BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Ten moments to remember from 2012-13 season

Perkiomen Valley first-year coach Mike Poysden cut down the net after his team won the PAC-10 championship this season. It was one of a number of highlights from the 2012-13 season for local boys teams. (Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury)

 

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

Another basketball season went into the record books this past week ... a scant four months after it kicked off with hope and hype in gymnasiums around the area.

It was around this time in November hundreds of players at local schools turned out for preseason practices, dreams of hardwood glory as abundant. Some of those dreams started coming to fruition a month later when the teams got their game schedules underway, while others withered as the ebb and flow of victory and defeat came into play.

As has been the case in past years, individual and team successes were realized over three months of competition. Here, in no particular order, are some of those outstanding moments that made the 2012-13 season one to remember locally. 

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BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Change of scenery suits Pope John Paul II

By Jeff Stover

Pope John Paul II's Nick Demeno (right)

jstover@pottsmerc.com

 A change of scenery proved therapeutic for Pope John Paul II this week ... a lengthy commute notwithstanding.

After two years of venturing to Philadelphia for the opening round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs, the Golden Panthers got a different venue this season. They traveled north Friday afternoon to face off against Bethlehem Catholic at Bethlehem Freedom High School — a 55-mile one-way trek, which took the team bus about 1½ hours to make.

But it’s a safe bet the players, coaches and faithful fans didn’t bemoan the extensive travel time for PJP’s latest state opener. Not after the Panthers came home with a 59-56 victory over the Golden Hawks that was the program’s first ever at the state level.

“The last couple years, we didn’t get it done,” head coach Jack Flanagan said afterward. In its two previous visits to South Philadelphia High School, PJP saw its season ended by losses to Philadelphia Electrical (62-56) and Boys Latin (70-49). 

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Pope John Paul II wins first PIAA playoff game in school history

Nick Demeno came off the bench to score eight crucial fourth-quarter points while helping Pope John Paul II outlast Bethlehem Catholic, 59-56, to advance to the second round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs for the first time in school history. (File photo by Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

BETHLEHEM TWP. — He came up with the battle cry for Pope John Paul II’s entry into the PIAA Class AAA playoffs.
Then Nick Demeno put his basketball talents where his mantra was Friday, helping the Golden Panthers outlast Bethlehem Catholic, 59-56, at Bethlehem Freedom High School.

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BOYS BASKETBALL: PJP, Methacton push on to PIAA Tournament

Brendan Casper (24) leads the Methacton boys basketball team into the PIAA Tournament, which begins Friday. The Warriors are due to face District 3 runner-up William Penn High School out of York. (Mark C Psoras/JRC)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

They’ve both navigated the tricky – and sometimes treacherous – waters of the District 1 playoffs the past two weeks, and remained upright during that span.
Now, Pope John Paul II and Methacton embark on a different voyage this weekend: The PIAA Tournament, which brings together Pennsylvania’s 30-plus top teams from four classifications for another two weeks of competition leading to state championships. The Golden Panthers, fresh off a second-place finish in the District 1-AAA tourney, will open today against District 11 runner-up Bethlehem Catholic; the Warriors, in turn, make their debut in state-level competition 6:30 p.m. at Dallastown High Saturday against District 3 runner-up William Penn High School out of York.

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Pottstown’s season comes to an end in loss to Upper Moreland

Pottstown's Steve Steinmetz battles Upper Moreland's Mark Williams for a rebound during Saturday's District 1-AAA boys basketball playoff game. (Bob Raines/JRC)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

WILLOW GROVE — Was it a microcosm of a troubled season?

It could be argued Pottstown’s loss to Upper Moreland in the opening round of the District 1 Class AAA playoffs was very much so. But head coach James “Cal” Benfield offered a differing viewpoint Saturday, at the conclusion of a 66-46 setback that brought the Trojans’ first campaign under his leadership to an end.

“It can’t be lost that we didn’t have the same starters today that we did at the beginning of the season,” Benfield said. “We played most of the year with people who didn’t have varsity experience.”

