City of Basketball Love

Jon Bodack (@JBodack92)
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For the third year in a row the Neumann Knights find themselves in the CSAC Championship game, and once again they will be playing on the road.

Last year the Knights were able to avenge their loss the year prior to Cabrini by claiming the CSAC title in a 93-92 victory. This year they will be travelling to Gwynedd-Mercy to take on the top-seeded Griffins

The season got off to a rocky start for the Knights. Going into the Christmas break, their record was 4-5, including a 102-92 loss at home to Gwynedd.

They got back on the right track after the break, only losing two more games by focusing on the defensive side of the court. The Knights finished the season with a 19-7 record, going 14-4 in conference play.

“I think when you look at the first half of the season versus the second half we have become a much better, sound, defensive team,” Neumann head coach Jim Rullo said. “Leading our conference in field goal percentage holding our opponents to under 40 percent.”

Rullo and his team know that this game will not be easy, as GMU has two first team all-conference selections on their squad, senior guards Darnell Artis and Julian Hyden. Matching up with the right personnel will be a key factor for the Knights, if they want to reclaim that title.

“I think it’s going to take us and our ability to control our emotions and get defensive stops, and  to obviously recognize their personnel,” said Rullo. “They are talented on the outside with two first-team selections Hyden and Arits.”

The Knights have been able to hold teams to 74.6 points per game this season, and it  has been one of the reasons why they have had success in the second half of the season. The other reason is their ability to score. They have averaged 84.4 points per game, and have shot 50 percent from the field.

Two of the key pieces to Neumann’s offense are junior guard DeShawn Lowman who is averaging 17 points per game, and junior forward James Butler who averages 16.6 points per game.

“For us to be successful and the basketball I’ve been around it’s been predicated upon, for consistent results, everything is predicated on the defensive end,” Rullo said. “We can score the basketball, we’ve done a good job of that, but I think our success is indicative on how we’re able to get stops.”

On the flip side there's Gwynedd (20-6, 17-1), who's bounced back from a 1-3 start to the year to win 15 of its last 16 heading into the playoffs.

The Griffins, who are playing inspired basketball for a number of reasons, are making their first championship appearance in four years and are looking for their first championship since 2009.

For both programs, just being in the league championship with a chance to go to March Madness is an achievement in itself.

“I think it validates what we do day in and day out," Rullo said. "I think as coach to have your players play in this game is something special. I think you’re going to find two very good basketball teams and a very entertaining game. I just think it’s very good for the local division three college basketball scene in Philadelphia to have this game.”