Check out Scott Huff’s choices for this year’s SuburbanOneSports.com Basketball Awards.
By Scott Huff
There is no red carpet – no questions as to what someone is wearing – but here for what it’s worth are the Suburban One Sports.com Boys Basketball Awards for the recently completed 2011-2012 season.
Game of the Year: Wissahickon-Central Bucks West double overtime thriller in PIAA District One Quarterfinal game played at CB West.
This game was an instant classic from the opening tap to the final buzzer as Wissahickon prevailed 60-56 against the Bucks played before a frenzied crowd at West. The game alone was fantastic to witness as the Trojans had just one more hero than the Bucks in this one. Tyler Schechter played an awesome game with 17 points for the Bucks, while Derek Dyer added 15 points for West. Jordan Reed scored a game-high 20 points for Wissahickon, while Tanoh Kpassagnon and Chase Wilson each scored 16 points for the Trojans.
The game was an A-plus, but so was the venue. The fans of the host Bucks were indeed fanatical, while the visiting Trojans brought an equally raucous crowd. The 1200-seat gymnasium – cozy on its best days – was packed to overflowing for this important district playoff game. Unfortunately, fans were turned away from this one by the droves as the building sold out early. The fans left this game as exhausted as did the players – and those players spent every ounce of energy to an effort to secure that critical win.
Conference of the Year: Suburban One American Conference
The SOL American is sometimes looked down upon during football season by fans of the SOL National and Continental Conferences, but the SOL American did itself proud in the hoop season as all seven of its members collected selections to the PIAA post season.
Wissahickon (22-6), Norristown (20-9), Cheltenham (17-10), Plymouth Whitemarsh (13-12), and Upper Dublin (12-10) were all chosen by the unbiased computer to play in the PIAA Quad-A playoffs. The two Class AAA members of the conference – Upper Moreland and Upper Merion – were also awarded playoff berths.
Norristown won its opening round state playoff game over William Penn (87-78) but was jettisoned in the second round by what should be the eventual state champion Chester (72-53). Wissahickon lost in the first round of the state playoffs in a difficult 49-43 overtime loss to Easton.
The top of the SOL Continental Conference featured terrific seasons by both Central Bucks West (23-6) and Souderton (20-8). West advanced to the second round of the state playoff and suffered a 57-47 loss to Central Dauphin, while Souderton was knocked out of the state playoffs in the first round with a 65-51 loss to Williamsport.
The top of the SOL National Conference saw conference champion Council Rock North (21-7) shown the exit door in a state play-in game in a 53-46 loss to Delaware Valley, while Abington (20-8) rode a red-hot streak that flamed out in a first round state game against Central Dauphin in a 52-46 defeat.
Teams of the Year: Central Bucks West Bucks and Norristown Eagles
The selection of both the SOL Continental Conference champion Bucks and the SOL American Conference co-champion Eagles are based on the amazing resiliency of both teams – and the fact that both teams were the only SOL teams to advance to the second round of the PIAA Quad-A state playoffs.
Central Bucks West suffered what appeared to be a knockout punch going into the state playoffs with a three-game district losing streak. The Bucks were rocked with district losses to Wissahickon (60-56), Norristown (50-42), and Coatesville (50-44) – but West picked itself off the canvas to collect a coveted 48-44 state playoff victory over District 12 champion St. Joe Prep. The West season would end in a 57-47 loss to Central Dauphin in the second round.
Norristown suffered what appeared to be a knockout punch in district play when eventual District One champion Chester blasted the Eagles – 81-31. Norristown dragged itself off the mat after that horrendous 50-point loss to the Clippers and rode a three-game winning streak into the Clipper rematch. The Eagles concluded district play with wins over CB West (50-42) and Souderton (42-36) and followed with an opening round win over William Penn (87-78) in the first round of state play. Chester ended the Norristown season with a 72-53 victory.
