Tuesday night’s Central Bucks South/Central Bucks boys’ basketball game is an SOL Featured Game, sponsored by the CB South Basketball Parents’ Club. Check back for photos and a game story.
By Mary Jane Souder
Ask Ricky Dennis what he enjoys most about basketball, and the Central Bucks South senior has an immediate response.
“I love everything about basketball,” he said. “I love defense – blocking kids is always the best. (I love) scoring, the big games, the adrenaline, all the emotion that’s involved with basketball. It’s such a fast-paced game. I really enjoy it.”
Interestingly, basketball isn’t Dennis’s top sport. The CB South senior is a standout pitcher, and he has parlayed his talents on the mound into a baseball scholarship to Monmouth University.
Dennis didn’t play basketball last season, opting to focus his attention on baseball.
“He never went completely away from basketball,” coach Jason Campbell said. “He would play once in a while with his friends, and he played in the 3-on-3 tournament, and he looked pretty good. He still had the touch he had his sophomore year.
“He was in my Accounting I and Accounting II classes, so we built a good relationship off the court. We didn’t have a whole lot of size, and I talked with him and one of my assistants talked to him as well, and the next thing you know, he said he was interested in coming out.”
“I think I knew I was going to come back,” Dennis said. “After everything happened and I got the scholarship, it was pretty much a done deal that I was coming back to play. It was rough giving it up last year, but it worked out for the best. I’m having a lot of fun playing this year.”
That’s not to say there wasn’t a period of transition. There was.
“It was a little rough in the beginning with the conditioning,” Dennis said. “I wasn’t used to running so much, but after a few open gyms, I got back. That was definitely the biggest thing that was tough to do.”
Dennis, who measures in at 6-8, gives the Titans a presence in the paint, and he made an immediate impact, splitting time with 6-5 senior T.J. Ohntrup.
“It gives us a guy that can rebound for us inside,” Campbell said. “He does a great job of either blocking or altering shots, which really helps.
“If there’s a chance we get beat down the lane, if Ricky is able to slide over, it forces the guard to pay attention to him and alter his shot. There have been plenty of times when he has come through with a blocked shot or the guards will come up short missing their shots. We didn’t necessarily have that last year. We had John Flaherty and Dave Knox, but getting that extra five or six inches with long arms certainly makes a difference inside.”
It also gives the Titans someone who can match up with their opponent’s post player.
“Ricky has been a big contributor for us all year long,” Campbell said.
Dennis isn’t the only player on the Titans’ roster who has assumed a new role this season. Junior Matt Scamuffo has gone from his role as a reserve to a key starter who has had some huge games for the Titans.
“Last year it was kind of tough,” he said. “I had played for the ninth grade program, and it was a new program, new coaches, but in my second year back, it’s easier to play with my teammates.”
According to Campbell, Scamuffo’s game improved over the course of his sophomore season, and he was a key part of last year’s success.
“He gave us scoring off the bench and was a good change of pace guard,” Campbell said. “He’s quick. He can beat people off the dribble, and his three-point shot is pretty consistent.
“He’s gotten better this year being able to take people off the dribble. He’s made a lot of tough shots for us. In the CB West game, he dropped 23 points, and they were all over him. Where he has improved this year is he’s able to knock down shots in the guys’ faces.”
With a roster of players that understand their roles, the Titans are 4-2 in league play. They will host Central Bucks East in a battle of neighboring rivals on Tuesday night.
“They’re always tough games,” “Scamuffo said. “Even if the team’s records aren’t as good, they always give hard games.
“We just want to keep playing hard, and hopefully, we can make some noise in the playoffs.”
Just the facts:
This year’s record: Central Bucks South 4-2 (7-5 overall); Central Bucks East 2-4 SOL (6-6 overall)
Last year’s record: Central Bucks South 9-5 SOL (11-12 overall); Central Bucks East 6-8 SOL (9-13 overall)
Last meeting: Feb. 3, 2012 – Central Bucks South 65, Central Bucks East 52 (CB South: John Flaherty – 14 points, Chase Vonder Schmalz – 13 points, Brenna Rudnick – 10 points, Kevin Raymond – 9 points, Paul Zakrzewski – 8 points; CB East – Steve Topley – 22 points, Ryan O’Neil – 16 points)
Last game: Central Bucks South 39, Souderton 37 (TJ Ohntrup – 11 points, Dan Giaquinto – 10 points)
Central Bucks East 59, St. Joseph 38 (Brendan McLaughlin – 12 points, Matt Stauffer – 11 points)
Central Bucks South
Projected starters:
#3 – Kevin Raymond – 7.8 PPG, 4 assists (5-6, Sr., Guard)
#10 – Matt Scamuffo – 12.5 PPG (6-0, Jr., Guard)
#23 – Chase Vonder Schmalz – 5.8 PPG (5-11, Sr., Forward)
#24 – Kevin Doyle – 3.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG (6-2, Sr., Forward)
#34 – TJ Ohntrup – 4.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG (6-5, Sr., Center)
The rest of the Titans:
#5 – Brennan Rudnick – 6.2 PPG, 4.2 assists (5-9, Sr., Guard)
#13 – Josh Brodie (5-9, Sr., Guard)
#15 – Adam Tamny (6-2, Sr., Forward) 5.3 PPG
#22 – Bryce Dobisch (6-0, Jr., Guard/Forward)
#32 – Danny Giaquinto (5-11, Sr., Forward)
#44 – Kevin Moss (6-3, Sr., Forward/Center)
#45 – Paul Weeks (6-1, Jr., Forward)
#54 – Ricky Dennis (6-8, Sr., Center) 5.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Central Bucks East
Projected starters:
#1 – Brendan McLaughlin (6-0, Jr., Guard)
#13 – Tommy Strasburger (6-1, Fr., Guard)
#14 – Danny Reilly (6-0, Sr., Guard)
#21 – Kevin Phelps (6-4, Sr., Forward)
#32 – Matt Stauffer (6-5, Sr., Forward)
The rest of the Patriots:
#2 – Joe Laphen (6-0, Jr., Forward)
#3 – Bennett Kardane (5-11, Jr., Guard)
#10 – Kyle Clow (5-9, Jr., Guard)
#12 – Brendan O’Neil (6-1, Jr., Guard)
#24 – Anthony Roggio (6-3, Sr., Center)
#30 – Blake Peterson (6-6, Fr., Center)
#31 – Matt Gentry (6-2, Jr., Forward)
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