By Scott Huff
Tis the season to be jolly.
The Suburban One League basketball teams were scattered all around the area - one out of state – over the holiday season. And some were jollier than others.
SOL National Conference Holiday Action
Bensalem (8-1, 3-1) hosted the Dick Dougherty Memorial Tournament and claimed the title with a 62-43 victory over George School.
The Owls – who are currently on a six game winning streak – opened the tournament with a 64-43 win over Bristol. The only loss of the season came against Pennsbury, 55-43.
“We are playing real well right now,” said Bensalem coach John Mullin. “We have a lot of offensive weapons, and we have been winning games many different ways.
“We can put up some numbers if we create tempo,” added Mullin. “And if we aren’t shooting well, we have won games with defense and our half court offense.”
The Owls flew to the tournament championship behind the play of Most Valuable Player Corey Canestrare. The 5-foot, 10-inch shooting guard torched the George School for 23 points in the title game.
“Corey has been doing it for us all year,” said Mullin. “Plus he might be our best defensive player.”
Bensalem has also received fine play from Nick Christian, Dyron Edwards, and Rob Schreiber during the Owls successful run.
“We want to hold our own at home, and steal a few games on the road,” said Mullin as the Owls prepare to return to conference play next week. “We want to continue to create full court opportunities, and play solid defense.”
That formula has worked so far this season.
Council Rock South (5-3, 2-2) captured the Chris Smith Memorial Tournament with a 59-57 come-from-behind win over North Penn. Tom Boyd led the Hawks with 21 points in the title game.
Rock South – which now has won three straight games – bested Engineering and Science in the tourney opener. The Golden Hawks – behind Boyd’s 17 points – defeated E & S by a 59-57 score.
Neshaminy (5-4, 3-1) was also a tournament winner as the Redskins won the Jack Shott Tournament hosted by Holy Ghost Prep.
The Skins won the opener over Holy Ghost Prep by a 51-49 score, and claimed the title with a 41-37 victory over Ridley in the championship finals.
Abington (4-5, 1-2) reached the finals of the Hazelton Tournament with a 64-44 win over Pleasant Valley in the first round game. Jaymes Miller led the Ghosts with 13 points, while Ken Johnson chipped in with 12 markers.
Abington was defeated in the championship final by host Hazelton. The Ghosts fell in triple overtime by a 79-75 score – their second triple overtime game of the season.
Council Rock North (5-4, 3-1) reached the finals of its own Athletes Helping Athletes Tournament with a 64-56 win over Bethlehem Liberty. Andrew Stress led the Indians with 20 points.
Rock North was toppled in the championship finals by Central Bucks South – 57-45. Stress – who made the all-tournament team – scored 12 points in the final.
Pennsbury (5-1, 3-0) won two of three games in the prestigious Beach Ball Tournament held in Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.
The Falcons opened with a 48-43 victory over Fayette County (Georgia) and added a 54-49 win over Arlington County Day School (Florida). The first loss of the season for PHS came in a 52-31 loss to St. Patrick’s(New York).
Truman (2-6, 0-4) took third place honors in the Wissahickon Tournament. The Tigers lost an opening round game to La Salle, 63-47, but bounced back with a win in the consolation game with Lansdale Catholic.
Truman bested LC by a 53-49 margin. The Tigers had a trio of nine-point scorers in Phil Griffin, Quincy Palmer, and Ramiesh Roberts.
William Tennent (1-8, 0-4) took its show on the road as the Panthers traveled to State College to play in the State College Tournament.
Tennent was competitive in both games, but lost both. The Panthers fell to host State College, 48-44, and lost in the consolation game to George Junior Republic School, 56-53.
SOL Continental Conference Holiday Action
Central Bucks East (7-1, 4-0) may not have taken home the Coatesville Tournament championship hardware, but the Patriots gained a terrific experience.
East – which lost to host Coatesville 80-74 in overtime in the championship finals – had a five-point lead, with the ball, and just two-and-a-half minutes left in regulation.
“We had plenty of opportunities to win the game in regulation,” said CB East head coach Chris Huber. “But we missed some free throws, and we made some bad decisions.
“Coatesville is the best team we have played this year, and we learned a lot,” added Huber. “It was a great opportunity to see exactly where we are at this point of the season.”
Chris Harmon led the Patriots in scoring with 22 points and hauled in a dozen rebounds. Tim McLauglin and Craig Eshlehem each added 15 points.
The loss – the first after seven straight wins – should pay dividends down the road.
“I said before the year started that this was the best group that we have had here in my seven years of coaching at East,” said Huber. “We are mentally right, and the players play as a team and know their roles.
“We don’t rely on just one player to get the job done,” continued Huber. “Right now, I think that we can play with any team in the district.”
Central Bucks South (8-2, 3-1) went to the head of the class as the Titans earned the Athletes Helping Athletes title with a 57-45 victory over host Council Rock North.
