Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ basketball teams in action Saturday. CB South/William Tennent photos provided courtesy of Jon Sklut. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 49, WILLIAM TENNENT 42
Michael Farley scored 14 of his game high 20 points in the second half, and the Titans connected on 19-of-23 from foul line after the intermission. That proved to be the difference in a game that saw the Panthers – who opened up a 13-8 lead out of the gate – take an 18-17 lead into halftime.
“It was what you were expecting – two teams that play strong defense and not being able to practice or play games the past couple of days because of the weather,” South coach Jason Campbell said. “(The first half) went how I thought it would – there would be shots we would miss as long as we were taking the great shots. I thought we did for the most part.
“We won the second quarter 9-5 and we chipped away at it to make it 18-17 at the half. At halftime, I said to the guys, ‘You played great defense, you held them to 18. Keep doing what we’ve been doing the last handful of games and playing great D. The offense will come around, so keep believing in yourselves. Just keep taking good shots and be more disciplined on the shots that you’re taking that they’re mid-range jumpers, post-ups inside, get to the rim and try and draw fouls,’ and we did that.”
The Titans won the third quarter 12-7 to go on top 29-25. Bryan Delara buried a 3, and Farley had a two-point bucket, but most of the Titans’ points came at the foul line where they connected on 7-of-8.”
South put 20 points on the board in the fourth quarter. The Titans – led by Farley’s nine points in the frame – were 12-of-15 from the charity stripe in the final quarter. Nate Macalindong and Jay Macalindong were both 4-for-4 from the line in the final quarter.
“We were getting better as the game went on with our scoring,” Campbell said. “We were great from the foul line – both teams shot pretty well from the foul line.
“I thought our free throw shooting certainly helped. We put a lot of points on the board because of offensive boards or going to the basket and getting fouled.
“At the end, we got some clutch free throw shooting down the stretch. One of them was Nate Macalindong. He did a good job as we subbed him in and out, knowing if we got the ball in his hands he would knock them down, and he did his role perfectly.”
Farley, who was 6-for-9 from the line in the second half, scored nine points in the fourth quarter when the Titans iced the win. In addition to scoring 20 points, he also had six rebounds and two blocked shots.
“He plays both ends of the floor, and I think that helps him with his offensive game because he’s active on defense,” Campbell said of Farley. “He does a great job rebounding the ball and altering and blocking shots.
“He had a big task on his hands with number 25 (Derrik Cosenza), and I think that certainly helps when you’re playing against someone really good and your offensive game – you’re looking for it. Mike did a lot of his scoring inside. Everything was in and around the lane. He was real effective, and he did a really good job of getting to the lane and getting fouled. On post-ups, he had a couple of good hook shots. He did really well inside. It wasn’t just posting up, it was driving to the rim.”
Also for the Titans, Tyler Meinel had eight points, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Jay Macalindong added six points on a perfect 6-for-6 effort at the foul line. Owen Petrich had four rebounds.
For the Panthers, Cosenza’s 17 points led the way. Jay Stanfield added 11 points and Mike Scheller had seven.
Central Bucks South (7-4, 5-3 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks West on Tuesday. The Titans moved from 18th to 12th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings. William Tennent (9-5, 7-3) – ranked 22nd – will be on the road at Neshaminy for a non-league game on Tuesday.
Central Bucks South 8-9-12-20 49
William Tennent 13-5-7-17 42
Central Bucks South (49) – Evan D’Orazio 1 2-2 5; Nate Macalindong 0 4-4 4; Jay Macalindong 0 6-6 6; Owen Petrich 1 0-0 2; Bryan Delara 1 1-2 4; Tyler Meinel 3 2-2 8; Michael Farley 7 6-9 20; TOTALS 13 21-25 49.
William Tennent (42) – Dom Supizio 1 0-0 3; Jay Stanfield 2 6-8 11; Mike Scheller 3 1-2 7; Derrik Cosenza 6 5-7 17; Ryan Emmerich 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 14 12-17 42.
