, than he was to the three-point line. The shot banked in at the buzzer and increased the Cahillite lead to a more comfortable six points. Amazing, but typical, if you have been around the Burrs as much as I have over the years. Smile! This jolt led to an 11-to-4 run for Roman to begin the fourth, as they built their biggest lead at 66-53. To West’s credit they continued to fight and eventually got to within six points, but by this time the gas tank read fumes and the Cahillites held on for a hard-fought win. Will Kirkland was solid throughout before fouling out; contributing 13 points (4-for-7 FG’s, 4-for-4 FT’s), 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Twin brother Wes Kirkland also managed 4 rebounds and 2 steals, but struggled some offensively and finished with just 4 points. Freshman 6’5” F Aaron Brown (illness) missed the game for the Cahillites. Seeing a few extra minutes in his place was soph. 6’4” F Kevin Regan, who played an active second half where he grabbed five of six rebounds and dealt all three of his assists. Roman was 7-for-10 from the field and 8-of-9 from the line in the final quarter. After a midseason slump, or should I say diversion of sorts, the Burrs played their second straight solid road game. And though both resulted in losses, it was still good to see them compete and challenge their opponents. Leading the way today were sr. F’s 6’6” Eric Brennan and 6’4” Sergino Mystil, who combined for 46 points and 23 rebounds. Brennan finished with 25 points (9-of-15 FG’s, 7-for-8 FT’s), 9 boards, and two each of blocks and steals. He displayed a nice confidence level and good decision-making throughout. He routinely scored on short pull-ups or mid-range jumpers. Like I noted before it is great to see him experience a level of success as his career winds down. Mystil was also 9-for-15 (1 trey) from the field on his way to 21 points. He snatched 14 rebounds, made 4 steals, and swatted three. He demonstrated a knack of being at the right place at the right time for put-backs. Believe it or not, but if he showed a tad more assertiveness his numbers probably could have been even more impressive. Jr. PG Rob Holloman returned after being sidelined with a groin injury, but he seemed to tweak it again in the late-going. Hopefully, it’s not that bad. Overall, he played well for not being out there all that much over the past few weeks. He finished with 15 points, on 7-of-19 shooting. Yes, he forced a few shots on drives, but I thought he didn’t get the benefit of a call or two, when more than slight contact was made. Still, I think developing a floater or short pull-up jump shot would do wonders for his game. He also added 5 assists and 3 steals. Freshman PG Aquil Younger played like he belonged and I think he’ll be fine in time. He added 4 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals. The teams combined for 128 shots in the game. The Cahillites face a difficult weekend ahead. On Friday night they’ll travel to Radnor to take on a dangerous Carroll team. Then, on Saturday they’ll tangle with Chester in a showcase game at Villanova. Chester is arguably the top team in the state and should provide a stiff challenge. Well, with the move to the PIAA next season, it appears that this could be my last game at Roman’s fabled gym as a West statman. I’m sure I’ll be back at some point (Maybe next week versus Bonner, ha ha), but not as a Burr at heart. Like I said in the last WC/RC report, some things just shouldn’t happen…….

JAN. 28
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 51, O’Hara 48
  The Hawks entered tonight’s pivotal road match-up with the Lions knowing that a win was pretty much a must. A loss in this game and their postseason prospects would have more than likely entered the bleak zone. Prep Head Coach William “Speedy” Morris has led his squad to seven straight playoff appearances (Two Titles) since taking over the program in 2002. So, you just know that Hawks are going to scratch and claw to try to get there for an eighth consecutive season. With the victory tonight, the Hawks (11-9, 5-5) only remain one game back of both Neumann-Goretti and Bonner with four to play. And though the road ahead is still a bit uphill, at least the Hawks control their own destiny. They still have a game with N-G (away) to end the regular season, so if they were to win out, then they would at least find themselves in a play-in tilt. The margin for error with this Hawk group is not as wide as some of Speedy’s more recent clubs, so I suspect he’ll just take it game-by-game, instead of playing out all of the different scenarios in his head. As for tonight, his team broke open a tight game in the third quarter with an ultra-impressive flurry that occurred on both ends of the court. However, before we get to that, let’s backtrack some to the first half. The Prep held a slim 24-23 halftime lead, despite the fact that the Lions converted all seven of their field goal attempts in the second quarter. Then, O’Hara’s sr. CG Zach Tansey deposited the Lions’ eighth consecutive field goal to start the third and give the Lions a 25-24 lead. O’Hara (9-11, 3-7) was accomplishing all of this without the services of sharp-shooting sr. 6’4” WG/F Jim Kelleher, who injured his left leg (ankle/knee) with just 2.4 seconds left in the first quarter. Earlier, Kelleher picked up two fouls which forced him to the pine for some sit-and-watch time. While he was in the game he wound up scoreless on just two field goal attempts. OK, so how did the Hawks seize control? Let’s just say it was a combination of solid defense, but far from smothering, and lousy ball security by the Lions. In a three-to-four minute sequence the Hawks made six straight steals and every single one of them resulted in a basket at the other end. No, they weren’t all breakaway, uncontested layups, but the Hawks did eventually convert at one juncture or another on every single one of them. The outcome? A 13-0 SJ Prep run in which they made six straight shots (one trey). Every member of the Hawk lineup on the floor got in the action too. Sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower supplies three buckets and a steal, sr. 6’2” WG Matt Williams added a three-pointer and a steal, sr. WG Rich Hofmann also made a steal and a driving basket, sr. 6’7” F Mike Bradley shook free for a layup, and sr. PG Joe Meehan pilfered three and added two assists during the game-changing sequence. All total the Lions made eight third quarter turnovers, and careless and risky passes were the main culprits. For the game, O’Hara committed a disappointing 18 turnovers, which negated a 17-for-29 (58.6%) shooting performance from the field. Conversely, the Hawks committed just seven miscues. Eventually the Hawks built a commanding 44-30 lead early in the fourth quarter, but to O’Hara’s credit they hung in there and scored 13 of the game’s next 15 points. Sr. F Matt Romano’s free throws made it 46-43 with 54 second left. However, they would not get any closer and never did have the ball with a game-tying opportunity presenting itself. Hofmann dropped a pair of freebies, and then Mower put home 3-of-4 to secure things for the Hawks. Leading the way was Mower with 19 points on 5-for-12 showing from the field and 9-of-11 outing from the line. Usually known for his long-distance exploits, Mower was much more aggressive in putting the ball on the floor and heading aggressively to the glass. He did so with both the right and left hands too. I like the fact that he didn’t just settle for a barrage of jumpers and took advantage of what he must have thought was a mismatch defensively. He also added 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Meehan had a strong floor game for the Hawks and amazingly made 8 steals, while adding a solid five assists. I dubbed the steal total amazing because the Hawks and Lions don’t exactly run up and down the court indiscriminately and O’Hara’s court is as spacious as they come. He only managed one point in the game and misfired on a pair of front-end one-and one chances, but for the most part did a great job of keeping his dribble alive and directing things. Williams sparked things early with a trio of triples and finished 4-of-6 from the arc for 12 points. Bradley contributed 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and did a great job of denying O’Hara’s sr. 6’7” F Mark Wedderburn opportunities throughout, but especially in the second half. I’ll get to that in a minute. Finally, Hofmann scored all nine of his points in the second half and if my memory serves me correct, all came at rather significant times. He finished 3-for-3 (1 three-pointer) from the field and 2-of-3 from the line. I liked his grittiness. For O’Hara, Wedderburn (6 rebounds, 3 blocks) finished with 12 points on a 5-for-6 effort in the first half alone. Twice, in that opening half he converted old-school, three-point plays. Then, inexplicably he managed just one shot from the field in the second half. A big part of this was due to the fact that Bradley fought him tooth and nail for positioning. And even when he did get his hands on the ball, the Hawks always had someone in the area willing to throw a double-team. Space was not forthcoming for the big guy! Tansey was the only other Lion to reach double-figures with ten points (2-for-5 on 3’s). He also notched 7 assists and 3 rebounds. I like this kid and he has a decent skill set, but at times his ball-handling/decision making lets him down. Tonight, he committed far too many unforced turnovers for a player who has started since his sophomore year. Still, he has good assets that could definitely help a D-3 program. Sr. PG Ryan Wolski (8 points) knocked down a pair of threes. Freshman PG Ryan Laughlin, who saw time at quarterback for the Lion this past season, got extra minutes when Kelleher went down and played well. He deposited all three of his field goal attempts, including a trey, for seven points. Sr. 6’5” F Josh Showers added 6 points and 4 rebounds, while Romano scored all 5 of his points and grabbed all 4 rebounds in the fourth quarter. Things got a bit nasty late in the game between the Prep coaching staff and O’Hara AD Stephen Langley, who was operating the clock. With 1:18 left O’Hara inbounded the ball and the clock never started. I would venture to say that five or six seconds elapsed before referee Gary Duda blew the play dead. Eventually, they ran the clock down seven seconds to 1:11. While this was being straightened out, more than a few chunks of unpleasant verbiage were being spewed in crossfire fashion. Smile! In due time cooler heads prevailed and the game ended without further incident. Personally, I understand the Prep’s reaction, as the game was tense and close. On the other hand, Langley probably just made a mistake and forgot to start the clock. I don’t think he would have minded the reaction as much if it came just from Speedy, instead of Speedy and entire coaching staff. Oh well, these things sometimes happen, but fortunately the refs corrected the mistake and game moved on without further distractions.

