Souderton hands Hatters first league loss
8QOikH WhH firVW PHHWiQg this season between the Hatboro-Horsham and SouderWRQ bRyV bDVkHWbDOO WHDPV, the coaching story line took a back seat to a game beWZHHQ WhH firVW DQG VHFRQG place teams in the Suburban One Continental Conference.
If the Indians had any ideas of hopping the Hatters IRr D FRQIHrHQFH FrRZQ, D win on Tuesday was a must.
“I IHOW WhH firVW gDPH ZhHQ we played them it was kind RI Py IDuOW,” IQGiDQV FRDFh and former Hatters assistant Pete Chimera said. “Going back to the place where I coached for six years I do not think I coached a great game. Tonight these kids reVSRQGHG.”
The Indians’ Austin Murphy collected a loose ball off a missed Mike Brown free WhrRZ iQ WhH fiQDO PiQuWH RI action. The senior sent an outlet pass to junior BrenGDQ :DgQHr, ZhR GiSSHG DQ elbow around one defender and tallied the two points to give his team the eventual 49-46 win.
“Hatboro did not have a league loss and we really ZDQWHG WR kQRFk WhHP RII,” Wagner said. “We had to do this at home. It was the biggest game of the season so IDr.
Wagner recorded an impressive double-double. The 6-foot-9 center scored 13 points and pulled in 13 rHbRuQGV, DQG GiG VR ZiWh fellow Hatboro-Horsham junior wach Quattro on his back. The Hatters’ 6-foot-6 Quattro and Wagner were out to one-up each other all night.
“(:DgQHr) DQG I gR bDFk D FRuSOH yHDrV,” 4uDWWrR VDiG. “He is a good player and has some good moves. They all
just played a good game.”
Quattro found his rhythm early, scoring 13 of his 17 SoLQWs LQ WKH fiUsW KDOI Wo KHOS the Hatters (12-3, 8-1 conference) head into the locker room with a 30-25 lead. His ability to hit from long range forced Wagner to step out from the paint and never get caught with his hands down.
“I am not really expecting a big man to pull up from that far,” Wagner said. “I see it in AAr, but not in this league. I saw he could hit the shot and knew I had to be out on him.”
As Wagner’s defensive awareness increased, the Hatters’ lead decreased. He also received help from John hanas, who led the team with 15 points and Austin Murphy, who also had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
“The kids hate when I make the run, but the fourth quarter is why I make them run,” Chimera said. “(The Hatters) were a little tired and we were still going after boards. I challenged Brendan because I have seen Quattro beat him. Quattro is great and played WHUULfic, buW , WKLQN BUHQGDQ took it straight at him and played as hard as he possibly could.”
Hatters senior Mike Brown — who led all scorers with 18 points — connected on a layup at the buzzer of the third quarter, giving his team a one-point edge. In what seemed to be the basket to hold momentum in favor for coach Dennis Steinly’s club, it only energized the Indians (11-5, 7-2) to close out the contest with determination.
“I think we learned a lot from this game and we will bounce back strong,” QuatWUo sDLG. “WH DUH sWLOO LQ fiUsW place and we are going to keep playing like it.”