There’s high hopes for next year

BOYS BASKETBALL

By: John E. Powers
   The Hopewell Valley High School boy’s basketball is setting the stage for next season and the way the team is playing it can’t get here fast enough.
   The Bulldogs were scheduled to play their final game of the season at Manasquan today after three rugged games last week.
   The effort of his young team has head coach Tony Mormile looking eagerly toward 2007-08.
   "I think the people around the county realize that, we’re going to have one of the top scorers returning in the county in (Mike) Valcarcel and one of the most athletic in Judah (Matheny)," Mormile said. "I’m really happy with our guys as we end the season."
   Hopewell, 9-16, lost to Nottingham 70-60 in double overtime in a Mercer County Tournament consolation game Friday less than 24 hours after losing to Trenton 63-39 in a county quarterfinal game. The ninth-seeded Bulldogs had advanced to face Trenton with a 65-54 win at eighth-seeded Steinert earlier in the week.
   The Bulldogs used a 23-8 fourth quarter to erase a five-point deficit. Brian Skevington had 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and Will Alton had half of his 12 in the quarter. Mike Varcarel had 21.
   Hopewell stalked Trenton through a tight half, trailing just 29-23 at intermission, but Trenton, led by Brandon Edwards, took control in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 34-16.
   "We really never shot well in the game and we had plenty of good looks," Mormile said. "They executed well and their 6-foot-7 guy (Brandon Edwards) was too much for us."
   The next day, the Bulldogs lost 68-61 in overtime at Nottingham, which had lost in overtime to WW-P South in the county quarterfinals the day before.
   Twice, Nottingham hit three pointers to tie the game in the final seconds. The Bulldogs also had to play without Skevington, Matheny and Valcarcel in the second overtime since they all fouled out. The Bulldogs trailed 37-33 at halftime and Mormile told his team that if they wanted to remain in the game they’d have to keep the Northstars from hitting 60 points. Hopewell allowed just 16 in the second half.
   "The positives far outweighed the negatives in that game; I told the guys that if we got into the 60s we’d be in trouble" Mormile said adding Hopewell’s second half stand after giving up 37 in the first half "is a great sign. It was something. The fact that both teams had played tough games the night before, it was a Rocky-Apollo Creed match. We were feeling each other out and then we started going at it. We’ll win that type of game next year."
   Valcarcel led the way with 18, Skevington had 12 and Alton had seven. Mormile was also able to use 6-foot-3 junior Evan Dinger and 5-foot-11 freshman Ben Meer when the three starters fouled out.