JAN. 27
CL SOUTH
Neumann-Goretti 65, Bonner 63
  Throughout this decade the Saints have pretty much been sitting pretty by the fifth weekend of league play. It has not been uncommon for them to have already had a playoff spot locked up by this time. However, this season has presented some bumps in the road, and heading into this weekend the Saints (11-8, 6-4) were tied for the final playoff spot and far from a guarantee to enter the second season. Well, in a matter of forty-eight hours there are still no guarantees for Head Coach Carl Arrigale and his club, but things certainly do look better. On Friday, the Saints easily took care of Kennedy-Kenrick, which was expected. Today, the task was much more difficult, as they traveled to Drexel Hill to square off with Bonner (14-6. 6-4). Interestingly, the Friars entered this weekend in sole possession of second place, but after today’s defeat, as well as Friday’s overtime loss to Carroll, the Friars squandered an opportunity to create some space in the standings. And though they still find themselves in decent position to have some postseason excitement, their margin for error has shrunk a notch or two. With a solid, but not overflow crowd on hand, both teams took turns grabbing small leads throughout the first three quarters. The Saints did find themselves with a six point (41-35) advantage during the latter part of the third quarter, but the Friars ended the frame with a 7-2 run to make it a one-point game, 43-42, heading into the fourth stanza. The game’s most defining moment in terms of seizing control came from the Saints midway through the fourth quarter. Leading 52-47, N-G sr. 6’5” F Jamal Wilson was called for traveling to give the ball back to Bonner. But almost immediately, the athletic Wilson made a steal deep in Bonner’s backcourt and fed soph. 6’6” F Daniel Stewart who was fouled. Stewart calmly sunk two to push the lead to seven. On Bonner’s next possession, soph. PG Tyreek Duren, who was terrific off the bench for the Saints, made a lovely steal near mid-court by cleverly deflecting the ball over the head of a Bonner player.  Once he gathered it in, he raced towards the hole and converted, all the while drawing a foul. He completed the old school three-point play and the Saints led 57-47 with 3:19 left. Soon after, the Friars went into foul mode and the Saints did their best to keep the door open by misfiring on three straight front-end one-and-one opportunities. A three-point play by soph. F Keefer Francis and a slam by star jr. 6’7” F Lijah Thompson drew the Friars to within 59-55 with a little over a minute left. A pair of free throws by soph. G Tony Chennault and a 3-of-4 effort by Wilson put the score at 64-58 before jr. WG Brian Boyle canned a left-corner trey with 4.9 seconds left to make it 64-61. Afterwards, Wilson ended any potential late-game drama by depositing the first of two freebies to make it a four-point game. Bonner’s sr. WG Rob Siter scored a bucket as the horn sounded to give us our final. The main man for the Saints today was Wilson, who with future college coach Jim Barron Sr. (Rhode Island) in the house, shook off a cold start and finished strong. He ended with 23 points (8-for-18 FG’s, 4-of-6 FT’s), including a solid 3-of-5 showing from deep. This kid is as quick and athletic as they come in these parts, but at times that quickness is what gets him in trouble. Thrice, he was called for traveling, as he failed to put the ball on the floor before taking that quick first-step. Early on his mid-range shot wasn’t falling, but I liked how he created space to get it off and his ability to twist and turn to shake a defender. He does have stat-stuffing potential too and today ended with; 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. Parts of his game need refining, but he does possess qualities such as quickness, length, and athleticism that just cannot be taught. Chennault was next with an efficient 18 points on 7-of-12 from the field. Most of his buckets came on strong drives down the lane. Surprisingly, he only tallied one other stat, in the form of an offensive rebound. Strange! Duren finished with 10 points and all came during the second half. He did many things, both little and large, to help his team garner this win. While Wilson was a game-long presence, Duren probably had as much to do with the victory as any Saint. He ended 4-for-5 (1 trey) from the field. He also contributed 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 rebounds. Stewart chipped in with seven each of points and rebounds, while also supplying a pair of swats and steals.  Sr. 6’5” F Shane Irwin played solid post defense and gave a good effort throughout. Sr. CG Tyrell Taylor scored 5 points, contributed 3 each of boards and assists, and had a couple of blocks. The Saints pretty much went with a six-man rotation. Jr. 6’8” big man Andrew “Scooter” Gillette was unavailable after having his wisdom teeth pulled. N-G did a good job of ball security with just ten turnovers in the game. Only four of these came in the second half. For Bonner, Thompson accrued a couple of fouls early and then his third just a minute into the second half. For the most part he had a tough time finding his comfort level, though he did wolf-down a couple of monster slams late. He finished with 15 points (6-of-12 FG’s, 3-of-5 FT’s), 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Boyle started off ablaze when he nailed his first four shots, all from the perimeter (1 trey), and finished with 12 points. He’s not really counted on for scoring in the Friars’ scheme, so the early barrage was greatly appreciated. And to prove the point that he’s not exactly out there to fire away, was that his only second half release came with just 5 ticks left. He ended the game 5-for-6 from the field and added 3 assists. I really like the energy and baseline presence that Francis brings. He knocked down all three of his shots from the field and scored all eight of his points in the second half. This kid possesses some nice bounce and even though he’s often surrounded by bigger players, rising to the box quicker than the opponent doesn’t appear to be a problem. He has a good, live body on him and giving football a whirl wouldn’t be the worse thing. Jr. 6’5” Henry Smith managed 9 points (7-of-8 FT’s) and 9 rebounds. Siter hustled throughout and contributed 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Soph. PG Jamal Melvin (7 points, 3 assists) canned back-to-back treys in the second quarter, but never experienced much rhythm after this point. Quality football player sr. F Kristian Johnson (Del. St. bound) gave solid energy off the bench and chipped in with a couple of buckets and 4 rebounds. Tomorrow night both of these teams will watch with great interest in the outcome of the St. Joe’s Prep/O’Hara contest. An O’Hara win would give both the Saints and Friars a two-game lead for the final playoff spot with just four to play. If SJ Prep wins, then they’ll remain one back in their quest to get to the postseason. Crunch time is upon us!!!

JAN. 25
CL SOUTH
Carroll 60, Bonner 58 (OT)
  It’s not even February yet, but this contest had a March feel to it, and then some. We’re still three weeks from the start of the Catholic League playoffs, but it is never too early to grab some positioning. Tonight, Carroll earned a hard-fought victory in a dandy of a game between CL South hopefuls. With the victory the Pats (13-8, 6-3) were able to at least momentarily grab a share of second place in the Southern Division. Earlier this season the Friars (14-5, 6-3) bested the Pats by a similar score (59-58) out in Radnor. So, this evening it was Carroll’s turn to put the frowns across the faces of the home folks. Aside from an extremely early 6-0 Carroll lead the game was nip and tuck throughout, as each squad traded jabs through three quarters. Then, a couple of Patriot role players; sr’s F Bender Retif (trey) and F Brian Concio (deuce) provided timely baskets that created a little separation at 44-37 with 6:55 left. However, the Friars dug in and did not allow the Pats to pull away any further. In fact, Carroll would only manage one more basket over that last 6:55. Meanwhile, the Friars were methodically clawing their way closer with each passing minute. Eventually the score sat at 46-44 Carroll and Bonner had possession. Soph. PG Jamal Melvin, who moments earlier was berated by his coach, Brian Daly, for taking a contested, long two-point shot, had the ball. His coach’s message apparently got through, as the quick, but diminutive guard beat his man down the right-side of the lane for the game-tying bucket with 12 seconds left. Carroll called timeout with seven seconds left. Their last possession was thwarted when sr. PG Lamar Jackson’s driving shot was swatted out of bounds by jr. 6’7” F Lijah Thompson with three-tenths of a second left. Carroll couldn’t mange a shot off the inbounds play, so it was off to the extra session. Thrice in overtime Bonner grabbed a lead, at 48-46, then 51-49 and 53-52 off a pair of put backs by jr. 6’5” F Henry Smith. The latter came with 56 seconds left. Still, the Pats kept after it and for a third time took the lead back, this time on a 12-foot baseline jumper by jr. WG Andre Wilburn off a feed from Jackson at 0:42. Bonner’s following possession ended when Jackson, who was brilliant in overtime, took a charge on a driving Melvin. He followed this sequence by canning both ends of a double-bonus at 27 seconds, making the score 56-53. With a chance to tie the game with a three the Friars never got that opportunity, as Jackson and soph. PG DJ Irving converged on Melvin near mid-court to force a turnover. Jackson then hit a streaking Irving for a layup and a game-sealing 58-53 lead. Bonner sr. F Rob Siter followed his own miss at 4 seconds, but Carroll’s jr. 6’5” Kasheef Festus canned a pair of freebies at three seconds for a 60-55 lead. For good measure, Melvin swished a trey at the buzzer. Pats’ Head Coach Paul Romanczuk doesn’t possess one of his traditional squads this season. You know -- a real gritty, defensive-minded, drag-it-out type of team. This crew probably has a higher skill level than any Carroll team in recent years and putting the ball in the basket consistently comes much easier to these guys. Pretty much everyone has a green light to let it go, and at times that probably leads to some ill-advised shots. However, it also lets his players know that confidence does exist and in the end that should be a good thing, especially late in close games. Leading the way tonight was the sweet-shooting Irving, who has a nice combination of a feathery tough and range. He sniped 5-of-6 from downtown and scored 17 points in all. He needs a little time and space to unleash, but when it is supplied good things are bound to happen. I wouldn’t say Jackson went unnoticed during regulation, but he wasn’t exactly in the middle of things. All of that changed in overtime, though, where he contributed 3 points off foul shots, 3 assists, a steal, and took a charge. For the game, he was able to reach double-digits with 10 points, while adding 6 assists. Festus is Carroll’s one true post presence, but tonight he had difficulty getting clean looks against the size of Bonner’s inside people. He shot only 4-for-14 from the field, but did score 4 huge points on OT and finished with a total of 14. He also made a pair of blocks and secured 6 of his team-high 9 rebounds in the fourth quarter. I appreciated his persistence. Wilburn finished with 6 points, while promising freshman PG Juan’ya Green added five free throws. Carroll did a great job of securing the ball and only turned it over eight times. They were also an efficient 13-for-16 from the line. Bonner was paced by Melvin’s 17 points, as ten of these came in the opening half. He displayed a nice knack of zig-zagging through defenders in the lane for a few driving scores. Thompson was next with 14 points on 5-for-8 from the field and 4-of-8 from the line. I still wouldn’t mind seeing him be a bit more aggressive on the offensive end. He also claimed 13 rebounds and swatted four. Smith chipped in with 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Most of his production came during the second half, as he spent a long stretch on the pine due to fouls in the opening half. Siter (3 assists) was also in foul trouble in the first half and scored all eight of his points after the intermission. Soph. F Keefer Francis (5 pts, 3 rebs.) supplied some active minutes off the bench for Bonner throughout. In the season series split by the teams Carroll outscored Bonner by the slimmest of margins, 118-to-117. Is a third meeting in the near future? Time will tell! Very good crowd on hand and most of the occupants were into the game from start to finish. Excellent atmosphere and I look forward to more entertaining outings as we race towards the second season. Great time of year for hoops and the Catholic League usually does its best to supply their share of worthwhile performances. I expect more of the same in the coming weeks, as the entire CL is probably as wide open as it has been in a while. There are no guarantees out there!!!

JAN. 24
CL SOUTH
O’Hara 48, West Catholic 46
  It was a rare Thursday evening tilt in the Catholic League, and in the end the Lions (9-10, 3-6) were able to eke out a victory over the Burrs on sr. 6’7” F Mark Wedderburn’s follow as the final horn sounded. Or did they? To be honest, I couldn’t really tell, aside from that it was extremely close. However, some of the Burr faithful and Head Coach Bill Ludlow didn’t seem to think so. Twice, Ludlow walked towards the officials’ locker room to discuss things, but there was little that could be done at this point. Here’s how the final sequence went: Burr frosh. PG Aquil Younger missed a pair of free throws at 37 seconds. Afterwards, the Lions nearly turned the ball over twice, but called timeouts at 25 and 13 seconds respectively. The last possession started right at halfcourt with the ball in sr. WG Zach Tansey’s hands. The Burrs immediately threw a trap at him which forced the ball to sr. PG Ryan Wolski at the foul line, who in turn hit sr. 6’4” WG Jim Kelleher for a right-wing trey that misfired. A hustling Wolski scrambled for the rebound underneath and again found Kelleher for a trey, this time more towards the corner. Again he missed, but the ball caromed off and eventually found Wedderburn about three-feet from the basket on the left-side. The Penn State football recruit sort of cupped the ball and pushed it towards the rim. After a friendly bounce off the back of the rim, the ball finally fell through. Ballgame! Lion elation, Burr misery! West actually played a great third quarter, as they scored 21 points in the frame and threatened to push a lead to double-digits. However, O’Hara’s Kelleher’s marksmanship from deep kept his team afloat and the Lions were able to stay within striking distance. Kelleher canned four straight shots (3 triples) for 11 of his game-high 20 points in that third stanza. In the first quarter, he canned back-to-back treys. For the game he knocked down 5-of-10 from the arc. When given ample space this kid does have a sweet stroke. He also managed 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. Wedderburn finished with 11 points (5-of-7 FG’s), 11 rebounds, and two emphatic first quarter snuffs. Tansey, who has been the Lion leader all season, had an off night offensively and scored just 6 points, on 2-for-6 from the field. However, he did manage 9 assists, including five on six Lion buckets in the third quarter. All three of Kelleher’s treys came off a feed from Tansey. He also hustled for 5 rebounds. Sr. F Matt Romano added a timely 8 points (4-for-5 FG’s) and 6 rebounds off the bench. Wolski scored all three of his points in the fourth quarter, while also adding 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. He did get slapped with a tech in the third quarter, which obviously drew the ire of Head Coach Bud Gardler. The Lions were 18-for-35 (51.4%) from the floor. They also bested West on the boards to the tone of 36-to-24. The Burrs (12-7, 3-6) were led by sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil who scored 16 points (6-of-10 FG’s), grabbed 5 boards, and made 3 steals. He showed a soft touch from deep where he sunk 3-of-5. Sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan, was played in a box-and-one for part of the night and was limited to just 8 field goal attempts. He was able to convert five. However, he went 1-for-5 from the line and finished with 11 points. He also added 10 rebounds and 5 steals. The Burrs were without three players who have started the bulk of the games this season. Jr. PG Rob Holloman (groin) and sr. WG Eric Beal (knee) were out with injuries. Meanwhile, jr. PG Curtis Drake left the team earlier in the week by his own choice. So, the Burr backcourt was filled with some fresh faces. Jr. G’s Brandon Williamson and Matt Bush got the start and played decently considering the circumstances. The ultra-quick Younger came off the bench and displayed tons of promise. On the defensive end, he made it extremely difficult for the Lions with solid on-the-ball pressure. He also managed 8 points and a trio of rebounds, assists, and steals without committing a turnover. That was the good and don’t get me wrong it was encouraging. However, there was a bad, as he missed all six of his free throws, with five coming in the fourth quarter. As a team the Burrs went 0-for-7 from the line in the final stanza and were a woeful 4-for-16 for the game. After the game I mentioned to a disappointed Younger to keep his head up, that he exhibited a lot of good in this game. It was his first extensive varsity playing time and with some practice/hard work that part of his game will eventually round into shape. This kid has potential and it will be interesting to see him develop from this point on. Both the Burrs and Lions sit at (3-6) in the league and with five to play it seems remote that either will be playoff bound. Still, there is still plenty of time to dash the playoff hopes of others and that is always something worth playing for.

