Cherry Hill West boys get back on track

With 10 wins in its first 11 games, Cherry Hill West looked like one of the best teams in South Jersey through the first month of the season.

With seven losses in their next eight games, the Lions looked decidedly different over the next few weeks.

Now, Cherry Hill West (14-8) has won three in a row, moved to the brink of capturing its second straight Olympic Conference Patriot Division title and emerged as a dark horse in the South Jersey Group 4 tournament.

"It was hard, because we had multiple losses in a row," Cherry Hill West coach Hamisi Tarrant said. "I was worried about the kids' confidence.

"But at the same time, so many of those games we lost, we could have won, and I think the kids recognized that."

In their three-week skid, five of the Lions' losses were by four points or fewer.

They lost by 51-48 to Lenape, by 69-67 in overtime to Rancocas Valley, by 55-52 to Albany (N.Y.) Academy, by 54-50 to Winslow Township and by 40-38 to crosstown rival Cherry Hill East.

But last week, Cherry Hill West righted the ship with an imposing 63-46 win over Shawnee that all but locked up the Patriot Division title, followed by victories over Williamstown and Medford Tech.

Senior Can Oztamur scored his 1,000th career point against Shawnee and went for 26 against Medford Tech Saturday at The High Invitational at Camden.

In that game, junior Danny Buckwalter generated a triple-double with 15 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks.

"After the East-West game, we thought if we could just fix a couple things and add that to the things that we've been doing well that we would be in good shape," Tarrant said.

Surging Vikings. Atlantic City (17-4) has won nine in a row and risen to the No. 2 spot in The Inquirer Top 10 rankings.

The Vikings are 10-1 since junior swingman Leon Daniels, a transfer from Holy Spirit, became eligible. They've shown a knack for winning close games against good opponents, beating No. 9 Haddonfield, 58-54, and No. 10 Holy Spirit, 54-53, in the last nine days.

"We're still a work in progress," Atlantic City coach Gene Allen said. "We're starting to do some good things at the defensive end, which is always first with us."

Holloway's return. Paulsboro senior Theo Holloway is likely to play Monday at Collingswood, Red Raiders coach Sean Collins said.

Holloway, the team's leading scorer with a 19.1-point average, missed the last three games with a pinched nerve in his back that was causing discomfort in his legs, Collins said.

Holloway sat out Paulsboro's 53-51 loss to Haddonfield on Thursday.

Paulsboro (22-2), the No. 3 team in the rankings, is the top seed in the South Jersey Group 1 tournament.

"He told me he's feeling a lot better," Collins said after Paulsboro's 78-31 win over Cinnaminson Saturday at Camden.

Cape-Atlantic tournament. The league's annual tournament opens with four first-round games Monday night, highlighted by No. 5 seed Middle Township at No. 4 seed Wildwood Catholic.

St. Augustine is the No. 1 seed and will meet No. 8 seed St. Joseph in a father-son coaching clash. St. Augustine is coached by Paul Rodio while St. Joseph is coached by his son, also Paul Rodio.

If the top seeds advance, Wednesday's semifinals at Absegami would feature Wildwood Catholic vs. St. Augustine and No. 3 seed Holy Spirit vs. No. 2 Atlantic City.

If St. Augustine and Atlantic City reach the finals Saturday afternoon at Stockton, the game would match the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in The Inquirer's rankings as well as the top seeds in the tournament.

This and that. Cherry Hill East (21-3) has won 11 in a row. . . . In a rebuilding season, Paul VI (8-12) has wins over Timber Creek, Eastern and Schalick - three teams that have spent time in the Top 20.

The last six losses for Bishop Eustace (12-12) have been by one, six, three, seven, five and one point. . . . Collingswood (16-7) has won five in a row as senior forward Marcquon Lawrence has scored in double figures four times. . . . Willingboro senior Jeff Haddock has averaged 29.3 points in the last three games.

Cherokee (15-8) can earn a share of the Olympic American title with a victory over visiting Cherry Hill East on Thursday. The Chiefs are 4-3 in the division while the Cougars are 5-2. . . . Kingsway (16-6) has won five in a row.