Schaller, Garnet Valley hot from the start in win over Radnor
RADNOR — Six basketballs were produced for Garnet Valley’s warmup Tuesday evening at Radnor. As the clock ticked down to less than 90 seconds before introductions and the anthem, all six basketballs found their way to shooters on the perimeter and, within a second or so, splashed into the net, with nary a glance off the rim.
Another round of shots, another sequence of swishes, one after the other, save for one rim out, from all over the court.
The shooting display wasn’t just for the early arrivers, since Garnet Valley started the Central League contest by sinking four 3-pointers on six trips down the court, via four different Jaguars, a blitz that staked them to an early 10-point lead that wouldn’t be surrendered.
The Jaguars came back to earth with just 10 3-pointers on the game, but even shorthanded they controlled matters from start to finish in a 66-51 decision over the Raiders.
Carl Schaller started the barrage, but by the time Radnor called time at 4:24 of the opening quarter, 80 percent of the Jags’ starting lineup had hit a trifecta. The 12-2 edge that the Jags accrued would not even be halved, Radnor getting no closer than six early in the third quarter.
“It’s a big confidence booster,” forward Chris Coyne said. “It just shows us everyone on our team is ready to step up and contribute.”
Carl Schaller to the rack. 28-17 Garnet pic.twitter.com/hVEaT88PYd
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) January 8, 2020
Making matters all the more impressive is that the Jaguars (9-1, 6-1 Central), winners of six straight, did it without Neel Beniwal, their second-leading scorer who led Delaware County with 58 made 3-pointers last year. Beniwal sat a second straight game while battling tendinitis. But even without his 14.4 points per game, the offense didn’t miss a beat.
“Everyone on our team does a great job contributing on offense, Neel or not,” said Coyne, who scored two points and grabbed 15 rebounds. “Neel is great on offense, but Neel or not, we’re confident with everyone on our team.”
The main reason for that consistency is Schaller, who tallied a game-high 29 points and seven assists in a magisterial display. Schaller was 4-for-6 from behind the arc, obliging with ever further 3-point looks when Radnor declined to defend over ball screens, his shot an effortless flick that belies Schaller’s slight 5-10 frame.
Not a great quarter for Radnor but Colin Lane ends it with this swishes 3 from halfcourt.
After 1, Garnet Valley 19, Radnor 10. pic.twitter.com/LxMgAzAjDZ— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) January 8, 2020
With the ball in his hands, he orchestrated the shooters for Garnet Valley, which is averaging a Delco-best nine made 3-pointers per game. Valantis Apostolopoulos and Ryan Louden each hit two 3-pointers, and starters Gannon McKee and Justin Langan joined in on the game-opening deluge that set the tone and dug the Raiders a hole from which they wouldn’t escape.
“It’s a gut check,” Radnor forward Jack D’Entremont said. “We play as hard as anybody; that’s part of our identity. We’re going to bring that effort night in and night out, no matter who it is and how hot they get. But that’s on the (scouting report). They’ve got five guys in their starting lineup that can shoot the ball. We knew that, and they came out and really proved it, and we adjusted a little bit in the second quarter but we just let them get too many for as good of shooters as they are.”
One particular sequence showed Schaller’s prowess. With Radnor (8-3, 4-1) clawing back to within nine points to start the fourth, Schaller hit a step-back 3-pointer. He then appeared trapped in the corner near his own basket before launching a three-quarters-court, one-handed feed to Louden (13 points) for an open triple. Then Schaller called his own number, slicing through the Radnor defense for a lay-in.
He added a pair of transition feeds to Apostolopoulos (14 points) for layups at the rim against a trapping Radnor defense for four dimes in the fourth quarter. As fun as knocking down shots is, distributing fills him with just as much joy.
“I kind of like assists better,” Schaller said. “It’s a good feeling because I can get my teammates the ball and they’re happy. But if they’re going to press me like they did in the second half, I’ll gladly pass it every time.”
GV’s early shooting got Radnor irrevocably off its game. The Raiders have excelled as Garnet’s polar opposite: With just 2.8 made 3-pointers per game, they’re among the least dependent on the long ball in Delco. But Garnet Valley’s zone defense led them to more jump shots than usual. Radnor tied a season-high with six makes, but it took 16 attempts to get there.
Lew Robinson led the Raiders with 16 points. D’Entremont scored 13 points, but he didn’t attempt a shot in the decisive first quarter. Colin Lane hit a pair of 3-pointers – including a runner from half-court to cap the first quarter – for eight points. But it wasn’t within the Raiders’ normal flow, particularly against a high-octane opponent, leading to a third straight defeat after an 8-0 start.
“Especially early, we played right into their hands by taking contested 3s and contested 18-footers,” D’Entremont said. “And then once we settled in a little bit and started being aggressive going to the basket, getting into the paint, getting to the line, it got better. But at the same time, we were immature in this game and playing into their hands, taking the shots they wanted instead of getting shots we wanted.”
That kind of performance wasn’t going to be enough against Garnet Valley. Not with the shots falling and Schaller facilitating.
“He’s such a good player,” Coyne said of his point guard. “When we have him out there, he finds everyone wide open, helping our offense.”
Also in the Central League:
Marple Newtown 45, Haverford 43 >> Ben Davis hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer of the second overtime, and Owen Mathes scored the game-winning layup with 1.8 seconds left in the third OT of a thriller.
Mike Tansey scored 15 points, and Ryan Straub added 11 points for the Tigers (7-4, 4-2).
John Seidman led Haverford with 17 points, and Hunter Kraiza chipped in 10 for the Fords (6-5, 2-4).
Penncrest 52, Ridley 39 >> Marquis Tomlin scored a game-high 13 points to go with five rebounds and six assists, and Denzel Atkinson-Boyer dominated the paint with 10 points and 17 rebounds as the Lions (11-1, 5-1) won their eighth straight. Saahir Lee added 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Cam Farro paced Ridley (6-5, 3-3) with 12 points. Malachi Williams added nine points.
Upper Darby 60, Harriton 49 >> Shareef Jones led a balanced scoring effort with 13 points as the Royals (7-5, 3-3) led by 20 points at halftime. Onyekachi Nzeh added 11 points, and CJ Dabbs chipped in 10.
Conestoga 58, Strath Haven 56 >> Austin Fontaine’s 3-pointer with two seconds left was the winner for the Pioneers. Ibo Pio and Luke Edwards scored 12 points each, and Justin Morris added 10 for the Panthers (7-3, 3-3).
Lower Merion 52, Springfield 32 >> Brian Ward scored 10 points, but the Cougars’ game attempt was undone by a 23-8 margin in the third quarter.