Coach of the Year: Michael Evans – Norristown
The storied program of Norristown is littered with scholastic ‘star’ players – recent evidence is Temple University standout Khalif Wyatt. But these 2011-2012 Eagles were surely not a team of all-stars – in fact there was not a single NAHS player voted on the SOL American Conference first team. And only Luke Kelly (second team), Samir Bey (third team), and Jahbri Hargrove (honorable mention) earned all-league recognition.
But these no-name Eagles that featured only Bey and Richard Bouknight as senior varsity players marched into the state second round and collected an even 20 wins this season. And if the talent of the Norristown team was somewhat limited – the success therefore must come from the exceptional talents of Coach Evans.
That often repeated – and sometimes tragically believed idea - is that you just ‘roll out the balls’ at Norristown. The brilliant coaching of Evans during this season – with a collection of unproven and inexperienced talent – earned him due respect from players, fans, and peers.
Player of the Year: Jordan Reed – Wissahickon
Choose from among the following to describe the play of Reed this season – stunning, impressive, amazing, fantastic, fabulous, magnificent, brilliant, breathtaking, astonishing, marvelous, exciting, incredible, wonderful, or exciting.
Wissahickon was able to showcase the talents of Reed (see above) in conference, district, and state levels this season. And there were extremely few (if any?) games that the (see above) Reed was not the best player on the floor.
Reed was at his (see above) finest around the rim receiving passes from teammates and finishing with thunderous dunks. He also was a (see above) threat off the dribble and created (see above) shots in the open floor. His play this season was, in a word, (see above).
SuburbanOneSports.com SOL All-League Teams
First Team: Jordan Reed (Wissahickon); Tanoh Kpassagnon (Wissahickon); Aaron Morgan (Council Rock North); Tim Abruzzo (Pennridge); and Luke Moyer (Souderton).
Second Team: Arron Goodman (Council Rock North); Wes Brooks (North Penn); Anthony Durham (Abington); Derek Dyer (Central Bucks West); and Nafis Walker (Cheltenham).
Third Team: Julian Hyden (Bensalem); Jerrell Burke (Pennsbury); Mark Wonderling (Souderton); Anthony McKie (Plymouth Whitemarsh); and Tyler Schechter (CB West).
Honorable Mention: John Decamara (Upper Dublin); Ryan Connolly (Souderton); Merdic Green (Truman); Kieran Bolger (Pennsbury); Jack Rauchut (William Tennent); Christian Crane (Council Rock South); James Mobley (Upper Merion); Matt Kohn (Upper Moreland); Steve Topley (CB East); Dave Knox (CB South); Mike Brown (Hatboro-Horsham); Tyler Katz (Neshaminy); Dovanta Newkirk (Bensalem); Luke Kelley (Norristown); Chase Wilson (Wissahickon); Jarrell Haywood (Cheltenham); Jordan Simmons (Abington); Matt McCloskey (Council Rock North); Andrew Lyons (Pennridge); Jake Silvers (Plymouth Whitemarsh); and Jon Landis (Quakertown).
The Final SuburbanOneSports.com Rankings
1. Norristown Eagles (20-9)
2. Central Bucks West Bucks (23-6)
3. Abington Ghosts (20-8)
4. Wissahickon Trojans (22-6)
5. Souderton Indians (20-8)
6. Council Rock North Indians (21-7)
7. Cheltenham Panthers (17-10)
8. Pennsbury Falcons (18-8)
9. Bensalem Owls (15-10)
10. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (13-12)
11. Central Bucks South Titans (11-12)
12. Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals (12-10)
13. Harry S Truman Tigers (10-13)
14. Pennridge Rams (11-11)
15. Central Bucks East Patriots (9-13)
16. North Penn Knights (8-14)
17. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (8-14)
18. William Tennent Panthers (7-15)
19. Upper Moreland Golden Bears (8-16)
20. Council Rock South Golden Hawks (5-16)
21. Neshaminy Redskins (4-18)
22. Upper Merion Vikings (5-17)
23. Quakertown Panthers (2-20)
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