JAN. 21
CL SOUTH
West Catholic 67, Kennedy-Kenrick 39
  Though the Wolverines (3-15, 0-8) have had a difficult campaign to date, there was some hope that their current CL South losing streak wouldn’t hit 29 after tonight’s game with the Burrs. K-K has been more competitive in the league over their last three games and that has been encouraging. Also, with the Burrs suffering through a five-game losing skid of their own, as well as seeing their morale dip like their temperatures outside, there was a small hint that something good could present itself for the Wolverines. So, how did it go? Not good if you were a K-K loyalist. The Burrs (12-6, 3-5) took control early and steadily increased their lead as the game moved along. They did so without the services of three rotation members, who were unavailable for assorted reasons. Leading the way was sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan, who had a great line of 22 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists (lost at least 4 others when teammates missed chippies), 5 steals, and 2 blocks. Brennan, who appeared to be just about all the way back from an ankle injury suffered about a week ago, was 7-for-11 from the field (1 trey) and 7-of-12 at the line. Personally, I want nothing more than to see this kid end his career with some positive and meaningful outings. He’s done everything his coach has pretty much asked and been the consummate teammate in his four years as a Burr. Very good kid, who deserves nothing but good things! Three other Burrs reached double-figures; as jr. 6’5” F Dwayne Shaw (12 pts, 7 rebounds) scored all of his in the first half on six consecutive makes from the field. The big guy showed soft hands and good footwork in doing his damage. Meanwhile, sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil also struck for 12 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Jr. WG Brandon Williams scored ten points (2 treys) and grabbed 4 rebounds. Jr. CG Haleem Hayward handled much of the point guard duties for the Burrs, and performed rather well in that roll. He finished with 7 points (3-for-5 FG’s), 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. He did not commit a turnover! Jr. WG Matt Bush hustled for 4 rebounds and 3 assists. The Burrs had 18 assists on 27 made baskets. For much of the season the Wolverines have pretty much been a one-man show, with sr. 6’2” WG Karlton Byrd providing the bulk of the production. Coming into today’s game, Byrd had accounted for 45% of his team’s scoring throughout the season. Tonight, he tallied 26 of his team’s 39 points, which was good for 67% of the scoring. K-K’s soph. F David Tornetta scored the first two points of the game. Then, Byrd scored the 26 of the next 30 K-K points. The four points he didn’t score, baskets by jr. PG Darnell Hinton and Tornetta, came during a 3-minute stretch in the third quarter while Byrd was on the bench. So, in essence Byrd scored 26 straight points while he was on the court. After Head Coach Jack Flanagan made wholesale substitutions with just under four-minutes left in the game; the Wolverines received two free throws from Hinton, a trey by soph. G Cullen Rota, and mid-range jumper by G Vernarra (First name, grade unavailable – Please send) to close out their scoring. In getting his points Byrd pretty much played in the flow of the game and didn’t go ahead and jack shot after shot. In fact, he started out the game in mellow fashion, often deferring to his teammates. The bulk of his exploits came in the second and third quarters, where he scored 21 of his 26 points. For the game, he finished a real solid 10-for-18 (4-of-8 on 3’s) from the field and 2-for-4 from the line. He also grabbed 9 rebounds. This kid can play a little and without knowing him at all, I can appreciate his attitude, demeanor, and the positive body language that he demonstrates on the floor. Tonight, he exhibited excellent body control on a handful of long jumpers and mid-range shots, as well as slick drives to the basket. He’s much more polished this year than he was last season. In time, I could see him thriving at a D-3 school. The only other Wolverine to produce anything in terms of stats was jr. F Brad Miller who claimed 7 rebounds. Not a good night in terms of the crowd at the Burrdome. I counted anywhere from 25 to 30 people just before tipoff. Obviously, the holiday and day off from school didn’t do much to help matters.

JAN. 14
CL SOUTH
Neumann-Goretti 66, Carroll 56
  After a back-and-forth and competitive first half (N-G led 31-27), the Saints seized control with a tremendous beginning to the second half. Neumann-Goretti (9-6, 4-2) scored eleven of the first thirteen points after the intermission. During this sequence Carroll Head Coach Paul Romanczuk was forced to call not one, but two timeouts. The pauses in play didn’t do much to slow the Saints down, as they went on to score eighteen of the first twenty-two points of the third quarter to build an even more commanding 49-31 lead. During this stint it was a two-pronged attack in the form of jr. 6’8” C Andre "Scooter” Gillette on the defensive end and soph. CG Tony Chennault on the offensive side. Since all good hoops begin on the defensive end let’s start with the raw, but athletic Gillette. The big guy was a force around his own basket, as he swatted four shots during this flurry, helping propel easy offensive opportunities for his teammates. Meanwhile, Chennault, like he did the other night in a game versus West, was busy taking the bull by the horns offensively. He hit all four of his shots (1 trey) from the field and 3-of-4 freebies for 12 points in N-G’s decisive third quarter run. The Patriots (9-7, 3-3) didn’t give up though, and with 2:56 left in the game cut the lead to just five at 58-53. However, the Saints behind a couple of nice driving lay-ups by sr. PG Tyrell Taylor (8 points) ended the game with a 8-to-3 scoring advantage and secured a nice ten-point victory. Chennault led the way with 21 points (15 in 2nd half) on 6-of-10 (2-for-3 on 3’s) from the field and 7-of-10 from the line. He also added 5 rebounds and 2 assists. This kid is growing on me and again it’s because of his fire/competitiveness. This is what I enjoy the most about his game right now. He’s got a knack of getting to the line too, and that’s always a good thing for all players. Late in the game he committed a silly foul near halfcourt while going for a steal. Saints’ Head Coach Carl Arrigale gave him a look like, why? The young Chennault appeared to justify his actions with one of those "I got all ball" looks. Still, his coach was right and when young players start to see the game from this point of view, they ultimately become better players. In time I think this kid will understand the game much more and be that complete player. There is much to like! The next Saint in the scoring column was sr. 6’5” WG/F Jamal Wilson with 19 points. And if it wasn’t for him, then the Saints may have actually trailed at halftime. Wilson converted four straight treys in the first half with three of them coming in the second quarter. He scored 15 of his 19 points in opening half. All total, he shot 7-for-11 from the field, including 4-of-6 from downtown. He also added 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Gillette ended up rejecting seven of his eight blocks in the second half. He also grabbed 8 rebounds and even had 3 assists. Offensively, he still has some work to do, as he often loses concentration in-and-around the basket. He finished with 4 points on 2-for-7 shooting. Still, if the N-G brass can get the kind of defensive play they received tonight, then they’ll gladly take it. He has force-like potential on the defensive end of the court. Soph. 6’6” F Daniel Stewart chipped in with 10 points (4-of-6 FG’s, 2 dunks), 8 rebounds, and 2 assists. I’m sure this kid would probably like another touch or two, but I like the fact that he plays within the flow of the game and rarely forces the issue. He’ll get his in time! The Saints shot well from the floor going 24-for-47 (51.1%). I was anxious to see Carroll and even though they came up short tonight, I liked what I saw. I think this team has noise-making potential down the road. They have been playing without quick sr. PG Lamar Jackson, who missed his fourth straight game with a high-ankle sprain. He could/should return Friday. Even without Jackson, this Patriot club has decent parts. Jr. 6’5” F Kasheef Festus is a load and appears to have made improvements in his game in terms of multiple post moves and putting the ball on the floor. He didn’t shoot a high percentage tonight, going just 6-for-15 for 15 points. But credit Gillette for holding his ground after an array of moves by ‘Sheef on multiple occasions. Festus also contributed 8 rebounds. Soph. CG DJ Irving dialed up long distance thrice in the first half where he scored 13 of his 15 points. Interestingly, he managed just one shot, a make, in the second half. I’m pretty sure Chennault took over defensive responsibilities on him in the second half. Irving does possess nice range/form on his shot. He was the only Pat to knock down a triple, as they went a woeful 3-of-20 (15.0%) from distance. However, many of these looks were clean and about five or six spun out. Sometimes that’s how the ball bounces. Jr. CG Andre Wilburn managed 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in a solid all-around effort. I liked his niftiness around the basket. Carroll boasts one of the more highly-regarded freshmen in our area in 6’2” PG Juan’ya Green (3 assists). The youngster had an off shooting night, but was one Pat that experienced zero luck in the roll department when a trio of early shots spun out of the cylinder. This kid is lanky and has some length. He possesses a good basketball body and he definitely bears watching. Amazingly, the Pats took 62 shots from the field, but converted just 23. They did a good job in taking care of the ball with just 8 TO’s. Cool scoreboard conditions in the 2nd quarter when the clock read 2:22 and the score 22-to-22 during a stoppage of play. There’s nothing wrong with adding a little useless information at the end of the report, right? Smile!

JAN. 13
CL SOUTH
SJ Prep 50, West Catholic 35
  Throughout the years, heading to St. Joe’s Prep for a Sunday afternoon basketball game has not been one of my look-forward-to outings. Today’s game did not help change those feelings. Though there was a small pack of students on hand today, Sunday afternoons usually don't bring the boys out in masses. Also, Kelly Fieldhouse is spacious, and at times, especially when the stands aren’t full, it can give off a hollow, museum-like feel. How about today? Ahem, let’s just say that atmospheric moments were few and far between. What we had coming in were two teams sitting at (2-3) in the league. So, a must-win occasion was on tap. I should see energy, passion, desperate play, and urgency, right? Well, I got a decent amount of each from the Hawks, but the Burrs brought zilch to the table. And it started right from the get-go too. Head Coach Bill Ludlow was forced into a timeout just a minute into the game after the Hawk snipers, sr. 6’3” WG Jim Mower and sr. F 6’2” Matt Williams, buried treys for a quick 6-0 lead. Each had plenty of time to launch too and I’m sure this is what drew the ire of the coach. Despite the timeout things didn’t get any better. Not even remotely! The Burrs were a beyond chilly 1-for-13 in the opening quarter, as good shot selection and concentration levels were non-existent. And even though the Hawks weren’t playing flawless ball, the Burrs’ offensive ineptness allowed them to seize a 26-to-6 lead midway through the second quarter. There would be no looking back. West went on to win the second half 23-to-20, but the damage had been done. The Hawks (9-7, 3-3) were led by Mower, a Lafayette recruit. He finished with a game-high 17 points, on 5-for-11 (2-of-5 3’s) from the field and 5-of-7 from the line. He also grabbed 5 rebounds. Williams canned a trio of treys and scored 11 points. He also hustled for 9 rebounds and dealt two assists. Sr. PG Joe Meehan ran the offense and battled for 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Sr. WG Rich Hofmann had a nice all-around effort with 9 points and 5 rebounds. Sr. 6’7” C Mike Bradley grabbed 6 boards. Sr. WG Phil Giordano had active minutes off the bench with 5 points (trey) and 8 rebounds in just 15 minutes of action. By game’s end the Hawks only managed two more field goals than the Burrs, but made seven treys and were a solid 11-for-14 from the line. They also blasted West on the glass 41-to-22. Not much to say about the Burrs today. The only player with decent stats was sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Jr. WG Matt Bush did come off the bench to score 7 points. Sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan could only manage two each of points of rebounds, though he did contribute 3 steals and 2 blocks. However, he had a sequence he’d mostly likely want to forget. After a steal up top, he went in alone and rimmed a dunk attempt. Not good, especially with his team struggling for points. Moments later he severely sprained an ankle and had to be helped to the bench. It didn’t look good afterwards. Great kid, so let’s hope it’s not as bad as it appeared. Jr. PG Rob Holloman missed his second straight game due to a groin strain. The Burrs have now dropped four straight league games after an (11-1) start to the season. They’ll be playing for their season this Friday versus Archbishop Carroll at home. Meanwhile, the Hawks will host the Saints of Neumann-Goretti on Friday afternoon to close out the first half of league play.

