Jarrad Saffren recaps Friday’s SOL boys’ basketball action. CR North/CR South photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. PW/Wissahickon photos courtesy of Kim Supko. Check back for galleries of photos.
By Jarrad Saffren
Twelve Suburban One League boys basketball teams played league games on Friday night. It was the second league game for most of the teams in action, and the last until January. With Winter Break underway at all schools, most teams have about a week off until holiday tournaments begin at the end of December.
All six of Friday’s results and recaps are below.
SOL National
Council Rock South 51, Council Rock North 40
Council Rock South earned its first win of 2017-18, improving to 1-5. Zach Shade and Esteban Gomez controlled the paint for Rock South, and Kyle Meakim paced the offense and blanketed North’s top scorer. Meakim and Christian Jabbar led South in scoring with 12 points each.
“It was a much-needed win. It’s a real important game for both programs. I was happy our guys got one at home. We had a good stretch in the third where we made some shots. We held them off and built a lead,” said CR South coach Derek Wright. “Going stretches without scoring has been an issue. And we did a little bit early but we defended well in the second quarter. We got a lead even though we weren’t scoring a ton.”
South does have a lot of size, and it took advantage of that against North.
“We challenged our big guys to play big,” Wright said. “North plays big, aggressive and tough. Our guys needed to match that and they did.”
Meakim’s performance was crucial, as South needed someone to complement Jabbar offensively.
“I’m happy for him because he’s a great kid and hard worker,” Wright said. “He’s been thrust into a role that was maybe more than he expected because we have an injury still.”
Brad Haggerty led the Indians with 12 points.
CR South (1-5, 1-1 SOL) will play Springfield-Delco in the Big Game Showcase at South next Saturday, Dec. 30, at six. CR North (1-4, 0-2 SOL) will play Chichester in the Unionville Christmas Tournament next Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 4:30.
SOL Continental
Central Bucks East 45, Souderton 40
Central Bucks East trailed by six going into the fourth quarter, but won the fourth 16-5. Jesse Rivera made 5-of-6 free throws in the fourth and led the Patriots with 13 points overall. Ben Markowitz and Kyle Cassidy added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Collin Stein had five points and seven rebounds.
“We were struggling to generate offense and on the glass. So we just buckled down and got some rebounds on the defensive end and converted on the foul line,” said CB East coach Erik Henrysen. “We started attacking the rim to generate kick outs and to put pressure on their defense.”
In the first half, when CB East scored 16 total points, less than 10 in each quarter, Souderton baffled the Patriots with a 1-3-1 zone. But CB East figured it out in the second half.
“We got into seams,” Henrysen said. “They were bigger and longer than us, and we settled early for long threes.”
“Jesse Rivera, Collin Stein and Ben Markowitz really helped us,” Henrysen added. “And Kyle Cassidy being the threat he’s been, stretched the defense and opened lanes for driving.”
The Patriots improved to 5-0 with this win.
“No, it’s not something I expected. We lost a lot over the last two years, so were hoping people stepped up, and guys have,” Henrysen said. “We have good guard play, and that’s a good recipe in the fourth, handle the ball and hit fouls.”
Tomas Hanrahan and Antonio Rodriguez led Souderton with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
CB East (5-0, 2-0 SOL) plays Boyertown on Saturday at 2:30. Souderton (3-3, 0-2 SOL) plays Bayard Rustin next Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 7:30.
Central Bucks East 7-9-13-16 45
Souderton 10-8-17-5 40
Central Bucks East (45) – Kyle Cassidy 10, Colin Stein 5, Nick Roggio 7, Ben Markowitz 12, Jesse Rivera 13.
Souderton (40) – Trevor Watts 6, Antonio Rodriguez 10, Tomas Hanrahan 12, Ramchandani 4, Finkenbeiner 2.
