Visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
By Scott Huff
QUAKERTOWN – Welcome to the Suburban One Continental Conference.
Quakertown joined the SOL Continental this season after a stint in the SOL American the last few years, and the Panthers (2-1, 1-0) held on for a 45-42 conference victory over visiting Central Bucks South (1-2, 0-1) in the Panther Pit in Tuesday night’s league opener.
“I love this new conference,” smiled Quakertown head coach Kevin Keeler. “I’ve been coaching here for 26 years, and this year is going to have that old Bux-Mont feel.
“We have the geographic rivalries with all of the teams,” added Keeler. “And we won’t have those long bus rides to Cheltenham and Plymouth Whitemarsh on a Tuesday night.”
Both Quakertown and CB South feature quality big men in the Panthers’ Brett Roseboro and the Titans’ Will Barrett. Barrett won the scoring battle by a 21-8 margin, but it was Roseboro’s team that was able to put the game into the victory column.
“We needed to win this game,” said Roseboro. “Central Bucks South is one of the better teams in this league, and my teammates stepped up and played well.”
The Panthers received a fine scoring effort from junior Dalton Nice who banged home a trio of 3-pointers and led Q-town with 15 points. Junior Kenny Gula chipped in with 12 and played an outstanding floor game.
“Kenny is still learning the system,” said Keeler of his transfer guard. “Once he gets more comfortable, he is going to be a big contributor.
“Dalton is usually a dead on shooter,” added Keeler. “He struggled a little early, but he came on at the end.”
The game turned midway through the fourth period with the Panthers holding a 37-36 lead. Roseboro was fouled hard in the lane, and the call also resulted in a Titan technical foul.
Nice hit both free throws, and on the ensuing possession Nice buried a three-pointer to give the Panthers a 42-36 lead with 4:55 remaining in the game.
South put on a slow rally that saw them knot the score at 42-42 when Barrett drained a 3-pointer with 2:12 left in the game.
The final 0:25 seconds became the Jake Kandel show as the Panther senior co-captain made three-of-four free throws to ice the win.
“The game was a little sloppy, but we’ll take it,” said Keeler. “Every game in this conference is going to be war, and tonight Jake made some foul shots when we needed them.
“Brett didn’t have his best game, but he is under a lot of pressure to perform,” said Keeler of his 6-foot, 9-inch senior who is signed, sealed, and yet to be delivered to Marquette University. “But he is a player, and it will show this season.”
Barrett also had his shining moments. The 6-8 inch senior played showcased his ability to score the ball both from the perimeter and in the paint.
“Will came back this year a lot stronger,” said CB South coach Jason Campbell. “He is a very unselfish player, and he makes the players around him better.
“I was impressed with Roseboro,” added Campbell. “We got him in some early foul trouble, but he finished strong and you can tell that he is going to be a force.”
A force to be reckoned with in the Suburban One League Continental Conference.
Central Bucks South 11 11 10 10 - 42
Quakertown 10 6 19 10 - 45
Central Bucks South:
Barrett 7 6-9 21; Pincus 1 4-6 6; Maher 1 0-0 2; Joerger 1 0-0 2; Dedeian 3 0-0 6; Johnston 1 0-0 2; Clark 1 1-2 3. Totals 15 11-17 42.
3 – point field goals – Barrett
Quakertown:
Kandel 1 3-4 5; Gula 5 0-0 12; Thomas 1 0-0 3; Shells 1 0-0 2; Nice 4 4-5 15; Roseboro 4 0-0 8; Kivela 0 0-2 0. Totals 16 7-11 45
3 – point field goals – Nice (3); Gula (2); Thomas.
- Log in to post comments
0