JAN. 11
CL SOUTH
Neumann-Goretti 59, West Catholic 49
  Both the Burrs and the Saints entered this pivotal league game with bad tastes in their mouths. The Saints (8-6, 3-2) were shocked on Monday night when they were dealt a defeat at the hands of O’Hara. Meanwhile, after winning eleven of their first twelve games, the Burrs (11-4, 2-3) had a disappointing past weekend, with a pair of lackluster defeats to Roman and Bonner. So, this one had the makings of a good one in terms of urgency. Early on it was West dictating play, as they grabbed a quick 8-0 lead. The Saints would settle in some and cut the deficit to 10-9 after the first quarter. Still, the Burrs remained determined and held a lead throughout the second quarter and into the intermission at 30-26. The game’s most defining moments occurred a few minutes into the third stanza. West still led 34-31, but this is when the Saints unleashed their assault and took advantage of sloppy Burr play. N-G would end the quarter on a 16-2 run and then capped the spurt with the first two buckets of the fourth quarter. This made the score 51-36 and all total the Saints were able to unleash a 20-2 flurry to seize control. Continuing to demonstrate fight the Burrs scored the next nine points to cut the lead to 51-45 with just under three minutes left. During the foray both jr. PG Curtis Drake and sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil threw down slams. The lead remained at six (55-49) with 1:26 left, but a steal by sr. PG Tyrell Taylor led to a one-handed slam by sr. 6’5” F Jamal Wilson (Rhode Island) to end the suspense. This affair was your typical Burrdome game, as the quickness of both squads led to many deflections, loose balls, and you guessed it, oodles of turnovers. The teams combined for 45 miscues (West with one more) in the game. Still, effort and competitive play were existent for the most part.  And though the entertainment value never reached all-time levels; it was still far from a dud. Leading the way for the Saints was sophomore CG Tony Chennault, who twice at different junctures of the game put his team on his back. First, he scored 7 first quarter points to make sure his team got situated after the Burrs quick start. Later in the third quarter he scored 12 of his game-high 21 points (21-6 N-G 3rd quarter) on perfect marksmanship by making all three of his field goal attempts, as well as six free throws. Right now I would classify Tony as a basketball player, not a master of any one trait, though he is an above-average on-the-ball-defender. Not a true point or wing at the moment, but is in a classic combo-guard mold. His best attribute at the moment is his competitiveness. You can just tell that kid loves to compete and that winning is a must. He accumulated his 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting and a 9-for-11 effort from the line. He also managed 5 boards and 3 steals. Next in line for the Saints was the athletic Wilson, who scored all 17 of his points from the second quarter on. He wasn’t non-existent in the early stages, as his six (12 rebounds for game) defensive boards eliminated nearly all of the Burr potential second chances. He shot 8-for-13 (1 trey) from the field and also added 3 assists and 2 blocks. Running and jumping is an effortless task for this kid and I suspect he’ll thrive in the open court at the next level. Ball-handling and decision making when possessing the ball will need to improve, but the athleticism is at an oozing level. After a shaky start Taylor contributed some nice things in the second half. All four of assists came after the intermission, as did four of his seven steals. Jumping-jack soph. 6’6” F Daniel Stewart packed all seven of his points and five of six boards in the second quarter. Jr. 6’8” C Andrew Gillette swatted five and had six rebounds. Blessed with good athleticism and a long reach this kid is still gaining much-needed playing experience. He bears watching. Overall, this N-G squad does possess a lot of nice talent. Obviously, they will be formidable as the season continues. However, unlike the past couple of seasons this team is a little short in experience and continuity. The Burrs competed and brought much more energy than they had in recent games. In fact, they probably displayed a little more energy than the Saints did. However, in the end, there just weren’t enough bullets in the chamber to hold off the Saints for thirty-two minutes. To make matters worse, jr. PG Rob Holloman (groin) was out. Would his presence have made a difference? Maybe, maybe not, but it certainly wouldn’t have hurt. West was lead by sr. 6’6” F Eric Brenann, who put forth a nice line of 8 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. It was good to see him fight N-G’s athletes for rebounds. Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil led West with 14 points, but was just 7-of-19 from the floor. He also added 5 rebounds. Jr. WG Haleem Hayward gave a nice all-around effort with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Drake added 8 points. Sr. WG Eric Beal played good defense and grabbed 5 rebounds, while mixing 4 assists. West was just 3-of-9 from the line and 0-for-8 from the arc. N-G got the line ten more times and made 11 more – Ballgame! Things don’t get any easier for either team, as West travels to SJ Prep on Sunday, while N-G will host Carroll on Monday night.

JAN. 4
CL SOUTH
Roman 78, West Catholic 54
  OK, the Cahillites (6-2, 3-0) are one of the glamour schoolboy programs in our great city. They are currently the defending CL Champs and #1-ranked team in the city by a certain individual who runs this web site. However, they haven’t played a game in ten days and possibly a little rust might exist. Meanwhile, the Burrs (11-2, 2-1) are coming off a strong December and start to the season. No, they haven’t played anyone remotely close to Roman’s talent level, but their schedule wasn’t exactly littered with extreme lesser-lights either. So, with that in mind there was optimism that a competitive game could be had. To make things even more interesting, Roman star jr. PG Maalik Wayns was not in the starting lineup. The Villanova recruit has been battling the flu throughout the week and practice time was limited. So, when the Burrs jumped to leads of 8-0, 10-2 and 19-12, one shouldn’t have been overly surprised. The Burrs were running well and getting quality looks that helped build their early advantage. Wayns did enter the game after only about two-plus minutes of play and I wouldn’t say his presence woke the rest of the Cahillites up, but it certainly didn’t hurt. Roman scored the last nine points of the first quarter and first six of the second stanza for a 15-0 spurt. They would never look back! Their lead swelled to fourteen by half (43-29) and eighteen (62-44) after three quarters. Though the game was already secured the exclamation point on the win came early in the fourth quarter when Wayns emphatically drove straight down the middle of the lane and wolfed a one-handed slam. Welcome to the Big East! Oh wait, he’s just a junior. Seriously, what a pleasure this kid is to watch play. He is extremely GOOD! Tonight, he managed 22 points on an 8-for-16 shooting performance. He was only 2-of-8 from distance, but never let a miss or two shake his confidence. He possesses an ultra-quick release on his shot and his range is healthy to say the least. With the ball he is quite capable with either hand and can either quickly go by you or power through you for opportunities. Aside from his scoring exploits he also snatched 8 rebounds and dished 6 dimes. Wayns is no doubt the Cahillites' headliner, but they are far from a one-man band. One characteristic that I admired from last year’s Roman club was how hard they played. The Wanamaker twins -- Bradley (Pitt) and Brian (Cent. Conn. State) were trend-setters in this department last season. They have departed, but the passion they often exhibited remains. Obviously, the Cahillites have talent and they also feature a big-time star in Wayns, but the way they play sort of tells me that they know they're not good enough to rely on just their talent. So, playing hard is a must! By playing hard allows them to excel. No one demonstrates this more than Loyola-Chicago recruit sr. CG Courtney Stanley. Though he only stands 6’1” he thrives on attacking the glass. Tonight, he claimed 11, while mixing 10 points (5-of-8 FG’s), 5 steals, and 3 assists. He’ll probably be a role player at the next level, but due to the fact that he’s an excellent on-the-ball-defender and plays hard, he’ll more than likely be a positive influence for that team. I loved the fact he just doesn’t randomly jack shots anymore. He’s versatile and I think he enjoys his current role. Another set of twins play a prominent part on this Cahillite club as in sr. 6’4” F’s Will and Wes Kirkland. They possess skills that pretty much mirror one another, and like Stanley love to contribute the little stuff. Will (11 pts, 8 rebs, 5 assists) and Wes (9 pts, 9 rebs) combined for twenty points and seventeen rebounds. Each deposited a trey as well. Two other Cahillites youngsters reached double-digits in soph. WG Rahkeem Brookins (11 points) and frosh. 6’5” F Aaron Brown (12 pts). Brookins is going to have a lot of fun playing with Wayns over the next two seasons. He’s often the guy who finds himself alone when attention is given to Wayns. He was a tad off in this game (4-for-14 FG’s), as he only converted one of his first ten shots, but he did end up depositing three treys overall. He also added 4 assists. Brown (4 rebs) scored eight first quarter points and kept the Cahillites afloat during the Burrs’ early foray. I’m intrigued by this kid and just envision him not only having good moments, but some great ones in the future. Roman ended up with 14 TO’s, but only committed six through three quarters. They slammed the Burrs on the boards 50-to-35. Thirteen of their eighteen offensive rebounds came in the initial half and they were the main factor in allowing them to garner a comfortable lead.  Was the Burrs early run-out fool’s gold? Possibly! West has an athletic team, but in terms of pure basketball skill they just aren’t on Roman’s level. So, when the pace remained at a feverish pace, but the shots stopped going in, then trouble is what the Burrs experienced. Shot selection was also an area of concern. West leading scorer sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan never got in the flow and was just a step slow, shade off, and a hand’s length away from finding success. He was 0-for-6 through three quarters and didn’t score his first points until 7:34 remained in the game on an 8-foot baseline shot. He finished with 4 points on 2-for-9 shooting. Better days will come for this Burr. Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil was plagued by foul trouble and managed just 12 minutes on the court. He did score 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting, including three triples. Jr. PG Curtis Drake zipped around early for 7 of his team-high 13 points. Jr. PG Rob Holloman often got caught in the air with nowhere to go which led to a 3-for-12 showing from the field. He finished with 11 points, but was able to deal 6 assists. Sr. WG Eric Beal (6 rebounds) gave a decent effort early. Jr. WG Haleem Hayward contributed 7 points, 5 rebounds, and a pair of blocks and steals. Jr. 6’5” F Dwayne Shaw provided a little energy off the bench with 6 rebounds. Make no mistake, but the Burrs were handed their lunches tonight and it was team effort in the process. No sense in feeling sorry for themselves though, because a huge game is on the horizon versus Bonner on Sunday. There was a nice crowd on hand for this tilt in the Burrdome. There were a lot of former Burr players in the house and I know this pleased Head Coach Bill Ludlow immensely. Nice touch before the game as the Burrs recognized Roman Head Coach Dennis Seddon on his 500th career win that he achieved earlier this season. The Burrs also held a moment of silence for Roman loyalist and super fan John Hoban, who passed away this past summer. I’m pretty sure John was watching from another place. Lastly, I got to wondering, but with the PIAA lurking in the near future. Will this be the last time the Burrdome sees a Roman squad? Some things just shouldn’t happen . . .

