North Penn boys and Bensalem girls were winners in SOL basketball action Monday.
Boys
Non-league
NORTH PENN 68, WISSAHICKON 50
Josh Jones and Billy Coley were all but unstoppable, combining for 44 points. Jones led all players with 26 points and Coley had 18, and while coach John Conrad was pleased with his team’s explosive offensive performance, it wasn’t the first thing the Knights’ coach mentioned after the game.
“I thought we really defended well today,” Conrad said. “Josh Jones was really good on the offensive end. Billy Coley hit some open shots when he had them. I just thought we were unselfish on the offensive end, but we really defended well today.”
Joe Larkins, according to Conrad, was the catalyst for the Knights’ standout defensive effort, limiting Trojan sharpshooter Matt Compas to just 14 points – six in the opening half.
“Joey Larkins covered Compas, and I thought he did a great job making him work for everything he got,” Conrad said. “Joey did a really nice job, but then the guys around him – everybody had an eye on him, and I thought our kids did a really good job of being in help and good positions.”
Behind 12 points from Jones and nine from Coley, the Knights opened up a 37-23 halftime lead. The Trojans trimmed four points off that advantage in the third quarter, but the Knights outscored the Trojans 14-6 fourth quarter to close out a game that saw them get it done at both ends of the court.
“It all goes hand in hand – it’s kind of an attitude, and if you have it on the defensive end, there’s carryover to the offensive end,” Conrad said. “Whether it be loose balls, whether it be offensive rebounds or even just setting screens and coming off screens, I think it’s a mentality that goes from one end to the next. If you don’t have it on the defensive end, there’s probably not much carryover.”
Also for the Knights, Ryan Zeltt and Larkins both contributed seven points while Mario Sgro added six.
“The Trojans ran into a buzzsaw at North Penn,” Wissahickon coach Kyle Wilson said. “Offensively the Trojans shot well and put the ball in the basket, but defensively, we could not slow down Billy Coley and Josh Jones.”
For the Trojans, Earl Stout added nine points while Stefan Lowry and Josh Twersky both had eight.
North Penn (9-4, 6-3 SOL) will host Pennsbury in a non-league game on Wednesday, and Wissahickon (10-7, 6-4) will host Bensalem in a non-league contest Thursday.
Wissahickon 12-11-21-6 50
North Penn 20-17-17-14 68
Wissahickon (50) – Matt Compas 6 2-3 14; Josh Twersky 4 0-0 8; Jackson Intrieri 2 0-0 5; Stefan Lowry 3 2-2 8; Morgan Wilson 1 0-0 2; Earl Stout 4 0-0 9; Will Kunzier 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 22 4-5 50
North Penn (68) – Mario Sgro 2 2-3 6, Joe Larkins 3 0-0 7; Billy Coley 7 0-0 18; Milind Pulugura 1 0-0 2; Josh Jones 6 13-15 26; Ryan Zeltt 3 1-3 7; Terhan Wright 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 23 16-21 68
3-point goals: Wissahickon – Jackson Intrieri, Earl Stout, NP – Billy Coley 4, Joe Larkins, Josh Jones.
Girls
BENSALEM 70, HARRY S TRUMAN 49
Sparked by the 21-point effort of junior captain Delaney Bell, the Owls won their second game in as many outings, upending a Tiger squad that defeated the Owls in an early season meeting. The Tigers are coming off a COVID shutdown and had just six available players.
“Two in a row – it feels like it’s been forever, but I’ll take it,” Bensalem coach Steve Johnson said. “In their defense, this time they only had six girls, so they were definitely depleted, and we pressed them. They were sucking wind at some points, and rightfully so – playing with masks and only six people is definitely not a thing you would want.”
The visiting Owls opened up a 39-19 halftime lead and never looked back. Johnson was most pleased with the squad’s chemistry.
“I really think we’re just buying into each other – every girl has their role, and they’re okay with it,” the Owls’ coach said. “I’m super excited about Sam (Daut) – she played great defensively today.
“Maddie McDougall came into the game, and she had some great steals on the press, great assists. She played a great game as well.”
For Bell, it was her second 20-plus scoring effort in as many games.
“She’s someone we were excited about this year because she played a lot of varsity last year,” Johnson said. “She’s stepped into that leadership role well. At times earlier in the year, she struggled to shoot the ball at times, but her confidence is just through the roof right now, which is exactly what we need.
“Instead of just being our leading scorer, she’s also one of our captains, and she’s like the glue that holds all the girls together.”
Mackenzie Kramer and Amber Howard also turned in big offensive performances for the Owls, finishing with 15 and 13 points respectively. Peyton Miller and Taylor Hood both added six.
For the Tigers, who were without Haniyyah Jones, Secret McCleve led the way with 17 points, Mayah Alford had 15, and Hannah Smith also finished in double figures with 10. Gianna Johnson chipped in with six points.
Bensalem (3-10, 2-8 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South for a non-league game Tuesday, and Harry S Truman (1-6, 1-5) will be on the road at Council Rock North on Thursday.
Bensalem 17-22-22-9 70
Harry S Truman 5-14-16-14 49
Bensalem (70) – Taylor Hood 6, Sam Daut 4, Delaney Bell 21, Mackenzie Kramer 15, Peyton Miller 6, Amber Howard 13, Gianna Paglaiccetti 5
Harry S Truman (49) – Mayah Alford 15, Hannah Smith 10, Gianna Johnson 6, Saniya Blount 2, Secret McCleve 13.
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