Check back for a complete game story about Friday’s Central Bucks South/Central Bucks East game, an SOL Featured Game sponsored by the CB South Boys’ Basketball Parents Club.
Brennan Rudnick’s three-pointer at the buzzer to propel Central Bucks South to a dramatic 52-50 win over Pottstown in the Titans’ season opener suggested that this could be an exciting season for the Titans.
It has been.
Two weeks into the season, Kevin Raymond buried a shot at the buzzer to stun a then undefeated Abington squad 45-44. Twice the Titans have won in overtime. One of those came against archrival Central Bucks East in a game that saw three South players finish in double figures, and in the other, senior Dave Knox lit up the net to propel the Titans to a double overtime win over Pennridge.
“I remember our first game of the year when we won on a buzzer beater,” Knox said. “That was definitely a good way to start off.
“Our double overtime game against Pennridge – that was definitely a cool experience and a great game to be part of. In conference games, the ball can bounce either way.”
Sometimes it’s bounced the Titans’ way this season, and sometimes it hasn’t, and although the Titans aren’t frontrunners and are battling to reach the .500 mark and vie for a district playoff spot, their accomplishments are pretty remarkable in a season that gives new meaning to the word rebuilding.
Only two players receiving significant varsity playing time last year – Raymond and Knox – returned this season. The rest are relative newcomers to the varsity scene.
“It was a tough situation,” coach Jason Campbell said. “Fortunately throughout the summer, we somewhat planned for it.”
The Titans found themselves in this spot not because of losses to graduation but rather because of losses to other sports. Matt Johns and Dan Brown, both varsity players since they were sophomores, will be playing football at the collegiate level and opted to devote their time to that sport, and that was just the beginning of the list of players who didn’t come back.
“I was definitely concerned because we lost seniors with experience,” Knox said. “I figured they would be a big help, but they didn’t come out.”
Since the players knew early on they would be without some key veterans, they had a chance to get acclimated to each other before the season began.
“Those guys didn’t go to any of the workouts, and we built a chemistry with the guys who kept going,” Raymond said. “We felt really strong going into the season. We thought we could beat any team in the conference.”
“You don’t want to go into the season with a negative attitude,” senior John Flaherty said. “We all thought we should be good.”
What the team may have lost in talent they gained in chemistry. This year’s squad, according to the players, shares a special camaraderie.
“In the past, the seniors have tended to separate themselves from the underclassmen because they felt they were better than them,” senior Paul Zakrzewski said. “With this team, it’s completely different. You couldn’t even tell the difference between a senior and a sophomore because we all work together so well, we all have leadership qualities, and that really helps our team.”
“We always hang out with each other,” Knox added. “We watch games together. We’re a tight-knit group.”
Immediately after the Titans’ recent big win over Quakertown, Raymond looked into the stands and got a thumbs-up from his mother to have a sleepover that night.
“Everyone came over, and she made breakfast the next morning,” he said. “It was awesome.
“We have a great relationship. Nobody talks bad about anybody. Everyone is friends. We’re a close-knit group.”
“We all just bonded in the offseason,” Flaherty added.” The big difference between this year and last year – last year we weren’t as close.
“Every weekend we’re together, and all of us are really good friends. I can already tell we’re going to be friends for a really long time. We get along really well, and we watch out for each other.”
That closeness, according to Campbell, is helpful on the court as well.
“You’re not going to see them bickering with each other or yelling at each other and getting down,” the Titans’ coach said. “They basically will communicate with each other and pick each other up, and no one takes anything personally.
“It’s about making each other better and making sure guys are in the right positions. We certainly have blown leads just because of mistakes and inexperience, but at the same time, we’ve been able to come back from some of those games and actually win them near the end. We have been in a lot of close games, and there have been times we certainly have won because of that team bond or chemistry.”
On the court, Raymond, the Titans’ 5-6 point guard, is the engine that makes the Titans run.
