Cinnaminson says it’s ready for Group 2 boys’ basketball playoffs

Cinnaminson opened its season with a big-time battle against another Group 2 power.

The Pirates likely will finish the same way.

"I have so much confidence in our team because we always seem to play well in big games," Cinnaminson senior guard Max DiLeo said.

DiLeo recently scored his 1,000th career point. He called it a "huge deal" because his brother T.J., now a sophomore at Temple, had scored his 1,000th point in 2008.

"I remember when my brother did it thinking that maybe I could do it, too," Max DiLeo said.

Cinnaminson (17-3) has won nine of 10 to rise to No. 6 in the rankings. That surge has included victories over No. 1 Paul VI as well as Burlington County powers Willingboro and Medford Tech.

On Dec. 20, Cinnaminson opened its season with a 72-60 victory over Collingswood, the defending South Jersey Group 2 champion.

Come Feb. 28, the Pirates will be part of a loaded South Jersey Group 2 field. If form holds, third-seeded Cinnaminson would host sixth-seeded Haddonfield in the second round, with the winner likely to visit second-seeded Middle Township.

Top-seeded Lakewood looms on the other side of the bracket, along with fourth-seeded Collingswood.

The sectional field also will include dangerous teams such as Medford Tech, Willingboro, Haddon Heights, Point Pleasant Boro, and Lower Cape May.

"We play so many big games with our schedule," DiLeo said. "It gives us a lot of confidence that we can play with anybody."

Lenape lull. It seems to happen every year for the Indians: a mid-season slump.

Lenape (15-5) has lost four of seven since a 12-1 start, but coach Chuck Guittar is not overly concerned.

"This happens with us," said Guittar, whose team went through a similar February slide in 2009 and ended up winning the Group 4 state title. "It's better than having everything smooth and maybe we get big heads and can't deal with adversity."

End of an era. Clearview coach Jim Woolbert plans to retire after this season.

Woolbert has been the Pioneers' coach since 1996. His teams have compiled a 176-212 record, including a 10-8 mark this season.

Langerman file. South Jersey sports maven Chuck Langerman notes the following:

The coaching Crawfords, father Jim at Camden Catholic and son Kevin at Pitman, have won a combined 88 of 100 games the last two seasons.

Penns Grove (17-2) has won its last five games by an average of 24.4 points.

Gloucester County Institute of Technology has qualified for the state tournament for the first time.

This and that. Seneca coach Erich Wiltsee has high praise for senior Roger Hoffmann, who has taken 22 charges, including six in a game against Winslow. "Roger continues to throw his body in harm's way despite our [2-17] record," Wiltsee said. . . . Collingswood senior swingman Karon Waller is averaging 29.7 points over his last nine games. He's taken over the South Jersey scoring lead with a 25.9 average, while Cherry Hill East's Chris Santo is at 25.2, and Haddonfield's Wyatt Polk is at 24.1. . . . Overbrook senior Dan Wilson is averaging 23.8 points in the Rams' last five games, four of which were wins.