Scott Huff's basketball notebook features Upper Dublin, Hatboro-Horsham and Truman.
By Scott Huff
And the beat goes on…
SOL American Conference ‘Snapshot’
Upper Dublin Cardinals
Upper Dublin head coach Josh Adelman has watched his team begin the season 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the conference – but the veteran coach is far from discouraged about the 2015-2016 basketball season.
“The players understand where we are now – and know we can get where we want to go,” said Adelman. “We just got some of our key players back from football and it is just a matter of getting into basketball mode.”
The Upper Dublin football team played its final game of the season on Dec. 12in the PIAA Quad-A Eastern Final.
“It takes time for the football players to get off the rust. Sometimes the mind tells you one thing – but the body just doesn’t let you,” added Adelman. “Players like Ryan Stover and John Barrett had only a day of practice before the Cheltenham game. They have been in the trenches before – have given our team great leadership – and in time will give us a lot more.
“These kids have played together for a while, and the chemistry will come back,” continued Adelman. “Once it begins to click again – we are going to be a team that other teams won’t want to play.”
Upper Dublin has received fine play from a pair of seniors during the early going – Will Derr and Jimmy Gallagher.
“Will has worked very hard to improve his game in the off season,” said Adelman of his 6-5 center. “He is an interesting player in that he can both hit the 15-foot jumper, or play with his back to the basket.
“Will was a football player last year, but he had a fracture in his back and he gave it up,” continued Adelman. “Colleges are giving him a good look as a basketball player.
“Jimmy is a lefty small forward who is a real slasher to the basket,” added Adelman of his 6-2 senior. “His game has also improved quite a bit from last year.”
And the Upper Dublin basketball team will also show a great deal of improvement as the calendar flips to 2016.
This Week in the SOL American Conference
Tuesday – December 22, 2015
Norristown Eagles @ Cheltenham Panthers
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials @ Upper Dublin Cardinals
Springfield Spartans @ Upper Moreland Golden Bears
Wissahickon Trojans @ Upper Merion Vikings
SOL American Conference Standings
Plymouth Whitemarsh 3 0
Cheltenham Panthers 3 0
Upper Moreland Bears 2 1
Norristown Eagles 2 1
Upper Merion Vikings 1 2
Wissahickon Trojans 1 2
Springfield Spartans 0 3
Upper Dublin Cardinals 0 3
SOL Continental Conference ‘Snapshot’
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
Ouch!
Hatboro-Horsham head coach Ed Enoch painfully watched his most valuable returning player – senior Brian McEachem – go down with a thigh injury early this season.
“It is really a severe injury,” said Enoch. “We might not get him back for the entire season.
“Brian was our best scorer and our best defender,” added Enoch of his 6-2 guard. “Brandon Crews is a junior and has stepped into his role. And so far this has been good.”
Hatboro-Horsham is one of the two unbeaten teams in the SOL Continental Conference this season with a perfect 3-0 conference mark. The Hatters will play Quakertown on Tuesday in an effort to remain unbeaten – the Panthers are winless in the conference.
“Quakertown is a very scary team – they don’t play the game like most of the other teams in our conference,” said Enoch. “They play a faster pace game – and we have to prepare for that.
“The whole league from top to bottom can beat anyone else in the league,” added Enoch. “We’re off to the good start – but teams in this league are going to beat each other.”
The Hatters have seen both physical growth and basketball maturity from its 6-7 junior – Clifton Moore.
“Clifton is getting bigger physically – I can see him growing another inch or two,” said Enoch. “But his growth in development is going to be even greater.
“He is already a good rebounder and can also put the ball on the floor,” added Enoch. “There is no question that he is going to develop into a scoring threat.”
Hatboro-Horsham has also received some strong performances from 6-4 senior Joe Russell and 6-2 senior Zeke Sloan.
“Both Joe and Zeke know the role that they play on the team,” said Enoch. “They have accepted those roles – and as a result we are becoming a nice team.
“Our goal is to continue to get better, practice hard, and prepare for the team that we play next,” added Enoch. “”We can’t afford to look at the big picture – we have to focus on the game we play next.”
This Week in the SOL Continental Conference
Tuesday – December 22, 2015
Central Bucks East Patriots @ Central Bucks South Titans
Central Bucks West Bucks @ North Penn Knights
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters @ Quakertown Panthers
Souderton Indians @ Pennridge Rams
SOL Continental Conference Standings
Central Bucks West Bucks 3 0
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 3 0
Pennridge Rams 2 1
CB East Patriots 1 2
CB South Titans 1 2
North Penn Knights 1 2
Souderton Indians 1 2
Quakertown Panthers 0 3
SOL National Conference ‘Snapshot’
Harry S Truman Tigers
Truman head coach Byron Conover wants his Tigers to learn a lot more than basketball.
“I want the players to present themselves to the community in a positive manner,” said Conover. “It is important that they work hard in the classroom and show respect.”
Conover, though, also has goals to be achieved on the basketball floor.
“It has been three years since we were in the district playoffs – and we need to be back in districts,” said Conover. “The last few years it has all been about Abington, Pennsbury, and Council Rock North in our league.
“We were able to beat Council Rock North last week – and we respect both that program and its coaching staff,” added Conover. “And we get Pennsbury next – and that is a huge natural rivalry for us.
“Half of the kids in Levittown go to Pennsbury and half the kids go to Truman – so the kids really know each other,” continued Conover. “We haven’t beaten them since the 90’s – and the game is a huge one for us.”
Conover will count on the play of senior captain Maurice Jackson.
“Maurice is amazing. He came off the football field after Thanksgiving, and in two days was with us playing basketball,” said Conover. “He is a three-year starter and is like having a coach on the floor.”
Another trio of Tigers will also have to play well if Truman wants to add Pennsbury in the win column.
“Kelechi Ogbonna is a first year starter and we have to throw him out of the gym,” said Conover in reference to his 5-10 junior point guard. “If he can stay hungry and stay humble, he is going to be a really nice player.
“Danell Snelling is a slasher on offense and a great defensive player,” added Conover of his 6-2 junior. “And (6-4 – senior) James Clowney is a two-year starter who might be our most athletic player.”
And if the firm of Jackson, Ogbonna, Snelling & Clowney continue to improve – Truman will belong in the same conversation as Abington, Pennsbury, and Council Rock North.
This Week in the SOL National Conference
Tuesday – December 22, 2015
Bensalem Owls @ Abington Ghosts
CR South Golden Hawks @ William Tennent Panthers
Truman Tigers @ Pennsbury Falcons
Council Rock North Indians @ Neshaminy Redskins
SOL National Conference Standings
Pennsbury Falcons 3 0
Abington Ghosts 2 1
CR South Golden Hawks 2 1
Truman Tigers 2 1
Bensalem Owls 1 2
CR North Indians 1 2
William Tennent Panthers 1 2
Neshaminy Redskins 0 3
Suburban One Sports.com
Super Six
1. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (5-0, 3-0)
2. Pennsbury Falcons (5-1, 3-0)
3. Central Bucks West Bucks (5-1, 3-0)
4. Pennridge Rams (5-2, 2-1)
5. Abington Ghosts (5-2, 2-1)
6. Cheltenham Panthers (5-2, 3-0)
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