Abington rebounds from slow start to season
Abington fell behind Archbishop Carroll by 25 points in the first half, trailed by 35 at the end of three quarters, and dropped its third game of the season, 77-56, last month.
Abington fell behind Archbishop Carroll by 25 points in the first half, trailed by 35 at the end of three quarters, and dropped its third game of the season, 77-56, last month.
Charles Grasty said the embarrassing setback was just what his squad, with three underclassmen in the starting lineup, needed.
"It was huge for us," the Galloping Ghosts coach said. "It woke us up. It was like, 'Holy cow.' We realized we had to focus and work harder."
Following a 2-2 start, Abington is 12-3 overall and sits atop the Suburban One League National Conference standings with a 7-1 mark.
On Thursday night, with sophomore point guard Robbie Heath and promising freshman forward Eric Dixon combining for 27 points, the host Ghosts stormed past Pennsbury, 55-35, in a National Conference matchup. They broke open a six-point game with a 12-3 run after intermission.
With 61/2 minutes to go, Dixon's right-wing three-pointer produced a 38-17 lead. Heath's down-the-lane floater made it 44-25.
Last season, sparked by savvy guards Matt Penecale (now at West Chester) and Amir Hinton (Lock Haven), Abington went 26-4, won its third straight National Conference title, and claimed its first PIAA District 1 Class 4A title since 1986.
The departure of Penecale and Hinton had some anticipating a possible decline for the Ghosts. "We didn't want to call this a rebuilding year, but we knew it would be different," Grasty said.
Heath, the lone returning starter, delivered 12 of his 16 points against Pennsbury in the second half. He added five steals, three assists, and a blocked shot. "We knew he was going to be a very good player," Grasty said. "He has a high basketball IQ."
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Dixon, who swatted away three shots, and fellow freshman Lucas Monroe, a 6-4 wing guard who chipped in five rebounds and two assists, created buzz while playing at Abington Junior High. The Ghosts are thankful neither chose to take his talents elsewhere.
Dixon is averaging about 15 points per game. The Division I prospect shot 4 for 10 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line for 11 points against the Falcons. "He's always trying to get better, and he doesn't sulk when things go badly," Grasty said.
Senior captains Jack Steinman, Brian Close, and Bernard James provide much-needed leadership. Close (four points, three boards against Pennsbury), James (six boards, three assists), and 6-8 junior Joe O'Brien (six points, four steals) are spark plugs off the bench.
MLK showcase. The second annual Martin Luther King Day Basketball Invitational is set for Monday afternoon at King.
Audenried Charter takes on Dobbins at 1 p.m.; Simon Gratz faces Del-Val Charter at 2:45 p.m.; and the host Cougars meet Theodore Roosevelt (D.C.) at 5 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m., there will be a ceremony honoring former area standouts Cuttino "Cat" Mobley (the old Cardinal Dougherty), Alvin Williams (Germantown Academy), and Rasheed Wallace (Gratz).
Tap-ins. Neumann-Goretti senior guard Rasheed Browne recently picked up a scholarship offer from Morgan State. He is also being heavily recruited by Florida Gulf Coast. . . . Parkway Center City's Amir Hill is 45 for 105 from beyond the arc in 14 games. The 6-4 senior nailed seven treys in a 63-59 win Tuesday over Public League Division C rival Overbrook. . . . Holy Ghost Prep's Jack Coolahan and Mike McFadden are averaging 17.6 and 14.8 points, respectively. . . . Saadiq Jones hit 40 treys in Palumbo's first 15 games. . . . Lower Moreland senior point guard Danny Duffey is averaging 17.7 points per game.
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