As was the case with its 2012-13 season, Pottstown (10-12) recovered from a slow early start in its first on-court action in three weeks.

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Methacton beats Souderton, secures state berth

Photo by Mark C. Psoras/JRC Methacton’s Anthony O’Brien applauds as Souderton’s John Kanas gets ejected from the game during Tuesday’s District 1-AAAA playoff game at Methacton. Kanas received two technical fouls and was thrown out in the second half. The Warriors advance to the quarterfinals, where they will travel to Great Valley on Friday night (7 p.m.). The win also secured Methacon a bid in the PIAA Tournament.

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

FAIRVIEW VILLAGE — There was some uncertainly about when — if ever — the Methacton boys basketball program qualified for the PIAA state playoffs.
But there was no question about the Warriors achieving that feat Tuesday ... and even less about the effort they put out in their berth-securing 54-45 victory over Souderton.
Playing high-octane ball over the final eight minutes, the Warriors reversed a six-point deficit into a decisive second-round victory in District 1’s Class AAAA bracket. And by virtue of reaching the tournament’s quarterfinal round, Methacton guarantees itself of at least four more games in the postseason — not to mention continued contention for district medals.

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BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Perkiomen School not so depleted after all

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

It didn’t quite duplicate its heady showing from last year.

Much of that had to do with the decidedly different roster the Perkiomen School boys basketball team trucked out for the 2012-13 season. But the Panthers still made the most of a campaign that concluded this past week with a return visit to the Tri-County League’s championship game.

“We looked a little thin after graduation last year,” head coach Mark Longstreth said after Thursday’s title game with Phelps School, which the Lions took by a 70-44 count. “A number of guys who were varsity subs last year improved and jayvees came up, and we added some new guys.

“Everybody was ready to play at the varsity level.”

Bruce Brittingham and Eric Fanning were among the higher-level players graduated from a Perkiomen team that went 14-0 in the TCL, 26-3 overall. Both rank among the area’s career scoring leaders: Brittingham in 28th place with 1,308 points, Fanning in 41st place with 1,186 points. 

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BOYS BASKETBALL: No. 6 Methacton leads three into AAAA districts

Brendan Casper, left, and the Methacton boys basketball team earned the No. 6 seed for the District 1-AAAA playoffs, beginning Friday. The Warriors host No. 27 Bensalem Friday. (Adrianna Hoff / JRC)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

The league and conference championships have most likely been decided by now.

The next step for area teams in the post-season mix will be taken today, when the District 1 playoffs open in force around the southeastern Pennsylvania region. And three Pioneer Athletic Conference schools are in the Class AAAA field vying for district medals and/or berths in the PIAA tournament several weeks from now.

Methacton fared best in Tuesday’s district seeding meeting among the three PAC-10 schools (Perkiomen Valley, Spring-Ford) in the Class AAAA bracket. The Warriors earned a sixth seed and will open at home against 27th seed Bensalem, looking to get back on track after suffering a 44-41 loss to PV in the PAC-10’s Final Four title game Tuesday.

“It’s tough, coming off an emotional game like this and playing in districts,” Methacton head coach Jeff Derstine said afterward. “But we’ll play it one game at a time.”

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Perkiomen Valley tops Methacton for PAC-10 title

Perkiomen Valley head coach Mike Poysden cuts down the net in front of a large PV contingent after his team won the PAC-10 boys basketball championship game, 44-41, over Methacton Tuesday night at Spring-Ford. (Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD — It was a case of extending the classroom over to the basketball court.
And Perkiomen Valley’s reward for being highly studious was something even the biggest box of gold stars couldn’t address.
The Vikings made a glorious return to prominence Tuesday when they faced Methacton in the championship game of the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s “Final Four” playoffs. Applying the lessons it learned over the course of a down-and-up regular season, PV pulled out a 44-41 victory over the Warriors for their first league title in 11 years.

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Perkiomen Valley wins PAC-10 boys basketball championship

Perkiomen Valley wins the PAC-10 boys basketball title, 43-41, over Methacton.

