Jenkintown holds off Christopher Dock
JENKINTOWN >> A gritty defensive effort by Christopher Dock nearly brought the Pioneers all the way back Thursday night, but in the final minutes, it would be the swarming style of Jenkintown — and just enough free throws — that added up to a 47-39 victory for the Drakes.
Christopher Dock’s Lanae Hunsberger passes over Jenkintown’s Ashley Kremp Jan. 21, 2016.
“I stressed to the girls all week, that they’re little gnats, and they’re gonna come flying at you,” Dock coach Al Grenfell said of the Drakes. “I told our girls to ‘take your time.’ We came out in the beginning of the game, probably threw the ball away five times.
“And then we played better in the second half. We just had to make that extra pass.”
Dock, down 16-6 early and later trailing 25-15 in the third, got to within 26-25 early in the fourth and within 41-39 with a minute to go.
Drakes guard Jennifer Kremp was fouled, hit one of two free throws to extend the margin to three, and then — in a key sequence — came up with a steal, was fouled, and hit one of two free throws to give the Drakes a 43-39 lead with 32 seconds left.
A defensive rebound by forward Caroline Arena led to a pair of foul shots by Mia Kolb, making it 45-39 with 19 seconds to go, icing the game for a young Jenkintown team (14-3) that is learning how to win the close ones.
“We needed a game like this,” Drakes coach Jim Romano said after the Bicentennial Athletic League clash. “The last two games that we played, against New Hope and Lower Moreland, we lost both of them by turnovers and mistakes.
“I have to keep reminding myself that my team is freshmen and sophomores. They’re very talented, but they’re still learning how we play and what we strive for.”
Jenkintown pressed Christopher Dock into multiple turnovers early and the Drakes got hot from the outside to go on a 13-0 first-quarter run.
Ashley Kremp (11 points) hit her first three 3-point attempts of the night, and Mia Kolb — who would lead the Drakes with 13 points — and Caroline Arena hit outside shots as well to help Jenkintown build a 16-6 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Defense would dominate the second quarter, with the Pioneers (9-7) limiting the Drakes to just a pair of field goals — a three by Mia Kolb and a basket by Arena — to get back into the game.
Jenkintown’s Jennifer Kremp dishes a pass around Christopher Dock’s Caroline McFadden Jan. 21, 2016.
Forward Olyvia Longacre emerged as Dock’s most consistent offensive force, hitting mid-range shots and driving to the hoop for a three-point play that trimmed the margin to 21-15 at the break.
Longacre and Ashley Kremp led all scorers at the end of the first half, with nine points each. Longacre would lead the Pioneers’ third-quarter surge, getting them going with a basket in transition and then adding six more points in the fourth for a game-high 18.
“I told them to initiate contact and put the ball in the basket,” Grenfell said. “That’s what we’ve been working on. We just have to get stronger.”
Dock will host Christian Academy Friday while Jenkintown prepares for a Monday contest at Faith Christian.
