North Penn’s defense keys non-league win over Dock

TOWAMENCIN — Dock and North Penn matched each other’s intensity, swapped baskets and lead changes and battled to a deadlock after three quarters.

And then the Pioneers hit a blue and white wall in the fourth.

“The difference was our ability to defend,” said Knights coach John Conrad. “It was just a good basketball game – great atmosphere. I thought their kids played really hard, as did ours.”

North Penn held Dock scoreless through the first four and a half minutes of a decisive fourth quarter, pulling away to a 57-50 non-league victory in front of a packed house at North Penn.

“After the third quarter, we really needed to pick up our ‘D,'” said the Knights’ Norman Gee, “so we just locked in, played defense and we got the win.”

Said Conrad of his team locking things down in the fourth: “I think our energy went up and I think we communicated a lot better defensively.”

The win raised North Penn’s record to 10-4, with a home game against Bensalem coming up on Tuesday. Dock is now 12-2 on the season, with a home game against Valley Forge Military coming up on Monday.

The Knights and Pioneers were tied at 34 apiece heading into the fourth, until a 13-0 run by North Penn broke the game open.

“This was a big game for us – it might have been the game of the year for us so far,” Gee said of the crosstown battle between District One powers – NP in 6A, Dock in 2A. “We needed to hit shots and that’s what we did.”

“One thing leads to the other,” Conrad said. “We got some stops, and then we were able to get some run-outs.”

A three by Ryan Deininger extended NP’s lead to five and drives by Ryan Zelt and Deininger, who completed a three-point play, made it a 45-34 advantage.

Corey Meade’s layup capped a fast break, as the Knights’ lead spiked to 47-34.

Five different players hit threes for the Knights, with Deininger finishing with 12 points and Zelt pouring in 13.

Gee led the Knights with a team-high 16.

“I felt really good. I was really ready for this game – I was waiting for it,” said Gee, who came out and scored seven first-quarter points. “This was really good for us. We went 3-0 for the week and we just gotta keep pushing.”

Nathan Lapp (18 points), Hoyt Bultje (12 points) and Tony Martin (10 points) all had strong games for the Pioneers, who got as close as seven points late.

But North Penn’s defensive surge provided a big enough cushion.

North Penn 57, Dock 50

Dock 15 13 6 16 – 50

North Penn 17 13 4 23 – 57

Dock: Lane Bergey 1 1-2 3, A.J. Washington 1 0-0 2, Hoyt Bultje 6 0-0 12, Tony Martin 3 3-5 10, Nathan Lapp 3 10-13 18, Vaughan Martin 1 3-5 5. Totals 15 17-25 50.

North Penn: Mario Sgro 2 0-0 5, Norman Gee 6 3-3 16, Teddy McAllister 3 2-4 9, Ryan Zelt 4 4-4 13, Ryan Deininger 4 3-6 12, Corey Meade 1 0-4 2. Totals 20 12-21 57.

3-pointers: D-Martin, Lapp 2; NP-Sgro, Gee, McAllister, Zelt, Deininger.