Lions lack height, but they do have balance

They have one of South Jersey's shortest starting lineups.

They have a 6-foot-2 center, a 6-foot-1 forward and three guards who are under 6 feet.

"Sometimes that helps us, and sometimes it hurts us," Cherry Hill West coach Hamisi Tarrant said. "So far, we've been able to make it work."

The Lions are 4-2, with four wins in their last five games. They are coming off a strong holiday week in which they defeated Gloucester Catholic and Williamstown in a showcase tournament at Cherry Hill East.

"We're starting to mesh a little bit as a team," said Tarrant, a first-year coach.

Cherry Hill West's 47-43 victory over Williamstown, which will contend for the Tri-County Royal Division and South Jersey Group 4 titles, was a blueprint of offensive balance.

In that game, Derrick Ray and Marquis Goodman led the Lions with 10 points apiece, while Terrell Williams, Rodney Williams, and Devon Granger-Lewis each scored eight.

Tarrant had high praise for Terrell Williams, a muscular, 6-foot-2 football star who matches up with opposing centers.

"I told him to get every rebound and he's trying to do it," Tarrant said. "He's boxing people out to the three-point line."

The Lions also have one of South Jersey's top freshmen in Rodney Williams, who is not related to Terrell. Rodney Williams is averaging 10.6 points and is the team's best outside shooter.

"What's amazing is how many good shots he takes," Tarrant said. "Usually, a kid that's been 'the man' in seventh and eighth grade will come in and just start firing. But he's such a smart kid and such a team player. He grasps everything we say."

High-flying Hawks. Veteran coach Ron Wister was a little worried when Haddon Township opened the season with a pair of losses, including a 20-18 setback to Moorestown Friends.

"That was like a root canal," Wister said of the Dec. 18 game in which the Hawks outscored the Foxes, 10-2, in the second half and still lost. "But it was one of those games when we just couldn't make a shot."

Haddon Township has rallied with three consecutive victories. Over the holidays, the Hawks won the Wolverine Tournament, beating Group 4 Clearview in the semifinals and host Woodstown in the final.

"This is a great group," Wister said. "The chemistry with this team has been great. They aren't worried about themselves. They're worried about the team."

The Hawks got a big lift after their slow start from the return of 6-6 junior center Logan Murray, who missed the first two games with an ankle injury.

Haddon Township also has gotten contributions from Ryan Rust, Kyle Hart, Kevin Greise, Colin Duffy, and Pat Burns, among others.

Wister said that Rust, a 6-1 senior guard, has been a key to the team's resurgence.

"He's really stepped up in a leadership role," Wister said. "We've had kids who have been more athletic, but I don't remember many kids who wanted to win more."

Group 1 powers. Pitman, Paulsboro, and Penns Grove are undefeated and looking like strong contenders in South Jersey Group 1.

Paulsboro (3-0) has gotten a big boost from sophomore forward Xavier Lundy, who is third in South Jersey in scoring with a 26.3 average.

Pitman (5-0) has a dynamic senior duo of guard Luke Dickson and forward Dylan Colgate. Those two have each scored 129 points, a 25.8 average.

Penns Grove (5-0) is coming off a good showing at the Boardwalk Basketball Classic in Wildwood. The Red Devils beat Egg Harbor Township and Pleasantville.

Senior guard Malcolm Chase leads Penns Grove with an 18.8-point average.

"We have a lot of talent," Penns Grove coach Kemp Carr said. "We just have to keep playing together."

This and that. Bridgeton senior Frank Nock leads South Jersey with a 27.5-point scoring average. Haddonfield senior Wyatt Polk is next at 26.7. . . . Florence (4-0), which is in Central Jersey Group 1, is off to a strong start that includes victories over Burlington Township and Haddonfield. . . . Camden transfer Karon Waller, a 6-foot-1 junior, is averaging 19.4 points for Collingswood.

Paul VI (4-0) won a pair of overtime games over Philadelphia teams at its showcase tournament as junior guard Ron Curry scored 24 in a 65-56 victory over West Catholic and 27 in a 69-65 victory over George Washington. . . . Cinnaminson senior swingman Napolean Blamon has scored between 21 and 29 points in each of the Pirates' five games, all victories.