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Chris Arcidiacono and Neshaminy making strides on hardwood

Arcidiacono (25.6 ppg.), Charles Dominick (9.5), Danny Bodine (8.5), and Anthony Papeo lead the way for improved Neshaminy.

Neshaminy senior guard Chris Arcidiacono (15) drives to the basket against Harry S Truman.
Neshaminy senior guard Chris Arcidiacono (15) drives to the basket against Harry S Truman.Read moreJS GARBER

The Neshaminy boys' basketball team experienced both the good and bad in Tuesday night's game against Suburban One League National Conference rival Council Rock South.

The highlight was Chris Arcidiacono recording his 1,000th career point on a three-pointer from the left baseline in the closing seconds. The bummer was the milestone coming in a 51-36 home loss to the struggling Golden Hawks.

Arcidiacono, a senior guard, became the fifth player in program history to reach the grand mark. "It was nice that he got it near the end of the game," Redskins coach Mark Tingle said.

Of the upset loss, Tingle said, "It was just one of those nights. We couldn't make shots, and they hit everything."

After going 9-13 overall and 4-8 in the conference last year, improved Neshaminy is 9-3 and 3-2 entering its game against Avon Grove at 1 p.m. Saturday in Langhorne. Arcidiacono and company visit traditional power Lower Merion at 1 p.m. Sunday.

"We were on the losing end of several close games last year," Tingle said. "It was a case of us having to learn how to win."

Arcidiacono is averaging 25.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He netted 28 points, hitting the exact number needed to join the 1,000-point club, in the loss to Council Rock South.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard's brother, Ryan, starred at Neshaminy (class of 2012) and Villanova. He signed a two-way contract with the NBA's Chicago Bulls last August and is playing for the club's G-League affiliate.

Tingle said Chris Arcidiacono, who has buried 25 three-pointers, has scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky, Mount St. Mary's (Md.), Quinnipiac, and Rider. Delaware, Drexel, Marist, New Hampshire and Penn are also in the mix.

"The great thing about Chris is that he shares the ball," Tingle said. "And when he shares the ball, his teammates usually knock down the shots."

The Redskins' other leaders are wing Charles Dominick (9.5 ppg.), 6-8 center Danny Bodine (8.5), and point guard Anthony Papeo (8.5). Fellow senior and guard Pat Campbell rounds out the starting lineup.

Dominick and Bodine netted 13 and 12 points, respectively, in a 72-49 loss at National Conference front-runner Abington (8-2, 5-0) on Jan. 3. The rematch against Eric Dixon and the Ghosts is set for Feb. 5.

In Bodine's first two years at Neshaminy, when he grew about six inches, he did not play hoops for Neshaminy. "He gave us a lot of good minutes toward the end of last season," Tingle, 34, said.

The late-blooming Bodine has drawn interest from Dickinson, Gettysburg, Gwynedd Mercy, and the College of New Jersey.

Dominick was shooting 57 percent from beyond the arc through last week. "When other teams are keying on Chris and Anthony, he's knocking shots down," Tingle said.

Senior guard Greg DeLuca, junior guard Logan Williamson, senior wing Cam Jeffers, and 6-5 freshman center Mike Murray contribute off the bench.

"Our goal from the start of the season was to win the league title, make the district playoffs and hopefully qualify for states," Tingle said.

In 2010-11, Ryan Arcidiacono's junior season, the Redskins went 22-7 and made their first trip to the PIAA District 1 Class 4A  semifinals.