Bensalem, North Penn and Wissahickon are featured in this week’s SOL boys’ basketball notebook.
By Scott Huff
And the beat goes on…
SOL National Conference ‘Snapshot’
Bensalem Owls
Bensalem head coach Mike McCabe knows that his Owls’ journey to the postseason is going to be an extremely challenging one.
“We have been playing very well lately, and we want to keep that going,” said McCabe as Bensalem (9-7) has won eight of its last ten games and is a playoff ‘bubble team’ after a 1-5 start. “Our last win over Pennsbury was a huge win – and if we want respect we have to be able to beat the big boys.
“We have a very tough schedule to close the season,” added McCabe as the Owls must face Abington (14-3) and Truman (6-10) this week and close out the season playing four games in six days against Great Valley, William Tennent, Council Rock North, and Glen Mills. “But all we focus on right now is Abington. That’s all we talk about as a coaching staff – concentrate on the next game.”
First place Abington will make the bus ride to the Owls Nest on Tuesday.
“We had a really nice turnout for our home game with Pennsbury – and that was a great thing for our school and the players,” said McCabe. “We’re hoping that we can get a big crowd for Abington.
“We got off to the slow start – but this was a brand new offense and defense for these players,” added McCabe. “It took a while for the players to get to know what we wanted from them – but they bought in and we have gotten great results.”
Perhaps the biggest purchase of the new Owl program has come from senior Brandon Vaughn.
“Brandon did not begin the season as our point guard, but he has moved into that role the last four games,” said McCabe. “We study a lot of film – and on film his move to point guard has improved our team.
“We have worked hard as a team to gain respect as a program,” continued McCabe. “We want to build our program the right way.”
SOL National Conference Standings
1. Abington Ghosts (14-3, 10-0)
2. Council Rock North Indians (9-8, 7-3)
3. Pennsbury Falcons (10-7, 6-4)
4. Bensalem Owls (9-7, 5-5)
Truman Tigers (6-10, 5-5)
6. Council Rock South Hawks (6-10, 4-6)
7. William Tennent Panthers (5-12, 2-8)
Neshaminy Redskins (3-12, 2-8)
This Week in the SOL National Conference
Tuesday – Janurary 26, 2016
William Tennent Panthers @ Council Rock South Hawks
Abington Ghosts @ Bensalem Owls
Neshaminy Redskins @ Council Rock North Indians
Pennsbury Falcons @ Truman Tigers
Friday – January 29, 2016
Neshaminy Redskins @ Pennsbury Falcons
Abington Ghosts @ William Tennent Panthers
Bensalem Owls @ Truman Tigers
Council Rock North Indians @ Council Rock South Hawks
SOL Continental Conference ‘Snapshot’
North Penn Knights
North Penn head coach John Conradknows that his Knights’ journey to the postseason is going to be an extremely challenging one.
“We have to figure out a way to get to 11 wins,” said Conrad as North Penn (8-10) still has very difficult conference games left with CB West (15-3) and Pennridge (15-3) this week – and Souderton (6-11) and Hatboro-Horsham (9-8) next week. “We have dug ourselves a pretty big hole with some tough losses late in games.
“We have respect for both CB West and Pennridge – but we were competitive with them the first time around,” added Conrad. “And what is going to make it a lot tougher is that we have to play at both CB West and Pennridge. Both are not easy places to win games.”
North Penn – coming off a 59-50 victory over Quakertown (5-12) – has won its last two games. It is the Knights first two-game winning streak of the season.
“We have a very young team with only three seniors,” said Conrad. “And at the beginning of the season we had a hard time finishing games in the fourth quarter.
“Losing games late has been hard, but that might have been a lack of experience thing,” added Conrad. “We are very optimistic about our future.”
One of the highlights for the Knights has been the play of 6-foot, 4-inch junior Lance Lindsay-Ford.
“Lance is a great kid that has been a true success story,” said Conrad. “He started playing high school ball at Wissahickon, and when he came out for us, we actually cut him.
