Compas scores 30 as Wissahickon wins in style over rival Bensalem
LOWER GWYNEDD >> Wissahickon and Bensalem could not have been more evenly matched.
“I always feel like I’m looking at a mirror image of what we do,” Trojans coach Kyle Wilson said of the Owls. “They get out, they execute on offense, they move, and I told the guys, ‘it’s gonna come down to who makes more plays tonight.'”
The “W” went to Wiss, as the Trojans did all the things necessary for victory and a little bit more, prevailing 63-54 in the Suburban One League crossover game Wednesday night.
“We’re trying to push for playoffs so every game counts,” said Wiss senior guard Matt Compas, who poured in a game-high 30 points. “Our goal coming in was to go 6-0 the rest of the way and we’re starting that off 1-0.
“We have to keep pressuring teams. We played great defense. We got a lot of steals, a lot of rebounds and we were pushing the break. And we got a lot of easy shots.”
Jackson Intrieri added 13 points for Wiss (10-7 overall, 6-4 SOL Liberty) and Will Kunzier had eight.
Wiss led the entire way.
“We had to dig in on defense,” Wilson said. “We knew that Bensalem had (James) Ashford, who can get to the rack, and (Aaron Sanders), who can shoot the ball.”
Hot from the outside >> Wissahickon opened the contest hitting from deep.
Intrieri buried a pair of threes and Compas banked in one, helping to provide the early burst.
Compas, beginning the game at full stride, also finished off an alley-oop.
The Trojans took a 14-8 lead into the second quarter.
That is when Compas began to take things over.
Said Wilson of the senior, who is closing in on 1,000 points for his career: “Matt’s a special kid. He’s a kid that’s worked his butt off the last three years in our program, even as a ninth grader.”
Compas often provided the exclamation point in transition, slamming home two dunks and adding a pair of layups as the Trojan lead grew to double digits.
Compas had 19 points in the first half.
The Trojans also got contributions from Kunzier, who battled inside for a tough basket during the big, second-quarter push.
“We felt we had a little bit more on the interior and in the post so we went with Kunzier tonight — he gives us so much energy under there,” Wilson said. “He can do a lot of things.”
Intrieri drove for a bucket to help Wiss build the lead to 33-21 by the half.
Ashford had eight points in the first half for the Owls.
Bensalem stayed close in the third but threes by Josh Twersky and Intrieri ensured Wiss was ahead 45-36 as the fourth quarter began.
Wiss put the game away in the final minutes with some clutch foul shooting and another three by Twersky. Earl Stout found Compas down low on another key sequence for Wiss.
The Trojans are in action again Friday, when they travel to Pennsbury for a 5:30 p.m. game.
Bensalem (8-9, 6-3 SOL Patriot) hosts William Tennent Thursday night at 7.
Sanders led the Owls with 19, and Ashford added 14 before having to leave the game late due to injury.
Wissahickon 63, Bensalem 54
Bensalem 8 13 15 18 – 54
Wissahickon 14 19 12 18 – 63
Bensalem: Tra Edwards 1 0-0 3, James Ashford 7 0-1 14, Allen Myers 1 2-2 4, Aaron Sanders 6 4-4 19, Jake Delange 1 0-0 2, Luke Ziedler 2 2-2 8, Jack Wineburg 1 0-0 3, Nifita Schafer 0 1-2 1. Totals 19 9-11 54.
Wissahickon: Earl Stout 0 3-4 3, Josh Twersky 2 1-6 7, Jackson Intrieri 4 2-3 13, Will Kunzier 3 2-3 8, Matt Compas 10 8-12 30, Morgan Wilson 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 16-28 63.
3-pointers: B-Edwards, Sanders 3, Ziedler 2, Wineburg; W-Twersky 2, Intrieri 3, Compas 2.
