Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ basketball teams in action Saturday. PW/Upper Dublin photos provided courtesy of Larry Small. Check back for a gallery of photos. All SOS galleries for boys’ basketball can be viewed by clicking HERE.
SOL Liberty Divison
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 56, UPPER DUBLIN 39
The Colonials knocked the Flying Cardinals from the ranks of the undefeated in SOL play, throwing some stifling defense at their visitors and outscoring UD in each of the four quarters.
“You don’t know what you’re going to get because the last time we played on a Saturday after a Friday game, Methacton had a 34-14 lead at halftime, and we were flat in that game,” PW coach
Jim Donofrio said. “So to see what was a 32-minute defensive performance of excellence tonight with a couple of letdowns here and there, but overall, to have only four of their guys scoring – Upper Dublin is running very nice stuff, but if we defend the way we know how, it’s not to let a team run any of its stuff.
“We actually worked on playing not only that hard but that smart on defense. The intelligence factor and the discipline factor are all of a sudden waking up, and they’re taking pride in making every defensive stop and making it personal.
“It was 26-16 with two minutes to go in the second, and we had another brain cramp on offense and they got to 21 in the last minute. Otherwise, that was one serious halftime defensive performance. Halftime was not happy because I decided to hang up Ted Lasso and go back to being me. We’re done with all the happy and all the kumbaya and all the nice. That’s over.”
The Cardinals, who led 11-7 after one quarter, took a 26-21 lead into halftime. Qudire Bennett’s seven second-quarter points led the Colonials.
Jalen Cozie’s six third-quarter points led a 14-6 third quarter tear by the Colonials, who led 40-27 heading into the final quarter. The Cardinals never threatened.
“This was a really important test today,” Donofrio said. “I don’t know quite what was going on with us a couple of weeks back. We came into the season with certain expectations, but the personalities of a lot of our core guys are happy-go-lucky, combined with believing that what we’re teaching is a suggestion and not a fact.
“If that’s how you’re going to approach it, you’re going to have to take your medicine. The energy level defensively wasn’t close to what we expect. The concentration, the toughness, the heart, the caring. We were outscored in the first quarter over our five losses 110-51. We out-fouled our opponents 115 fouls to 55. When you add those things up, that’s not performing, and it’s not concentrating, and there’s nowhere near enough intense attitude.
“We showed the kids film of previous teams and compared our losses to how some of our best teams played defense – not because of their talent but because of their heart. Hopefully, that’s going to be the start of something. At some point your pride has got to get to you – I’m not good enough. Film does not lie. We were doing a lot of things with a very laidback mentality.
“Just seeing the Springfield game last night where it started. Even communicating on defense – this is so elementary the things we’re doing wrong. We went to New Hope-Solebury, and they’re a smaller school. When you’re struggling, you don’t take anything for granted, so that
was a nice effort. At Springfield last night, number one (Dylan McCormick) starts to look like a combination of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. Congrats to him, but it’s unacceptable.”
The Colonials were led by the 16-point effort of Bennett. Colzie and Zende Hubbard both added 12 points. Trey Jones had seven points while Marshall Baker contributed six.
“Q Bennett is really starting to find his stride, and the core defensive guard unit of Colzie, the Hubbard twins, and Marshall Baker were outstanding tonight,” Donofrio said. “I’m trying to get each one of them to craft each their own unique persona on the court. You don’t have to be fired up and crazy intense in your life, but when you get in competition and you sign up for that job, it comes with certain requirements of intensity, focus, passion and caring. They were not playing near up to what is required and what they’re capable of.
“Upper Dublin is 9-2, and we wanted to see what the 9-2 was. They look like a really nice team. They look energized and confident on film. I really liked how they looked on film. There’s something different about them. They played aggressively like we normally do. I said, ‘Fellows, you could get your backsides handed to you today. I love how these guys are playing.’ Nothing ever seems to get to these guys as far as that kind of talk goes, and yet, today it did, for whatever reason. They are just piecing things together. I hope it’s legit. I don’t trust them until I see it consistently.”