Central Bucks South 67, Pennridge 59 (2 OT)
Central Bucks South overcame a 19-point deficit to force overtime. Ian McCaw made a shot from the paint to force the extra session. Then, with Pennridge leading again in the first OT, CB South’s Nate Robinson stole the ball and scored, forcing a second overtime, which the Titans won 10-2.
It was a big win for CB South, between the comeback, the hostile road atmosphere and the talented team on the other bench.
“They are a solid team. They really are, and well-coached,” said CB South coach Jason Campbell. “Pennridge is also a hard place to play. They got a great student section.”
Early in the third quarter, with Pennridge up by double digits, Campbell called a timeout that turned the game around.
“I was very unhappy with our play in the first half and at the beginning of the third. I called time and got into the team. I think the whole gym heard me,” Campbell said. “From that point on, it was a whole different game.”
McCaw led CB South with 21 points. Tommy Kuypers and Nate Robinson added 19 and 17, respectively.
“McCaw started for Johns and played great. He also played with four fouls from the fourth quarter on. We talk about next man up and Ian is certainly capable of starting. Ian and Jack compete and it’s made them both better,” Campbell said. “Nate and Kuypers came through in the second half. Robinson had all his points in the second half. Kuypers drove to the hoop and finished.”
But it wasn’t just the offensive standouts who stood out for the Titans.
“Cole and Brady Prezelski and Alex Dietz played solid defense and forced Pennridge into tougher shots,” Campbell said. “(Sean) Yoder is very good but as the game went on, we forced him into some harder shots. And our post guys did a good job guarding their post guys.”
Yoder did lead Pennridge and all scorers, with 23 points. Jon Post had 10 and Jake Pestrak chipped in nine.
CB South (4-1, 2-0 SOL) battles Lincoln next Saturday, Dec. 28, at 5:30, in the Holy Ghost Holiday Tournament. Pennridge (4-2, 0-1 SOL) plays Conestoga in the Boyertown Holiday Tournament next Thursday, Dec. 28, at three.
Central Bucks South 5-14-10-21-7-10 67
Pennridge 13-14-13-10-7-2 59
Central Bucks South (67) – Cole Prezelski 4, Nate Robinson 17, Jack Johns 1, Alex Dietz 3, Mark Kannengieszer 2, Tommy Kuypers 19, Ian McCaw 21.
Pennridge (59) – Ryan Warner 5, Sean Yoder 23, Brett Henofer 5, Jake Pestrak 9, Mike Molettiere 4, Jack Gillespie 3, Jon Post 10,
Central Bucks West 67, North Penn 51
Central Bucks West raced to a 26-10 first quarter lead and stayed ahead for the rest of the game, improving to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in SOL Continental play. Shane McCusker (26), Collin MacAdams (21), Jack Mulhearn (12) and Jake Reichwein (8) scored all of CB West’s points.
“Shane McCusker and MacAdams played real well,” said CB West coach Adam Sherman. “Collin did a nice job setting guys up and getting to the rim.”
The Bucks also played good defense.
“The officiating was tight but we adapted well enough with guys in foul trouble. It was hard to play man with the way they were officiating. We played a little zone in the middle of the game, then went back to man,” Sherman said. “The kids are playing well. We just gotta put four quarters together.”
David Robinson (17) and Nathan Hartman (13) combined for 30 points for North Penn. AJ Catanzaro had eight.
CB West (4-1, 2-0 SOL) hosts CB South on January 3 at 6:30. North Penn (2-3, 0-2 SOL) plays Perkiomen Valley on Wednesday night at 6:30.
Central Bucks West 26-17-12-12 67
North Penn 10-17-13-11 51
Central Bucks West (67) – Shane McCusker 26, Collin MacAdams 21, Jack Mulhearn 12, Jake Reichwein 8.
North Penn (51) – AJ Mitchell 1, Joey Llindsay 4, Chris Caputo 5, AJ Catanzaro 8, David Robinson 17, Chris Coleman 4, Nathan Hartman 13.
