City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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HARRISBURG — Mike Gaffey’s basketball-playing Bishop McDevitt outfit may have been placed on an extended hold during the season’s first few weeks — an extended football campaign limited McDevitt’s practice numbers and postponed a few games — but that early delay doesn’t seem to be bothering the Crusaders much at all.

In fact, Gaffey admits he hasn’t implemented everything just yet. Needs another half-dozen practices or so for everyone to really get comfortable.

And if that possibility seems scary or downright frightening to McDevitt’s future foes — Mid-Penn Keystone Division playmates or otherwise — imagine how those teams that already have locked up with Gaffey’s Crusaders must feel.

Cranking out a solid defensive effort and receiving balanced play at the offensive end, McDevitt churned to its fourth consecutive victory by turning away backyard rival Steel-High 66-53 at Saint Sebastian Hall.

James Williams popped a workmanlike double-double (24 points/10 rebounds), while Nick Gemmell and Tim Kater chipped in 15 points apiece as the Crusaders (9-3) prevailed for the second time in as many nights.

“For James, it’s [hard] every night out,” Gaffey said. “Everyone is crowding him right now and what’s happening is as the football players continue to play and we get used to seeing zone every night, we’re starting to knock down shots.”

Jaqui Jenkins pocketed 19 points, Jaron Grayer chimed in with 12 and Malachi Young finished with 11 for Rick Binder’s Rollers (6-5), the eighth consecutive Pennsylvania opponent to fall victim to Gaffey’s surging club.

Plus, Steel-High downed McDevitt in last season’s high-scoring District 3-AAA championship game at Hershey’s Giant Center.

Not too shabby once one considers that McDevitt didn’t open its 2015-16 campaign until Dec. 15 — or until hoops regulars such as Kater and Alex Marsico turned in their shoulder pads and helmets for sneakers and baggy shorts.

Others such as Kobay White, Bryce Hall and Joe Joe Headen also reported to basketball practice — although not one of them played last year, all had been in the McDevitt program at one point — adding significant depth to the rotation of a Crusaders program that last March was some 90 seconds away from knocking off eventual PIAA Class AAA champion Neumann-Goretti. 

All three possess Division I football scholarships.

“It was tough,” Gaffey recalled. “Because some of the football players didn’t play last year and, for instance, just a simple out-of-bounds play some of them don’t know. “It’s not their fault because several of them have only practiced half-a-dozen times.”

While Williams, Gemmell and Marsico are the only returning players who logged minutes in that game — Williams banked 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds — all-state guard Milik Gantz is now playing at suburban Philly’s Harcum College and forward Mark Ray is at Lackawanna College in Scranton.

By the way, Gantz carded a triple-double in that 76-71 setback, recording 16 points, snaring 13 rebounds and dropping 10 dimes.

“[The football guys] are aware of [how close we were] and we told them that, too,” said Gaffey, whose Crusaders decked Hershey and 6-10 Villanova recruit Dylan Painter 72-58 on Friday behind Williams’ 27 points and 15 from Kater.

“And I think they’re helping with our cause.”

Even for the first 10 minutes or so Saturday night — and with first-half foul difficulties hampering Jenkins, Grayer and Young — McDevitt spliced together a 12-0 burst highlighted by seven points from Williams that allowed Gaffey’s bunch to grab a 28-14 lead with 1:45 remaining in the second quarter.

“He’s a good player,” Binder said of Williams. “He’s one of the better players in the [Harrisburg] area and they’ve got a couple shooters.

“We’re still trying to find the right combination.”

While Steel-High was able to pull within six points (31-25) early in the second half — full-court pressure triggered an 11-3 run that led to several transition buckets — Gemmell’s deep trey and back-to-back hoops at the tin from the determined Williams enabled McDevitt to restore order and regain command.

Steel-High never got closer than five (38-33) the rest of the way.

Even when Williams tumbled to the floor late in the third and hobbled off to the locker room, the Crusaders were able to extend their lead to 15 points (49-34) behind some sparkling play from White and Kater’s long jumper at the horn.

White (Boston College) finished with six points and five boards — White scored 13 points in the Hershey victory — Hall (Virginia) added a bucket and six rebounds, while Headen (Old Dominion) drained two freebies and dished out two assists.

Other McDevitt highlights included:

• Gemmell accepting the difficult challenge of guarding Jenkins one-on-one and frustrating the explosive 6-0 senior, particularly in the first half. Jenkins scored 12 of his 19 in the second half, but he could not lead the Rollers back.

• Williams, despite being bounced around inside Steel-High’s compact 3-2 zone, continuing to use his long, slender frame to get his hands on rebounds anywhere near the rim. Williams also blocked a pair of shots.

• Of McDevitt’s 24 field goals, 17 were set up by timely passes. Gemmell racked up five assists, one more than scrappy junior Jody Morales.

• The senior leadership provided by the likes of Gemmell, Williams and the feisty Marsico was apparent, especially when things got tight.

Sum everything up and the Crusaders were packing away yet another victory — even though some of them still are figuring things out. Hasn’t prohibited McDevitt from grabbing a one-game lead in the Mid-Penn Keystone Division.

McDevitt even played three games at a New York Holiday tournament, losing to Albany-area hammer Shenendehowa by two and perennial New York City power Archbishop Molloy by 14 while defeating host Elmira 56-41.

So with additional improvement and continuity expected for a Crusaders club that’s not all that long and not a great rebounding side — Williams is 6-4, Hall and Kater are 6-3, but everyone else is a bit shorter — another extended postseason run is possible since everyone on this club knows how to win.

Even the football guys.

Binder’s Rollers, meanwhile, continue to sort out some things.

Jenkins, Grayer and Young are fine and productive — all three started last season — but Binder is looking for others to step forward, become assertive and grow more and more confident as the Rollers scrap through a tough Mid-Penn Capital.

Particularly if any, or all, of the veterans encounters foul trouble or injury.

Sophomores Jarvai Flowers, Jayshon Ramsey and Jelani Isom had their moments in Saturday’s loss. Same for juniors Shaquan Betton and Ty Little.

“They’ve been working hard at practice and I can’t fault their effort,” admitted Binder, whose Rollers lost to Milton Hershey on Friday by a 77-75 score despite 34 from Jenkins and 21 from Grayer.

“It’s just executing and cutting down on the little mistakes.”

With Binder at the helm, Steel-High will figure it out.

“We’ve just got to move on and keep playing,” Binder said.

And with Gaffey deep into his second season at his alma mater, his Crusaders are getting plenty of on-the-job experience and it’s been rewarding thus far.

Even though they’ve all been scrapping to catch up following a late start.

“We’re playing really well,” Gaffey said, “and we still need about six more practices to make sure everyone knows exactly [what’s going on].

“There’s a lot of potential with this group,” Gaffey added. “So hopefully with those practices, if we keep working to get better on the things that we’re still a little deficient with, we’re hoping to be right in the hunt.”