3-point goals: CBS – Bryan Delara, Evan D’Orazio, WT – Jay Stanfield, Dom Sulpizio.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 65, BENSALEM 58
It had been 14 days between games for the Patriots – the result of a 10-day shutdown for COVID protocol and then losing Friday night’s game against Souderton to weather conditions.
They marked their return to action Saturday by winning a non-league thriller.
“We really didn’t know what to expect,” East coach Erik Henrysen said. “So just getting back out there and competing was something we were looking forward to.
“I’d love to tell you that we played a great game, but we had 17 turnovers and missed 12 free throws. The rust was definitely there, so it was just doing enough and battling through.”
After leading until late in the fourth quarter, the Patriots needed a Joe Jackman 3-pointer from NBA range at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
“We were down three with 10 seconds to go,” Henrysen said. “We had a timeout. We were going to run Jackman off a couple of screens, but we picked the ball up right about midcourt. Jackman came and got it and hit a wing three at the buzzer.”
In overtime, it was pretty much the Jackman and Jacob Cummiskey show as the duo combined for 12 of East’s 14 points.
Jackman finished with a team high 24 points and also had seven rebounds and three assists in a stellar outing. Cummiskey added 15 points and four rebounds. Brendan Harte and Jack Hamilton both had nine points. Hamilton was a beast on the boards, pulling down 11 rebounds to go along with four assists and three blocks.
“Hamilton was great on the glass, and Cummiskey and Jackman were great in overtime, making free throws and making difficult drives,” Henrysen said. “It was definitely a team effort all around. Having been off for so long, it was just nice to be back out there.
“We got three practices in and then we had two days off (because of snow). We had our fingers crossed that we were ready to go. We know we did enough to lose, but we also did enough to win. Bensalem was just a really, really tough team. They play tough defense, they’re constantly trying to get you on your heels when they’re driving the ball to the basket. They were really tough. As much as we felt like at times we were going to build a little bit of a lead, they came storming back. A credit to their coach.”
For the Owls, who were without Aaron Sanders, James Ashford had another big game, scoring a game high 27 points. Jack Wineburg added eight points while Jeremy Rodriguez and Allen Myers both had six points.
Central Bucks East (8-1, 5-1 SOL) – second in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will host North Penn on Tuesday, and Bensalem (7-8, 6-3) will be on the road at Wissahickon for a non-league game on Wednesday.
Central Bucks East 14-11-9-17-14 65
Bensalem 12-10-10-19-7 58
Central Bucks East (65) – Jacob Cummiskey 3 8-11 15; Jason Markowitz 1 0-2 3; Brendan Harte 3 2-4 9; Brett Young 1 1-1 3; Aidan Weaver 1 0-0 2; Joe Jackman 6 9-9 24; Jack Hamilton 3 3-6 9; TOTALS 18 23-33 65
Bensalem (58) – Eric Gonzalez 2 0-0 5; Jeremy Rodriguez 3 0-0 6; James Ashford 10 5-7 26; Jake Delange 1 0-0 2; Allen Myers 3 0-0 6; Nikita Schafer 1 0-0 2; Luke Zeidler 0 3-4 3; Jack Wineburg 2 4-4 8; TOTALS 22 12-15 58.
3-point goals: CBE – Joe Jackman 3, Jacob Cummiskey, Jason Markowitz, Brendon Harte, Bensalem – James Ashford, Eric Gonzalez.
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 46, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 37
The Lions threw some serious defense at the Indians in Saturday’s non-league game, holding them to single digits in three of four quarters.
“Our matchup zone really worked,” NHS coach Derek Brooks said. “They have a couple of kids who are pretty good getting in the lane, and our zone did a good job of deterring that.
“We forced them to take a few more outside shots than they normally would like. They’d probably like to get to the rim a little bit more than they did. In the first few minutes of the game, they started off with a 4-0 run, and then once we settled down we were much better.”