SOL American
Plymouth Whitemarsh 67, Wissahickon 66
Plymouth Whitemarsh improved to 5-0 after surviving its first close game of the season. The Colonials built a 42-28 halftime lead, but lost the second half 38-25. Still, with the game tied at 66 in the final seconds, Ahmin Williams drove to the basket and got poked in the eye. With Williams on the floor, PW coach Jim Donofrio stayed on the sideline. If he had walked on the court, Williams would have had to leave the game.
“He’s such a tough guy. I said, ‘Can you make two?’ and he said, ‘Yes.’ I knew he could get at least one,” Donofrio said.
Williams made one free throw, putting PW up 67-66. 
Then Wissahickon’s Eddie Fortescue dribbled the length of the floor, into the lane. PW’s Danny Cooper hounded him the whole way, and Fortescue missed around the rim. The buzzer sounded and PW held on.
“It was lined up to be a dangerous game. We’ve been going at each other as neighborhood rivals for years. (Wissahickon) coach Kyle Wilson knows everything we do, so you have to be sharper for this game. We had a good first half, up 14. But we shot poorly from the foul line and opened the door. A good team like Wissahickon is going to take advantage of that,” Donofrio said. “They’ve been together 2-3 years now and they run their sets with a lot of precision. A lot of our guys have to go through the fire of our league, understanding that every game will be different. Teams do a lot of strategies and smart things. It’s also always a tricky game when the winter break starts and they are out of school at 11 am, and the kids are giddy.”
Naheem McLeod led PW with 17 points.
“Naheem was the center point of the game,” Donofrio said. “They grabbed, pushed, shoved, did a good job being physical, and he still came through.”
Ahmin Williams (15), Alan Glover (12) and Ahmad Williams (11) also scored in double figures for the Colonials.
“Ahmin Williams as usual played with a ton of heart. Ahmin and Naheem were the two bright spots,” Donofrio said. “Alan was his usual high energy self. It’s a good game for us to understand how precise we have to be.”
Fortescue (22) and Max Rapoport (20) combined for 42 of Wissahickon’s 66 points. Donovan Oliphant and Anthony Lawrence both had eight.
PW (5-0, 2-0 SOL) plays Archbishop Wood on Saturday at 3:45. Wissahickon (3-1, 1-1 SOL) battles Methacton on Wednesday night at five.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 16-26-12-13 67
Wissahickon 15-13-19-19 66
Plymouth Whitemarsh (67) – Ish Horn, Naheem McLeod 17, Danny Cooper 3, Ahmin Williams 15, Ahmad Williams 11, Alan Glover 12.
Wissahickon (66) – Donovan Oliphont 8, Eddie Fortescue 22, Max Rappoport 20, Lawrence 8, Zach Reiner 2.
Quakertown 52, Upper Dublin 46
Quakertown built a 12-3 first quarter lead and held off Upper Dublin for the rest of the game. The Panthers improved to 2-4 with their first conference win.
All seven Quakertown players who got on the score sheet—Matt Catalano (9), Eli Ortiz (9), Kevin Juszynski (8), Sam Rice (8), Matt Lucas (6), Jon Rey (6) and Grey Mitchell (5)—put up at least five points.
Rey made all six of his free throws in the fourth quarter. Catalano buried three threes.
Brian McCarry led Upper Dublin with 11 points. Corby Watkins and Jason Williams both had eight.
Quakertown (2-4, 1-1 SOL) plays Northampton on Thursday at 12:30. Upper Dublin (0-6, 0-2 SOL) plays West Chester Henderson on Wednesday at 5:30.
Quakertown 12-13-10-17 52
Upper Dublin 3-15-12-16 46
Quakertown (52) – Jon Rey 6, Eli Ortiz 9, Sam Rice 8, Kevin Juszynski 8, Grey Mitchell 5, Matt Lucas 6, Matt Catalano 9.
Upper Dublin (46) – Jason Williams 8, Nygee Scott 5, Corby Watkins 8, Cory Stover 4, Brian McCarry 11, Michael Ryan 3, Bazel Brady 7.
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