The win was the Colonials’ third straight after a streak of five consecutive losses.
“You have to develop a hatred of losing,” Donofrio said. “As everyone knows, you have to get in a certain mindset on the floor, you have to understand what it means not to lunge and take risks and think it’s okay. We’re getting there. We’re not even quite there yet. It’s a lot more film, a lot more not letting up off the gas pedal of expectations until this gets straightened out somehow because it’s just not good enough.
“If you’re a starter, don’t get comfortable, and that’s for any kid on any team. If you’re a starter, you have an obligation and a responsibility to hit the floor running and performing. You can win your way, but if we lose, we’re going to lose my way. It’s very corporate to me – once you lose, that’s like a million dollar loss for the month. If you’re going to lose a lot, trust me, that’s a lot of pink slips.”
For the Flying Cardinals, Colin O’Sullivan led the way with 16 points – 13 in the first half. Seaton Kukla added nine and Ellis Johnson had eight. Griffin Pensabene contributed six.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (7-5 5-2 SOL) will host William Tennent on Tuesday, and Upper Dublin (9-3, 6-1) will be on the road at Lower Moreland.
Upper Dublin 7-14-6-12 39
Plymouth Whitemarsh 11-15-14-15 55
Upper Dublin (39) – Chris Kohlbrenner 0 0-4 0; Colin O’Sullivan 6 1-1 16; Griffin Pensabene 3 0-0 6; Ellis Johnson 4 0-3 8; Seaton Kukla 1 7-8 9; TOTALS 14 8-16 39.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (55) – Zende Hubbard 5 2-2 12; Jaden Colzie 5 2-2 12; Marshall Baker 2 2-2 6; Jahseir Sayles 0 2-2 2; Trey Jones 3 1-4 7; Qudire Bennett 6 2-2 16; TOTALS 21 11-14 55.
3-point goals: UD – Colin O’Sullivan 3; PW – Qudire Bennett 2.
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 46, HATBORO-HORSHAM 42 (2 OT)
Noah Lee scored 22 points, and Donte Mancini added 14 – including some clutch foul shots in overtime – to propel the Bucks to Saturday’s non-league win.
The Bucks, who led at halftime, took a 28-23 lead into the fourth quarter. That lead turned out to be anything but secure as the Hatters rallied to knot the score. It took two overtimes to determine a winner.
“We had a chance to win it at the end of regulation and didn’t capitalize, and we had a chance to win it at the first overtime and didn’t capitalize, and then we were able to put it away the second overtime,” West coach Adam Sherman said. “Donte Mancini hits some clutch free throws down the stretch to really help us put the game away.”
The win came on the heels of a 43-42 loss to SOL Patriot Division leading Bensalem less than 24 hours earlier. Saturday’s win brought a welcome end to a six-game losing streak for the Bucks.
“We’ve been the bridesmaid and not the bride for quite a while this season,” West coach Adam Sherman said. “We had Bensalem on the ropes, and we had a chance to win it at the end. We had a chance at a layup, and their kid made a heck of a play – he made a great steal at the end.
“We’re there, but we’re down a couple of kids right now. We have one kid with a concussion and one kid with a back problem. The whole season we’ve been one play away from a lot of wins. To Spring-Ford in the first game of the year, we lost on a buzzer beater. Perk Valley was a winnable game. There’s been a ton of these types of games. Council Rock South we had the game won and then we had a crucial turnover at the end of the game, and Council Rock South was able to capitalize on it.”
John Lee led all scorers with 22 points, and Mancini added 14 points.
“John’s a very good shooter,” Sherman said. “John’s been really good for us rebounding-wise, and he’s been a consistent scorer for us.
“I thought Mancini had a solid game and made some good things happen.”
For the Hatters, Noah Schlosser and Kyle Dittus both had 14 points while Jake Grier added 11.
Sherman hopes Saturday’s win is an omen of things to come.
