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By JAMIE PIERCE Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Sunday, January 30, 2000 Page: 5C
WILKES-BARRE – With an offense as explosive as that of the Meyers High
School boys basketball team, the defense does not always receive sufficient
recognition.
But, when Joe Caffrey is the head coach, defense never gets overlooked.
So, after his Mohawks defeated Bishop Hafey 63-40 on Saturday afternoon,
Caffrey was quick to give credit where it was due.
“The entire team put up a great defensive effort today,” he said. “We
did an outstanding job keeping them from doing the things they wanted to do.”
The Mohawks grabbed control of the game moments after the opening tip and
never looked back.
Senior Sylvester Gibson scored a quick layup and Jim McGavin added a
three-pointer for a 5-0 lead. Dale Rapson and Brian Gallagher each scored and
connected on two free throws apiece to put Meyers ahead 13-0.
From there the smothering Mohawk defense and fine-tuned offense did not
allow the Vikings to get any closer than their original 13-point deficit.
“We played very unselfish and were very patient,” Caffrey said. “But the
credit must go to the defense, all the kids played great.”
Rapson turned in an outstanding performance with 22 points, eight rebounds,
four steals and two blocks. Senior sixth-man John Decker chipped in with 10
rebounds.
Sophomores Frank Stish and Matt Chapman scored 11 and 10, respectively, for
the Vikings. BISHOP HAFEY (40) Chapman 4 1-1 10, M Sharkey 0 0-0 0, McCormack
3 0-0 6, DeCosmo 1 1-5 3, Stish 5 1-1 11, P Sharkey 3 1-2 7, Krouse 1 0-0 2,
Derr 0 1-2 1, Dolan 0 0-0 0, Matriccino 0 0-0 0, McDermott 0 0-0 0. Totals 17
5-11 40.
MEYERS (63) Rapson 9 3-5 22, McGavin 2 0-0 5, Hivish 3 0-2 7, Gibson 2 2-4
6, Gallagher 1 2-2 4, Decker 3 0-0 6, Tabron 2 0-0 5, Dudish 2 0-0 6, Majikes
1 0-0 2, Nuda 0 0-0 0, Mangan 0 0-0 0, Cresci 0 0-0 0, Jannuzzi 0 0-0 0, Carlo
0 0-0 0, Tobin 0 0-0 0, Davis 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 7-13 63. Bishop Hafey 6 9 9
16 40 Meyers 19 23 14 7 63 3-pt. FGs: Chapman, Rapson, McGavin, Hivish,
Tabron, Dudish 2.