DEC. 28 & 29
INTERBORO KIWANIS TOURNAMENT
West Catholic 60, Friends’ Central 50
West Catholic 51, Interboro 34
  Not the most crisp or cleanest game played by the Burrs, but in end they did enough to garner their sixth straight win. Poor and rushed shot selection by West allowed the Phoenix to snatch an early lead, but the Burrs (9-1) regrouped some in the latter part of the first quarter and exited with a 15-14 lead. For this point West would show glimpses of pull-away status, but never really gained a comfortable lead. Ragged play took shape at times and this prevented West from further command. After three quarters they lead 45-37, but that lead would dwindle to just two points at 50-48. However, behind a spark by sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan, the Burrs ended the game with a 10-to-2 spurt and secured a win on a day when they didn’t put forth one of their better efforts. Brennan scored 7 of his team-high 16 points in the second half of the fourth quarter to lead the Burrs. He also added 8 rebounds. Jr. G’s Rob Holloman and Curtis Drake each posted 11 points, but struggled from the field going a combined 7-for-23. Holloman did hustle for 5 rebounds and 3 steals, while Drake added 3 assists. Jr. WG Haleem Hayward calmly stoked two early treys and finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Sr. F’s Sergino Mystil (5 boards, 3 assists, and two each of assists and blocks) and Eric Beal (7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) contributed the little things. The Burrs have been a pretty good shooting team to date, but today was not one of those days. They finished just 21-for-65 (32.3%) from the field, including a woeful 4-for-19 effort from the arc. To boot they were just 14-for-27 (51.9%) from the line. They did manage 17 assists, as six different players supplied at least two dimes. The Phoenix (5-7) played hard and never quit throughout. They possess an intriguing freshman in 6’2” G Devin Coleman. The young lefty already possesses a nice blend of athleticism, body control, and a mid-range game. Tonight, he finished with a game-high 17 points (7-for-13 FG’s, 3-of-6 FT’s) and 5 steals. He’s definitely one to keep tabs on as the years pass. The Burrs will play in the tournament final against Interboro, a 55-46 winner over Marple-Newtown in the nightcap.
   Displaying confidence and a degree of self control the Burrs (10-1) captured their second tourney win of the season. This Interboro (3-8) team didn’t possess a wealth of talent, but their deliberate style of play and at times physical/chippie nature were causes for concern for Head Coach Bill Ludlow and his crew. However, with aggressive defensive pressure throughout, the Burrs were able to secure their seventh straight victory. West made 15 steals in the game and forced 23 turnovers by their counterparts. They trailed 2-0, but then rattled off nine straight points and would never trail again. An interesting sequence occurred midway through the second quarter. Interboro had just scored five straight points to make the score 19-14 and had possession. What happened next was perplexing though. With the Burrs in a zone for one of the few times in the game, the Bucs on orders from the head coach held the ball out front for nearly three minutes. Am I missing something? You just grabbed a little momentum and more importantly you’re trailing in the game. Why do this then? Oh well, if I ever become a coach, then maybe I’ll figure this stuff out. Eventually, the Bucs turned the ball over and West got their chance to hold it a little. The difference was that only a minute remained and the Burrs held a lead. The result was also much different, as jr. PG Curtis Drake nicely hit sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mysil with a pass through the Interboro zone for a lay-up as the waning seconds ticked away. The Burrs went 15-for-26 (57.7%) from the field after the intermission which propelled the final sixteen minutes to be played with an anti-climatic feel. Doing much of the damage was Mystil and sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan, as they combined to score 22 of the 30 Burr points. Collectively, they were 11-of-14 from the field. Mystil finished with 17 points (8-for-12 FG’s), 8 rebounds, and 3 steals. Meanwhile, Brennan notched 14 points (7-of-10 FG’s), 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Also playing well for West was jr. WG Haleem Hayward with 6 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Drake ended with 6 points and 4 assists. For the second time this season Brennan claimed MVP honors of a tournament. Hayward and jr. PG Rob Holloman also took home some hardware and were named to the All-Tournament team. The Burrs will wrap-up their non-league portion of the schedule when the play a rare New Year’s Eve tilt (1:30) against Conwell-Egan at the Burrdome.

DEC. 23
CL SOUTH
West Catholic 64, O’Hara 35
  Uncomfortable! This was the prevalent feeling being conveyed by many who stepped inside the Burrdome on an unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon. Due to the rising temperatures outside and limited ventilation inside, the gym gave off a sauna-like feel, which prompted Matt “Cauls” McCauley to exclaim, “It’s like a Turkish Bathhouse in here.” Of course, chuckles provided by me immediately followed! Anyhow, the humidity got so bad in the second half that the floor started to mirror an ice skating rink. Interestingly, it was mostly Burr players who were slipping and sliding. Was it the traction on their brand of sneakers, or was it just that they were that much quicker than their counterparts? Not sure, but luckily for West, things didn’t really deteriorate until a comfortable lead was had and all-important league win was secured. However, a scary moment did occur when cat-quick freshman PG Aquil Younger lost his footing and cracked the back of his head on the floor. After spending a few moments down, the youngster made it back to the bench under his own power and appeared to be ok. As for the game, I don’t think the tape of the first half will be sent to the Basketball Hall of Fame anytime soon. The Burrs (8-1, 2-0) sprinted to an 11-0 lead, but were careless in handling the ball and shot selection after the initial foray. This allowed the Lions to claw their way back and make it a game, 20-14 by halftime. Trust me folks, but play by both teams was way up on the shoddy meter during this opening half. West’s sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil and O’Hara’s G Zach Tansey accounted for twenty-two of the combined thirty-four points. Exclude their exploits and everyone else who saw the floor shot a combined 4-for-38. Someone please – Remove the blindfolds! The teams also combined for 23 turnovers in that first sixteen minutes of action. The statman is hot and irritated, so something needs to change soon. Ok, guys? As the second half began the Burrs built a 32-20 lead, but I still had the sense that this game is far from secure. Next, WC’s jr. PG Curtis Drake back-rimmed a breakaway lay-up when he took off a step further than he needed to. This led to driving bucket by Tansey while drawing a foul. The freebie was converted and we now had a 32-27 game. This O’Hara team, though not playing well, will not go away. But then it happened, and it happened quickly! The Burrs scored the last seven points of the third quarter and the first eleven points of the fourth. Presto, an 18-0 barrage and a blowout-status 50-27 lead. West would go on to end the game with 32-to-8 romp. How you ask? Well, the defensive intensity remained and even became more stifling. However, better offensive execution on that end of the floor got things rolling initially. Head Coach Bill Ludlow made it a point at halftime that they were going to work the ball inside to their headliner, sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan, who was scoreless in the first half and was 0-for-5 from the field. Their first two times down the floor they went into Brennan, and he responded with buckets both times. The Burrs scored eight baskets in that third quarter and all came courtesy of an assist. Brennan went on to score 14 second half points, including a 6-of-7 showing from the line. He also worked hard for 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. Mystil scored 11 of his team-high 15 points in the first half and swept 15 rebounds. This is the second time he has had 15 glass-cleanings in a game this season. I wouldn’t describe him as a beast that just bangs the boards, but more so as a player that uses his athleticism to get in good position and long arms to tap and keep balls alive. He’s developed the uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time throughout the season. To complete his outing he also made 5 steals and added a pair of assists and blocks. Jr. PG Rob Holloman added some blur-like moments in the second half as he repeatedly dashed by defenders. He scored 11 of his 13 points after the intermission. He also hustled for 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Once again he did not commit a turnover. Over the past three games he has 16 assists to just a single turnover. Nice! Drake scored seven quick first quarter points and then settled for a total of nine. West shot 16-for-27 (59.3%) in the second half. On defense they forced 22 Lion miscues. For O’Hara (4-6, 0-2), something appears to be missing, or at least was for this game. Tansey was the only Lion to do much of anything and luckily for them he showed up, or it could have been much worse. He shot 7-for-17 (1-of-5 on 3’s) from the field and 5-for-5 at the line for a game-high 20 points. He also battled for 6 rebounds and 7 steals. The Lion’s other player with some scoring prowess is sr. 6’4” F Jim Kelleher, but he was often bothered by the Burr defense and finished just 3-for-15 (0-of-6 on 3’s) from the field and scored only 7 points, while grabbing 5 rebounds. Remarkably, Tansey and Kelleher were the only O’Hara players to post a field goal. Four other players dented the scorebook via foul shots. It was warm outside, hot inside, but extremely cold on the offensive end for the Lions, as they shot just 10-for-52 (19.2%) from the field, including 1-fo-15 from the three-point line. Take away Tansey’s day and the rest of the team was just 3-for-35. Ouch to the infinity power! Over my years of watching Bud Gardler-coached teams play I can’t ever remember a shooting day like this one. Even in down years, his teams are usually at least decently efficient from the field. Hey, maybe it was just one of those days? We’ll see what transpires from this point. On Friday night the Lions welcomed back (Missed first 8 games due to school-related issues) the services of sr. 6’7” F Mark Wedderburn (PSU football recruit) and all indications show that he made a presence in a two-point loss to Carroll. However, that performance did not carry over to this game, as the big guys could only muster 2 points (0-for-7 FG’s, 2-of-6 FT’s) and 4 rebounds. Obviously, it is going to take him time to find his niche and workout the kinks. Today, the game looked to be just a little too fast for him. His emergence is vital to O’Hara’s possible success as the season progresses. Sr. F Matt Romano led the Lions with 7 rebounds. Just what the Burrdome needs – More noise potential! The Burr-ettes (Cheerleaders) made their season debut today. They are located dangerously close to one statman’s season tickets. Smile! Just kiddin’ girls, enjoy yourselves and bring the welcomed spirit with you. One final note: Head football coach Brian Fluck’s father is seriously ill. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks!

DEC. 21
CL SOUTH
West Catholic 79, Kennedy-Kenrick 40
  Usually, league games in the Catholic League don’t begin until after the New Year. However, we’re still four days from Christmas and tonight marked the CL openers for fourteen teams. Neumann-Goretti is in a prestigious tournament in Florida this weekend, so this prevented the entire league from beginning play. In this game, the Burrs (7-1, 1-0) seized control early and never looked back, as they dismantled a K-K squad that is still trying to find itself. The Burrs raced to a 17-2 lead after five minutes of play; they led 25-7 after one, and then watched it swell to 70-31 after the third quarter. Eventually, and with Burr subs in the game, the comfort level would reach forty-one points. Now that the CL is using PIAA rules, once the spread hits forty-plus the mercy rule kicks in and the clock continually runs. So, the last four minutes or so of this one was played with a running clock. One recurrent theme of the young season for this Burr squad has been – unselfishness, unselfishness, and a little more unselfishness. Tonight, the Burrs had a coach-pleasing 24 assists on 33 baskets. Eight of the eleven Burrs who saw action dropped a dime, with six members supplying multiples. Very nice! No Burr starter saw more than 18 minutes of action. However, all were able to dent the stat columns in positive fashion. Sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan scored just four points in the first half, but exploded for the first twelve Burr points of the third quarter and finished with 18 total points, on 7-for-9 shooting. He also notched 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Jr. PG Rob Holloman has now strung together a few quality outings in a row. He scored 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and dropped a game high 6 assists. More importantly he did not commit a turnover. Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil also reached double-digits with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He also managed 4 boards and two each of steals and assists. Jr. PG Curtis Drake scored 9 points, had 5 assists, and made 4 steals in a solid all-around effort. The fifth starter was sr. WG Eric Beal and he contributed 7 points and two apiece of assists and steals. He also did a nice job on K-K scoring whiz sr. 6’2” WG Karlton Byrd. Each member of the Burr starting line-up dropped a trey and collectively they shot 25-for-38 from the field (65.8%). Head Coach Bill Ludlow got a handful of positive contributions off the pine too. Headliners in this group were; jr. 6’5” F Dwayne Shaw, who displayed soft paws in his retrieval of nine rebounds. He also made three of four shots for six points. Jr. WG Brandon Williamson deposited two triples and scored 8 points. Jr. WG Haleem Hayward hustled for 3 each of rebounds and assists. For now, K-K’s Head Coach Jack Flanagan’s bunch includes just one accomplished player in Byrd. A lefty, he has already had scoring games of 26, 29, and 36 points. He appears to have expanded his game some, though results in that area were not had tonight. He can get to the rim in true slasher style. However, on many nights he’ll more than likely draw the other team’s best on-the-ball defender and I suspect if he does happen to beat his man, then someone else will be waiting close by. Tonight, he did manage 14 points and 6 rebounds, but converted just 5-for-15 from the field, including a 1-for-7 showing from distance. In the advice department I would say this to this particular player – Keep playing hard, always exhibit a positive attitude while on the court, respect you coach and teammates, and refuse to let yourself get beaten by the low times in what might be a difficult season. You can play somewhere at the next level, so maintain a positive attitude and good things will happen. I appreciated the fact that Flanagan kept coaching to the final minute. He’ll find himself in many teachable moments this season and I think his attitude and style will allow him to be successful. The Wolverines’ (2-6, 0-1) roster currently only possesses two seniors. The other senior is G Greg Santangelo, a quality football player. He was able to tickle the twine thrice from distance for 9 points. Jr. G Kevin Shemar also dialed up long distance a couple of times and scored 8 points. Jr. F Ronell Fairell was the Wolverine who dented the most stat columns with; 3 boards, 3 steals, 2 assists, and emphatic block. Prior to the game K-K had a moment of silence to acknowledge the unfortunate tragedy suffered by Senior Class President and football player Shane Giongo and his family. No, it wasn’t an overflow crowd by any means, but I didn’t hear a sound during this time. Very respectful! The Burrs will host O’Hara on Sunday afternoon in an important early-season contest. Both the CL South and North should have many tight games this year, so early wins could go a long way in late-season playoff positioning. The time is now for all hopefuls!

