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District 3: Middletown downs Annville-Cleona in Rhoades Classic

01/06/2018, 8:30pm EST
By Michael Bullock

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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ANNVILLE — Pocketing a timely result with some magnitude — whether on the road or within the confines of one’s own playpen — can really generate all sorts of positives.

Wouldn’t matter if a particular group was in the middle of a wonderful roll and mowing down all sorts of opposition or if that same outfit was struggling mightily to find some sort of positive outcome.

In Middletown’s case, spending Friday night thrilling the home folks by turning back Mid-Penn Capital Division hammer Trinity in overtime just might have been one of those season-turning decisions that propels Chris Sattele’s Blue Raiders into one of those upward crescendos that lasts a bit.

“It shows our kids that we can compete with anybody,” Sattele said. “We really can. Our expectations at the beginning of the year were to make sure we could be the best we could be at the end of the season — not necessarily at the beginning of the season.

“We’re starting to get our stride. [Friday night] was a springboard for us going into the New Year.”

Well, less than 24 hours later, in Game 1 of the Rhoades Foundation Classic at Lebanon Valley College’s beautiful Sorrentino Gymnasium, Sattele’s smallish yet talented squad took another step forward by jetting to an early lead that ultimately led to a 68-48 triumph over Annville-Cleona.

Slick, do-everything senior Ryan Hughes netted 24 points — 12 in the opening quarter and 16 in the first half — to lead the Blue Raiders (5-4). Middletown also picked up 16 points from gritty senior Tre Leach and 12 more from junior Tyler Petroski.

A quick start — Middletown needed just 1:45 or so to build an 11-0 lead — was the perfect way to follow up Friday night’s OT thriller (65-64) and get Sattele’s talented outfit in high-octane mode against a struggling Little Dutchmen (4-6) side skippered by former Blue Raiders assistant Chris Bradford.

Hughes canned all four of his treys in the opening eight minutes, stepping into each and every pop with calculated confidence. Leach, the undersized gamer with the oversized ticker, added seven early points as Middletown motored to a 23-6 advantage that wouldn’t be threatened.

“My teammates set me up really well,” Hughes said. “Driving and kicking is what our coaches preach.”

Noah Myers collected 16 points and 10 boards for A-C.

Despite its sizable cushion, Middletown did not ease into cruise control as Sattele deftly moved nine players into the fray in the opening quarter. A 10th finally checked in after the break.

The 6-4 Hughes, who is hearing from all sorts of regional Division III programs, gave the Blue Raiders a 39-17 lead when he swiped the ball at midcourt and wheeled to the rim just before the horn.

Middletown’s lead would grow to 24 points early in the second half when Leach found Hughes for a finish at the rim that made the score 43-19. A-C would get it to 15 later in the third, but no closer.

“It makes my job a lot easier when guys start hitting shots,” Hughes admitted. “It opens up the court and I know, no matter who I pass it to, they can possibly knock down a shot. It makes it easier. I love the mood when everybody’s scoring and everybody’s having fun.”

Yet while the weekend sweep certainly did plenty for many of the hoops-hungry folks that make up Blue Raider Nation — many of the older set clearly recall the 1968 Middletown group featuring future pro Dave Twardzik that collared the PIAA’s Class B championship — Sattele’s bunch bounced into the season hoping to better the tremendous 2016-17 season they enjoyed.

Not only did Sattele’s Blue Raiders (22-6) finish second in the District 3 Class 4A tournament to a senior-heavy Lancaster Catholic squad, but they also defeated Danville and Johnstown in the state playoffs before running into Quaker Valley in the quarterfinals.

Since Hughes, Leach, Chris Plummer, Tyreer Mills and Kyle Truesdale were key contributors on last year’s squad — and all of them returning — one can imagine the expectations coming in.

Well, not even a month ago, most of Sattele’s squad was playing on a Middletown football team chasing a state championship … ironically, against Quaker Valley. So, Sattele was a lonely coach during preseason practice since many of his players were still in pads.

Perhaps this weekend’s victories can help turn things in an upward direction.

Especially since the 6-2 and highly athletic Plummer is expected to return soon following recent surgery. Mills, the backcourt performer with the extra step, may be out a little bit longer.

“Earlier in the year, when we struggled shooting the ball and at the free-throw line, we just weren’t ourselves,” Hughes stated. “Now that we’re getting back into it, we’re working hard at practice, getting up as many shots as we can and trying to get our rhythm back.”

Nonetheless, the Blue Raiders continue to soldier on.

Hughes has the ability to take over a game and dominate — he pocketed 32 points in Friday night’s success — but is content to let the contest come to him. His balanced floor game in Saturday’s verdict also included eight rebounds and three assists, not just his feathery shooting touch.

Truesdale and Leach added 10 points apiece in the Trinity win.

“We always have the mentality at Middletown that it’s ‘Next Man Up,’” Hughes said. “Mitch Lee stepped up big time. Kyle stepped up big time. The guys we called up did their jobs.

“And that’s all we can ask for. It’s just a mentality we have at Middletown that we just have to keep going, practice hard and play hard. We’ve just got to keep going.”

And when those others finally return, that’ll just add length to a Middletown bench that’s getting plenty of work right now. Players such as Petrouskie, Lee, David Alcock and Jerrod Myers are going to be game-tested and Sattele likely won’t hesitate to call on them.

“Absolutely, it is,” Sattele said. “Tyler came to us from Bishop McDevitt, and we’re delighted to have him. He’s a good basketball player, he has a high basketball IQ. Again, it gives all of them the experience. And when you start getting into those tough second-half games, they’re a little more tested.”

Although a return engagement with remarkably athletic and Mid-Penn Capital Division leader Milton Hershey is just around the corner, scraps with West Perry, Mifflin County and Northern Lebanon may provide the Blue Raiders plenty of positive waves heading into January’s second half.

Since that’s the hope in Blue Raider country — Middletown sits 10th in the latest District 3 Class 4A power rankings and the top 10 will qualify — there’s time to make a determined move.

“We all had some football legs, but now we’re getting into the swing of things and we’re just playing basketball,” Hughes said.

Stay tuned.


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