City of Basketball Love

Zak Wolf (@ZakWolf22)
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“Be 1-0 each day no matter what.”

That’s been the motto for Springfield Township (Montco.) this season under second-year head coach Rob Fusaro. Learning how to win games and trying to build a culture isn’t easy, but that’s what this season is all about. The Spartans have been taking things one step at a time, and took another step in the right direction on Monday when they held off Lower Moreland 50-45 in a Suburban One League matchup. 

After not winning a single game last season, finishing 0-12, Springfield is working to build something by having everyone buy in. From the guys in the starting five, to players who won’t see any minutes, it’s about everyone having a role and doing their part. 

“It’s more together and they’re more bought in.” Fusaro said. “We have a thing, excel in your role, everybody has their own specific role that is designated to them. It can change from game to game, and everyone, even our bench has a great presence.”

It’s hard to bounce back from a winless season and have a positive outlook on things, but the energy and atmosphere surrounding the program has presented results. The Spartans are 8-6 on the season, with four of those wins coming in league play, equaling their league win total from the previous four seasons combined. The win over Lower Moreland was their fifth in their last seven games overall.

Most of the players who contributed last season are back with the team this year and have been taking more pride in playing for Springfield.

“You have to have them have that chip on your shoulder.” Fusaro said. “There’s talent here, you just have to be able to bring it out and get them to play for each other and play within our system and what we do and just have them believe in themselves.”

It was clear that Springfield brought the energy and was ready, right from the opening tip. Chants of “de-fense” coming from the bench and celebrations after every made basket energized the Spartans. It helped their ball pressure, forcing Lower Moreland into live=ball turnovers and they also did a great job of attacking the offensive glass while taking control of the game.

Springfield started out the game on a 12-4 run, before Lower Moreland was forced to take a timeout. Dylan McKenzie was the driving force behind Springfields hot start, feeding off the energy from his team. The junior guard scored eight points in the first quarter, and was getting into the lane at will, blowing by defenders and finishing at the rim, as well as drawing fouls. 

McKenzie has been a driving force behind Springfield’s turnaround this season, and leading by example on the floor.

“Every time I step on the court I need to have that killer mentality and think nobody can guard me,” he said.

McKenzie has played varsity since his freshman year, so he knows what life has been like for Springfield in the past, but he also knows that things are changing. 

“It takes a lot of courage and it takes the whole system, every guy, coaches, players, everyone needs to step up.” said McKenzie. 

McKenzie finished with a game-high 16 points in what seemed to be an easy victory for Springfield at one point, but things changed quickly. 

Springfield started the second half, much like they did the first, and a 6-0 run in the first few minutes gave them a comfortable 38-19 lead. Lower Moreland did not go away, eating away at the Spartan lead, getting it to nine heading into the fourth. 

John Kroll led Lower Moreland with 12 points, including seven in the third, while Braden Alicea had 11. 

Lower Moreland was able to get the deficit to as little as four, with less than five minutes left, but Springfield was able to get the stops they needed down the stretch to pull out the victory. Ben Cooney, finished with 9 points including key free throws to help put the game away in the fourth quarter. Springfield also got contribtiions from 

Despite almost blowing the big lead, the fact Springfield held on to win the game is a sign of growth.

“Last year, they would’ve probably crumbled and self-destructed,” Fusaro said. “This year, we’ve been preaching to the guys time and score is a big thing, not to take quick threes and balance the floor and take time off the clock and manufacture a lead and keep it.”

For Springfield Twp., Ben Cooney finished with nine points including key free throws to help put the game away in the fourth quarter. Springfield also got contributions from Kyle Smythe who knocked down a couple three's in the second half, finishing with nine points. Harry Rittenhouse and Brett Smith both finished with eight, but Rittenhouse was active on the glass all game, getting big offensive rebounds for the Spartans.

Springfield is Fusaro’s first ever head coaching gig after being an assistant all over the place, including Division I schools like Lehigh, where he was Director of Basketball Operations from 2013-14, as well as local small-college and JUCO schools like Chestnut Hill, Millersville and Harcum. 

Fusaro learned the hard way, having to wait over a year for his first win as a head coach, but he’s improving with every game.

“It was a learning experience in the beginning, but now it's a trial and error kind of thing,” Fusaro said. “You just learn trial by fire, and I’ve learned from last year what works and what doesn’t.”

Springfield faces a challenge tomorrow when they go up against Wissahickon, who is 9-6 on the season; it’s the third of six consecutive home games. 

No matter what, Springfield will be playing in the postseason. The Spartans currently sit in third place in the District 1 4A ranking, behind Collegium Charter and Pope John Paul II, but all four teams in the district’s 4A classification — New Hope-Solebury is the other — make it to the district playoffs, where any of them are two wins away from a state tournament appearance.

As the Spartans navigate totally unfamiliar territory, their coach is doing all he can to keep them on track.

“Being humble and keeping that mentality,” Fusaro said, “Keeping that fight, having that chip on your shoulder, remember we were 0-12 last year and now we’re trying to prove everyone in Suburban One and everyone else wrong.” 

By Quarter
Springfield Twp:  18  |  14  |  10  |   8   ||  50
Lower Moreland  10  |   9   |  14  |  12  ||  45

Scoring
Springfield: McKenzie 16, Cooney 9, Smythe 9, Smith 8, Rittenhouse 8,  

Lower Moreland: Kroll 12, I. Ilicea 11, Krutsinger 9, Grant 6, B. Alicea 5, Pennsi 2