Rodriguez carries Father Judge to Triangle Club tournament title

WEST NORRITON >> Tournament Most Valuable Player Marc Rodriguez had 31 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, to lead Father Judge to a 56-51 win over Hatboro-Horsham and the championship of the 43rd annual Triangle Club Basketball Tournament Wednesday night at Norristown High School.

The Crusaders entered the fourth quarter trailing by two points, but Rodriguez took over, knocking down three 3-pointers and two clutch free throws down the stretch.

Ryan Black had 18 points for the Hatters, while Indiana University recruit Clifton Moore added 16, although Moore missed a pair of pivotal free throws in the game’s final six seconds.

Mike Power had 14 points for the winners, who also got nine from Matt O’Connor.

Jay Davis chipped in 11 points for the Hatters, who led throughout most of the game.

But in the final, frantic minutes, the Crusaders got the game tied, only to see a straight-on bank shot by the Hatters Brandon Crews put Hatboro-Horsham up, 52-59.

That was countered by Rodriquez, who nailed a three-pointer to push Judge into a 53-52 lead with under a minute to go.

Hatboro regained the lead as the fourth-quarter clock ran down and Moore had a chance to ice the verdict with a pair of free throws in the game’s final six seconds.

But Moore missed both, Judge rebounded and Rodriguez, instead, pushed Judge into the lead with free throws of his own with just three seconds left on the game clock.

Further free throws by Power put the issue to bed.

The final marked the second successive year the Crusaders and Hatters met in the tournament final, with Judge winning in overtime in last year’s final.

In the consolation game, Norristown got 14 points from Kuron Clark, 11 points from Michael Doorman and 10 from Darius Mcgowan en route to a 48-40 win over Upper Merion.

The Vikings played without Holy Cross commit Matt Faw, who was on crutches after suffering a foot injury in a recent game against Upper Perkiomen.Meanwhile, the Eagles jumped out quickly and refused to give up the lead.

Mcgowan had 10 first-half points as the Eagles built a 10-point advantage at the break.

And while the Vikings made several runs and got their deficit down to as low as four points late, they could not pull ahead.

“We did a good job closing the game out,” said Eagles head coach Mike Evans. “We’re playing seniors, but (Mcgowan) is the only one with any game experience.

“But you can see us getting better every day.”

“We weren’t really getting the shots we wanted in the first half,” said Vikings head coach Jason Quenzer. “In the second half we got the shots, and didn’t make them.”

Ethan Miller led Upper Merion with 12 points.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
FATHER JUDGE 56, HATBORO-HORSHAM 51
Hatboro-Horsham 9 17 13 12 – 51
Father Judge 13 9 15 19 – 56
Hatboro-Horsham: Brandon Crews 1 0-0 2; Chtris Edwards 1 0-0 2; Colin Kennedy 1 0-0 2; Jay Davis 5 0-0 11; Clifton Moore 6 3-7 16; Ryan Black 7 0-0 18; Erick Dixon 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 3-7 – 51.
Father Judge: Marc Rodriguez 10 6-7 31; Mike Power 4 4-6 14; Matt O’Connor 3 0-0 9; Nick Conway 0 0-0 0; Steve Arrington 0 0-0 0; Drew Riley 1 0-0 2; Shane Dooley 0 1-2 1. – Totals 18 11-15 56.
3-pointers: Black 4; Moore; Davis; Rodriguez 5; O’Connor 3; Power 2.

CONSOLATION GAME
NORRISTOWN 48, UPPER MERION 40
Upper Merion 8 8 8 16 – 40
Norristown 12 14 4 18 – 48
Upper Merion: Andrew Persaud 1 0-1 2; Aiden Newell 3 0-4 6; Joe Breece 2 4-6 8; Ethan Miller 5 2-2 12; Chris Carita 2 2-2 7; Tim Biegalski 2 0-0 4; Anthony Shepperd 0 1-2 1 . Totals 15 9-17 – 40.
Norristown: Michael Doorman 3 5-8 11; Xavier Edwards 0 1-3 1; Kuron Clark 6 2-2 14; Darius Mcgowan 5 0-0 10; Marquise Greenwood 3 0-2 6; Justin Ulmer 2 1-2 5; Tyler Lyons 0 0-0 0; Cameron Weldon 0-0 0. – Totals 19 9-17 48.
3-pointers: Carita.