To view game action photos, visit the photo gallery and click on the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
By Brian Weaver
On an afternoon when snow pushed back the start of many area basketball games, it was a rain of three pointers that propelled Pennridge into sole possession of first place in the Suburban One League Continental Conference.Tim Abruzzo scored 26 points – including a staggering seven baskets from beyond the arc – and fellow senior Mike Guldin finished with 19 to lead the Rams (11-1 overall, 5-0 SOL Contintental) to yet another big win, a 71-59 shootout over rival and previously unbeaten Souderton (7-4, 4-1).
In what Pennridge coach Dean Beherens called a “tennis match”, the two teams traded outside blows back and forth, combining for 16 3-pointers.
But while both sides lit up the perimeter, it was the Rams that found their mark most often, breaking up nearly every Souderton spark with a stifling long-range dagger.
Abruzzo led the way from the start, tallying 13 of his team’s 22 points in the opening period. By the end of the half, Pennridge had steadily kept Souderton at a distance and headed to the locker room with a 40-32 lead.
Souderton head coach Dennis Stanton knew, though, that without stopping the sizzling Abruzzo and his lightning-quick release, the Indians would struggle to close the gap.
“We were trying to [cover him] by committee,” Stanton said, pointing out that in general, they had some success. “Unfortunately, when you get into a shootout with a team like that, it’s tough.”
After the impressive Pennridge first half, though, the switching-off plan seemed to be working. Souderton neutralized Abruzzo for the first time, and Pennridge seemed to have lost some of its explosiveness.
The Indians’ offense, meanwhile, finally looked ready to close the gap in the third quarter. They moved the ball through Ryan Connelly, who dropped six points in the period including a strong offensive rebound and putback that had the Souderton faithful thinking their recent winning ways might continue.
“We knew two things coming in,” Behrens said. “First, we had to stop (Luke) Moyer because the ball’s in his hands a lot. And second, their offense runs through Connolly. He’s a big matchup problem because he can pop outside.”
Connolly would finish with 14. Moyer bagged 10 of his own, but he only managed one field goal in the second half.
As the third quarter closed, junior Dan Falenki sandwiched a Pennridge basket with a pair of his four 3-pointers to close out the period on a strong note for the Indians. Trailing 50-45, the visitors looked primed to make the final quarter a dramatic one.“He hit some big shots,” Behrens admitted afterwards of Falenki. “I thought they would crawl back into the game there.”
But then, there was Abruzzo again.
As the fourth quarter started, the sniper instantly pushed the lead back to eight with a trey from the top of the key. Momentum stopped.
A minute later the Rams led 61-50, and Souderton didn’t get within seven the rest of the way. Although Souderton had kept the pressure on, Abruzzo and his teammates knew that they were ready for this kind of game, one requiring them to square up and fire in a heartbeat.
“In practice this week, we split up the guards and big men, just running through drills,” he said. “We were allowed to grab, pull jerseys, anything, and we had to get free. It was a big help tonight.”
Abruzzo finished the game strong, adding seven more points in the final quarter.
“When he feels it, you’ve got to give it to him,” Behrens said, grinning about Abruzzo. “But I felt like he might be jacking them up a little at the end of the first half. I told him to take his shots in the context of the offense.”
The advice worked. In the second half, the 6-2 shooter simply moved the ball, content to play his role.
“Any way we can get points on the board, I’ll take it,” he shrugged. “Usually I see the best defender on the other team, and if that means we can get the rest of the game four-on-four, I can get my team open for that.”Guldin took the cue. The guard scored nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, and Jared Schaffer contributed as well, pumping in 10 and helping the Rams to ensure that their magic run continued.
Pennridge continues to push their best-ever start to new levels, but it hasn’t fooled them into thinking that any game will be easy.
“This was our biggest game yet,” Behrens said following the game. Then he stopped, smiling.
“I guess we say that a lot.”
On the opposing bench, Stanton knew how important the game was, and afterwards acknowledged the fact that his players still have another trip through the league.“There are a lot of games left to be played, and overall our offense wasn’t bad tonight. We only had nine turnovers, and our goal this year is to keep it under 10 a game.”
Souderton gets no break from the intensity as they host North Penn on Friday in another top-flight showdown of Continental contenders.
Pennridge, meanwhile, travels to Central Bucks West on Friday for another ‘biggest’ game. Behrens knows that his squad is in the driver’s seat.
“We control everything that can happen,” the Rams’ coach said. “We’re the only team in first place. Pennridge has never said that before.”
PENNRIDGE 71, SOUDERTON 59
Souderton (59) – Kanas 0 2-2 2; Moyer 6 0-0 13; Sergio 1 2-2 5; Connolly 5 4-4 14; Wonderling 4 1-2 9; Yozallinas 2 0-0 4; Falenki 4 0-0 12. TOTALS 22 9-10 59.
Pennridge (71) – Guldin 7 4-4 19; Abruzzo 9 1-2 26; DeCew 1 0-0 2; Ferrier 2 0-00 4; Peters 1 2-3 4; Lyons 3 0-0 6; Schaffer 4 0-0 10; McIntyre 0 0-2 0. TOTALS 27 7-11 71.
Pennridge 22 18 10 21-74
Souderton 16 16 13 14-59
Three-point goals: Souderton – Falenki 4, Sergio, Moyer. Pennridge – Abruzzo 7, Shaffer 2, Guldin.
- Log in to post comments
0
