2012-2013 Season Stats

By Mike Carnahan, Republican-Herald Sports Writer
Pottsville made its share of plays down the stretch to hold off rival Blue Mountain for 46-39 victory in a Schuylkill League Division I contest Tuesday at Martz Hall.
But the Crimson Tide’s start played a huge role in the win, too.
Pottsville opened the game on an 13-2 run, scoring the first 8 points of the game on a Bobby Witman putback, a bucket inside by Ryan Coyle, a jumper by Brandon Bridy and drive down the lane and layup by Travis Blankenhorn. That score came at 5:44 of the first quarter.
After the Eagles Will Bornstein scored on a layup, Blankenhorn hit a 3-pointer from the top of the circle and Bridy finished off the run by scoring on a drive from the wing at 1:06.
Kyle Slane gave Blue Mountain some momentum, banking in a 3-pointer over two Pottsville defenders at the buzzer to make it 13-5 at the end of the first.
Despite the win, Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney wasn’t pleased with the way the Tide played overall in the second half.
“It was huge, especially with the way Blue Mountain played in the second half, with that lead we were going to struggle” he said. “I am at a loss for some of the things that we do and play, I would just assume that we would be better. Blue Mountain is very good team, very well coached with a lot of good players and we were very fortunate to get this win.”
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When the season started, a concern for the Tide was their health.
Blankenhorn was coming off an injury from football while Eli Nabholz was out a bad back. Mullaney was somewhat concern with depth.
But it also meant that some who might not have received playing time did. Now, Pottsville might have one of the deepest benches in the league.
Jordan Melochick, John Toomey, Nabholz and Ty Painter all saw playing time off the bench. The four only produced a combined four points but contributed key minutes. Toomey grabbed two rebounds and had an assist – a bucket inside by Bridy early in the fourth quarter – while Nabholz had two points and three rebounds and Melochick hit two foul shots in the third quarter after he was fouled inside.
Mullaney had high praise for Toomey.
“Our team probably does better with John Tommey in the game,” Mullaney said. “He does so many things right. Our offense always looks better and our defense looks better. I am just too dumb to play him more minutes.”
Now the bench might be tested again.
Nabholz, a sophomore who missed the first the first 15 games of the season before returning Jan. 22 at Pine Grove, left with an apparent ankle injury after he scored his only points on a spin move in the lane during the third quarter. Nabholz was down on the court for several minutes and was then helped off. His ankle was iced down and he was on crutches as he took part in the postgame handshakes.
It is not known how many games, if any, Nabholz will miss.
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Blue Mountain sharp-shooter Peter Harding had a rough night Tuesday. Closely hounded by Bridy, he struggled to get open looks in the first half and was held scoreless. Harding had a better second half, scoring eight points, including two 3-pointers.
Harding was also battling the flu.
According to Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt, Harding has been sick for three days. The plan was to try to get him more breaks Tuesday but with the foul trouble the Eagles had, Harding ended up playing almost the entire game.
“For him to play the number of minutes he did, that just shows how tough he is,” Werdt said.
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Both schools were well represented by vocal, and packed, student sections Tuesday, giving the game a truly championship atmosphere. The Crimson Tide side fans also had two oversized, cut-out heads of Blankenhorn in their section.

By Mike Carnahan, Republican-Herald Sports Writer
Pottsville’s Ryan Coyle has scored 18 combined points during the Crimson Tide’s last two games, key Schuylkill League Division I victories over Blue Mountain 43-33 last Friday and a 50-31 rout of North Schuylkill on Monday. Those are solid numbers for the senior guard but a little deeper digging reveals an even more impressive feat.
Of those 18 points, 11 have been buzzer beaters to end quarters, with six coming against the Eagles and five versus the Spartans.
Last Friday, Coyle hit a 3-pointer at the end of the first from the top of the key, putting Pottsville up 8-6, a lead the Tide never lost. He then drained another 3 in similar fashion just before halftime, making it 20-12.
Coyle was at it again Monday.
He swished a 3-pointer from the wing at the end of the first quarter, set up on penetration and a kick out pass by Brandon Bridy, giving Pottsville the lead for good at 10-7. He then drove the baseline and scored inside at the end of the third, making it 36-18.
“I’ve seen so much film on Pottsville so far this past year and every game, every game that I’ve watched, (Coyle) hit at least one, if not two, buzzer beaters,” North Schuylkill coach Curt Ziegmont said after Monday’s game. “The kid is clutch. If any NBA guy was watching the game I was watching, just at the end of the first quarter, what does he hit, a 3, with me in his ear, because I was standing right behind the kid. Trust me, I was in his ear.
“Every time you think you have something going, one of those kids steps up, makes a big shot and takes the wind out of your sails. That’s their bread and butter.”
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The Tide also have a knack for getting key minutes from different players. Such has been the case for freshman Jordan Melochick.
Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney had reason for concern going into the Tide’s critical contests against the Eagles and Spartans, especially since sophomore Travis Blankenhorn missed both with a knee injury. But Melochick, a 6-foot-2 guard/forward has been an excellent starting in Blankenhorn’s place.
He scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds against the Eagles, and then had five points during Monday’s victory over the Spartans. Melochick also played almost the entire game against North Schuylkill, finally coming out early in the fourth quarter when he picked up his fourth personal foul.
“He doesn’t play like a freshman,” Mullaney said of Melochick “He is very, very skilled and has a high basketball IQ, which makes him fit in with the rest of our guys.”

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