The Lions took a 16-14 lead into halftime and then nearly doubled their output in the second half, outscoring the Indians 30-23.
“For whatever reason this season, the first quarter and second quarter – we really struggle,” Brooks said. “Our points per possession go up each quarter. For whatever reason, we’re like a slow cooker. We take a while to get going.
“In the second half, we just had more energy – we were stronger to the ball, we were making quicker reads. They changed up their defense in the second half. From halfway through the third to the end of the game, they were doubling our point guard, trying to get the ball out of his hands and make our other guys make plays, and our other guys did a phenomenal job handling it. They made the right read, the right pass.”
The Lions led by just a 31-28 score heading into the final quarter but closed it out with a 15-9 frame. After scoring just two points in the opening half, Bryan Dougherty had a monster second half for the Lions, scoring 13 points after the intermission. Included in those 13 points was a perfect 5-for-5 effort at the foul line. Dougherty finished with 15 points.
“Bryan Dougherty was phenomenal,” Brooks said. “He hit a couple of mid-range jumpers, he had a great drive from the top of the key, and he had an and-one. I don’t know if he missed in the second half.
“He always brings it defensively and rebounding, so you never have to worry about him on that end. He doesn’t force things, he makes the right read, the right play. He was huge for us.”
Alex Walinski also made some big shots, scoring 10 points in the second half, which included a pair of 3s. Walinski led the Lions with 17 points, and Chris Kolen added eight, which included a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line.
“Chris Kolen has been struggling from the field the last few games, but he was 3-for-3 with two 3s, and we really needed that, so it was good to see him get back on track,” Brooks said.
New Hope-Solebury (4-10, 2-8 SOL) – second in the District 1 4A rankings – will host Quakertown in a non-league game Tuesday, and Council Rock North (6-5, 5-3) will travel to Hatboro-Horsham for a non-league game on Monday.
New Hope-Solebury 9-7-15-15 46
Council Rock North 8-6-14-9 37
New Hope-Solebury (46) – Charles Albano 1 0-0 2; Bryan Dougherty 5 5-5 15; Chris Kolen 3 0-0 8; Alex Walinski 6 2-2 17; Phil Weinseimer 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 17 7-7 46.
Council Rock North (37) – Garrett Gromlich 1 0-0 3; Bernie Parent 1 2-2 4; Mikey Sylvester 2 4-4 8; Adam Mahtat 6 1-2 13; Logan Saifer 1 0-0 2; Connor rushing 3 0-0 7; TOTALS 14 7-8 37.
3-point goals: NHS – Alex Walinski 3, Chris Kolen 2, CRN – Connor Rushing, Garrett Gromlich.
PENNRIDGE 69, NESHAMINY 46
Luke Yoder turned in a brilliant 29-point effort, leading the Rams to an impressive non-league win over the SOL Patriot Division champion Redskins.
“Neshaminy won their division, deservedly so,” Pennridge coach Dean Behrens said. “I think we caught them – it’s a long ride up to Perkasie, Saturday afternoon, and we shot really well. I don’t have the percentages, but we shot extremely well.”
The Rams led 17-14 after one quarter and then took command with a 20-9 second quarter.
“It was a great test for us because they do have good size,” Behrens said. “They’re long in the interior with (Mike) Murray and (Jimmy) MacDonald.
“Their guard play is tough. I thought their point guard, (Matt) Drapkin, was really causing us trouble, but I think they got out of sorts. Luke Yoder just got extremely hot. He shot the ball well going to the basket, his pull-up jumper. I think he hit two 3s in a row.”
Hot might be an understatement. Yoder scored eight points in the first quarter and nine in the second to go into halftime with 17 points, and the Rams led 37-23. They outscored their visitors 32-23 in the second half.
“We scored 37 points in the first half, and that’s like a game for us sometimes,” Behrens said. “Sometimes it’s one of those things where the team shot extremely well all four quarters which is rare.
“We struggle sometimes offensively, and their shots weren’t falling. We also got to the foul line 23 times and we were 19-of-23 which is really good for us.”