“The way we’re losing – usually a team that has this record is struggling with pressure, they can’t handle the ball,” Sherman said. “It’s been weird. We’ve played a rough schedule. I think everybody on our schedule except for two teams has a winning record, so we really played some good teams.
“We’ve just had that one little spurt each game that we haven’t been able to come back from. We’ve played enough games in the offseason – we’re comfortable playing anybody in District One. We just have to get more consistent play.”
Central Bucks West (2-10, 1-6 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock North on Tuesday, and Hatboro-Horsham (1-11, 1-6) will host New Hope-Solebury
Hatboro-Horsham 3-7-13-10-2-7 42
Central Bucks West 3-10-15-5-2-11 46
Central Bucks West (46) – Matt Engle 5, Donte Mancini 14, Bowen Gugger 3, John Lee 22, Michael Fountain 2.
Hatboro-Horsham (42) – Jake Grier 11, Noah Schlosser 14, Kyle Dittus 14, Anthony Pumilia 2, Chrishon Avery 1.
CHELTENHAM 61, NORTH PENN 51
Sparked by the 20-point effort of senior Rasheem Dearry, the visiting Panthers, who led by just two at halftime, finished strong to earn the non-league win. Saturday’s win was the 10th without a loss for the Panthers.
“We had an early lead, but they battled back,” Cheltenham coach Patrick Fleury said. “It was back and forth one through three quarters.
“The back-to-backs are very tough, and as a good team, they make shots, they put pressure on you, they get in the paint, and they kick out to their shooters. They’re definitely a good team. I know there’s nine games left, but we envision them being a playoff team.”
Dearry scored 13 points – including a pair of 3s – in the first half, propelling the Panthers to a 29-27 lead. For the Knights, Joe Larkins led a balanced effort with seven points while Mario Sgro had a pair of 3s for six points.
It was still a two-point game heading into the final quarter when the Panthers closed it out with a 17-10 burst. Justin Savage’s seven points led the Panthers in the fourth quarter while Dearry added five.
“It was good our group of seniors was able to win 67 out of 82 games so far, so we were able to break Mr. (Paul) Westhead’s four-year tenure record, which is good,” said Fleury. “For the four years I’ve been here, this year’s seniors have been collectively the most successful four-year class that we’ve had, so that’s amazing.”
In addition to Dearry, Justin Savage had 13 points, and Brandon Bush had 11. Nasir Edens chipped in with six points.
For the Knights, Joe Larkins scored 15, and Ryan Deininger added 11. Mario Sgro and Terhan Wright both had six points. Sgro, Deininger and Larkins each had a pair of 3-pointers.
Cheltenham (10-0, 6-0 SOL) will host Wissahickon on Tuesday.
“We’re looking forward to a tough Wissahickon opponent on Tuesday,” Fleury said. “Historically, they’re one of the better programs, and they’re usually in the playoffs. We’re just gearing up for that. We see that as our next test.”
North Penn (6-7, 4-4) will be on the road at Bensalem on Tuesday.
Cheltenham 17-15-12-17 61
North Penn 12-17-12-10 51
Cheltenham (61) – Rasheem Dearry 7 3-4 20, Josiah Hutson 1 1-2 4; Elias Walker 2 1-2 5; Nasir Edens 2 2-4 6; Brandon Bush 5 1-3 11; Justin Savage 4 4-5 13; Kevin Addison-Anderson 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 22 12-20 61.
North Penn (51) – Mario Sgro 2 0-0 6; Terhan Wright 3 0-0 6; Norman Gee 2 0-0 5; Ryan Zeltt 2 1-2 5; Joe Larkins 5 3-6 15; Ryan Deininger 4 1-1 11; Milind Pulugura 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 19 5-9 51.
3-point goals: Cheltenham – Rasheem Dearry 3, Josiah Hutson, Justin Savage; NP – Mario Sgro 2, Ryan Deininger 2, Joe Larkins 2, Norman Gee, Milind Pulugura.
