Pennridge rides fast start, defense to road win over CB West

DOYLESTOWN >> Sean Yoder saw a chance to bolster his team’s energy and went all-in after it.

The Pennridge senior had just deflected the ball away from Central Bucks West’s Jack Mulhearn and it was heading toward the scorer’s table and out of bounds. Mulhearn had the inside track, but Yoder kept after it, tapped the ball away from the table, skirted the sideline, stayed in and finished with a dunk to cap an eight-point run.

It was an exclamation point and just the kind of play the Rams needed to capitalize off a scorching start as they edged Pennridge 50-36 at West Friday night in an SOL Continental matchup.

“I kind of got my left hand on it to kick it back inbounds a little bit, nobody was in front of me so I went up for a dunk and threw it down,” Yoder said of his one-handed flush in front of West’s student section. “Energy is huge, Jon (Post) had a dunk tonight, that was huge. It’s an energy changer and that’s what we were looking for tonight.”

Pennridge (5-2, 1-1 conference) came out on fire, as the Rams shot a blistering 9-of-11 from the floor in the first period. Pretty much everything they put up, starting with a Yoder step-back 3-pointer, went in and they rebounded pretty much everything CB West (3-3, 1-2) missed.

Yoder, the Navy-bound senior point guard, didn’t miss a shot in the first, scoring 10 points as the Rams sped out to a 21-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. About the only thing they did wrong was foul too many times, but assisted six of their nine made field goals.

“We got off to a really good start, Sean was hitting shots all over the floor and Trent Fisher, he’s a junior and a lot of this is newer for him, played an outstanding game,” Rams coach Dean Behrens said. “Playing (Jack) Neri is a tough matchup but he did a great job. Look, we got up 18-3 but you know it’s not going to stay like that.”

West had a miserable night shooting, going 9-of-44 from the floor and just 4-of-21 from 3-point territory. While Pennridge cooled significantly in the second quarter, notching just four points, the Bucks only managed eight in the frame.

Behrens felt the fast start helped, but it was really his team’s defense and rebounding that won Pennridge the game. The Rams matched West’s toughness inside and kept enough of a check on their perimeter scorers to not let the Bucks get on any big scoring runs.

“You can’t start off the game with five or six straight empty possessions,” West coach Adam Sherman said. “The kids who are young start to look at the scoreboard and they start to press a little bit. We didn’t shoot well and when that happens, we have to find other ways to win.”

Pennridge, which lost to Quakertown at home Tuesday, had the benefit of two days to regroup. Yoder said Wednesday was a bit of a down day, with some of the guys lacking energy and still thinking about the loss, but Thursday really revitalized the team.

Behrens had a few guests at practice Thursday as well in the form of a couple 2016 alumni home from college who helped give the Rams a shot in the arm competitively. The first quarter assists were also a good sign, as Yoder said Tuesday’s effort saw the team go away from team ball and focus too much individually.

“Thursday we got after it and that’s just the thing you need before a big league game,” Yoder said. “We really stepped it up and did what had to be done. Tuesday night, we got away from that but it was our big focus during the week we had to get everybody involved.”

West made its run late in the third quarter and got within 38-30 when Mika Munari (15 points) drained a 3-pointer early in the fourth. Pennridge’s defense responded and keyed that 8-0 spurt capped off by Yoder’s steal, acrobatics and dunk.

The senior guard had two steals he turned into baskets during the run and also stepped up to the task of guarding Mulhearn after Nick Dunn injured an ankle in the second quarter. Yoder noted Mulhearn’s ability to shoot and get his shot up, even fouling the West guard on a three, but was able to contest most of his shots and helped limit Mulhearn to 10 points.

“We asked Sean to take Mulhearn, he’s also our point guard, he does pretty much everything, I think at halftime he was refilling our water,” Behrens said. “Sean said ‘no problem’ when we asked him to switch over.”

Yoder finished with a game-best 22 points, adding seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Post had eight points, a game-high 12 boards and an assist and Fisher ended the night with six points, five rebounds and three blocks.

Munari paced West with 15 points, Mulhearn had 10 and five rebounds while Neri scored six points with six rebounds.

West heads down to Baltimore after Christmas for a tournament and Sherman hopes the differences – including a shot clock – will help his guys relax and come together as a team.

Pennridge will take part in Boyertown’s holiday tournament at the end of next week. With a couple days off for the holiday though, the Rams were happy they could go into the break off a needed league win.

“As a team, all five guys have to play ‘D’, you have to buy in and invest and I think that’s what we did down the stretch,” Yoder said. “Coming off a win is big, as a team we’re confident and I always have confidence in my guys and the coaching staff did a great job tonight.”

PENNRIDGE 21 4 13 12 – 50
CB WEST 6 8 13 9 – 36
P: Sean Yoder 8 4-4 22, Nick Dunn 1 0-0 2, Trent Fisher 2 2-2 6, Jon Post 4 0-3 8, Pat Gillespie 2 0-0 5, John Dominic 2 3-4 7. Totals: 19 9-13 50.
CBW: Jack Mulhearn 2 5-8 10, Connor Briece 0 1-2 1, Mika Munari 5 2-2 15, Jack Neri 2 2-3 6, Ted Spratt 0 4-4 4. Totals: 9 14-19 36.
3-pointers: P – Yoder 2, Gillespie; CBW – Munari 3, Mulhearn.