Phil Anastasia: Bishop Eustace boys' basketball team succeeding without big stars
It's easy to see what Bishop Eustace doesn't have: a go-to offensive player, a consistent double-figure scorer, a roster studded with some of the most familiar names in South Jersey boys' basketball.
It's easy to see what Bishop Eustace doesn't have: a go-to offensive player, a consistent double-figure scorer, a roster studded with some of the most familiar names in South Jersey boys' basketball.
It's tougher to see what makes the Crusaders so special.
But that doesn't mean it's not there, not real, not responsible for the team's success.
"We try not to talk about it," Bishop Eustace coach Bob Falconiero said. "We don't want to overanalyze it."
Falconiero has been around long enough to know the value of chemistry, commitment, unselfishness - those intangible but invaluable qualities that make all the difference in team sports.
He also knows his guys can play a little.
"Everybody is acting like they are surprised," Falconiero said of folks outside the program. "We're not surprised."
Eustace is 7-2 with a six-game winning streak. The Crusaders are riding a crest of confidence and momentum after a week in which they beat rivals Camden Catholic (46-44) and Paul VI (37-35) - the previously undefeated No. 3 team in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings - by a total of four points.
"We're executing at the end of games," Falconiero said.
The coach can analyze the Xs and Os of his team's recent surge. He can rightly note that defense and rebounding have been big factors, especially since the Crusaders have allowed 41, 49, 38, 38, 44, and 35 points in their six-game winning streak.
But something else is happening, which is probably why the coach and his players don't want to talk too much about it.
This is a team that hasn't produced a 20-point scorer. In fact, just two Crusaders have scored more than 15 in a game: Senior guard Tom Falconiero, the coach's son, went for 16 against Seneca, and junior guard Flo DaSilva tallied 18 against Camden.
But talk about balance. Seven players - Falconiero, DaSilva, senior forward Ry'n Bland, senior guard Nick Hanuscin, sophomore forwards Conor McLaughlin and Brandon Cazan, and junior guard Dvonne Trumbo - have scored in double figures in a game.
The signature Bishop Eustace game was a 58-41 victory over Bishop Hendrickson of Rhode Island: Seven guys scored between 10 and six points.
"We've got a bunch of guys who care about the team, not about getting their points," Falconiero said.
Bishop Eustace began last season as the No. 1 team in the Top 10. The Crusaders had a loaded senior class led by three-year starters Carson Puriefoy and Sho DaSilva, Flo's brother, as well as talented veterans Dexter Harris and Trevor Norton.
This year's team began the season "under the radar," Falconiero said. He wasn't complaining.
"We played pretty well in the summer," Falconiero said. "We have some speed, we can shoot it, and we have an inside game. The main thing is the way these guys are playing defense and rebounding. They are all buying in."