DeSales men hitting stride right on time
With eight new players on his roster, Scott Coval hoped his team would mesh by midseason. DeSales has hit its stride right on the timetable its coach wanted.
The Bulldogs outmanned Penn State-Berks on Saturday to extend their winning streak to six games. That pushed their record to 9-4 as they prepare for nothing but MAC Freedom Conference men’s basketball games for the rest of the regular season.
Increased chemistry has DeSales sharing the basketball to great effect. The Bulldogs have assisted on 77.1 percent of their field goals over the last three games.
Emmaus High graduate Matt Kachelries has led the way. The sophomore is averaging 5.8 assists in his first season with the Bulldogs. He transferred to DeSales after spending his freshman year at Bloomsburg.
Kachelries, a 6-1 guard, also leads DeSales in rebounding at 6.8 boards per game.
“He’s just getting it,” Coval said after Saturday’s win. “He’s starting to read things better. The ball screen we run with him, he’s starting to really understand where the other defenders are. He’s starting to throw the ball ahead a little better.
“He’s just growing into the position, and he’s playing great.”
Another Lehigh Valley product, Central Catholic graduate Ben Pratt, has missed DeSales’ last four games with an ankle injury. The Bulldogs hope to have him back Wednesday when they begin the two-game-a-week rhythm of MAC Freedom Conference play against Wilkes.
Pratt, a junior guard, ranks third on the Bulldogs in scoring (10.4 ppg). He also is one of their top perimeter defenders, topping them with 21 steals.
Defense remains an area where Coval seeks more growth. The Bulldogs have endured stretches where they defend for the first 20-25 seconds of the shot clock, only to falter and give up points late in the possession.
“We’ve gotten better that way,” Coval said. “We just need to finish possessions. That’s probably the best way to put it.”
Winter (Whiteout) is coming
Penn State-Lehigh Valley will host a Winter Whiteout during its Jan. 26 doubleheader at Stabler Arena. The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. during a women’s and men’s basketball doubleheader against Penn State-Fayette.
The White Out will include a courtside tailgate, an inflatable moon bounce, a basketball hoop for kids and prizes. Game admission is free. Tickets for the tailgate are 10 dollars for children ages 2-12 and Penn State-Lehigh Valley students, and 20 dollars for adults.
For more information or to purchase tickets, contact director of alumni relations Diane McAloon at 610-2855066 or dul11@psu.edu.
Phil-ling the stat sheet
Senior forward Phil Pierfy has played a leading role in Arcadia’s 11-2 start. The Wilson High graduate ranks second on the Knights in scoring (13.9 ppg) and tied for first in rebounding (6.2 rpg). He has scored in double figures 10 times, including a season-high 23 points in a Nov. 28 win at DeSales.
Pierfy was an all-MAC Commonwealth second-team choice as a junior. He averaged 15.7 points and 6.3 boards per game.