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HOLLAND – Corey Canestrare and Dyron Edwards stood in the deserted hallway outside their team’s locker room after Bensalem’s 57-52 win over Telecom in the PA/NY Challenge and considered the Owls’ dramatic change of fortunes.Last year, Bensalem stumbled out of the gate to an 0-6 start. After Saturday’s win, the Owls are 6-1.
“It’s a big turnaround,” Canestrare said. “It feels good.
“Last year, we turned it around - went on a streak and went to the playoffs second round. The seniors showed us the way, so we knew how it felt. This year practices are 10 times harder, and we’re coming to the games ready.”
“This year, we just challenge each other more at practice,” Edwards added. “And it carries over into the games. Our starting five – when we’re all here, it’s amazing what we can do.”
Sometimes the difference between 0-6 and 6-1 is just a matter of finishing. Or having faith in your teammates.
Or a little of both.
“Last year, we had a couple of bounces that didn’t go our way,” Bensalem coach John Mullin said. “This year we (won) a couple of close games that could have gone either way. I expected to be in every game, but 6-1 is definitely a nice start.
“We have a pretty well-balanced team. We started off the season winning, but I knew we could do better as far as distributing the ball. We really didn’t have that much faith…”
The Owls’ coach paused and then completed his thought.
“We didn’t realize what each other could do,” he said. “We’re playing better as a team.”
The Owls proved in Saturday’s win that they know how to finish off teams, fighting off every Yellow Jacket charge with one big bucket after another down the stretch. They also showed that they have developed that team chemistry that goes hand-in-hand with the belief that your teammates will come through if you give them the ball.
“We have a lot of unselfish people,” Edwards said. “We know everybody on our team can score, we know everybody can shoot. Everyone is equal, and we just look for each other.”
One night after Edwards (20 points) and Canestrare (15 points) led the way in the Owls’ win over Abington, senior Rob Schreiber was the big gun in Saturday’s win. The 6-5 senior, who had a game-high 20 points, had the hot hand early, scoring 10 first quarter points - which included a pair of treys – and propelling the Owls to an 18-13 lead.
“We have a lot of people on our team that can score the ball,” said Canestrare, who had 10 points. “Every game there’s probably a different leading scorer. We just trust everybody and their shot that they’re going to make the right play. We feed off each other.”
The Owls took a 30-21 lead into halftime, but the pesky Yellow Jackets rallied to make it a four-point game late in the third quarter (36-32). A bucket by Schreiber upped the Owls’ lead to six, and when Kelsey Dark scored on a drive, the Owls led 40-32 heading into the final quarter.
Telecom trimmed that lead to six, but the Owls answered with a 6-0 run that included some textbook passing sequences. First it was Ivan Flores finding Edwards down low for an easy bucket, and then – after a Yellow Jacket miss – Edwards threaded a needle with a pass to Schrieber under the basket for an easy deuce.
A putback by Edwards – who had seven of his 11 points in the final quarter - put the Owls on top 46-34 midway through the final quarter, but the Yellow Jackets refused to go down quietly, trimming that lead to five within the span of a minute.
It was hardly cause for concern. 
Canestrare – despite being fouled – scored on a drive and completed the three-point play to give the Owls a 49-41 lead.
“If he’s bellying me up, I just feel I can go,” Canestrare said.
Again, the Yellow Jackets made it a five-point game, but this time, Edwards turned a Nick Christian pass into a dunk that put the Owls on top 51-44.
“Dyron had a great game last night, and he’s really coming on,” Mullin said. “He’s a very good offensive player. He blocks shots inside.”
Edwards, according to Mullin, began the year shooting from the perimeter, but the 6-5 senior is taking his game under the basket.
“He’s getting comfortable down there,” Canestrare said.
“I know my outside shot is pretty good,” Edwards said. “But sometimes there’s no need.”
Telecom cut the Owls’ lead to 51-47 with a trey, but Canestrare converted a three-point play after taking the ball strong to the hole to all but seal the Yellow Jackets’ fate.
“Corey does a nice job,” Mullin. “He makes the plays that need to be made. He’s a senior leader on the court.”
The Owls are hoping their 6-1 start is a preview of things to come this season. Last year, they stunned the basketball world when – as the 28th seed – they knocked off fourth-seeded Spring-Ford in the opening round of districts. This year, they won’t be sneaking up on anyone.
“It’s our goal to get back there and get further,” Canestrare said.
BENSALEM 57, TELECOM 52
Telecom (52) – Simmons 5 0-0 10, Maynard 2 1-2 6, Mignott 5 1-1 11, Heiss 1 3-4 6, Briggs 5 3-6 17, Callahan 0 0-0 0, Lopez 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 8-13 52.
Bensalem (57) – Corey Canestrare 4 2-2 10, Liam Kirgan 1 0-0 2, Nick Christian 2 2- 26, Kelsey Dark 3 2-2 8, Rob Schreiber 9 0-1 20, Ivan Flores 0 0-0 0, Dyron Edwards 5 1-2 11. Totals 24 7-9 57.
Telecom 13 8 11 20-52
Bensalem 18 12 10 17-57
Three-point goals: Briggs 4, Maynard, Heiss, Schreiber 2.
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