South center – Ian Gordon – earned the MVP of the tourney. Gordon, along with Will Barrett, helped the Titans defeat St. Paul’s (New York) by a 77-58 margin in the tournament opener.
Central Bucks West (8-1, 3-0) made a road trip to Cumberland County and came home with the East Pennsboro Tournament title.
The Bucks – currently on a seven game win streak – Cumberland Valley 62-47 in the tourney opener. West won the title with a 51-30 victory over host East Pennsboro in the finals.
Quakertown (5-3, 1-2) was also a holiday tournament winner as the Panthers captured the Emmaus Holiday Tournament.
Quakertown – behind a 16-point scoring effort by Dalton Nice – topped host Emmaus 50-42 in the final. The Panthers defeated Franklin Learning Center by a 48-40 margin in the first round game.
North Penn (4-5, 0-3) reached the finals of its own Chris Smith Memorial Tournament with a 56-45 opening round win over Upper Dublin.
However, the Knights gave away a second half lead and lost to Council Rock South, 57-55, in the championship final.
Souderton (5-5, 2-2) had a tough time in the Triangle Club Tournament with a pair of losses to quality opponents.
The Indians lost in the opener to host Norristown by a 65-56 count, and dropped a heartbreaking 69-67 setback to Lower Merion in the consolation game. Jimmy Connolly scored 21 points against the Eagles and 28 points against the Aces in a losing cause.
Pennridge (1-8, 0-3) continues to struggle as the Rams have now lost eight straight – including both games in the Boyertown Tournament.
PHS dropped a 49-39 contest to host Boyertown in the opener and followed with a 55-42 setback to Southern Lehigh in the consolation game. Ryan Connellan and Pete Roberts scored double figures in the SL loss.
SOL American Conference Holiday Action
Wissahickon (5-5, 1-3) hosted its own tournament and came away with the first place trophy with an impressive 64-51 victory over La Salle in the championship finals.
“We played a great championship game,” said Wissahickon head coach Kyle Wilson. “We spent a lot of time planning against La Salle, and we did a great job of executing our game plan.”
The Trojans – who are currently on a three-game winning streak – jumped out to a startling 27-3 lead against the Explorers.
“La Salle is a very disciplined and talented team,” said Wilson. “We knew they would make a run and come back and they did.
“But we did a great job of regaining our composure,” added Wilson. “The pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together.”
Three of those pieces are Gio Atkins, sophomore Bobby Beckett, and freshman Jordan Reed.
“Gio is back from a broken finger,” said Wilson. “And both Bobby and Jordan have been asked to play varsity basketball right away. We are learning, and we are getting better.”
Norristown (7-2, 4-0) played some fine basketball in winning the Triangle Club Tournament for a fifth consecutive year.
The Eagles – behind the MVP performance of Khalif Wyatt – defeated both Souderton (65-56) in the opener and Germantown Academy (64-54) in the championship final.
Springfield (1-8, 0-4) won its first game of the season and it put them in the finals of its Stan Novak Memorial Tournament.
The Spartans defeated Renaissance Academy, 61-35, behind the 17 point scoring of Malcom Hill. Springfield lost in the tournament finals to Devon Prep, 46-39.
Upper Moreland (3-5, 0-4) split its pair of games in the Great Valley Tournament.
The Golden Bears won in the consolation game over Church Farm, 48-40. Carlos Lewis led UMHS with 15 points. Upper Moreland lost to Great Valley, 60-49,in the opener.
Upper Merion (2-8, 1-3) also split its pair of games in the Coatesville Tournament.
The Vikings dropped the opener to host Coatesville, 56-48 despite a 17-point scoring effort by Dexter Bridge. Upper Merion outscored Perkiomen Valley 11-2 in an overtime period to defeat PV, 67-58.
Upper Dublin (3-7, 2-2) lost both of its games in the Chris Smith Memorial Tournament played at North Penn.
The Flying Cardinals lost a painful 60-57 double overtime game to Engineering & Science despite a 32-point performance by Jamil Brown. Upper Dublin lost to North Penn, 56-45, in the first round game.
Plymouth-Whitemarsh (8-2, 4-0) played a pair of tough non-league foes to expand its winning streak to five games.
The Colonials topped St. Joseph Prep by a 44-42 score and followed with an impressive 70-55 win over the Academy of the New Church.
Cheltenham (5-4, 4-0) was pretty much home for the holidays.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
SuburbanOneSports.Com Super Seven
1. Pennsbury Falcons (5-1)
2. Plymouth-Whitemarsh Colonials (8-2)
3. Central Bucks East Patriots (7-1)
4. Norristown Eagles (7-2)
5. Central Bucks South Titans (8-2)
6. Central Bucks West Bucks (8-1)
7. Bensalem Owls (8-1)
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