BRHS, NBC, Florence boys’ basketball teams post wins

By:Sean Moylan
   Two games. Two wins.
   While it isn’t time to get too excited or overreact to the Bordentown Regional High School boys’ varsity basketball team’s 2-0 start, one can feel the excitement growing.
   On Tuesday night, the Scotties’ number one long-range bomber, Danny Sasso, knocked down four treys on his way to scoring 26 points in Bordentown’s thrilling 63-59 victory at Nottingham.
   However, it was Sasso’s clutch work from the charity stripe that sealed the victory for Bordentown.
   "He (Sasso) had four straight free throws to win it," noted Bordentown Coach Mark Drew.
   Sasso’s new scoring partner, Sam McDuffie, lit up the scoreboard for 22 points.
   Meanwhile, freshman point guard Jon Kohler, who did a good job of running the show, collected eight points.
   Mike Pracko had three points and James Brotherton and Thomas Knapp each made a bucket. Bordentown had a great third quarter (20-10).
   In its home opener on Friday, Bordentown blasted Cinnaminson, 65-50. McDuffie, a transfer student from N.Y.C., led the way with 19 points while Kohler chipped in 16, including four 3-pointers. Knapp had a strong game with a dozen points and Sasso (a pair of 3’s). Pracko (four points), Matt Rodenbaugh (two points), Justin Gaines (a foul shot make) and Justin Lewandowski (one point) all scored for the Scotties, who put the game away with a fine 20-12 fourth quarter.
   "They’re athletic and they have a lot of talent," said Drew of his team. "We’re coming to play."
   Bordentown will be coming to play today (Thursday) when it takes on the Holy Cross Lancers at Delran. In its opener of the Michael J. Tucker Tournament on Tuesday, Bordentown is scheduled to play Haddon Township.
   
FLORENCE
   Even last year, everyone knew that Abree Jones had the makings of a terrific basketball player.
   In the Florence High School boys’ basketball team’s opening two contests this year, Jones has stepped up to become the Flashes’ leading scorer, as well as the great defender he’s always been.
   In the Flashes’ 58-33 Opening Day win at Maple Shade last Friday, Jones led all scorers with 19 points. Jones was just as impressive defensively with eight steals and eight rebounds.
   Florence senior point guard Matt Ordog was also sharp in the win with 16 points, which included a pair of 3-pointers. Jeff Erlston, Florence’s senior center, pulled down five boards while scoring a half a dozen points. Maurice "Mo" Calhoun (six points), Francis Ugowe (five points), Chris Giambrone (five points), and Malcolm Jenkins (a free throw) were Florence’s other scorers in the contest. The Flashes broke out to a 17-2 first-quarter lead and never looked back.
   On Monday, a tough Westampton Tech club edged Florence, 45-43, in a heated battle at Westampton.
   Jones, nonetheless, kept Florence in the game with 17 points and six rebounds (four offensive).
   "He’s (Jones) driving to the lane," remarked Florence team manager Scott Rein, who does the scorekeeping for the Flashes.
   Westampton led 30-26 after three quarters, but both squads picked up the pace in the final stanza, which led to an exciting finish. Unfortunately, Florence fell a couple of points short of victory. Nonetheless Calhoun (nine points, six rebounds, four assists), Ordog (seven points), Ugowe (five points), Erlston (eight rebounds) and Jenkins (three points) all made contributions for Florence.
   Florence (1-1) is scheduled to host Riverside today (Thursday) in its first home game of the season. Next Tuesday and Wednesday, Florence is scheduled to compete in the North Warren Tournament.
   
NBC
   When you have good athletes and you don’t make many turnovers, basketball can seem like an easy game.
   On Tuesday night the Northern Burlington County Regional High School boys’ varsity basketball team went back to the drawing board, cut down on its mistakes and came away with an "easy" home win over the Delran Bears.
   "Tonight (Tuesday) against Delran was one of those games here we made good decisions with the basketball and walked away with a 55-37 win," said NBC Coach Herman Johnson,
   "We had a big fourth quarter (24-11) where our pressure kept them down."
   Darius Newton, a senior point guard, was NBC’s leading scorer with 13 points. However, Jerry Howell and Danny Zimplemann (a pair of 3’s) each scored 10 points each.
   Johnson, who was impressed with Howell’s overall play and Zimplemann’s shooting, liked what he saw out of Newton and commented, "He kept enough people involved. I’m starting to see him take on a little leadership role."
   Irving Fryar also had a strong game for NBC with eight points and Shaun Jackman scored two off the bench. Paul Urbish (six points), Ryan Gause (one point), Andre Jackson (three points), and David Robinson (two points) all found their way onto the score sheet too.
   "We emptied our bench with 4 or 5 minutes left in the game," added Johnson.
   However, Pemberton answered with P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E and tied the score at 15 by the end of the opening quarter and led 35-20 at the half. It even kept that pressure on until the closing moments of the contest.
   Nonetheless, Newton (15 points), Fryar (10 points), Andre Jackson (seven points), Howell (nine points) and Jackman (four points) all had their moments for the greyhounds.
   NBC played without Keith Jones in both contests.
   NBC (1-1) is scheduled to compete in the Riverside Tournament next Monday and Tuesday.
   
LCA
   The Life Center Academy boys’ varsity basketball team has very few easy games on its schedule.
   In fact, on an average of once a week, one will find LCA matched up against one of the elite teams in the tri-state area.
   However, when the Warriors get an opportunity to play their normal Penn-Jersey scheduled, usually they look like "world beaters."
   Such was the case last Thursday when LCA’s varsity B team simply crushed Saint Mary’s Hall, 92-18, in Florence.
   LCA pounced on Saint Mary’s with a 36-3 first quarter as Chris Edwards and David Cotton each tallied 17 points.
   "We had them (Saint Mary’s) overmatched, but we tried to work on some things," said LCA Coach Darryl Gladden.
   "Jonathan Edwards (14 points) and Hamady Ndiaye (10 points) controlled the boards."
   Darren Stribling (12 points), Gidney (six points), Jonathan Hinson (two points), James Todd (six points), Steve Bond (four points) and Dane Mohrmann (four points) scored for LCA too.
   On Monday a powerful Saint Benedict’s school beat Life Center Academy 71-41.
   "We definitely struggle with the fifth-year Preps," noted Gladden, whose club hasn’t had any fifth-year seniors for a few years now.
   However, Gladden was pleased with Jonathan Edwards’ long range shooting (a pair of 3’s on his way to double figure scoring).
   "Wojciech Bocianowski played fairly well," added Gladden. "We’re just trying to get better."
   LCA (2-5) is scheduled to host Trenton High today (Thursday). On Monday LCA is scheduled to play in the Morrisville High School JV Christmas Tournament.