As Mid-Penn Conference basketball teams wheel into the second halves of their respective divisional schedules, what better way to tip things off than Round 2 of the Bishop McDevitt-Susquehanna Twp. series.
Who knows? Maybe more await.
Disregard the future for now, because tonight's Mid-Penn Keystone Division scrap (8 p.m. at the Susquehanna Twp. Field House) is the one we're going to focus on. Especially since Game 1 -- Vince Rogers' Indians claimed a 58-56 victory at Tracy Hall -- had such a thrilling finish.
McDevitt (9-3, 5-3) has been on a recent roll, winning its last six contests and climbing back into the Keystone Division title discussion. If that winning streak grows to seven, the Crusaders will sit just one game behind Susquehanna Twp. (12-1, 7-1). McDevitt also will slide just in front of Trinity.
Keystone Division standings can be found here.
On another side note, 6-0 junior guard Justin McCarthur (17.5 ppg, 24 treys) will be making his first Field House appearance since relocating from Susquehanna Twp. to McDevitt. Should be an interesting reception.
Other players who have been running hot for McDevitt include 6-6 junior Dyllon Hudson-Emory (15.7 ppg, 7 treys), 6-3 junior Caleb Barwin (11.0, 24 treys) and 6-3 sophomore Milik Gantz (10.0 ppg).
McCarthur had 23 points in the earlier meeting with Susquehanna, while Hudson-Emory finished with 16. Barwin and Gantz did not score.
Rounding out the starting lineup for McDevitt -- assuming Jeff Hoke uses the same group as he did in last weekend's win over Mechanicsburg -- will be 5-11 junior Donte Vaughn and 6-2 senior Will Pierce.
Vaughn is a terrific long-range shooter who may need to bury a few rips to keep Susquehanna's D from ganging up on McCarthur. Pierce was effective in the paint in Game 1, ripping down nine boards.
Jordan Mosley and Thomas Denniston also could get some run.
Upended last weekend at Palmyra, Susquehanna Twp. has rebounded by scorching Red Land and Trinity. In fact, the Indians downed Trinity 58-37 as Joe Marshall popped a double-double (24 points, 11 rebounds).
The 6-3 Marshall -- just a sophomore who believes every ball on the glass belongs to him -- is averaging 12.6 ppg. Jonas Page, a 6-6 senior who can beat teams inside and out, leads the Indians at 13.8 ppg.
Balanced up and down the lineup, Rogers can run out 5-9 junior Gabe Mack (7.6 ppg), 6-0 freshman Nehemiah "Bud" Mack (7.6 ppg, 23 treys), 5-4 junior Jordan Millberry (4.0 ppg), 6-0 junior Takhi Turner (5.5 ppg), 6-4 senior Jheran Dunbar (2.3 ppg) and 6-6 junior Savalas Pope (4.8 ppg).
Page buried the game-winning shot in Game 1, finishing with 22 points. Pope, a monster in the low blocks, added 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Indians chewed up a 52-40 deficit in the final eight minutes.
The Mack brothers combined for 14 points in that win, while Marshall finished with six, Turner added five and Millberry posted just one. Turner and Millberry were effective defensively down the stretch, tossing collars on Daquan Phillips and McCarthur, respectively.
Phillips is no longer with the McDevitt team.
As for tonight, hopefully these teams will be more relaxed than they were in Game 1. Of course, the TV cameras won't be there so that may help. If they just go out and play, look for a crisply paced affair with plenty of athletic plays liberally stirred into an important neighborhood scrap.
Should be lots of fun.