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By DAVE KONOPKI davek@leader.net
Tuesday, March 11, 2003 Page: 1B
High School Basketball
Led by one of the top point guards in the Philadelphia area, a 6-foot-7
forward, and a linebacker dressed in a basketball uniform, the Harriton Rams
have set a lofty goal for the postseason.
And Meyers is hoping to keep that goal of a state championship out of
reach.
The District 2 third seed Mohawks (20-9) face District 1 champion Harriton
(24-4) in the second round of the PIAA Class 3A playoffs at 7:30 tonight at
Martz Hall in Pottsville.
In other boys action tonight, District 2 champion Bishop O’Reilly (20-8)
plays District 11 runner-up Pottsville Nativity at 7:30 p.m. at Hazleton Area
High School.
Harriton enters the game ranked No. 10 among Class 3A teams in the state,
according to the Patriot-News of Harrisburg. The Rams are also ranked No. 10
among all Southeast Pennsylvania schools in Monday’s online edition of the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
The high-powered offense is led by point guard Marcus Harley. The senior is
the eighth-leading scorer in the Philadelphia area and was listed by the
Inquirer as one of the five best point guards in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Harley scored 22 points in a 78-67 win against Daniel Boone on Friday night.
Harriton’s formidable front line is led by 6-7 forward Matt Weisbrot and
6-4 senior forward Gene Bright. Weisbrot scored 14 points and grabbed 12
rebounds against Daniel Boone, while Bright scored 18 and pulled down 13
rebounds. The 220-pound Bright has accepted a full scholarship to play
linebacker at Purdue next fall.
Harley, Weisbrot and Bright are returning starters from last year’s team
that reached the state quarterfinals before losing against eventual state
champion Kennett. Other key players on this year’s team are Antonio Robinson
(13 points against Daniel Boone), 6-5 sophomore guard Brandon Edelstein and
5-10 junior guard Zach Goldman.
“This will be the most athletic team we’ll have played all year,” said
Meyers coach Joe Caffrey. “Harley is the best guard we’ll have faced and
Weisbrot and Bright are very active, mobile players. Those three kids are
outstanding.”
And the Mohawks are no slouches themselves.
Meyers has won 13 of its last 16 games, including a 32-29 win against
District 4 champion Milton on Friday in a state first-round game at Shikellamy
High School
“Beating a district champion in their back yard is a real accomplishment,”
said Caffrey. “We played a very focused game. We know (Harriton) is an
outstanding team. But if we do certain things, like handling their full-court
pressure, we can win the game.”
The winner plays either District 3 champion Lancaster Catholic (31-0) or
District 11 runner-up Allentown Central Catholic (21-7) on Friday night at a
site and time to be determined.
Bishop O’Reilly vs. Pottsville Nativity
The Queensmen set a goal of winning 20 games this season, said head coach
Mark Belenski. Now that they’ve accomplished that goal, O’Reilly has its
sights set on the sixth-ranked Class A team in the state.
Pottsville Nativity is led by junior Kevin Cuff. The 6-6 forward/guard has
scored more than 1,000 points in his career and is coming off a 28-point,
13-rebound performance in a 57-47 victory against Village Charter School. The
Hilltoppers trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter before Cuff scored 13
points and sparked a 19-0 run in the final period.
“They’re similar to us,” said Belenski of tonight’s opponent. “Cuff is an
outstanding player. He can shoot the ball from anywhere. On defense, they play
a 2-3 zone and we’re going to have to prepare for it. We have our game plan.
We’re going to run our offense and defense and make adjustments accordingly.”
Frank Fetterolf is Nativity’s leading rebounder, while 5-9 junior David
Marshall and 5-8 junior George Halcovage lead the backcourt.
The Queensmen are coming off a 66-54 overtime win against Lebanon Catholic.
O’Reilly trailed by nine points in the fourth quarter before making its
comeback.
“We showed a lot of determination, heart and character,” said Belenski, who
took his team to see the Villanova-Pittsburgh game Sunday afternoon. “The kids
played to their potential in the last nine minutes of the game. They never
gave up.”
The winner plays either District 4 champion Muncy (25-3) or District 4
third seed Galeton (27-2) on Friday night at a site and time to be determined.