For video from the game check out our YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/PottsMercSports?feature=mhee

Check back for a full recap following the game.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Methacton, Perkiomen Valley expect tight title game

Perkiomen Valley’s Rasaan Stewart and Methacton’s Brendan Casper lead their respective teams into Tuesday night’s PAC-10 boys basketball championship game at Spring-Ford (7 p.m.). (Adrianna Hoff/JRC)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD — It doesn’t take much to get Methacton and Perkiomen Valley stoked for head-to-head athletic competition.
The neighboring Montgomery County school districts have conducted a spirited rivalry for decades, regardless of whether they are in the same league or different ones. That figures to rachet up the intensity level with the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship up for grabs.
“I’m expecting a big-time battle,” Methacton head coach Jeff Derstine said about the year’s third meeting between the Liberty Division front-runners, which tips off 7 p.m. today at Spring-Ford. “The kids are excited about it.”

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BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Daniel Boone bounces back from down year

Leading scorer Kenny Worthington and the Daniel Boone
boys basketball team rallied down the stretch to qualify
for the Berks Conference playoffs, but saw their season
come to an end Saturday in a loss to Wyomissing.
(File Photo by Tom Kelly III)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

Its season may be ending earlier than some may have hoped.

But it probably ran longer – and was marked by a higher level of success – than others may have figured.

The Daniel Boone boys basketball team made its first season under head coach Ian Gendreau a memorable one this winter. A largely underclassmen unit that had slipped to a 6-11 record as recently as two weeks ago, the Blazers proved resilient in their season’s stretch run, winning three of four league games to qualify for the Berks Conference’s eight-team playoff bracket.

Surprising? Maybe to some, but certainly not to Gendreau.

“This is where I thought we’d be,” said Gendreau, a longtime assistant to former Boone head coach John Butkus. “We had a few little dips along the way. We didn’t lack for talent or speed, but we didn’t have the consistency we needed.”

Still, the Blazers rose to the occasion with the Berks playoffs’ lineup still being formulated. Their 4-1 run in a 12-day span at the end — a non-league contest with Manheim Central in the mix ­— got them the sixth seed on the strength of a 5-5 league record and stronger power rating than Muhlenberg. 

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Methacton holds off Phoenixville's upset bid

Methacton's Brendan Casper splits the defense of Phoenixville's Marcus Howell and Greg Hughes during Saturday's PAC-10 boys basketball semifinal at Spring-Ford. (Photo by Barry Taglieber)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD — A scoring trip, a defensive stand, and three timeouts.

A lot of action for the last six seconds of any basketball game, let alone one at the high-school level.

But Methacton managed to keep it all straight Saturday afternoon, with a 53-51 victory over Phoenixville in the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s Final Four playoffs to show for it.

Zach Jenkins had the eventual game-winning basket for the Warriors in the back end of the boys’ semifinal doubleheader at Spring-Ford. But the game wasn’t secured until both teams called for timeouts three times in a three-second span, then saw the Phantoms miss a shot at the buzzer as the final three ticks went off the clock.

“That was a long three seconds,” Methacton’s Brendan Casper admitted afterward. But the reward for surviving it was Methacton (20-3) getting to defend its PAC-10 title Tuesday, where it faces Perkiomen Valley — a 65-52 winner over Pope John Paul II in the first game — for the championship back at Spring-Ford.

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Four fast finishes vie for best finish in the PAC-10 playoffs

Methacton’s Brendan Casper, right, and Perkiomen Valley’s Rasaan Stewart have helped their respective teams reach the PAC-10 playoffs this season. Casper (21.9 ppg) and the Liberty Division champion Warriors face Frontier runner-up Phoenixville in a league semifinal tonight (7:45 p.m.) after Stewart and the Vikings face Frontier winner Pope John Paul II in the other semifinal (6 p.m.) Both games are part of a doubleheader at Spring-Ford. (Adrianna Hoff/JRC)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