DEC. 19
NON-LEAGUE
Bonner 55, Penn Wood 48 (3OT)
  Will this ever end? Please, someone grab the bull by the horns? Hey, I think I see the janitor; maybe he’ll hit the lights? Time to go home! Ok, maybe a little harsh, but for a three-overtime game this was far from a thriller in terms of up-and-down action. At one junction I mentioned to John “Lefty/Blade” McCauley that the teams were playing a version of hockey’s left-wing trap, smile! Still, for the most part all involved played hard, especially on the defensive end, and this occasionally led to exciting moments for all of those in attendance. In fact, Bonner’s gymnasium was quite loud and full of energy, as both the visitors and home guys produced a nice turnout. Personally, I thought the Patriots (5-3) gave this one away. After trailing 27-22 early in the third quarter they methodically scored the next 11 points to take a 33-27 lead. The run soared to 15-to-2 after back-to-back steals and baskets early in the fourth. Penn Wood led 37-29 and had oodles of momentum. Then, for some reason they lost their aggressiveness and began to hold the ball by running a three-man weave out front. Yes, it dwindled time off the clock, but there was still just under seven minutes left in the game. Far too early, let the boys play coach! Little-by-little the Friars (5-2) began to crawl back and I mean crawl. A trey by jr. 6’5” F Henry Smith made it 41-36. This was followed by another trey by soph. PG Jamal Melvin, off a feed by jr. G Jerry Colvin to make it 41-39. There’s blood in the water folks! Penn Wood’s next trip down the court resulted in a turnover courtesy of a steal by sr. WG Rob Siter. Moments later Melvin was fouled heading up court and calmly sunk two freebies to deadlock the game with 1:15 left. Remarkably, the Patriots went nearly six minutes and attempted just ONE shot. Penn Wood exhausted the final 1:15 in hopes of some last second heroics. Soph. PG Tyree Johnson (Transfer from Comm. Tech) missed a runner in the lane and then a teammate’s follow was swatted away buy jr. 6’7” F Lijah Thompson. Not much went on in the first overtime until Penn Wood’s sr. PG Jovan Edwards buried a triple from the left side of the key to tie things (45-45) with six seconds left. Ironically, Edwards spent his first three years playing for Bonner before transferring over the summer.  Bonner never did get a shot off after the make. The second overtime was a piece of work, as each team managed just one point. Hay-zoooozzz! I stole that from Ted, but it had to be done. So, after two four-minute overtime sessions the teams scored a total of ten points on one three-pointer and seven free throws. Amazingly, Bonner only attempted three shots and the teams combined to shoot 1-for-13 from the field in the extra sessions. Ok, it’s off to OT #3. The Patriots actually grabbed a 48-46 seconds into the session, but they would not score again. Bonner’s Thompson tied the game on a follow on Bonner’s first possession. Next, Siter hit a 13-foot right-wing jumper off a pass from Thompson to make it 50-48. After this, it was all freebies as; Siter (one), jr. WG Brian Boyle (one), and Colvin (three) did the honors. Let’s review some things here. By my count Penn Wood scored just 11 points over the last 18-plus minutes. The teams were a combined 4-for-23 from the field in the three OT’s and Bonner only attempted six of those shots, but they did get to line 18 times compared to PW’s four. The Friars made just 14 buckets in the game (44 minutes of play), but were 24-for-37 from the line, wile Penn Wood got there just 12 times. I’m sure Bonner Head Coach Brian Daly would be the first one to say that this was not a masterpiece, but when you exit the gym with a win there’s always some degree of satisfaction. Daly gets quite the workout patrolling the sidelines. Tonight he got his money's worth. A sound sleep is in the very near future! Leading the way for the Friars was Thompson, who posted a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks. He played 43 of 44 possible minutes, but somehow attempted just five shots from the field (3-of-5 FG’s, 6-of-10 FT’s). This can’t happen too often if the Friars want to experience success down the road. This kid is at least a low D-1 prospect and though he still is a tad mechanical and raw, he still needs to get the ball in better position to score and needs to get it more often. His defensive presence was excellent tonight. Siter showed good perseverance and finished with 14 points (5-of-11 FG’s), 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. The third Friar in double-figures was Melvin with 12 points (6-for-7 FT’s). He also added 6 rebounds. Not bad for a kid barely touching 5’6”. He was his usual water-bugging self for stretches, but appeared to run out of gas as the game wore on. Right now, he’s Bonner’s only reliable ball-handler. I thought Daly got quality minutes off the bench in the form of hustle plays by Colvin and sr. 6’5” F Brian Smith. Not too much in the stat columns for these kids, but plenty of intangibles that helped the team pullout a win. Also for the Friars, Smith (3 blocks) scored six of his 8 points in the fourth quarter. He also made three of his five steals during the final stanza comeback. During other stages of the game he struggled with his shot and I thought he settled for far too many three-pointers. Prior to Smith’s and Melvin’s back-to-back triples in fourth quarter, the Friars were a chilly 1-for-11 from the arc. They finished 3-for-17 for the game. When you have a three-overtime tilt there are a lot of minutes to go around. Bonner had four players play at least 37 minutes, while the Pats placed seven with at least twenty. Penn Wood has an intriguing prospect in freshman 6’8” C Shawn Oakman, who already has a great body on him. Still a lot to learn, but good things appear to be in his future. There leading scorer was jr. 6’5” F Duane Johnson with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Throughout the game I sat with Carroll Head Coach Paul Romanczuk. It was good to talk hoops with him and we even shared a laugh or two. His Patriots have a solid chance to make some noise in the CL South this season. They are riding high after a nice multi-overtime win ("just" two) of their own versus Pub goody Strawberry Mansion on Monday night.

DEC. 18
NON-LEAGUE
West Catholic 81, Academy Park 67
  The Burrs used a 24-to-7 spurt in the second half to pull away from a troublesome Academy Park squad to claim their third consecutive victory. Many Burrs (6-1) had a hand in the victory, as they continue to spread the wealth on the offensive end of the court. After racing to a 20-12 lead after one quarter, the Burrs traded punches with the Knights (3-5) in quarter number two and led by only three, 41-38 at the intermission. In the first half it was sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil leading the way, as the slinky forward buried all three of his treys and scored 15 of his 17 points. More and more this kid is demonstrating a silky jump shot from the arc. He also was the recipient of a few right-place, right-time put backs. Interestingly, he took eleven shots in the first half, but just one in the second half. Overall, he was 7-for-12 (3-of-3 on treys) from the field. If the 17 points weren’t enough, then the 15 boards (7 offensive) certainly placed him in good spirits. He also managed 3 steals and 2 blocks. Taking over during the second half for Mystil in the scoring splurge was sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan, who ended with a game-high 24 points. Brennan scored twenty-two of his points over the final three stanzas. He finished 8-of-13 from the field (1-for-2 on 3’s) and an efficient 7-for-8 from the line. He also grabbed a fistful of rebounds. It was good to see him nail a handful of mid-range jumpers and have nice success from the line. The Burr starting backcourt both managed to hit double-figures. Jr. PG Rob Holloman continues to shed some football rust and scored 15 points, while adding 6 dimes in the process. He often beat Knight defenders off the dribble for impressive driving lay-ups. Jr. PG Curtis Drake converted a couple of nice drives to his left late and scored 12 points. He also notched 3 steals, 3 assists, and a pair of blocks. Sr. WG Eric Beal played an all-around solid game with 8 points and quality defense on Academy Park star sr. 6’4” Anthony King in the second half. The eighty-one points by the Burrs was the most they scored in thirty-two contests. They were a solid 29-for-59 (49.3%) from the field and an encouraging 18-for-24 (75.0%) from the line. They also had a solid 17 assists. In the second half the Burrs were a scalding 15-for-23 (65.2%) from the floor. After a 27-turnover outing the game before, West committed just 11 TOs tonight and only four of them came in the first three quarters of play. The Burrs’ defense was able to force 19 miscues by the Knights. Speaking of the Knights, they possess an intriguing prospect in King, who attended Roman for part of his freshman season. Since then, he has had some off-the-court issues and that has prevented him from really making a name for himself. I haven’t seen to many kids as strong as this guy. A hockey goalie in full gear would have trouble standing in front of this train. For about a five-minute stretch in the second quarter he was virtually unstoppable. He didn’t enter the game until the final seconds of the first quarter, but his presence was felt in the second quarter in a big way. He scored 15 points in that stanza and looked like he was going to go off for another 25 before game’s end. However, the Burrs, led by the defensive efforts of Beal, did a nice job of stifling him over the final two quarters. He finished with 20 points (6-for-9 FG’s, 7-of-9 FT’s) and 4 rebounds. Also for the Knights, jr. PG Devon Cain played a solid and spirited game with 20 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He went 3-for-6 from downtown. Sr. 6’3” F Mike Weaver, a transfer from Neumann-Goretti contributed 11 points for the Knights. The Burrs will open league play this Friday night when they travel to Norristown to play the Wolverines of Kennedy-Kenrick. Yes, that is right, league play is beginning before Christmas.

DEC. 16
NON-LEAGUE
West Catholic 61, Wood 51
  The Burrs continued their solid play in the early part of the season with a nice road win on a dreary and raw Sunday afternoon in Warminster. West (5-1) used a strong first quarter to build a comfortable advantage over the Vikings (5-2), and then side-stepped a few second half landmines to secure the victory. West raced to a 19-6 lead after one quarter. They shot 9-for-15 from the field in that initial stanza and didn’t commit a turnover. Four different starters made a bucket and had an assist in the opening frame. The Burrs dropped dimes on seven of the nine made first quarter hoops. The lead swelled to fifteen at 23-8 in the early stages of the second quarter, but things would soon begin to unravel to a degree. As good as the Burrs were at taking care of the ball in the first quarter, they were that bad from the second quarter on. In fact, the Burrs turned it over a mind-boggling 27 times (22 came in 2nd and 3rd quarters) over the final three frames. Wood started to play harder and increased the pressure some and this certainly attributed to some of the miscues. However, many of their shortcomings in ball protection came from just poor decisions and sloppy play. Still, they did enough to win by double-digits on the road and there are positives in there somewhere. Where you ask? On the offensive end when shots were attempted, as West went 27-for-48 (56.3%) from the field and had 18 assists on those made buckets. Leading the way today was jr. PG Rob Holloman with 18 points. Holloman ran the floor extremely well and finished strong on a series of drives. He was an 8-for-11 from the field and added 3 assists for good measure. Once he calmly hit a foul line jumper and I think this is an area he can utilize to his advantage more often. He is as brassy as they get going to the rack, but I think sometimes he gets himself caught amongst bigger players without much luck. Add a pull-up and floater to his game and more good things should happen. Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil was next with 13 points (6-of-9 FG’s, one trey) and played a nice all-around game. He also added 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Jr. WG Haleem Hayward hustled for 9 points, 7 rebounds, and two snuffs. In the long run this kid might be the wildcard for the Burrs, for he can contribute in a number of ways. Sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan had an off night on the offensive end and scored just 8 points. However, he played aggressively on the defensive side of the court. He managed 9 rebounds and three apiece of steals, blocks, and assists. Jr. PG Curtis Drake threw more incompletions today, than he did in the first four games of the season as the Burrs quarterback. Smile! I’m referencing the three or four times he unleashed a long pass that sailed out of bounds. This kid’s shortcomings on the hardwood right now are directly related to experience and in time I think he’ll be fine. For the most this season his contributions have been welcomed and positive. He had a few rough moments today, but still managed to make a contribution. He finished with 6 points (3-of-4 FG’s), 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. Sr. WG Eric Beal provided hustle off of the bench and added 5 points, 6 rebounds, and a pair of assists and steals. In the early going the Vikings could just not buy a basket. They went 3-for-16 in the opening quarter and just 6-for-28 in the opening half from the field. They missed their first nine treys and were only 2-of-13 from distance for the game. They made a strong run at the Burrs in the third quarter when they forced twelve West TO’s. Offensively, they scored twenty-two points in the quarter on 10-of-13 shooting from the field. However, they never got any closer than five points and by game’s end little appeared to be left in the tank.  The Vikings go-to-guy is sr. 6’5” F Dan Comas. After a scoreless first quarter the improved Comas finally got going. He made seven of his last nine shots from the field, including a 5-for-5 effort after the intermission. He finished with 19 points (7-for-12 FG’s, 5-of-8 FT’s) and 9 rebounds. He does a great job of realizing his limitations and receiving the ball in good finishing position around the basket. He also appears to have added some muscle to his big frame. Freshman PG Joe Getz was the only other Viking in double-figures with 11 points. He’s not quite strong enough yet and might be in the middle of a growth spurt, but I liked what I saw from him for good parts of the game. He did a nice job of keeping his dribble alive and weaving his way into to good spots on the floor. He missed all five of his shot attempts form the field in the fourth quarter, but fatigue seemed to play a pivotal part in that. He finished 4-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from the line. He also hustled for 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists. Following his progress is encouraged. Sr. WG Joe Huebner added 4 assists and 3 steals. Jr. WG Sean McCartney added 7 points and 3 assists off the bench, while sr. WG Eric Loughnane made four steals. The teams combined to shoot a frigid 13-for-33 from the charity stripe.

