PHILLY TEAMS RULE HOOP GROUP READING CLASSIC
Written by: Bruce Badgley on December 16, 2017
I broke the seal on the #berksbeat for LLHoops with a double header in the Hoop Group Reading Classic at Albright College Friday night. The Classic was a matchup of marquee Philly and Reading high schools. St. Joe Prep handled Berks Catholic 48-25 and hot shooting from LaSalle College turned away Reading High 68-45
Game one featured Philly’s St. Joe Prep and Berks Catholic from Reading. The game was delayed by almost 90 minutes due to travel problems for Prep getting to Reading.
Both teams came out sluggish most likely due to the delay. Cold shooting hindered BC and after one Prep held a 10-5 lead. Prep began to pull away in quarter two but thanks to some hot shooting from Louis Garcia BC hung in. The Hawks D came to play all night long and gave up nothing in the paint. The momentum from the good D did not transfer over to the O as Prep had difficulties scoring too. We went to half with Prep up 19-11.
Prep star Ed Croswell exited with his fourth foul midway through the third. BC took advantage and drew to within 21-16. That was as close as BC got. Prep got hot on both ends of the floor. At the end of the third the Hawks held a 41-20 edge. Prep kept up the pressure throughout quarter four and cruised to a 48-25 win. Game MVP for St. Joe Prep was Jake O’Connel. Jake had 10 points and was a force on the defensive end.
LaSalle College and Reading High met in game two. LC came out with a hot hand beyond the arc and Reading just could not drop some easy shots. After one LC was up 24-10. LC kept up the hot shooting in quarter two, and Reading the pressing D could not provide any of their famous runs. LaSalle held a 43-20 lead at the half.
In the 2nd half every time Reading would get some momentum, the LaSalle shooting turned the Red Knights away. It was a 54-31 lead for LC after three and the final was 68-45 on the favor of the Explorers Hot shooting Sean Simon had 17 points and was game MVP.
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