By Scott Huff
Plymouth Whitemarsh is the defending PIAA Quad-A basketball champion, and head coach Jim Donofrio had some important phone calls to make in the off-season.“Being state champions, we had a lot of invitations to play in some pretty impressive tournaments this year,” said Donofrio. “But I also felt we needed to go out and get some quality games to fill the schedule.
“It took the longest time to get this schedule together,” added Donofrio. “I felt that we owed it to Jaylen (Bond) and Sam (Pygatt), and the rest of the team for that matter, to play a challenging schedule.”
That challenging schedule will present itself again this weekend when the Colonials will travel to Atlantic City, New Jersey to play in the prestigious Battle By The Bay held at Atlantic City High School.
Plymouth Whitemarsh will open on Friday with Quality Education Academy from North Carolina. MaXpreps.com currently ranks the nationally-known prep school third in the state.
The Colonials return on Sunday to face powerful St. Benedict’s Prep from Newark, New Jersey. MaXpreps.com has that nationally-known prep school ranked eighth in the state.
“Our players know what it is like to play in front of big crowds,” said Donofrio. “And they know what it is like to play in front of college coaches.
“When you play the very best teams, you quickly find out what your bad habits are,” continued Donofrio. “We have a good idea of what we have to do to fine tune our game.”
The weekend challenge in AC is by no means the only superior teams that the Colonials have faced this season.
Plymouth Whitemarsh has played Neshaminy, Long Island Lutheran (New York), Neumann-Goretti, Friends’ Central, and Sanford (Delaware) already this season.
The Colonials lost a heart breaker to Friends’ Central (49-48), but turned around and broke the hearts of Sanford (53-52) a week later.
MaXpreps.com ranked Friends’ Central second in Pennsylvania, while Sanford was ranked first in the state of Delaware.
“Beating Sanford was a big win for our players,” said Donofrio. “It was their first loss of the season, and they had beaten some very good teams this year – like Chester.
“Jaylen played his best game of the season,” added Donofrio as the 6-foot, 7-inch Pittsburgh recruit scored 26 points. “And Sam missed the game with a bad ankle, and we had players step up and play well.
“Sometimes I wonder if we took too many of these (marquee) games,” continued Donofrio. “But Chester did it for years – and we were in the position to do it this year. It’s nice to know that our program is at that level.
It’s only a game.
Pennridge head coach Dean Behrens and Central Bucks East head coach Erik Henrysen usually spend part of their day chatting about basketball.
The two head coaches are guidance counselors at Pennridge High School, and their offices are right across the hall from one another.
But basketball wasn’t on their mind last Friday – even though the Rams were hosting the Patriots in a game that would decide first place in the Suburban One League Continental Conference.
A tragic suicide of a Pennridge student on Thursday night was on their minds – very much on their minds.
“It really puts a basketball game in perspective,” said Henrysen after his Patriots dropped a 71-68 double overtime loss to Pennridge. “We definitely had better days at Pennridge, it was a long day.”
“I can’t even imagine how the parents of that student are feeling right now,” said Behrens in reference to the tragedy. “Both Erik and I had to deal with a lot today, and the game was actually a needed distraction.”
Behrens and Henrysen have been together on the job for seven years. In that time span, Behrens has been the head coach at Pennridge, while Henrysen is now in his first head-coaching job at CB East.
“I really value the friendship I have with Dean, and we really value each other’s opinion,” said Henrysen. “We talk about basketball, but we also talk about things other than wins and losses.”
Losses have been a big part of the Pennridge program the last few years, and Henrysen as well as Behrens felt the sting of those setbacks.
“I have (Mike) Guldin, (Rocky) Ferrier, and (Andrew) Decew as students that I counsel,” said Henrysen of the current Ram hoop squad. “And I also talk a lot with (Tim) Abruzzo, (Andrew) Lyons, and (Jared) Schaffer.
“They have been through a lot the last few years,” added Henrysen in reference to the 1-21 Rams of two years ago. “And I respect the success that they have now.
“CB East has really embraced me as a coach, and I wouldn’t trade my team for any other,” continued Henrysen. “It has been a very easy transition, and except for two hours a year (when East plays Pennridge) I am still a Pennridge fan.”
And a Pennridge guidance counselor.
Monday Night Basketball
Souderton (10-7) reached double figures in wins for the 2010-2011 season with a 53-42 non-league victory over Perkiomen Valley (9-9) on Monday night.
The host Big Red was led in scoring by senior guard Anthony Sergio who gunned home a game-high 20 points. Mark Wonderling also scored in twin digits for the Indians with 15 points.
“On Tap” in the Suburban One League
Tuesday – January 1, 2011
SOL American Conference
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials @ Cheltenham Panthers – 7 pm
Norristown Eagles @ Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals – 7 pm
Wissahickon Trojans @ Upper Moreland Golden Bears – 7 pm
SOL Continental Conference
Central Bucks South Titans @ North Penn Knights – 7 pm
Central Bucks East Patriots @ Central Bucks West Bucks – 7 pm
Pennridge Rams @ Hatboro-Horsham Hatters – 7 pm
Souderton Indians @ Quakertown Panthers – 7 pm
SOL National Conference
Abington Ghosts @ Council Rock South Golden Hawks – 7 pm
Bensalem Owls @ Neshaminy Redskins – 7 pm
Pennsbury Falcons @ Council Rock North Indians – 7 pm
Truman Tigers @ William Tennent Panthers – 7 pm
Wednesday – January 3, 2011
SOL Continental Conference
Central Bucks East Patriots @ North Penn Knights – 7 pm
Friday – January 4, 2011
American Conference
Norristown Eagles @ Cheltenham Panthers – 7 pm
Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals @ Upper Moreland Golden Bears – 7 pm
Upper Merion Vikings @ Wissahickon Trojans – 7 pm
**Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials vs. Quality Education (North Carolina) @ Atlantic City, NJ**
Continental Conference
Central Bucks South Titans @ Central Bucks East Patriots – 7 pm
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters @ Central Bucks West Bucks – 7 pm
North Penn Knights @ Quakertown Panthers – 7 pm
Pennridge Rams @ Souderton Indians – 7 pm
National Conference
Bensalem Owls @ Abington Ghosts – 7 pm
Council Rock North Indians @ Council Rock South Golden Hawks – 7 pm
Neshaminy Redskins @ William Tennent Panthers – 7 pm
Pennsbury Falcons @ Truman Tigers – 7 pm
Suburban One Sports.com **Great Eight**
1. Council Rock North Indians – (15-1)
2. Neshaminy Redskins – (15-2)
3. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials –(13-3)
4. Norristown Eagles – (15-2)
5. Bensalem Owls – (14-3)
6. Pennridge Rams – (14-4)
7. Cheltenham Panthers – (13-4)
8. North Penn Knights – (12-4)
MaXpreps.com * State Rankings*
1. Shaler Area HS (Pittsburgh)
2. Friends’ Central (Wynnewoode)
3. Imhoptep Charter (Philadelphia)
4. Mount Lebanon (Pittsburgh)
5. Chester (Chester)
6. Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athn)
7. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia)
8, Liberty (Bethlehem)
9. Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting)
10. Council Rock North (Newtown)
12. Neshaminy (Langhorne)
16. Norristown (Norristown)
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