Allentown boys’ hoop rebuilding

By: Kyle Moylan
   Rome wasn’t built in a day. And the Allentown High School boys’ basketball team isn’t going to be rebuilt in a weekend.
   If one looked close enough, however, they could see the "constructions" signs and bricks and cement piled up in the parking lot.
   While Allentown lost both of its games this past weekend, it did good things in each one.
   Allentown’s first-year coach Kevin Gardner noted before the season the success of his team would rely largely on defense. And Allentown certainly played defense well enough to win its opener. Unfortunately, Allentown couldn’t generate much offense in a 50-29 loss to Steinert last Friday night at home.
   "As the season goes along, we’ll definitely get more offense," Gardner said. "One of the problems was the kids rushed everything. We didn’t run any sets all night. Steinert didn’t miss much and we rushed everything."
   Allentown really struggled offensively in the first half. It took a three-pointer at the buzzer by Greg Amatrudo to give Allentown seven points in the first quarter. A basket off a steal and a foul shot by Amatrudo, who finished the game with 16 points, were the only points the team scored in the second period. Allentown trailed 24-10 at the half.
   For the most part, however, Allentown played a very good defensive game. Most of the points it did allow was when Steinert got the ball down low and was able to create a size advantage.
   "We’ll have a problem with that," Gardner noted. "We’re not a big team. We’ll have to focus on man defense and keeping the ball out of there."
   After losing Friday night at home, Allentown had a short turnaround. It was at Spotswood the next afternoon and lost by 62-50 score.
   There were definitely signs of improvement. Allentown had as many points in the first quarter against Spotswood as it did in a half against Steinert. In the second (12-11) and fourth (16-7) quartersAllentown also outscored the opposition.
   Amatrudo carried over his fine offense to Saturday, scoring 18 points. Brandon Smith scored seven points, Dan Westfall and Will Moreo scored six points each, Jeff Duymich five points, and Kyle Nieliwocki and Mike Sanfilippo three points each.
   While the team is 0-2 and plays in a very difficult Colonial Valley Conference, there are a lot of winnable games coming up on the schedule.
   Allentown was scheduled to face a first-year Robbinsville team this past Tuesday. The team will be at Voorhees 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday) and at Princeton 7 p.m. on Friday. Allentown will then be off until it opens play in its Christmas Tournament on Wednesday, Dec. 27. Allentown will host Point Pleasant Beach at 3 p.m. That game will follow a Nottingham-North Hunterdon game at 11 a.m.
   "I told the kids that I’m not disappointed," Gardner said. "What you saw were some opening-night jitters. We have some kids back and can be good. We have a long season ahead of us."
   RHS

   The Robbinsville High School boys’ basketball team lost its first varsity game ever to Trenton, 72-29, at Trenton.
   Chris Richardson scored 12 points, Charlie Nocera six, Jack Burum four, Shae Fahey three, and Tyler Fasanella and Kevin Burum two points each.
   Robbinsville was scheduled to face Allentown on Tuesday and Monroe yesterday. On Friday, Robbinsville will play at Hopewell in a 5:15 p.m. start