“Lance has really turned it around,” added Conrad. “He can play with his back to the basket – he can play outside and hits 3’s – and he can really distribute the basketball.”
SOL Continental Conference Standings
1. Central Bucks West Bucks (15-3, 9-1)
Pennridge Rams (15-3, 9-1)
3. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (9-8, 6-4)
4. Central Bucks East Patriots (10-7, 5-5)
Central Bucks South Titans (9-9, 5-5)
6. North Penn Knights (8-10, 3-7)
7. Souderton Indians (6-11, 2-8)
8. Quakertown Panthers (5-12, 1-9)
This Week in the SOL Continental Conference
Tuesday – January 26, 2016
Central Bucks South Titans @ Central Bucks East Patriots
North Penn Knights @ Central Bucks West Bucks
Quakertown Panthers @ Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
Pennridge Rams @ Souderton Indians
Friday – January 29, 2016
Central Bucks East Patriots @ Quakertown Panthers
Central Bucks West Bucks @ Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
Central Bucks South Titans @ Souderton Indians
North Penn Knights @ Pennridge Rams
SOL American Conference ‘Snapshot’
Wissahickon Trojans
Wissahickon head coach Kyle Wilson knows that his Trojans’ journey to the postseason is going to be an extremely challenging one.
“Sure we would love to go the postseason, but a lot of things would have to break our way,” said Wilson as Wissahickon owns an 8-9 overall mark and a 4-6 mark in the conference. “We just have to keep our nose to the grindstone and sprint as hard as we can to the finish line.”
Wissahickon has four awfully difficult conference games left on its schedule. This week the Trojans face Upper Merion (10-5, 6-4) on Tuesday, Norristown (6-10, 4-6) on Friday – and Upper Dublin (6-9, 5-5) and Cheltenham (14-3, 9-1) to close out the season next week.
“Upper Merion is coming off beating Plymouth Whitemarsh (16-1, 9-1) and that was a huge win for (Upper Merion head coach) Jason (Quezner) and his program,” said Wilson. “And playing Norristown anytime is always tough.
“(Upper Dublin head coach) Josh (Adelman) has his team playing its best basketball right now,” added Wilson. “And nobody in the league – including PW – can sleep on Cheltenham.
“It is going to be an extremely tough road for us,” continued Wilson. “But we are a young team – and games like this are only going to make us better.”
Wissahickon has showcased a pair of exciting sophomores this year in Zach Reiner and Max Rapaport. Juniors Zach Gelman and Alex Tappen round out a foursome that has gained invaluable varsity experience this year.
“Our goal is to win out,” said Wilson. “But sometimes you have to look at the long term instead of the short term for this young team.”
SOL American Conference Standings
1. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (16-1, 9-1)
Cheltenham Panthers (14-3, 9-1)
3. Upper Merion Vikings (11-5, 6-4)
4. Upper Dublin Cardinals (7-9, 5-5)
5. Norristown Eagles (6-10, 4-6)
Wissahickon Trojans (8-9, 4-6)
7. Upper Moreland Bears (7-11, 3-7)
8. Springfield Spartans (3-14, 0-10)
This Week in the SOL American Conference
Tuesday – January 26, 2016
Cheltenham Panthers @ Norristown Eagles
Upper Dublin Cardinals @ Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Upper Moreland Bears @ Springfield Spartans
Upper Merion Vikings @ Wissahickon Trojans
Friday – January 29, 2016
Upper Dublin Cardinals @ Upper Merion Vikings
Cheltenham Panthers @ Upper Moreland Bears
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials @ Springfield Spartans
Norristown Eagles @ Wissahickon Trojans
Suburban One Sports.com
Top Ten
1. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (16-1)
2. Abington Ghosts (14-3)
3. Pennridge Rams (15-3)
4. Central Bucks West Bucks (15-3)
5. Cheltenham Panthers (14-3)
6. Bensalem Owls (9-7)
7. Upper Merion Vikings (11-5)
8. Pennsbury Falcons (10-7)
9. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (9-8)
10. Council Rock North Indians (9-8)
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