Bond leads Haddonfield past Cinnaminson
Rich Bond says patience is rewarded on the Haddonfield boys' basketball team. "We all know the ball will eventually come back around," Bond said.
Rich Bond says patience is rewarded on the Haddonfield boys' basketball team.
"We all know the ball will eventually come back around," Bond said.
There were times during Haddonfield's 76-65 victory over Cinnaminson on Saturday when Bond bided his time and waited for opportunities to arise from the team's offensive sets.
Those sequences usually ended with Bond's burying a three-pointer.
There were other times when Bond seized the initiative.
Those moments often resulted in strong drives to the rim for layups or clever passes to open teammates.
"The big thing he gives us is great leadership," Haddonfield coach Paul Wiedeman said of the 6-foot-3 senior swingman. "He's our leading scorer, second-leading rebounder, and he usually guards the other team's top scorer.
"He's been invaluable."
Bond scored a game-high 24 points as Haddonfield broke to a huge lead and held off a Cinnaminson comeback in the tipoff of the 11-game Jeff Coney Classic at Rancocas Valley.
Junior forward Brendan Gilmarton scored 18 and freshman guard Mike DePersia added 17 with a trio of three-pointers for Haddonfield (11-2), the No. 23 team in The Inquirer's Top 25.
Junior guard Conor Brasnahan scored 19 and senior swingman Devon Taylor added 18 for No. 22 Cinnaminson (11-3).
"The second half, our energy was outstanding," Cinnaminson coach Mike Fries said. "But when you play a team like Haddonfield, you better show up for 32 minutes and not 16."
Haddonfield made seven three-pointers in the second quarter, scoring 32 points and building a 46-26 halftime lead.
"When we're moving the ball and making our shots, we can play with anybody," Wiedeman said.
Cinnaminson turned up the pressure in the second half, cutting Haddonfield's lead to 55-49 after three quarters and twice closing within five points.
But Haddonfield fought off Cinnaminson in the fourth quarter as Bond scored eight and Gilmartin added 10, including six consecutive free throws.
"We've got a young team and there are times when I feel like I have to do that," Bond said. "But we try not force anything. We always want to move the ball, share the ball."
Haddonfield 14 32 9 21 - 76
Cinnaminson 9 17 23 16 - 65
H: Mike DePersia 17, Matt Fell 2, Will Bond 10, Rich Bond 24, Brendan Gilmartin 18, Greg Gibson 3, Jon Baxter 2.
C: Pat McCarthy 4, Will Cabbler 12, Devon Taylor 18, Conor Brasnahan 19, Kyle Roberts-DeLoach 9, J.P. Ruckus 3.
@PhilAnastasia
jerseysidesports