Quick start helps Council Rock South boys basketball to road win at Truman
Truman senior Kelechi Ogbonna (3) and Z.J. Jackson (23) guard CR South senior Shaun Smith in SOL National Conference boys basketball battle Dec. 20 on the Tigers’ home court. (Steve Sherman – 21st-Century Media)
BRISTOL TWP. – While the game of basketball is a battle with many components, it’s tough to win a skirmish when you don’t shoot well for all but two minutes of the first half.
If the Truman boys didn’t know it before Tuesday night’s Suburban One National League opener – for the Tigers – with visiting Council Rock South, they are well aware of that fact now.
Truman shot 3-for-15 in the first period and missed their first four shots in the second, all the while the Golden Hawks mounted a 23-6 lead. The Tigers’ shooting woes continued in the second half as Rock South recorded a 15-6 scoring run that took up most of the second period.
By the time a 3-pointer canned by Golden Hawks point guard Austin Thomas sank through the rim, the scoreboard read CR South: 32, Truman: 10 with less than three minutes to go in the half.
To their credit, the Tigers drained four of the last five field goals in the first half including a 3-pointer by senior Kelechi Ogbonna but by then it was almost too late. Truman outscored the Hawks 46-35 in the final 18:45 but could not catch the visitors, who left the gym Dec. 20 with a 67-56 victory, their fifth win of the season and second league triumph.
“We dug ourselves too much of a hole and we hadda dig too hard to crawl back in it,” said Conover.
“The first half, we had no energy and I don’t understand how we have no energy in our first Suburban One League game.”
The coach pointed to a soft non-league schedule his team went up against. While the Tigers opened the season with wins over Del-Val League rival Interboro and BAL rivals Bristol and Plumstead Christian, the Hawks had among their first five opponents CB East and Parkland. Both rivals made it to states last year with Parkland making it as far as the PIAA-4A quarterfinals.
Coming off Sunday night’s 59-50 loss to the Trojans, CR South came out lightning hot in this one. Senior Alex Nordenholt led his team with seven points in the first period and had 11 by halftime. Thomas along with twin towers Ryan Boyd and Ryan McNamee added five points apiece by the intermission with Shaun Smith and Kenny Brightcliffe combining on another five.
Truman awoke from its shooting slumber in the waning moments of the second period to mount a 9-3 scoring run heading into the locker room, where Conover took a stand.
“I challenged them at halftime,” said the coach. “The first few minutes in the second half will tell you everything you need to know about a basketball game.”
“I told them they had three minutes to get this thing down to six (points).”
To their credit, the Tigers did just that.
A pair of 3-pointers and a layup off the fastbreak by Ogbonna – who lead all scorers with 19 points – along with a single bucket by classmate Z.J. Jackson capped a 10-2 scoring run registered by Truman in the first three minutes of the second half, whittling the CR South lead down to six points at 37-31.
The Hawks answered with a 9-3 scoring run of their own including four free throws by Boyd and a hard fought basket underneath by Ryan along with a 3-pointer by quarterback Christian Jabbar.
Senior Kevin Newbert sparked the visitors with 9 of his 11 points in the fourth quarter including 5-of-8 from the foul line.
For the game, CR South shot 23-of-29 from the charity stripe while the Tigers got to the line only nine times, making just three of their free throws. Truman just lacks experience in that vein, their coach said.
“We got to the line nine times; you’re not going to beat a middle school team getting to the line nine times,” admitted Conover. “They got to the line 29 times – game over.”
“There’s your experience right there.”
To their credit, the Hawks didn’t miss much from the foul line, especially in the fourth quarter when it mattered most. South sank 13-of-16 free throws in the final frame.
Coming off the bench, senior Ryan Boyd – who usually starts – led the Hawks with 17 points, eight of which came in the third period, helping to beat back the Tigers’ scoring spurt to start the second half.
Truman’s 11-3 scoring run to end the first half was sparked by Ogbonna and senior Dannell Snelling, who each hit for a pair of field goals including a 3-pointer put through the hoop at the buzzer by Kalechi. Sophomore also hit a layup driving the baseline from the right side corner.
After the Tigers cut South’s lead to six in the first three minutes of the second half, the Hawks outscored the home team 30-25 the rest of the way.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
Council Rock South 67, Truman 56
(Dec. 20 at Truman)
Truman (3-1, 0-1: SONL) 6 15 19 16 – 56
CR South (5-1, 2-0: SONL) 17 18 13 19 – 67
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH — Kevin Newbert 11, Shaun Smith 3, Alex Nordenholt 13, Austin Thomas 5, Ryan Boyd 17, Ryan McNamee 9, Christian Jabbar 7, Kenny Brightcliffe 2; TOTALS — 20 23-29—67
TRUMAN — Danell Snelling 16, Gabe Gipli 3, ZJ Jackson 4, Jeff Nixon 4, Kelechi Ogbonna 19, Zierr Reid 3, Marvel Rogers 4, Javeer Peterson 3; TOTALS — 25 3-9—56.
3-POINT GOALS: CRS — Smith, Thomas Jabbar, Nordenholt; T — Ogbonna 3.
