Parkland earned two victories Saturday
to get its shot at back-to-back summer basketball tournament titles at Cedar
Beach.
The Trojans won the Stellar tournament a week ago but give opposing teams a
different look this weekend up front with rising seniors John Brannan and Ben
Karabasz on vacation and Darlton Charles and Rod Dvorchek scheduled to leave
for vacation today.
Even the patchwork frontcourt coach Andy Stephens is left with leaves him
unsure if his team can last through as many as four games today. The Trojans
meet winter rival Easton in their round of 16 game at noon.
A 12-hour scramble cut a 32-field in half for Sunday's single-elimination
phase of the high school boys basketball tournament at SportsFest on Saturday,
and the Trojans are one of seven Lehigh Valley Conference representatives
sprinkled throughout the field of 16.
Dieruff and Emmaus were the two done after three games in
pool play.
''People have realized that basketball in this area is really solid,''
Stephens said.
Dieruff and Northampton were the only two LVC schools in the same pool, giving
the rest of the local guys exposure against out-of-region and out-of-state
competition.
Freedom won all three of its opening-round games against Boyertown, Bensalem
and Octorara, a refreshing stretch of play for Patriots coach Joe Stellato
after his squad went 0-2 last weekend at the Stellar.
Junior guard Izer Dickerson was a sparkplug for Freedom in its early game
against Bensalem, scoring in seven points, but more importantly, limiting
turnovers down the stretch in a tight game.
Stellato said he was pleased his group stayed poised with the clock winding
down.
''We made good decisions at the end of the game which we haven't been doing
all summer,'' he said. ''And we played defense.''
Part of the credit goes to Dickerson, who along with guard Mike Prater didn't
back down from a fast-paced Bensalem squad.
Dickerson, who played some as a sophomore last winter, isn't necessarily being
groomed for the point guard position this winter but is dangerous with the
basketball.
''We wanted him to get in the flow of the game without dribbling too much,''
Stellato said. ''We want him working on the wing.''
Later on the main court, Allen went for its three-game sweep of its pool and
got its stiffest test against Wilson West Lawn.
With head coach Doug Snyder on vacation through the remainder of the
tournament, longtime assistant Bob Freed handled top coaching duties Saturday.
Trailing 48-47, Allen senior Ray Styles drove from the left wing and completed
a three-point play with 15 seconds left to lift the Canaries.
''Sometimes we just have to be more disciplined and play the way we can play
basketball,'' Freed said. ''A game like today is a learning experience where
you can't be undisciplined and just walk over a team. We had a little more
talent on the court, but they played a little bit harder and they executed a
little bit better.''
Tempers started to flare between the two schools, which Styles said served as
a wake-up call as Wilson surged in the second-half.
Freed said improvements have to be made defensively for not running around and
trapping on unnecessary spots of the court.
Still, he was impressed with Styles' clutch finish and foul shooting.
Heading into today's win-or-go-home format, Styles said it was good for a team
who cruised in its first two wins against North Penn and Catasauqua to face a
little adversity.
''We need to make sure we know we can't beat every single team,'' he said.
''We have to play hard. There's no slacking on any team.''
Since the Trojans and Bulldogs are the only LVC matchup in the round of 16, it
means more of the unfamiliar for the area teams.