PENNSBURY 75, HOLY GHOST PREP 52
Defense is a calling card of the Falcons under Bill Coleman, and it was the Falcons’ stifling defense that stole the spotlight in a first half that saw Pennsbury open up a commanding 33-18 advantage over the Firebirds.
“Our game begins and ends on the defensive side of the floor,” Pennsbury coach Bill Coleman said. “When we really, really focus in on that, everything becomes easier for us.
“That’s what we did. We held them to 18 points in the first half, and that’s the story.”
Setting the tone for a strong defensive effort by the Falcons was Aidan McCormack.
“In my mind, one of their best players is Mel Lindsey, and we asked Aidan McCormack to guard him, and Mel had two points in the first half and four points through three quarters, and by that time, we were up 15,” Coleman said. “We tied them in the third quarter 19-19, which really wasn’t good, but I think our guys relaxed a little bit at that point, but (Lindsey) had four points through three quarters, and that was all Aidan McCormack.
“He did a fantastic job. We asked him to do it, and he did it. It was good to see. What Aidan has to understand from his standpoint is that there are multiple ways to affect games, and he did it on the defensive side of the floor today, which is fantastic.”
Evan McNeely had another big game for the Falcons, shooting 60 percent from the floor and leading all scorers with 21 points, which included a perfect 8-for-8 effort at the foul line. He completed an impressive double-double with 10 rebounds and also had three assists, two steals and one block.
Ty Kocak also turned in a strong offensive outing, connecting on 8 of 13 shots from the floor (61 percent) and finishing with 19 points. He also had three rebounds and three steals. Justin Hedges was the third Falcon in double figures with 13 points. He also had three rebounds and two assists. In addition to playing tenacious defense, McCormack had eight points, nine rebounds and three steals. Connor Taddei also had nine points on three 3-pointers, connecting on three of five attempts from beyond the arc.
Pennsbury (7-1, 5-1 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks South on Tuesday.
Holy Ghost Prep 10-8-19-15 52
Pennsbury 16-17-19-23 75
Holy Ghost Prep (52) – Shane Reilly 6 2-2 15; Dylan Shead 7 3-5 17; Seamus McDermott 1 0-0 2; Ryan Sylvester 2 1-2 5; Jason Brown 1 0-0 2; Mel Lindsey 4 2-3 11; TOTALS 21 8-12 52.
Pennsbury (75) – Justin Hedges 4 4-5 13; Aidan McCormack 3 2-2 8; Chris Terry 1 0-0 2; Isaac Woltjen 1 0-0 3; Connor Taddei 3 0-0 9; Evan McNeely 6 8-8 21; Ty Kocak 8 2-5 19; TOTALS 26 16-20 75.
3-point field goals: HGP – Shane Reilly, Mel Lindsey; Pennsbury – Connor Taddei 3, Evan McNeely, Justin Hedges, Isaac Woltjen, Ty Kocak.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 69, DOWNINGTOWN EAST 46
CB South Titans were looking to bounce back after falling to Truman one night earlier. The win was the first in SOL play this season for the Tigers.
The Titans came out of the gate on all cylinders on Saturday, opening up a commanding 35-16 halftime lead and cruising to the non-league win.
“Going into last night’s game, I told my guys that Truman’s in the games,” South coach Jason Campbell said. “It’s not like they’re getting blown out every game. They’re playing to the end of the fourth quarter.
“You can’t take anyone lightly. You know they’re going to come to play, and it’s not easy to play at Truman.”
Michael Farley’s 14 points led all scorers in the game. Jesse Rotunno added 12 points while Chris Granito and Tyler Meinel both had 10 points. Aidan Van Zanten delivered a spark off the bench, scoring eight points. Joe Rooney had seven.
“I was definitely pleased with two things we weren’t doing well the night before,” Campbell said. “One was defensively. I think we did a much better job of keeping people in front, rotating, moving, and two, offensively, we took care of the ball a little bit better and we shared it, made the extra passes today and worked inside out.
“I think that was pretty effective although on our first two possessions today, we did not move the ball. I made a fast substitution, and from that point on, I thought we did very well. Aidan Van Zenten, when I subbed him in, was a good part of being involved in the offense. He got us five points and got it within the offense.
