By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Dave Palmieri’s final season with the Allentown High School boys basketball team did not start the way he envisioned it, but lately it’s been a lot of fun.
The Redbirds lost the first eight games of the year to prompt a players-only meeting.
”At that point, we all understood we needed to come together,” said Palmieri, the team’s lone senior. “We talked about our individual goals and the goals of the team. We came together after that.”
Palmieri’s layup off a heads-up assist from Tristan Millett was the game-winner as Allentown overtook Nottingham, 47-44, Saturday for its seventh win in their last nine games since starting 0-8.
”In the beginning of the season, we were losing a lot of games by three, four, five, six points,” Palmieri said. “In the last nine games stretch, we’ve been coming out on top. We’ve been focusing in and coming out on top and it’s working well for us.”
Palmieri was one of three players in double digits scoring against Nottingham. Hal Shaw led the way with 12 points, Palmieri had 11 points and Hunter Gerling had 10 points.
”There was never a point where myself, our players, our coaches, that we didn’t believe we could turn it around in the win-loss column,” said Redbirds head coach Jay Graber. “We were playing good basketball, but just coming up short. Of the eight games, we only got blown out in one or two of them. We did play well. We just couldn’t finish.
”(Saturday), we were down five with a minute to go. We hit a couple big shots and came out with a win.”
The turnaround has made things a lot more fun for a Redbirds team that, while young, does have some experience. With Millett eligible after transferring back from Notre Dame, the Redbirds have had their complete arsenal available.
”Since the last nine games, he’s been handling the ball for us,” Palmieri said. “He’s been bringing a spark. It’s fun with this atmosphere we’re bringing.”
Palmieri, who is in his first full season as a starter, was quick to credit Millett for the go-ahead basket against Nottingham in what turned into a riveting win. The last-minute comeback was something that wasn’t happening early in the season, but Allentown found a way to make plays down the stretch to stay hot.
”It was a lot of fun,” Palmieri said. “We had the press on because it was so close. We ran our press. Tristan got the steal, we had a bad turnover, he got another steal. He was falling out of bounds and he made an amazing pass and I finished it. It was a great pass.”
Xavier Roldan had seven points and he and Austin Moy each hit a 3-pointer in the win. The Redbirds are getting contributions across the roster now.
”Our guys are starting to play better basketball, starting to mesh together better,” Graber said. “Our players have started to understand their roles better.”
Palmieri is a captain for the Redbirds. He was hoping it would be a big season, but Allentown stumbled out of the gates. They are playing more like the way he expected in recent weeks.
”I’m the only senior on the team now,” Palmieri said. “I’m glad we’ve been able to turn it around.
”We worked hard in the offseason so the first eight games were a little discouraging. We had a rough stretch. We knew our hard work would pay off. Now we’re seeing it come to fruition.”
The Redbirds were to face Lawrence and Hopewell Valley this week, two teams that were early winners over them. Allentown is looking forward to the chance to show its true colors this time around.
”We lost to them in the beginning of our eight-game stretch,” Palmieri said. “We feel like we’re a new team and want to showcase that in the games coming up.
”We’re all playing for each other and have a new intensity and confidence we didn’t have in the first eight games. We stopped feeling sorry for ourselves. We stopped playing for ourselves and started playing for each other. It’s a lot of fun.”
Palmieri has been a leader for the Redbirds. The forward has done whatever has been asked of him to help the team improve.
”He just brings a ton of energy, plays great defense,” Graber said. “He rebounds well and knows and understands his role and accepts it.”
The Redbirds will make the state tournament. First, they take aim at the Mercer County Tournament. Allentown is the No. 10 seed and will play at seventh-seeded West Windsor-Plainsboro South, which handled them the first time. Allentown isn’t that same team anymore.
”Every time in those first eight games, we knew soon enough we’d hit a run,” Palmieri said. “Our coach kept telling us, we just have to get that first win, we just have to break through. We just want to keep the momentum moving in the right direction.”
The Redbirds never lost faith, and they are being rewarded at the most important part of the season.
Said Palmieri: “We’re all having a blast now.”