In addition to Yoder, Matt Campione and Colin Monahan both added 11 points. Colin Post had six points. Campione buried three 3s and Yoder had a pair.
One of the game’s highlights, according to Behrens, was Aiden McCloskey connecting on a pair of foul shots.
“We were really excited that Aiden McCloskey got his first varsity points as a senior,” the Rams’ coach said. “We were fired up about that. That was big – he hit two foul shots.
“It’s been a tough year for him. He was shut down for a little bit due to an illness – not COVID. He’s been with us all four years, so we felt really good about that. He was excited, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Jimmy MacDonald’s 14 points led the Redskins while Drapkin added 11. Mike Murray had seven points and Sean Curley had six on a pair of 3s.
“They hurt us inside early,” Behrens said. “The Murray kid had seven points in the first quarter. We couldn’t stop him. I thought we did a little better job in the second half on him.
“I’ve seen lots of film of them. They can shoot the ball, but they didn’t shoot well tonight, and that happens. It doesn’t mean they’re not a good team. I just think we caught them when they didn’t shoot real well and we shot probably as well as we did all season.”
Pennridge (9-5, 6-4 SOL) – 11th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will host Pennsbury Tuesday in a non-league game, and Neshaminy (10-2, 8-0) – fourth in the power rankings – will be on the road at Souderton for a non-league contest Monday at 5 p.m.
Pennridge
Neshaminy 14-9-15-8 46
Pennridge 17-20-15-17 69
Neshaminy (46) – Jimmy MacDonald 5 4-4 14; Jake McGinty 2 1-1 5; Matt Drapkin 5 0-1 11; Mike Murray 3 1-1 7; Tom Mullin 0 3-8 3; Sean Curley 2 0-0 6; TOTALS 17 9-15 46.
Pennridge (69) – Justin Nichols 0 2-3 2; Luke Yoder 10 7-8 29; Colin Post 2 1-2 6; Matt Campione 3 2-2 11; TJ Grenda 2 1-2 5; Colin Monahan 3 4-4 11; Aiden McCloskey 0 2-2 2; Jake Buesing 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 21 19-23 69.
3-point goals: Neshaminy – Matt Drapkin, Sean Curley 2, Pennridge – Luke Yoder 2, Colin Post, Matt Campione 3, Colin Monahan, Jake Buesing.
IMHOTEP 67, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 45
Imhotep – undefeated on the season – trailed the Colonials by one at the end of the first quarter. Then came a second quarter the Panthers owned, outscoring the Colonials 24-8 to go into halftime with a 35-20 lead. The Colonials outscored their visitors 19-16 in the third quarter, but Imhotep closed it out with a 16-6 fourth quarter tear to earn the non-league win.
Zende Hubbard’s 12 points – 10 in the Colonials’ 19-point third quarter – led PW. Qudire Bennett added 11, and Luke DiCianno had nine. Zuri Jerman finished with seven points.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (13-2, 9-1 SOL) will travel to Central Dauphin for a non-league game Wednesday.
Imhotep 11-24-16-16 67
Plymouth Whitemarsh 12-8-19-6 45
Imhotep (67) – Naji Reid 5 8-8 21; Rahmir Barno 7 7-8 24; Justin Edwards 3 4-4 11; Mo Abdullah 2 2-2 7; Jeremiah White 1 0-0 2; Amaury Hunter 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 21-22 67.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (45) – Zende Hubbard 5 2-2 12; Jake West 1 0-0 2; Taji Hubbard 1 0-0 2; Luke DiCianno 4 0-0 9; Qudire Bennett 3 3-3 11; Jalen Harris 1 0-0 2; Zuri Jerman 3 1-3 7; TOTALS 18 6-9 45.
3-point goals: Imhotep – Naji Reid 3, Rhmir Barno 3, Justin Edwards, Mo Abdullah, PW – Qudire Bennett 2, Luke DiCianno.
HOLY GHOST PREP 52, SOUDERTON 33
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