Blogs > Gettin' Schooled

A boys basketball blog hosted by Daily Times reporter Christopher A. Vito



Saturday, December 27, 2008

CLIPPERS EXTEND STREAK AGAINST NORRISTOWN

Yesterday was a day to remember for fans seated in the bleachers of Widener's Schwartz Center. For me, well... let's just say I had my fill of basketball.

The Jameer Nelson/Pete Nelson Classic kicked off Friday with all three Delaware County teams involved walking away with wins:

Chester extended its dominance over Norristown, 58-47 ... Rahlir Jefferson (pictured) had a dominant outing against the team the Clippers beat for the District One and PIAA Class AAAA titles. So did Maurice Nelson, the younger brother of Chester legend Jameer.

Daily Times photographer Bob Gurecki was on hand for some video coverage of the game, so let me know what you think of it: e-mail me or post your thoughts on the blog.

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Penn Wood led the whole way against North Catholic, 78-65 ... Reserve Chris White hit six big-time 3-pointers for the Patriots, who went nine-deep but never lost the lead against the Falcons.

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Archbishop Carroll topped Life Center Academy, 55-49 ... Junior D.J. Irving had the big game for the Patriots, winning the MVP award in his hometown of Chester. The game was closer than it should have been considering LCA was without four players who were declared post-graduates. Among them was Jon DeShields, who played last year at Delco Christian.

Had LCA played all of its post-grads, who knows whether Carroll's district- and state-playoff eligibility would have been called into question down the road? The result of this game might have even been forfeited. It's a good thing this was dealt with appropriately.

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A couple other tidbits from the Nelson Classic:
  • DeShields, who watched his LCA teammates from the bench, was walking with a limp. He said its the product of a toe contusion. DeShields led the county with 24.4 points per game in 2007.
  • Freshly retired coach Fred Pickett was on hand throughout the day and was seen videotaping the Penn Wood game for Chester coach Larry Yarbray. "I'm a scout now," he said with a smile. Pickett took in the Chester-Norristown game from the far end of the Clippers' bench.
  • Penn Wood looks like it has its most success when it rotates players in and out of the game with regularity. The Pats scored 10 points in the second quarter, when coach Clyde Jones stuck with a six-man set. "With foul trouble, you have to do that sometimes," Jones said. "The game of basketball is a lot easier when you have the players you want on the court all the time, but it doesn't work like that."

There's more to come Saturday from the Nelson Classic. Staffer Matt Smith is there for the Chester-Atlantic City game.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

NEWS + NOTES

The wait is over.

Not your wait for the gifts, or even the wait in department store lines (sorry, last-minute shoppers.) The wait is over for the first boys basketball notebook, which hits news stands Friday.

Here are some items featured within that will whet your appetite:
  • The first Super 7 poll
  • Radnor staying afloat since its bump to Class AAAA
  • Why the hot starts for Interboro and Penncrest
  • The Game of the Week
  • And more.

With this being a holiday week, I likely won't be posting with regularity. I can't promise daily posts this week, but check back as often as possible.

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Movin' on up: Penn Wood, at 5-0 through Monday, has ascended to No. 37 in this week's ESPN/Rise Fab 50 national poll.

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Gifts first, Daily Times second: I know presents will be the first thing on your to-do list come Thursday, Dec. 25, but pick up a copy of that day's Daily Times for the run-down on this year's Jameer Nelson Classic.

I had a good 20 minutes on the phone last weekend with the Orlando Magic guard, and he had some insightful things to say - about his own giving ways (in the spirit of the holidays), about his alma maters, and about his brother, Maurice Nelson, and the Chester Clippers.

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Former Delco File: Lamont 'Mo Mo' Jones, a standout junior last season at American Christian, is doing well for himself down at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, where he and his teammates have raced out to a 17-0 record and a No. 3 ranking by PrepNation's weekly poll. Jones, as you may know, took backseat to Tyreke Evans, but was as gifted a shooter as the now-Memphis guard.

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

JAMEER NELSON CLASSIC SCHEDULE IS HERE


Remember this guy? How could you not? Jameer Nelson put himself on the map at Saint Joseph's University, but the Chester native honed his skills and learned everything with the state-champion Chester Clippers. The holiday tournament, named after he and his late father Pete Nelson, is scheduled for the days after Christmas. Tournament organizer Jeremy Treatman sent me the full slate today. Here's what we're looking at:
DEC. 26, WIDENER UNIVERSITY
Cheltenham vs. La Salle, 1 p.m.
Archbishop Carroll vs. Life Center, 2:45
Lower Merion vs. Simon Gratz, 4:30
Penn Wood vs. North Catholic, 6:15
Norristown vs. Chester, 8
Highlights: The PIAA Class AAAA title game rematch is an obvious one. ... I like Penn Wood continuing it's rigorous non-league slate. ... I'll be the first to tell you that I know diddly about Life Center. Sorry, Carroll fans.
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DEC. 27, WIDENER UNIVERSITY
Friends Central vs. Souderton, 2:30 p.m.
Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. St. Joseph’s Prep, 4:30
Germantown Academy vs. North Catholic, 6:15
Atlantic City vs. Chester, 8
Highlights: I'm told that PW has a player taller than 6-foot-6, unlike last season when they were the shortest team I've ever seen. ... And Chester/AC should be a fun one. I fully expect the Clippers to roll.
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DEC. 29, GWYNEDD MERCY COLLEGE
St. Joseph's Prep vs. Chestnut Hill Academy, 4 p.m.
Neumann-Goretti vs. Friends Central, 5:45
Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. Academy New Church, 7:30
Life Center (NJ) vs. Prep Charter, 9
Highlights: ANC ended last season ranked by PrepNation.com and USA Today. They are for real.
When I get information about tickets, you'll see it here. So stay close.

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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Springfield's Buchholz back in town

I love high school sports. If you ask me, sport is never more genuine. Your desire to play is never greater, neither is the camaraderie. But it's always good to get a breather.

So last night, I was at Citizens Bank Park alongside sports editor Rob Parent, who was writing the gamer and notes. (See, even our full-time Phillies guy Ryan Lawrence needs a day away from the beat.)

I was there to do a column on Rockies reliever Taylor Buchholz, who is best known for his stellar high school career at Springfield High.

I've said before to my peers and friends that the most humble pro athlete I've ever interviewed was Orlando's Jameer Nelson. But Buchholz trumps Jameer. He was a great chat and took minutes out of his schedule between pitchers' meetings to talk about life at home.

I hope you enjoy my first try at column writing with the Daily Times. (The last time I wrote one was in my career at The Temple News.)

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