Fast finishes were a hallmark of the Pioneer Athletic Conference this winter.
The circuit’s top schools, across the board, came on strong down the stretch to solidify their positions at the top of the regular-season standings. Now, the question will be which of the front-runners will be able to maintain that pace in the postseason — and come away with a championship.
The PAC-10’s Franklin K. Manley “Final Four” playoffs get under way tonight at Spring-Ford High School, with a doubleheader pitting the top teams from the Liberty and Frontier Divisions. It’s return trips for two clubs (Methacton, Pope John Paul II), and the end of multiple-year absences for two others (Perkiomen Valley, Phoenixville), yet all share one common thread.
That sprint to the finish line.
“Our playoffs started with six league games left,” head coach Randy Reber said of his Phantom unit, which won six of its last 10 games after starting the year 5-7. “The kids worked hard and responded well. They had to learn how to play together at the offensive end.”
Phoenixville will face defending PAC-10 champion Methacton in the nightcap of the opening-round doubleheader, their tip-off scheduled for approximately 7:45 p.m. Kicking off the twinbill will be Pope John Paul II and Perkiomen Valley at 6 p.m.

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Pope John Paul II settles the PAC-10 playoff race

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

Pope John Paul II's Jamel Stinson

Through the stretch run of the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s 2012-13 regular season, there was ample opportunity for playoff hopefuls to control their own destiny.

That was particularly true of those schools in the Frontier Division, where a foursome with hopes for reaching the league’s Final Four playoffs went head-to-head in all, or most of, their remaining games. And it was particularly in evidence Saturday afternoon, when Pope John Paul II and Pottstown met at Pottstown High’s Strom Gymnasium to continue their individual charges toward again reaching the circuit’s postseason.

In this instance, it was the Golden Panthers who maintained their modest three-year qualification process. With their 59-40 victory over the Trojans, they secured one of the two Frontier berths while bumping Pottstown from the other.

Taking care of business.
“That’s what we did,” PJP head coach Jack Flanagan said afterward. “I said to the kids before the Upper Perk game (Tuesday), we have to go 1-and-0 three times. We did it Tuesday, and we did it again today.” 

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Perkiomen Valley beats Boyertown, gets in the driver’s seat

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

BOYERTOWN — Mike Poysden couldn’t ask for a better scenario.
His Perkiomen Valley squad holds a half-game lead on Spring-Ford for second place in the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s Liberty Division. And while the Rams have their league regular season completed, the Vikings have one more game left on theirs.
An enviable position ... one made even more enviable by PV’s performance Thursday against Boyertown. A 55-40 victory over the Bears fulfilled Poysden’s hopes for his club to remain in control of its postseason destiny.
“We knew we had to handle our business, and not expect others to do favors for us,” Perk Valley’s head coach said.
In a flip-flop of positions, the Vikings (8-4 league, 14-7 overall) bumped Spring-Ford (8-5) out of the Liberty second spot. They finish up Saturday against Owen J. Roberts — a win securing the division’s second berth for the upcoming Final Four playoffs, a loss offering at the worst a play-in game should both teams finish in a dead heat.
And it took a yeoman-like effort against hard-charging Boyertown (4-8, 6-15) for PV to get in that position. The contest was a two-point affair through the halfway point of the fourth quarter, when the visitors went on a 15-2 run down the stretch to nail down their 12th victory in the last 13 games.

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WRESTLING: Moser nets 100th win as Owen J. Roberts tops Pottstown

Mercury file photo Owen J. Roberts’ Adam Moser won his 100th career match on Wednesday night.

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

POTTSTOWN — Adam Moser did more than just step in the spotlight Wednesday evening.
He staked claim to that territory in several ways ... all of them contributing to Owen J. Roberts’ memorable night of action with Pottstown at the hosts’ Strom Gymnasium.
Moser joined the ever-swelling ranks of area wrestlers reaching the 100-win mark for their scholastic careers. Scoring a fall in his 152-pound bout earned the Roberts senior his team’s Outstanding Wrestler award, and helped the Wildcats to a 42-20 victory over the Trojans that clinched for them no less than a tie for first place in the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s regular-season standings.