DEC. 13
NON-LEAGUE
West Catholic 64, Ryan 55
  This game was originally scheduled for tomorrow night, but the Raiders asked the Burrs to move it up a night, and quite naturally they obliged. Though Head Coach Bill Ludlow failed to check with me beforehand, smile!  Ryan (4-3) runs a Princeton-style offense and has no problem running it until a high percentage shot is had. Meanwhile, the Burrs (4-1) like to get up on teams and pressure the ball. Something had to give, right? Not exactly, as the Burrs came out in a zone and only really pressured the ball after made field goals. Occasionally they threw a little half-court zone-trap to get the ball out of Ryan headliner sr. PG Andrew Rogers’ hands. Early on it was the Raiders who had the better of the play, as they jumped to a 12-4 lead five minutes into the first stanza. West did regain some composure towards the end of the quarter to draw within 14-11 after eight minutes of play. Then, it was over the next two quarters that West seized control. They outscored Ryan 39-to-28 in the middle quarters. If you’re thinking that thirty-nine points sounds abnormally high for a Ryan team to allow, then you’re thinking correctly. Entering the game the Raiders only yielded forty-one points per game on average. The Burrs shot 15-for-21 in those middle frames, including a 5-for-7 showing from distance. They had 11 assists on those fifteen made buckets. Nice! Also, impressive was the fact that they had six players score between five and nine points during this sequence. I just know Ludlow loved the sharing of the wealth. The Burrs ended up keeping the Raiders at arm’s length for the majority of the second half and in the end walked out with solid road win. Four Burrs reached double-digits in the game. Tonight’s leader was jr. PG Curtis Drake with 15 points, on 5-for-8 shooting. Included in this was a solid 3-for-4 showing from the arc. Next in line was steady sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan with 13 points (5-for-10 FG’s). It was another good all-around effort from Brennan, as he also hustled for 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. As he has done all season he really let the game come to him tonight. Coming off the bench and adding a spark was jr. WG Haleem Hayward with 11 points. I like this kid’s potential as a shooter and tonight he displayed solid form by making all three of his triples. His first deep ball ended the first half off a feed from Brennan. He finished 4-of-5 from the field all total. He also contributed 4 assists and 3 steals. Jr. PG Rob Holloman made a few brassy moves to the cup and also dented the scorebook for 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. He also managed three each of assists and rebounds. Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil (3 boards, 3 steals) and sr. WG Eric Beal each scored six points. Freshman PG Aquil Younger made a positive contribution in limited time off the bench. The Burrs shot 24-for-43 (55.8%) from the field in the game and had 17 assists. They were a steamy 7-for-11 from the arc. An area of concern for this Burr squad, like in many years, is still their unsatisfactory work at the charity stripe. Tonight, they were a chilly 9-for-21. That will need to improve, especially since they may find themselves in some close jostles during league play. For Ryan, they were led by their veteran floor general Rogers, the younger brother of Head Coach Bernie Rogers. Tonight, he scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. He was 6-for-11 from the field (2-of-6 on 3’s) and dealt three assists. This kid is very enjoyable to watch and for the most part plays the game the right way and at a controlled speed. Jr. WG Anthony Keiter posted 12 points (5-for-10 from field) and 7 rebounds. I liked his energy. Football headliner, sr. 6’2” F Chris Wilk also reached double-digits with 11 points. He knocked down a pair of treys in the process. Sr. PG Eric Jann also hit two triples and scored 8 points, while also dealing 4 assists. Speaking of treys, the Raiders won’t hesitate to launch. Twenty-six of their forty-two shots came from behind the line. They made just seven! On two-point shots they were an efficient 12-of-16. I thought the Burrs’ zone was active and pushed Ryan’s shooters a step further back than their comfort level. West Catholic website partner, Matt “Cauls” McCauley sat and watched the game with former West player and Southwest Philly buddy Jimmy Reilly. Jimmy is now an assistant coach for Herb Magee at Philadelphia University. We are extremely proud of him and wish him nothing but the best. Another college coach, Dave Pauley of the University of the Sciences, was also in the house. However, he’s not allowed to sit that close. Too much cube-busting, as Ted says. Distraction from stats is a no-no, but I let Dave have his fun at the end of games. He has free reign to bust my chops for a few moments, it makes him feel good, and he goes home happy. Smile!!!

DEC. 11
NON-LEAGUE
Father Judge 61, West Catholic 60
  Though the season is still less than two weeks old, this contest had a mid-season flavor to it. No, it wasn’t the crispest or cleanest game played, but few mid-December tilts are. However, I thought both squads played hard and in terms of entertainment value, it definitely had its share of moments. The Crusaders (3-2) used two major spurts to twice surge ahead of the Burrs, but then had to hold on in the end to leave the Burrdome with a solid road win. First, Judge used a 14-2 run at the beginning of the second quarter to build a ten-point cushion at 28-18. Next, the Burrs (3-1) began the second half with a 9-2 run to recapture the lead at 35-34. As West took the lead it appeared that Judge Head Coach Frank Cahill was signaling for a timeout to stem the tide, but the Crusaders quickly shot down court and within seconds jr. 6’2” WG Tom Ryan was nailing a trey from the left wing. The Crusaders eventually got that timeout after the shot fell through. Afterwards sr. 6’5” F Bob Zanneo deposited another triple and three consecutive two-point buckets in ultra-quick fashion to stake Judge to a 46-35 lead. At the beginning of the fourth quarter Judge scored seven straight to make the score 53-39. This capped a 19-4 spurt and it appeared that they would coast home. To the Burrs credit they were able to rev the tempo up a notch or two and with 1:41 left trailed only 55-54. Then, with just under a minute to play, the Burrs actually had a chance to take the lead, but missed the front-end of a one-and-one. On the other end Zanneo converted a lay-up to make 57-54. Then, Ryan made a key defensive play with a steal at the top-of-the-key. He missed a shot on a drive, but handyman jr. 6’3” Josh Jaskowiak put back the miss. Zanneo followed with a pair from the line to make it 61-54. Things got a little hairy at the end when WC’s sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan converted a three-point play with 10 seconds left. Judge followed with a miss on a one-and-one at 6 seconds. Trailing by four, Brennan raced down court and knocked down a trey. About two seconds were on the clock as the ball fell through and the West bench was signaling for a timeout, but to no avail as time expired rather harmlessly. Personally, I like this Judge team and I think they’re built to succeed in the Northern Division. They may be a tad short in the depth department, but they have a nice blend of skill and toughness. Tonight’s leader was Zanneo with 21 points. He finished 7-for-16 (3-of-8 on 3’s) from the field and 4-of-4 at the line. Fourteen of his points came after intermission. I liked his quick release and willingness to let it go. Not strictly a bomber either, as he often found himself the recipient of some nice feeds in and around the basket. He also added 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. Ryan was very impressive too. I loved this kid on the football field and now I like him on the hardwood. Not the best of shooting nights (4-for-13 FG’s), but he did tough-out 14 points. However, he was able to help the team in other ways as he finished with a team-high 10 rebounds and 5 steals. He’s a tough gritty kid with some skill to boot. Judge’s key inside presence is sr. 6’6” F Andrew Vose. He added to the cause with 13 points (6-of-9 FG’s), 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He also showed the ability to make a solid pass and finished with 4 assists. I liked the nut-and-bolts attitude that Jaskowiak brought to the table. He did many things well that wouldn’t necessarily show up in the stat column. Rarely did he make a bad decision. He contributed 5 apiece of rebounds and assists. Sr. PG Matt McLaughlin chipped in with two early buckets, as well as 5 assists and 2 steals. He was hounded all night and for the most part accepted the challenge. The majority of the bench minutes came from sr. PG Jim DiLisio, who hustled for 4 points and 4 rebounds. Considering the defensive approach the Burrs took I thought the Crusaders did a reasonably solid job in taking care of the ball with just 16 TO’s. West had forced 75 TO’s in its three prior contests. The Burr leader tonight was Brennan, who finished with 20 points (9-of-14 from the field), 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, and two each of assists and steals. Strong game for the lefty and I just love his approach in the early going. Two other Burrs reached double-digits in sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil (6 rebounds) and jr. PG Curtis Drake (3 rebs., 4 steals) who each posted 11 points. Jr. PG Rob Holloman had a tough time finding space in Judge’s match-up zone and was just 1-of-7 from the field. He did contribute seven assists. Jr. WG Haleem Hayward came off the bench for 7 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals. West hurt itself with an 8-for-17 performance from the not-so charity stripe, including a 3-for-9 showing in the final stanza. Hey, if I wanted to combine these squads in search of some gridiron talent then I could do much worse. Judge has six players who have made the transition from football; Ryan, DiLisio, Jaskowiak, jr. Ryan Langdon, jr. Adam Nowak, and jr. Luis Crespo. West featured three of its own; Drake, Holloman, and Hayward. Not bad!

DEC. 10
NON-LEAGUE
West Catholic 76, Bishop McDevitt 39
     The season is only a little over a week old, but the Burrs and Lancers entered play tonight with a combined six wins and no defeats. Neither team has tasted a ton of success over the past couple of years, but their respective starts have been encouraging. The Lancers (4-1) nipped Cardinal O’Hara the other night and there was hope that a competitive game could be had. As it turns out, this tilt was all West (3-0) and then some. It wasn’t for a lack of effort by the Lancers, because I thought they played hard throughout. However, the Burrs were much quicker and playing at home for this particular West team could hold more of an advantage than any team in recent memory. We’ll see how it shakes out over the next month of so. West increased their lead after each quarter. They led 19-6 after one, by twenty-six at the half, then thirty-two after the third stanza, and finally left the gym with a 37-point victory. Twelve Burrs played and eleven hit the score sheet. One positive quality I have noticed about this team after just three games is the fact that they look hungry and with playing time on the line, all seem to go hard when given a chance. That’s a good thing! Head Coach Bill Ludlow has made it clear – You’ll play defense his way or you won’t be on the court. So far, people have bought in. Tonight, the Burrs forced 30 turnovers and made 17 more steals. In three games that is 75 forced turnovers, with 52 coming on steals. Tougher competition looms, but it’s not a bad beginning. Every West member that played saw at least eight minutes of court time and none played more than 21 minutes. Leading the way was sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan with 17 points (8-for-12 FG’s). Nearly all of his buckets came from in tight on put backs or controlled drives. He also managed 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 steals. At the moment I think this kid is shaping into a decent D-2 prospect. Maybe further development will yield something nice at that level. I still think his best days are ahead of him. Next in line was jr. PG Rob Holloman with 16 points and 3 steals. Holloman played dogged defense on his point guard counterpart. He also drilled 2-of-4 from downtown. Sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil was extremely active in just 14 minutes of action and had a nice line. He ended with 9 points, 11 rebounds (8 offensive), 3 steals, 3 blocks, and 2 assists. The other members of the Burr starting line-up; sr. WG Eric Beal (4 rebs) and jr. PG Curtis Drake (5 assists) were effective on the defensive end. Subs jr. WG Brandon Williamson (7 points, 4 rebs) and soph. F Tim Carroll (8 points, 5 rebounds) did all of their scoring in the final stanza. Jr. 6’5” F Dwayne Shaw didn’t dent the scorebook, but did post 5 boards. For McDevitt, I liked the hustle and athleticism of sr. 6’3” F James Williams. He finished with 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 rejects. He often came out of nowhere to do his swatting. The only Lancer to reach double-figures was sr. 6’3” F Dan Drennen with 12 points. He did so on 6-for-14 shooting and added 4 rebounds. Sr. PG Matt Davis demonstrated grit and some toughness, but because he was the only true Lancer ball-handler he grew weary rather quickly. He did manage 8 dimes and 4 rebounds in defeat. Sr. WG Matt Shervin hustled for 7 points and 6 rebounds. Playing in the Burrdome, especially when you’re not used to the tight confines, can be tough, but going 2-for-14 from the charity stripe is not acceptable no matter where you play. On top of that, the Lancers could only dial-up long distance once on twelve attempts. It was good to see McDevitt Head Coach Jack Rutter again, as he is always clutch with a good line or two. Though I doubt he was in a joking mood afterwards. The Burrs will wrap up four games in five nights stretch tomorrow when a solid, disciplined, and well-coached club from Father Judge pays a visit to West. This should be a nice early-season marker for both clubs.

