Harrisburg stars show their talent

 

Lamar Drayton and Zech Runkle had just one thing on their minds last night when the talented Harrisburg duo strolled into Steel-High's Benkovic Gym.

 

They just wanted to have a good time playing some basketball.

So, as far as Drayton and Runkle were concerned, the crucial decisions that await both in the not-so-distant future could be shelved for a couple of hours.

 

Playing for the Pennsylvania side in the final game of the 31st annual Roundball Classic, Drayton scored 10 points and Runkle chipped in a first-half deuce as the Keystone Staters subdued Maryland 92-84. Mop-topped behemoth Jordan Gibbs of Penn Manor led everyone with 21 points.

 

Torey Fassett scored 19 points and future Maryland Terrapins player David Pearman added 17 for the visitors, who led 43-42 at the break.

Pennsylvania also won the girls' matchup, claiming an 89-84 decision in overtime behind 21 points from Oxford's Ashley Palmer.

 

Trinity's Allison Daly (14) and Monet Cunningham of Bishop McDevitt (11) shared another 25 points for Pennsylvania; Tanika Jeffers led Maryland with 17 points.

 

Still mulling over several potential college basketball programs -- Division I Campbell, Robert Morris and Long Island as well as D-II Shippensburg are on his short list -- the 6-2 Drayton posted a pair of late buckets as Pennsylvania finally put Maryland in the rear-view deep in the second half.

 

Then, once the festivities ended, everything else crept back into his forehead.

 

"Yeah, I'm ready for the next level, but I hate to leave Harrisburg," Drayton said. "It's my hometown. But everybody's looking forward to me making my decision in the next few weeks."

 

For Runkle, the 6-3 defensive specialist who also punished opposing running backs while positioned in the Cougars' secondary last fall, one decision has been made.

 

He'll be playing football -- somewhere.

 

"Hopefully, I'm going to find a home soon," Runkle said. "If I don't find a scholarship, I'm probably going to go to prep school. ... I'm not really sure where [I want to go], but I'm going to call a bunch of schools to see if anything came open this spring."

 

No wonder these guys wanted to relax by working up a lather, even with limited minutes.

 

"You just try to take as many shots as you possibly can before all the other guys do," Drayton said.

 

"Still, I enjoyed playing with the other players I played against."

And...

 

"Everyone likes to compete," Runkle said. "But you just go out there to have fun."

 

NOTES -- Harrisburg's Quentin Johnson scored 28 points and Walter Okoth-Ogola of Carlisle added 23 as Central Penn decked Southeastern Pennsylvania 106-88 in Game 1. ... Harrisburg's Darryl Baltimore and Bruce Knowles of Susquenita each netted 15 points as the West squad shaded the East 80-78 in Game No. 2. ... Maria Ribic of Palmyra posted the only two points in the second overtime as the North edged the South girls 53-51 in the third game. Tammy Ross of Susquehanna Twp. scored a game-high 16 points for the North. ... And Carlisle's Adolph Comer posted a dozen points and Fran Kuntz of Trinity tacked on 11 as the South downed the North boys in Game 4.

 

... Maryland's Steve Custis won the slam-dunk contest, edging Dane Lauber of West York in the finals.

 

 

MICHAEL BULLOCK: 255-8124 or mbullock@patriot-news.com