Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ basketball teams in action Friday. Upper Dublin/Faith Christian photos provided courtesy of Geanine Jamison. CLICK HERE for a gallery of photos.
SOL Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 64, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 48
Jack Mulhearn made his final home game a memorable one, erupting for 27 points to lead the Bucks to their fourth straight win to close out the regular season. He completed his double-double with 12 rebounds and also had three steals. The senior guard had a pair of three-pointers and was 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
“He got into the open court in the second half, got a couple of transition buckets that opened things up for him,” coach Adam Sherman said. “I thought he did a really good job defensively against Dietz.
“Mika (Munari) had that matchup but got in early foul trouble, so we switched Jack Mulhearn over to him. I thought Jack Mulhearn did a really good job defensively on Dietz. In our stats, we had him for (12) rebounds, and I thought that was big as well. For a 5-10 guard to get a double-double, that’s pretty impressive.”
The Bucks found themselves on the short end of a 26-23 score at halftime. They erased that deficit with a 14-10 third quarter and blew the game wide open with a 27-point fourth quarter.
“I thought we were playing too fast offensively, and we had too many turnovers,” Sherman said of the first half. “Defensively our guys were carrying plays from the offensive end, playing for steals instead of stops. We were not playing smart defense. We made a couple of adjustments, and I thought that put us in a much better spot.”
Also for the Bucks, Jack Neri had 19 points, which included a 10-for-12 effort at the foul line. Reed Zerweck had four rebounds and four points. Connor Briece added seven points.
“I thought John Murnen gave us good minutes,” Sherman said. “I thought all our seniors – Connor Briece, John Murnen and Nathan Ocampo – gave us quality minutes.”
It wasn’t all that long ago that the Bucks (11-11, 6-6 SOL) were on the outside looking in at the playoff field of 24, but they are now 21st in the latest District One 6A power rankings.
“You want to be playing your best basketball in Feburary, and we’ve at least played well enough to win, so we’ll take that,” Sherman said. “It’s good group of kids – they believe in each other, they believe in the system.
“I think the chemistry and the character of the group – some teams at 7-11 are going to start pointing fingers and are going to start playing for themselves. This group really buys into being a team and playing for each other. I think that’s what got us through it.”
Alex Dietz’s 16 points led the Titans, who also received 10-point efforts from Tommy Kuypers and Ian McCaw.
Central Bucks South (16-6, 8-4) is 11th in the latest power rankings.
Central Bucks West 7-16-14-27 64
Central Bucks South 15-11-10-12 48
Central Bucks West (64) – Connor Briece 7, Jack Mulhearn 27, Mmika Munari 2, Jack Neri 19, Reed Zerweck 4, John Murnen 5.
Central Bucks South (48) – Cole Prezelski 3, Brady Prezelski 5, Brian Shields 3, Alex Dietz 16, Mark Kannengieszer 1, Tommy Kuypers 10, Ian McCaw 10.
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 66, BENSALEM 46
Propelled by Leo Masterson’s dazzling 31-point effort – a career and season high – the Patriots ended the regular season on a high note with a decisive win in a non-league battle of playoff-bound teams. Masterson’s 31-point performance included three three-pointers.
“He was great tonight at both ends of the court, not just at the offensive end,” coach Erik Henrysen said. “We got off to a good start and were able to draw Bensalem out defensively, and he was able to get to that second level of the defense and get in the lane. He was really effective.
“He did a little bit of everything – he has a very good pull-up, he was able to get all the way to the basket, and then we had guys find him as well. Ben Markowitz had six assists, and it seemed like just about all to Leo. It was just a good overall game.”
The win came on the heels of the Patriots’ 89-60 loss to Pennridge.
“We were really disappointed with the way that we played against Pennridge, so I think it was important – on the one hand – to respond to a game that we don’t feel we played our best basketball and also to take that momentum into the first round of districts.”
The Patriots, who led 18-9 after one quarter, took a 31-21 lead into halftime and put the game out of reach with a 19-10 third quarter.
Nick Roggio came close to a double-double with 16 points and eight rebounds. Markowitz also had five rebounds. Masterson and Anthony Giordano both had three steals.
“Anthony Giordano was great on the defensive end,” Henrysen said. “He doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, but he really sparked us in the third quarter when Bensalem was trying to make a run at us. He just made defensive play after defensive play. He really impacted the game without the ball.”
Lamont Hasker led the Owls with 20 points. Shane Simmons also finished the game in double figures with 10 points. Nasir Williams had eight points and Jeremiah Alexander had six.
Central Bucks East (15-7, 6-6 SOL) is 12th in the most recent District One 6A power rankings while Bensalem (13-9, 8-4) is 23rd.
Central Bucks East 18-13-19-16 66
Bensalem 9-12-10-15 46
Central Bucks East (66) – Nick Roggio 16, Leo Masterson 31, Jack Hamilton 3, Ben Markowitz 1, Joe Jackman 13, Anthony Giordano 2.