DEC. 8
NON-LEAGUE (Christian Brothers’ Tourney Final)
West Catholic 64, La Salle 54
  OK, you just pulled out a buzzer-beating win a night earlier in an exciting way to begin the season. Now, you have an opportunity to play in the tournament finale against a team that has high hopes in the Northern Division. So, a quick start is a good place to start in your quest for a tournament championship, right? But what if FIVE of your top six rotation members show up late to the gym for various reasons? Step aside fast start, and step forward deeper members of the Burr roster to start the game. Head Coach Bill Ludlow is not one to send mixed messages, so it was no surprise when the key members of his squad found themselves with some pine time at the game’s outset. Though the West members who did start the game played hard and gave a good effort, the Explorers were still able top stake claim to a 17-8 lead after one quarter. Now it was time to see if their coach’s message got through and if a response would take place. The answer to that question – A resounding yes! Over the next two quarters plus the Burrs (2-0) outscored the Explorers 47-to-20 to build a comfortable 55-37 lead. They would coast home from here. The damage can be attributed to a suffocating defense and efficient offense. When the Burrs weren’t stealing the ball and going in for lay-ups, they were nailing deep shots from distance. Over the last three quarters the Burrs forced 20 turnovers (24 TO’s for the game) and shot a steamy 22-for-37 (59.5%) from the field. Including in this were seven straight treys from five different players. Leading the way tonight was jr. PG Curtis Drake. This kid doesn’t have a ton of varsity basketball experience (Did not play last season), but what he does possess is bundles of athleticism. Tonight, he finished with 20 points, on 9-for-13 shooting (2-of-2 on 3’s). The twenty points were nice, but it’s on the defensive end where he’ll more than likely leave his mark as the season progresses. He made five steals in the game and none was prettier than the one that led directly to a one-handed flush on the other end. Statement play! He also had three assists. Sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan was next with 13 points and made four of his five shots (2-for-2 on 3’s) from the field. He also mixed in 5 steals and 3 assists. He did an excellent job of letting the game come to him and playing within himself. The third and final Burr to reach double-digits was sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil with 11 points. He also added 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Ludlow got a solid contribution from all who played; jr. PG Rob Holloman (6 points, 3 steals), jr. WG Haleem Hayward (5 pts, 4 assists), and sr. WG Eric Beal (3 assists, 3 rebounds) all contributed terrifically on the defensive end. West isn’t the biggest team and have already been out-rebounded considerably in two games. However, what they lack in size they make up for on quickness. In two games they have already forced 45 turnovers. They made a hefty 20 steals in tonight’s contest. As we know the Burrs play in an extremely difficult league, but if they can keep their defensive intensity at a high level, then I see no reason why they can’t be competitive throughout the campaign, especially at home. Despite the loss, there is much to like about the Explorers (2-2) and their best days are certainly ahead of them. I think in time you’ll see a team with a nice blend of size, smarts, and athleticism. Though only a sophomore, 6’8” F C.J. Aiken appears to have already established himself as a headliner. From what I hear improvement has already been made by leaps and bounds since last year. Tonight, he showed flashes of good play. He calmly hit a trey, threw down a follow slam, and late in the game he crossed-over a Burr defender on a fast break for another slam. He needs to get stronger, but that should come in time. He also accounted for 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 assists. Bruising sr. 6’7” F Matt Crozier banged his way to 19 points (6-for-9 FG’s, 7-of-9 FT’s), 9 rebounds, and 2 assists. This kid should thrive in the physical/methodical play of the Northern Division. No other Explorer reached double-figures. They do have a trio of promising youngsters that bear watching in soph. 6’3” F Malik West, frosh. 6’5” F Jaylen Bond, and frosh. PG Eddie Joyner-Mitchell. Bond comes in heavily touted by many. Sr. PG Frank Pierson chipped in with 6 points and 3 assists. Brennan took home the MVP of the tournament, while Drake, Aiken, and Crozier all made the All-Tourney team.

DEC. 7
NON-LEAGUE (Christian Brothers’ Tourney)
West Catholic 60, St. Peter’s (Staten Island, NY) 59
  The Burrs opened their season in thrilling fashion, as sr. 6’6” F Eric Brennan calmly sunk a right-wing trey at the buzzer for what had to be a satisfying and confidence-building win for Head Coach Bill Ludlow and his crew. After a 15-5 spurt to start the second half the Burrs built a comfortable 43-29 lead over the Eagles. However, the team from Staten Island would slowly crawl back. Then, with four seconds left in the game they took the lead for the first time since the opening quarter. On the play, the Eagle player also drew a foul, but his freebie clanged wildly off the glass to jr. PG Curtis Drake (Burr QB), where he called timeout with three ticks left. Inbounding from about 60 feet away and in front of the opposition’s bench, Drake displayed that arm that garnered him All-Catholic honors on the gridiron, when he perfectly hit Brennan popping off a pick near the top of the key. The pass was so good that Brennan, a lefty, had time to gather himself before unleashing the game-winner. Overall, not a bad outing at all for the Burrs (1-0), who have three of their top six rotation members coming off a CL Blue football championship a week a ago tonight. Meanwhile, the Eagles (4-1) were playing in their fifth game to date. They feature promising jr. 6’7” OD Anosike, who is drawing Atlantic-10 interest, as witnessed by Temple Head Coach Fran Dunphy’s appearance. Another rotation member is sr. 6’5” F John Dowd, who has committed to Navy for football. Neither one of these players is their leading scorer either, as that distinction is held by sr. 6’5” WG Ryan Woods, who entered the game with a 21.3 average. For the Burrs, tonight’s headliner was Brennan, who shook off early rust and scored 18 of his game-high 21 points in the second half. He was a steamy 7-for-9 in the second half, after beginning the game 1-for-7. He also added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He did a much better job of finishing around the basket tonight. Next in the scoring column for West was sr. 6’4” F Sergino Mystil with 16 points. This kid is capable of doing decent things, but he has to maintain confidence, especially after a little adversity sets in. Hey, every player has ups and downs, but the real good ones rarely let the downs affect them for long stretches. Tonight, he was good in that area and finished with a well-balanced line that also included; 7 rebounds (6 offensive), 3 steals, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. Sr. WG Eric Beal played dogged defense on Woods that saw him only score 3 points on 1-for-9 shooting through three quarters. Woods did finish with 13 points as he hit some big buckets in the Eagles’ comeback bid. Still, Beals’s efforts are definitely commendable. He was also able to contribute 9 points and 4 rebounds. Drake, jr. G Rob Holloman, and jr. WG Haleem Hayward are the hoopsters just back from the football field. Considering they have had very little practice time, I thought they all performed admirably and contributed in their own way. Drake made 4 steals and had 3 assists. Holloman, the Burr’s returning scoring leader, only managed 4 points, but practiced just once during the week while nursing an injury. He’ll be fine as the football rust is shed. Ludlow got quality minutes off the bench from freshman PG Aquil Younger, who is as quick as they come for a young player. In time, we may see more of him. The strength of this Burrs team will more than likely come from their pressure on the ball. Tonight, they forced 21 turnovers and made 15 steals. This group may be very interesting in the cozy confines of the Burrdome, where their quickness may be even a bigger advantage. Time will tell! Anosike finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds.  West will tangle with La Salle tomorrow night at 7:30. The Explorers were a 52-33 winner over McQuaid Jesuit in the nightcap.

DEC. 6
NON-LEAGUE
Bonner 68, Dougherty 49
   No rest for the weary! Well, I did get a couple of days off the trail since football ended on Saturday. However, with the Friars (2-1) and Cardinals tangling just a couple of miles from home, I just couldn’t resist and made my first trip into a cozy gymnasium tonight. Both squads returned just one starter from playoff participants last season. Also, each has few experienced varsity players to count on in the early going. For the time being, it appears that Bonner is in better position to make more noise as the season moves along. Still, it’s extremely early and much can still develop. Tonight, not much developed for the Cardinals (0-2) in the first four minutes of play. The game had a weird feel to it and the Cardinals put forth a zombie-like effort in the early going. Thus, the Friars snatched a quick 13-0 lead and were never seriously threatened thereafter. Four Friars participated in the early flurry as; jr. G Brian Boyle hit a top-of-the-key trey, jr. 6’5” F Henry Smith executed a lay-up, water-bugging soph. PG Jamal Melvin also dialed-up ling distance from the top, and jr. 6’6” F Lijah Thompson converted a three-point play old school style and turned Bonner’s first miss into a follow-up slam. The Cardinals eventually got their bearings and drew within 27-23 in the second quarter, but Bonner pushed the lead back to seven at the intermission and rode home comfortably for their second win of the young season. Leading the way was Thompson with 18 points. He finished 6-for-8 from the field and an impressive 6-of-7 from the charity stripe. He is still a bit mechanical and all of his shots come from in-close, but the free throw performance allows me to believe that a soft mid-range touch might exist eventually. He did a good job of establishing good position of a couple of underneath plays. He also snatched 12 boards (7 offensive) and delivered a pair of assists. Melvin exhibits flashes of former Carroll goody Kashif Payne. He plays very low to the floor and is quick. Tonight, he had little trouble getting into the lane, as Dougherty had no one who could check him. Once there, he demonstrated a soft touch on a few tear drops. He finished with 17 points on 8-for-14 (one trey) from the field. He also added 3 assists. Smith, a transfer from Neumann-Goretti, used his girth for prime positioning underneath and contributed 15 points (7-for-15 FG’s). He also added 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. Sr. Rob Siter, who was a deep sub last season, has gotten off to a good start. He led the Friars in scoring in their first two games. Tonight, he had a nice all-around line with; 8 points (3-for-5 FG’s), 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. The slinky forward looks like he’ll be serviceable along the baseline and dashing down the wing. Head Coach Brian Daly got quality minutes out of rugged sr. F Kristian Johnson off of the bench. Johnson, who had a productive year for a struggling Friar football squad, brought a football-like attitude to the court when he was on there. He made all three shots he took for six points and grabbed four rebounds in just seven minutes of play. The Friars were a solid 28-for-51 (54.9%) from the field. I’m not sure what to expect from this Dougherty club after watching them tonight. Then again, it is only one game! One thing I did noticed right off the bat is that point guard play was lacking. The kid that was going to be the PG this season, soph. Willis Nicholson, transferred to Prep Charter. The Cardinals were also without promising soph. Zaahir Allen, but he is expected back in a game or two. Their one true holdover from last season is sr. WG Isiah Mason. This kid does possess some sweetness in long distance shooting. He actually made the play of the game with just eight seconds left in the third quarter, when he converted a nothing-but-net trey while being fouled. Just prior from unleashing the shot he creatively put the ball back between his legs to avoid a pair of Friar defenders along the right-wing. He finished the game 3-of-6 on treys (5-for-10 total FG’s) and ended with 14 points. Another part-time holdover from last season is sr. 6’4” Brandon Savage, a lefty, who possess a methodical, but effective game. He looks like he prefers the baseline and has a solid build on him. He also went 5-for-10 from the field and finished with 13 points, while adding 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Jr. WG Jahkeen Bogans has a little bit of a Pub game to him, and I can tell he possesses a scorer’s edge. He scored 14 points (6-for-13 FG’s), but did not dent the other positive stat columns. If Head Coach Mark Heimerdinger can get someone to stabilize the PG play, then Bogans and Mason the wings, and Savage on the baseline might be able to flourish in the Northern Division. Sr. G Jordan Hooks hustled for 5 rebounds off the bench. I watched the game with good buddy John “Lefty” McCauley and of course that was much better than my other option. Yes, Mr. Wacko himself (Pucklehead) was in attendance. Luckily, he was filming from the other side of the gym and my first game had a degree of peace to it. It won’t last though.