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Seniors lift Pope John Paul II past Upper Perkiomen

Upper Perkiomen's Nate Weinstein, left, drives in for a layup as Pope John Paul II's Jamel Stinson, center, and Brent Mahoney (11) defend during Tuesday's PAC-10 boys basketball game. (Photo/Tom Kelly III)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

UPPER PROVIDENCE — It was a very memorable night for the Pope John Paul II boys program.
In more ways than one.
There was the festivity of Senior Recognition Night, where the 12th-grade members of the boys hoop and cheerleading squads were honored prior to Tuesday’s game with Upper Perkiomen. And in their final regular-season appearance on their home court, the Golden Panthers derived a dual benefit from a 66-37 romp over their Pioneer Athletic Conference guests.
With Jamel Stinson and Brent Mahoney leading the way, PJP parted company with a five-game losing slide dating back to a division-leader showdown with Methacton on Jan. 10. The Panthers also took care of business in their bid to repeat as Frontier Division champions, staying atop the bracket with two games left.

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BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: There's no 'I' in Perk Valley

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

Brett Davis, left, and Perkiomen Valley boys
basketball team ran their win streak to 11 after
Saturday's non-league win over Souderton.
(Photo by Mark C. Psoras/JRC)

It’s arguably been one of the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s hottest teams this winter.

But to look at the Perkiomen Valley boys in the first month of the season, the average observer would have seen a program experiencing a measure of growing pains amid its latest change of head coaches.

“The kids have totally bought into each other,” first-year floor boss Mike Poysden said after seeing his club’s winning ways continue Saturday with a 43-40 non-league win at Souderton. “They share the ball. Certainly, their patience shows.”

The Vikings got Poysden — the program’s third head coach in six years — his inaugural win on the second night of the season-opening Great Valley Tournament, then went up-and-down their next two times out. A subsequent four-game losing streak had them a 2-6 midway through the winter holiday break, and falling off the fast pace Methacton and Spring-Ford were setting as the 1-2 punch atop the PAC-10’s Liberty Division.

But a victory over Quakertown in the Parkland Tournament’s consolation game provided PV more than just consolation on what started as a lackluster campaign. It kicked-started a resurgence of the Vikings’ season, in the form of an 11-game win streak that has reversed their status from also-ran to contender.

And it’s created a wider-open race for the two Liberty berths in the upcoming Final Four playoffs. While the Warriors continue on their unbeaten coast toward an undisputed regular-season title, the Vikings (13-6 overall) have pulled themselves ahead of the Rams for second place in the division.

“I think it’s their willingness to be unselfish,” Poysden said. “They look for each other, and celebrate each other. The thought process is not that ‘I’m scoring’ as ‘we’re scoring,’ not that ‘I’m getting rebounds’ as ‘we’re getting rebounds.’” 

( To read the complete boys basketball notebook, click here )

WRESTLING: Upper Perkiomen comes up big in win over Garnet Valley

By Jeff Stover

jstover@pottsmerc.com

LOWER GWYNEDD ­— It was a somewhat unaccustomed experience Upper Perkiomen faced Thursday.

Certainly not opening the District 1-Class AAA Teams Duals with a victory, which they were able to accomplish. No, the unusual aspect of the Indians’ 34-24 triumph over Garnet Valley lay with the fact it was secured by wrestlers at the upper end of the weight scale.

“It was a little different,” head coach Tom Hontz said at the conclusion of the night’s action at Wissahickon. “We’ve been used to our little guys clinching matches for us.”

To be sure, the Tribe flexed their muscle at the lower end of the lineup. Two of the Steffenino brothers, Dustin (106) and Dante (120), staked the locals to an initial 10-3 lead in a match that started at the light end of the lineup. And Wolfgang McStravick (145), along with Ray Young (160), provided a timely boost to UP’s fortunes after the Jaguars reversed the early deficit into a five-point lead through six. 

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