“Chris Granito – the same thing. In the first quarter, he got us off to the good start. He had six points in that quarter. Those two guys helped set the tone with taking good shots, and the rest of the team around them moving the ball.”
Central Bucks South (8-5, 5-3 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Tuesday.
Central Bucks South 18-17-18-16 69
Downingtown East 7-9-18-12 46
Central Bucks South (69) – Jesse Rotunno 12, Brady Moore 2, Jay Macalindong 3, Aidan Van Zanten 8, joe Rooney 7, Chris Granito 10, Flynn Carroll 3, Tyler Meinel 10, Michael Farley 14.
Downingtown East (46) – Jose Datil 5, Jack Kelly 2, George Bousum 13, Carl McClatchy 10, Micah Hill 6, Evan Vendetti-Spahr 5, Ishaan Jha 5.
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 36, SCIENCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 24
The Spartans didn’t put a whole lot of points on the board, but 36 turned out to be more than enough to win their third game in four contests this week.
“Three and one for the week was pretty good,” Springfield Township coach Rob Fusaro said. “That’s a lot of games to go through in a short amount of time, and to go 3-1 is good.
“Today it was just trying to finish out the game – keep the lead and close out the game. They played us tough, they made some runs, and we did a good job staying consistent and finishing it out, closing the week out with a win.”
The Spartans broke a 7-7 tie after one quarter with a 15-point second quarter to go into halftime with a 22-15 lead. They added to that with a 10-5 third quarter on their way to the win.
Kyle Smythe’s 10 points led the Spartans. He also had five rebounds. Ben Cooney added nine points, a team high eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. Harry Rittenhouse did not score, but he had six rebounds, two assists and one steal. Tommy Coppol pulled down four rebounds.
“Collectively, they were good – it was a lot of ups and downs, but they were able to finish it out,” Fusaro said. “Kyle (Smythe) played well and led us in scoring. He did a good job, but today it was more of a group effort.”
Springfield Township (6-5, 2-5 SOL) will travel to Abington on Tuesday.
Science Leadership 7-8-5-4 24
Springfield Twp 7-15-10-4 36
Springfield Township (36) – Dylan McKenzie 1 3-4 5; Miles Goodwin 2 0-0 4; Ben Cooney 3 2-8 9; Brett Smith 3 1-4 7; Kyle Smythe 4 0-0 10; Tommy Copol 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 13 7-18 36.
3-point goals: Springfield Twp – Kyle Smythe,2 Ben Cooney.
HAVERFORD 50, PENNRIDGE 44
The Rams trailed by just one at halftime, 25-24, and it was a two-point game heading into the final quarter when the Fords closed it out with a 12-8 burst.
The Rams were led by the 15-point effort of Matt Campione – who had nine first-half points and finished a perfect 6-for-6 at the foul line. Tommy Cramer added 13 points with 10 of those coming before halftime. Justin McCormick also finished in double figures with 11 – nine in the second half. No other player had more than three points for the Rams.
Pennridge (2-11, 0-7 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Pennridge 8-16-12-8 44
Haverford 10-15-13-12 50
Pennridge (44) – Justin McCormick 5 0-0 11; Justin Nichols 0 2-2 2; Matt Campions 4 6-6 15; Xavier Peters 0 0-1 0; Tommy Cramer 6 0-0 13; Ryan Hass 1 1-1 3; TOTALS 16 9-10 44.
Haverford (50) – Colin Reynolds 1 0-1 2; J.R. Newman 7 0-2 15; Nick Colucci 4 1-2 10; Googie Seidman 2 5-6 9; Kevin Gannon 4 1-2 12; Tommy Wright 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 7-13 50.
3-point goals: Pennridge – Justin McCormick, Matt Campione, Tommy Cramer; Haverford – J.R. Newman, Nick Colucci, Kevin Gannon 3.
ACADEMY PARK 54, HARRY S TRUMAN 53
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