Well, at least his side came out on the higher end of the scoreboard.
That’s how veteran Shippensburg coach Ray Staver summed things up after his ballclub hammered out a 56-40 triumph over a valiant Annville-Cleona side on opening night of the Hound Invitational boys’ basketball tournament Thursday night at Shippensburg High School.
Some 90 minutes earlier, Susquehanna Twp. skipper Vince Rogers stepped out of his outfit’s locker room sporting a pleased look after his unbeaten Indians used their superior size, athleticism and a nasty half-court trap to defoliate Johnstown 82-35 in the other semifinal-round game.
Yet while both victors displayed different levels of efficiency and effectiveness throughout their respective 32-minute exercises, both managed to bounce out into the frosty air with notches in the W column.
“The good news is we’re on the winning side of things and [Friday] night we get a real challenge,” said Staver, who left highly pleased by the efforts of reserves Tony Johnson, Cordell Shannon and Austin Springer but wasn’t especially enamored by the play of his starters.
“Hopefully, we’ll be more focused and ready to play.”
Ty Kater pocketed 12 points, Johnson added 10 points off the bench and 6-4 Reid Singhas yanked down 12 boards as the longer, deeper Greyhounds (5-3) wore down A-C (3-5). Ship, which enjoyed a 45-26 edge on the glass, certainly benefited from second- and third-chance points.
“We talk about that in practice all the time, limiting teams to one shot,” lamented Little Dutchmen coach Justin Edwards, whose club picked up 12 points each from Paxson Hayes and Casey Smith.
Like Shippensburg, Susquehanna benefited from two, three, even four looks at the hoop against a remarkably small Johnstown outfit (4-3) that started three 5-4 guards.
In addition to popping Joe Marshall (15 points), Nehemiah “Bud” Mack (11) and Jordan Millberry (10) into double figures, the Indians owned the glass 52-22. Ten others cracked the scorebook for Rogers’ Tribe, which owned a commanding 41-23 lead at the break that continued to grow.
Millberry and 6-6 Jonas Page also dished out five assists apiece.
“I thought we did a good job defensively,” Rogers said. “I thought our kids rebounded the ball very well. They didn’t get too many second shot opportunities and that was a big thing.
“I thought everyone played well for us tonight. I thought everyone played well.”
And they bounced out winners.
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