Odihambo lifts Church Farm to first District 1-AA title

HOLLAND >> For the fifth time in the eight years they have been in the PIAA, the Church Farm basketball team took home a District 1 title.
But Saturday afternoon at Council Rock South High School, the Griffins brought home their first at the Class AA level.
Church Farm shook off some early sluggishness and roared back from an early 9-0 deficit to defeat a game Devon Prep squad, 52-40, to claim the district title. Dan Shannon, Jim Loftus and Dan Brace all hit three-pointers for the Tide to take the early lead. But, Church Farm kept to its task and secured the district’s lone spot in the PIAA Class AA playoffs.
The Griffins (21-5) will begin PIAA Class AA play Saturday against Parkway Charter School at a time and site to be determined. Parkway Charter is the number three seed out of District 12.
“We defeated Devon earlier in the season pretty good and the kids had that on their mind I think,” said Church Farm coach Marc Turner. “And we did not play well at times but give Devon Prep credit. They wanted to show that they could play with us and they hit some shots. But, our kids came through and we are still playing basketball and not a lot of teams are still doing that.”
Church Farm roared back from that 9-0 hole to score 13 straight points to lead 13-9 after one period and the Griffins were never behind after that. Devon Prep (10-14) drained eight three-pointers on the night and were led by the sparkling play of their point guard Shannon, who led all scorers with 19 points.
But the huge size advantage for Church Farm, with 6-foot-10 sophomore Fred Odihambo and 6-foot-9 freshman Jon Bol Ajak, took its toll on the smaller Tide. Devon shot just 14 for 47 from the field for the game and just seven for 30 in the second half.
Odihambo altered many Tide shots and finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots while Ajak scored six points with seven rebounds.
“It feels really great to win the district title,” Odihambo said. “We started out slow and I think it was because we beat them this year. But, we came right back and took the lead after the first quarter and we were okay.”
After leading just 26-21 at halftime, Church Farm poured it on in the third period, using its patented smothering defense to limit Devon Prep to just five points in the period on two for 11 shooting.
The Griffins took a 36-24 lead after Odihambo scored in the lane over Devon’s 6-foot-4 center Dan Brace. But, Shannon scored on a runner and it was a 36-26 game and the Tide had life. Church Farm came down the floor and turned the ball over, leaving the Tide with a chance to cut the lead to eight points. But Ajak blocked Jim Loftus’ underneath and Augustus Veniukevicus scored on a driving layup and the Griffins had a 38-26 lead after three quarters.
“I have never won a championship before and it feels great,” Veniukevicus said. “we started slow again today and it seems we always start slow but we came back and that is what counts.”
Devon Prep did not go away easily as Shannon drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it a 41-33 game with 5:56 to play. Later in the period, after a Shannon follow, it was a 43-38 game with 3:08 to play.
But Church Farm went right back to its bread and butter, pounding the ball inside to Odihambo. The silky smooth sophomore, who is drawing major Division 1 college looks, scored twice in the paint and Church Farm took hold of the game at 47-38.
Devon Prep stopped making 3-pointers late in the game, missing on three straight possessions, but the Tide could not get anything going inside against the tall trees of the Griffins’ front line.
After a Loftus miss, Veniukeicus hit two free throws after being fouled on a  rive to the hoop and Church Farm had a 52-38 lead with under a minute to play, putting its first District 1 Class AA title within reach.
“Fred showed today he has a nice touch inside,” Turner said. “And Fred can shoot. I think next year people are going to see a different side of his game and be quite surprised. We are now going to get ready to hopefully make a run in the state playoffs.”

Church Farm 52, Devon Prep 40
DEVON PREP (40): Shannon 7 3-3 19, McSurdy 2 0-0 6, Loftus 2 0-0 6, Heater 0 0-0 0, Wright 1 0-0 2, Brace 2 1-2 7, Marquis 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 4-5 40.
CHURCH FARM (52): Odihambo 7 0-0 14, Lawton 1 0-0 2, Veniukevicus 2 7-8 12, Kulbicus 3 0-0 9, Jeffrieas 2 5-8 9, Lawton 1 0-0 2, Ajak 2 2-4 6, Rice 0 0-0 0, Babola 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 14 -20 52.
Devon Prep          9 12 5 14-40
Church Farm       13 13 12 14-52
3-point goals: Shannon 2, McSurdy 2, Brace 2, Loftus 2, Kulbicus 3, Veniukevicus.