FRANCONIA — Ryan Mulroy doesn’t see himself as a role player anymore, but it doesn’t mean he’s above playing any role needed.
So when Upper Dublin big man Idris Rines rolled an ankle in the third quarter of Saturday’s Jim Church Classic title game against host Souderton, Mulroy sized up. The junior filled that role and several others as a Cardinals team looking to make some noise this season got things started on a good note.
Mulroy’s MVP performance helped UD hold off Souderton 52-48 to take home a tournament title.
“I feel like I can play a lot of different places and for me, I’m always trying to turn and face then look for our shooters,” Mulroy, who had 14 points, said. “We have a lot of guys who can shoot and if I’m open, I can shoot it too, so I was comfortable playing that position.”
Both teams exchanged punches and runs all game, Upper Dublin getting three scorers into double figures while Souderton had two go for at least 14 points. The Cardinals’ biggest lead was seven points while the Indians largest lead was four, so it also remained close from the opening tip.
Brady Fogle led Upper Dublin with 17 points, joining Mulroy on the all-tournament team, and the senior sniper had a personal 9-0 run in the second quarter after a 9-0 Souderton run. Kobe Bazemore had 10 points, plus four assists and two steals running the point for UD.
“We had a good offseason and we were excited about this group to start the year,” Cards coach Derek Brooks said. “The first weekend is always chaotic. You can play as many summer and fall league games as you want, but the real games are always different but definitely good to start 2-0.”
A three by Nolan Watkins gave Souderton a 44-43 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Indians’ first lead since the second quarter.
UD went to Mulroy, who drew a foul and knocked down both foul shots for a lead the Cardinals wouldn’t give back. Bazemore scored off a dish from Fogle on the next possession, Souderton cut it back to two then the point guard drained a crucial three with 3:20 left in regulation to make it 50-45.
“We’d get a little run, they’d come back. We’d get another lead, they’d come back,” Brooks said. “That’s what you have to do. Things are going to happen mentally where you just have to move on to the next one. We did a good job, got a couple stops in a row, a couple big buckets and it’s all about your mindset in those situations.”
Chanse Salone and Nolan Watkins were Souderton’s two selections to the all-tournament team. Salone was hampered by foul trouble after halftime but he still managed 16 points to lead Souderton while Watkins tallied 14 points.
A major difference for this year’s Cardinals roster than the last few is that most of the players are either basketball-only or basketball-first. There are still a few multi-sport guys on the team but it’s not a team loaded with primarily football players like previous seasons.
However, there’s also a lack of experience at the varsity level. Bazemore is a sophomore, Rines is a junior but playing his first year of varsity while Noah Cohen and Brandon Altman are also both sophomores.
Fogle got plenty of time last year and Mulroy cited him and senior Chris Kohlbrenner as two teammates who have helped keep the team level. Now as a junior with plenty of games to his name, Mulroy knows he’s being looked at in a new light.
“It’s a whole different way of how I have to play,” Mulroy said. “Last year, I was more of a role player cutting to the basket, that’s how I got all my points. This year, I have to step up, be a leader and if I’m going to score, then score in different ways.”
It’s just two games into the season, but Mulroy knew there was value in getting to go home with a tournament win to the team’s resume. The last two years, UD got bounced in the first round of the District 1-5A playoffs and with a team that sees itself playing a lot longer into the season this year, anything to build that winning mentality is a plus.
“A lot of these guys, it’s their first real experience so it’s nice having that in their back pocket now of knowing what it’s like winning a tournament,” Brooks said.
Upper Dublin 12 15 15 9 – 52
Souderton 11 14 16 7 – 48
Upper Dublin: Brady Fogle 17, Ryan Mulroy 14, Kobe Bazemore 10, Noah Cohen 6, James Castronuovo 2, Chris Kohlbrenner 2, Idris Rines 1.
Souderton: Chanse Salone 16, Nolan Watkins 14, Clinton Kilonjo 7, Bill Sackor 5, Danny Dyches 4, Trey Bui 2.
