DeAngelo, Sun Valley run past Kennett to stay perfect in Ches-Mont
KENNETT SQUARE >> The Sun Valley boys basketball team dropped its first two games of the season last weekend, shooting a frigid 11 percent from the three-point line.
The Vanguards found their range Thursday night. And upstart Kennett was the unlucky victim.
Sun Valley shot a torrid 20 for 39 from the field and drained seven 3-pointers as the Vanguards stayed perfect in Ches-Mont League play with a decisive 65-38 American Division win over Kennett.
Sun Valley (4-0 Ches-Mont American, 9-2 overall) leading scorer Vinny DeAngelo led all scorers with 22 points, despite sitting out the final two minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the third quarter with foul trouble. But when his number was called in the second half, DeAngelo came rocketing off the Sun Valley bench, and scored 17 second-half points to lead the Vanguards to the win.
“It is definitely frustrating sitting out knowing you can’t help your team,”DeAngelo said. “But, I said to myself that when I got back in the game I was going to try to make an impact and lead the team and stretch our lead.”
The Vanguards led 31-19 after two quarters, but with DeAngelo on the bench, the Blue Demons (3-1, 7-4) cut the Sun Valley lead to six at 32-26 after a Mitch Kosara basket. Kosara tallied 12 points to go along with Buzzy Hertz’s team-leading 15 points, and with 4:42 left in the game, Kosara hit a free throw to hit the 1,000-point mark for his career. The Blue Demons’ senior hit eight for 10 from the free throw line.
But, the night belonged to DeAngelo and the Vanguards. DeAngelo scored six quick points to make it a 42-26 game. DeAngelo had plenty of help on the night as Sun Valley’s Marvin Freeman tallied 14 points to go along with nine rebounds. Freeman sank three long 3-pointers on the night.
Isaac Kennon dropped 10 points and Dom Valente added seven points, including two long threes.
“My game is to just let the game sort of come to me,” Freeman said. “I like to get on the boards, but I will shoot the three when it is there. We practiced our shooting a whole lot after those two losses and it is something we pride ourselves in doing well.”
Sun Valley outscored the Blue Demons, 35-19, in the second half to break the game open, while Kennett did not help itself by shooting 13 for 53 from the field. The Blue Demons made just two of 23 attempts from behind the arc all night.
“We really stepped up our defense in the second half,” Sun Valley coach Steve Maloney said. “It was tough for us with Vinny on the bench but we got a great first half from Lance Stone. He had eight points and like six rebounds for us, and these guys have been together for three years so they are used to playing through things.
“When DeAngelo stripped Kosara and went to the basket off the Kennett turnover for a layup, it was a 48-32 Sun Valley lead. And after another Kennett misfire, Nick Giankopolus scored in tight after a nice pass from DeAngelo to make it a 52-32 lead, and the Vanguards stayed perfect in the Ches-Mont American, while Kennett was dealt its first league loss.
“We really needed this win after those two losses last weekend,” Maloney said. “But, we take one game at a time and now we get ready for a real good West Chester East team on Saturday.
Sun Valley 65, Kennett 38
Sun Valley 13 18 13 21 – 65
Kennett 6 13 11 18 – 38
SUN VALLEY (65): DeAngelo 8 5-7 22, Kenon 3 3-4 10, Freeman 4 3-4 12, Valente 2 1-2 7, Stone 2 4-5 8, Owens 0 2-2 2, Ginakopolus 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 18-24 65.
KENNETT (38): Kosara 2 8-10 12, Hertz 6 2-2 15, Mullen 2 0-0 5, Ferrighetto 1 0-0 2, Ploener 0 00 0, Forte 0 0-0 0, Haig 1 0-0 2, Patrissi 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 10-12-35.
3-point goals: Valente 2, DeAngelo , Freeman 3, Kennon, Hertz, Mullen.
