Rafferty points LC in winning direction

BASKETBALL RULES, regarding backcourts, do not state that small guys must play the point and taller guys have to station themselves on the wing.

Good thing, or Lansdale Catholic High would be in major violation. Enough to be brought up on criminal charges.

The wing guard, Andrew Riviello, if we want to be generous, is roughly 5-8. And there, directing the show, standing more than a half-foot taller at 6-3, is Brian Rafferty.

"I've always been a point guard," he said, simply. "It was the position I wanted to play from the very beginning and no one has tried to move me."

No wonder.

During a Catholic League game Monday night, Rafferty displayed a strong feel for how to play his position - and even added some sniping - as the visiting Crusaders topped Bonner-Prendergast, 59-49.

Rafferty's ballhandling and managerial skills helped to see that B-P managed just five total steals. Also, the junior dished three assists and went 4-for-6 on threes while bagging 17 points.

A trio of those triples were normal. One was anything but.

As the first half ended, Rafferty launched a heave from roughly halfcourt. Swish! With the help of a thud off the backboard. That bucket moved LC within 24-23 and proved the perfect catalyst for going-forward momentum.

Now, teams that visit B-P use a classroom not too far from the gym as their "locker room."

Rafferty said the Crusaders ran toward that room with an understandable amount of emotion.

"I was mostly laughing," he added. "Telling everybody how ugly that shot was. I definitely didn't call 'bank.' I was hoping it would go in. Can't say I expected it to."

On a night where a team nicknamed the Fighting Irish was going for the national college football championship, and in a game involving two schools that favor green as the primary color, perhaps it was fitting that someone named Rafferty wound up as a hero.

When the clock hit 0:00, many folks scurried for the exits, hoping to see at least some of the title tilt on TV. Rafferty was not among them. He lives in Harleysville, which is not exactly Drexel Hill's neighbor.

"I do like football, but I wasn't thinking about the game at all," Rafferty said. "I guess because I knew I wasn't going to see it."

Basketball and Rafferty's family go way back.

His dad, Brian, was a second team coaches' All-Catholic honoree in 1979 for the ol' Bishop Kenrick, in Norristown, and then continued his career at what's now Philadelphia University. His uncle, Fran, starred for Kenrick in '71 (first team selection) and played at Saint Joseph's. Two more uncles, Marty and Jack, also have hoops blood.

"I hear all the stories," Brian said. "And one of Uncle Fran's games at St. Joe's was one of those rerun things on Comcast SportsNet. I like being part of a basketball family. My dad talks about the games with me. He's always pushing me. He's one of the guys who tells me to shoot more, along with coach [Ed] Enoch and others.

"I never really saw myself as a shooter. I like directing the offense and setting up my teammates. I get along great with Andrew and how he likes to do things. I started playing AAU ball with him in seventh grade. Tonight, It was nice for me to have it going shooting-wise, too."

Riviello, also a junior, accumulated 22 points. He went 3-for-8 on threeballs and, all in the fourth quarter, 9-for-10 at the line. Corey Kirk dealt four assists and 6-7 Chris Rudisill snagged 12 rebounds.

For the Friars, small forward Christian Summers was impressive with 17 points, five rebounds and seven assists while Jack Carden (14 points, three treys) and Nick Czibik (eight boards) also had good moments.

"We got off to a rough start, but we finished strong and got the win," Rafferty said. "When you're hitting a bunch of your shots, like we were in the third quarter, it feels pretty good."

Never mind that it looks kind of strange when the guy doing so from up top is much taller than his counterpart on the wing.