CB South snaps Pennridge’s three-game winning streak
The opening eight minutes went better than planned for the Pennridge boys basketball team Friday night.
7hH 5DPV VFRrHG WhH firVW eight points and led visiting Central Bucks South by as many as 10 before heading into the second up 19-12.
“I WhRughW Rur firVW TuDrWHr, we played probably as well WhDW TuDrWHr DV ZH SODyHG DOO yHDr,” 3HQQriGgH FRDFh Dean Behrens said. “Our HQHrgy ZDV DZHVRPH, ZH rHbounded the ball extremely ZHOO.”
7hH VFriSW, hRZHvHr, TuiFkOy fliSSHG iQ WhH 7iWDQV’ favor the next two periods. South outscored the Rams 36-12 in the second and third — including 20-5 in the latWHr TuDrWHr — WR FROOHFW D 5948 Suburban One Continental Conference victory and snap Pennridge’s three-game win streak.
“We were doing everything we wanted. We were gHWWiQg rHbRuQGV, gHWWiQg iQWR WrDQViWiRQ, SODyiQg gRRG GHIHQVH, hiWWiQg VhRWV, WhHy were missing – everything ZDV gRRG,” 5DPV VHQiRr -HII Garner said. “And then in the VHFRQG TuDrWHr, WhHy FDPH RuW, VWDrWHG hiWWiQg VhRWV. IW got a little bit tougher to play defense and rebound and transition if they’re hitting VhRWV.”
Chase sonder Schmalz scored all of his team-high 11 points in the second half as CB South earned its third VWrDighW ZiQ DQG fiIWh FRQsecutive win over Pennridge (8-7, 3-5 FRQIHrHQFH). 5iFky Dennis chipped in 10 points as the Titans had eight players score at least four points.
AIWHr CB 6RuWh (9-5, 6-2) HQGHG WhH firVW hDOI uS 28-26, sonder Schmalz started the third with consecutive threeSRiQWHrV, WhHQ FDSSHG RII WhH TuDrWHr ZiWh D DQRWhHr WriSOH, putting South up 48-31 going into the fourth.
The closest the Rams got the rest of the way was eight at 51-43 before the Titans were able to convert from the foul line to hold off the comeback bid.
“We played a lot of man (GHIHQVH) WRQighW, buW uOtimately their abilities and WhHir WDOHQW WRRk RvHr, DQG their depth hurt us a little biW,” BHhrHQV VDiG. “AQG I IHOW gRRG, ZH hDG ZRQ WhrHH iQ D rRZ, ZH’vH bHHQ SODyiQg gRRG bDVkHWbDOO, I WhiQk we’re getting better as a WHDP. -HII GDrQHr DQG .yOH Bigam just play all-out. 7Rugh gDPH.”
Andrew Dietterich had HighW SRiQWV iQ WhH firVW hDOI DQG fiQiVhHG ZiWh 12 WR OHDG the Rams. Garner and Shane 6FhPiGW HDFh fiQiVhHG iQ 10 points.
“Hopefully get a win tomorrow and clear (Friday’s ORVV) RuW yRur PiQG,” GDrQHr said.
Back-to-back threes from Pat McClatchy and Garner had the Rams up 8-0 early in WhH firVW, ZiWh 3HQQriGgH gRiQg uS 19-9 ODWH iQ WhH TuDrter after a Schmidt fadeaway jumper. But a Dennis threepoint play at 19.1 seconds FuW WhH 7iWDQV’ GHfiFiW WR 1912 entering the second.
Dietterich knocked down a jumper to put Pennridge up nine only for South to score the next eight points to pull within one. A Dietterich bas- kHW PDGH iW 23-20, buW WhH Titans answered with six straight points – a putback by Adam Tamny giving the visitors a 26-23 advantage.
Schmidt’s three-pointer from the wing tied the game DW 26-26, yHW 6RuWh ZHQW iQWR halftime ahead 28-26 thanks WR D SDir RI 7.-. 2hQWruS IrHH throws with 24.3 seconds left.
IQ WhH WhirG, FRQVHFuWivH threes by sonder Schmalz put South up 34-26 before two free throws by Garner. But the Titans posted the QHxW QiQH SRiQWV, ZiWh DHQnis’ foul-line jumper giving South a 43-28 lead.
“When they started getting hRW, iW GiGQ’W VurSriVH uV. :H MuVW hDG WR fighW iW, ZH GiGQ’W rHDOOy fighW iW WhDW ZHOO,” Garner said. “And they had D gRRG gDPH DQG fiQiVhHG iW VWrRQg. :H GiGQ’W VWRS fighWiQg, buW WhHy SODyHG ZHOO.”
Garner’s foul shot at 42.7 seconds made it 4531, 9RQGHr 6FhPDOz GriOOHG another trey for a 17-point South advantage after three TuDrWHrV.
Pennridge began the fourth with six consecutive points — a Dietterich breakaway dunk making it 48-37 — and got within eight at 51-43 on Schmidt’s three. But South went 6-for-6 from the foul line in a 1:09 span to push its lead back to 14.