Bensalem (46) – Lamont Hasker 20, Nasir Williams 8, Jeremiah Alexander 6, Reuben Jean-Phillips 2, Shane Simmons 10.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 51, CHURCH FARM SCHOOL 39
Jack Rebholz scored 28 points in a stellar offensive outing to lead the Golden Hawks to their third straight win, and as final weeks of the season go, it was a good one for the Hawks.
“This was an amazing week – the kids played so hard,” assistant coach Skip Mason said. “We could have quit three weeks ago and they didn’t. They played hard, and it’s all because of our four seniors – Derek White, Brian Swartz, Connor Lewis and David Loving – and how they led us to the end.
“We had three games this week, three games last week – it felt like we were playing in the NBA. We could have quit, and we didn’t.”
Mason filled in for coach Chris Clark in Friday’s season finale since Clark’s mother was having surgery the following day.
“We dedicated the game to her, and unlike the old movies – we actually went out and won the game for her,” Mason said.
The two teams were deadlocked 19-19 at the intermission. Sparked by 10 points from Rebholz, the Golden Hawks outscored Church Farm 14-11 in the third quarter and then sealed the win with an 18-10 fourth quarter. Rebholz once again led the charge, scoring 12 points, which included a perfect 6-for-6 effort at the foul line.
Michael Stewart also finished the game in double figures with 11 points.
“Connor Lewis came up with some big rebounds that we needed,” Mason said. “They had a kid that was 6-8 and was probably 250 or 260. Connor came in, boxed him out, got some key rebounds and took the ball to the basket.
“Brian Swartz has been a quiet leader ever since Shawn Blank got hurt. He tore his ACL and has been out ever since. He came last night to Senior Night, and it was really good to see him.”
Council Rock South closed out it season with a 9-13 record overall (7-5 SOL).
“When we were in the locker room after the game, I thanked the seniors,” Mason said. “I told them, ‘Without your leadership, we wouldn’t be where we are, but for the (underclassmen), the work starts now.’ We have a terrific nucleus. We’re young, we’re going to come back.
“I said, ‘Guys, when we win the state championship, it’s because of these people in the room that started us. Someone has to start us, and you guys did.’ Every team wants to win a state championship, and that’s our goal. We have to start somewhere, and we started today.”
Council Rock South 9-10-14-18 51
Church Farm School 8-11-11-10 39
Council Rock South (51) – Jack Rebholz 28, Jack Seigafuse 3, Luke Meakim 4, Michael Stewart 11, Kevin McNamee 1, Connor Lewis 4.
Church Farm School (39) – Najeh-Faris Mahama 2, Maximillan Scott 3, James McEvoy 12, Joel Toledo 2, Elijah Johnson 1, Demetrius Lilley 15.
UPPER DUBLIN 49, FAITH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 45
Drew Stover had himself a day, scoring a game high 26 points to lead the Flying Cardinals to the non-league win in their regular season finale.
“We did a good job finding him, he did a good job finding spots and finishing,” coach Chris Monahan said.
It was Stover setting the tone with eight points in the first quarter. He added nine more in the second. His 17 first-half points led the Flying Cardinals to a 23-16 lead. Faith Christian outscored the Cardinals 19-16 in the second half but could not dig itself out of its first-half hole.
Corby Watkins and Brian Klammer each added six points for the Cardinals. Faith Christian was led by Josh Forker’s 22-point effort.
The win was the 14th of the season for a Cardinal squad that won just six games last year. Ask Monahan the key to the turnaround, and the second year coach says he doesn’t think in those terms.
“Last year we had a group of kids, and we tried to coach them as best as we could to win as many games as possible and to play the game as well as possible,” Monahan said. “This year, yes, the wins have been better, but I don’t think we did anything different.
“We lost a lot of scoring from last year, but we had guys that played last year. We don’t go into the season projecting wins, but we want to play a certain way. I think we’ve done a good job playing the game we want to play more often than not, and that’s resulted in more wins.”
Upper Dublin (14-8, 7-7 SOL) is 16th in the latest District One 6A power rankings. If the Cardinals hold onto that spot, they will host an opening round game.
“We’re very excited,” Monahan said. “We’ll see how the rankings shake out, who we’re playing. This is a fun time of the year.”
Faith Christian 10-6-12-17 45
Upper Dublin 12-9-15-11 49
Faith Christian (45) – Isaiah Robinson 4, Jon Camiola 7, Josh Forker 22, E.Jones 5, Luke Perreault 2, Jon Lee 2, C. Evans 3.
Upper Dublin (49) – Drew Stover 26, Corby Watkins 6, Bazel Brady 4, Jason Williams 6, Brian Klammer 3, Mike Slivka 2, Micah Bootman 2.
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