“It all starts at the point guard position that determines how strong your team is going to be,” Campbell said. “I believe Kevin Raymond has made big strides in improving as an individual player, just in the way he’s more confident now.
“He’s able to control his quickness and speed and create things for himself and also his teammates. He kind of gets the team going defensively and offensively. If you’re playing with him, you have to be able to keep up with him. He’s definitely faster than anyone else on our team, and at times, he’s had to pull the reins back on himself.
“The other side of it is he’s getting guys to push themselves a little bit harder than they’ve probably done in the past. I feel confident with him being the catalyst of our team.”
The Titans have had other players step up and fill important roles as well.
“Brennan Rudnick has had some good games and started the season off with the buzzer beater against Pottstown,” Campbell said. “Chase Vonder Schmalz has been pretty consistent with his perimeter play. He’s very good at anticipating where to be and getting deflections and steals.”
Knox overcame injuries in both ankles that plagued him early in the season and is coming on strong.
“Everyone is looking to him to get the ball inside and creating some post play with him and John Flaherty,” Campbell said.
For a Titan squad battling to earn a district berth, every game is a playoff game, and Friday’s Senior Night game against CB East is the team’s next challenge.
“We can’t afford to lose any more games,” Flaherty said.
Just the Facts:
This year’s record: Central Bucks South 7-4 SOL (9-10 overall), Central Bucks East 6-5 SOL (9-10 overall)
Last year’s record: Central Bucks South 5-17 (4-10 SOL), Central Bucks East (11-12 (7-7 overall)
Last meeting: Jan. 10, 2012 – Central Bucks South 62, Central Bucks East 57 (OT) (CB South: Kevin Raymond – 13 points, Chase Vonder Schmalz – 10 points, Brenna Rudnick – 9 points, Kevin Doyle – 8 points; CB East – Liam Gallagher – 19 points, Steve Topley – 17 points, Lou Pannella – 8 points)
Last game: North Penn 53, Central Bucks South 48 (Matt Scamuffo – 13 points, Paul Zakrzewski – 10 points, Kevin Raymond – 7 points)
Central Bucks West 55, Central Bucks East (Steve Topley – 17 points, Ryan O’Neil – 12 points)
Central Bucks South
Projected starters:
#3 – Kevin Raymond (5-6, Jr., Guard)
#5 – Brennan Rudnick (5-9, Jr., Guard)
#23 – Chase Vonder Schmalz (5-10, Jr., Guard)
#33 – Dave Knox (6-3, Sr., Forward)
#45 – John Flaherty (6-3, Sr., Center)
The rest of the Titans:
#10 – Matt Scamuffo (5-11, Soph., Guard)
#13 – Kevin Doyle (6-1, Jr., Forward)
#15 – Adam Ramny (6-1, Jr., Forward)
#22 – Bryce Dobish (5-11, Soph., Guard)
#24 – Paul Zakrzewski (6-3, Sr., Forward)
#32 – Danny Giaquinto (5-10, Jr., Forward)
#34 – Kris Jonsson (6-5, Jr., Forward)
#55 – T.J. Ohntrup (6-5, Jr., Center)
Central Bucks East
#3 – Liam Gallagher (5-10, Sr., Guard)
#4 – Danny Reilly (5-11, Jr., Guard)
#5 – Mark Kiersnowski (6-1, Sr., Guard)
#10 – Brendan McLaughlin (6-0, Soph., Guard)
#12 – Ryan O’Neil (6-3, Sr., Forward)
#20 – Steve Topley (6-0, Sr., Guard)
#21 – Kevin Phelps (6-3, Jr., Forward)
#23 – Doug Bloemker (5-11, Sr., Guard)
#24 – Lou Pannella (6-2, Sr., Forward)
#32 – Matt Stauffer (6-4, Jr., Forward)
#33 – Anthony Roggio (6-3, Jr., Center)
#44 – Reid Menard (6-2, Sr., Center)
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