Blade
12-25-2009, 05:40 PM
Craft's 3-pointers lift Shamokin over Blue Mtn.
BY DUSTIN HALUSKA (STAFF WRITER dhaluska@republicanherald.com)
Published: December 24, 2009
ORWIGSBURG - As most of Shamokin's varsity players patiently awaited their non-league game with Blue Mountain, little did they know that what was happening in the junior varsity game would impact their outcome.
Sophomore guard Devon Craft made a few 3-pointers in the JV game and later used it as confidence that led him to bury five second-half 3-pointers that helped Shamokin pull away for a 59-50 victory over the Eagles on Wednesday night.
"He's a great shooter. If anyone wants to be a good shooter, I tell our guys to watch how he shoots the ball," said Shamokin coach Joe Klebon, who watched Craft explode for a team-high 21 points off the bench.
It was Klebon who decided to get Craft some shots in what he called an ugly JV game.
"Tonight the best move we did was in the junior varsity game. The game was kind of ugly. I said, 'You want to go in and shoot a few?' Other than that he wasn't going to play," Klebon said. "He made a couple of shots, got used to the rim a little bit and it helped him with his confidence."
According to Klebon, confidence is the only thing that Craft has lacked at times when it comes to his deadly outside jumper.
He was oozing with confidence for an entire third quarter in which he single handedly extended a one-point lead to double digits with three unanswered shots from the outside.
Craft poured in 16 of his 21 points in the third as Shamokin outscored Blue Mountain 21-6 and led by 18 points after the quarter.
"With that stroke it has to go in most of the time," Klebon said. "He just needs more confidence because right now he gets down a little bit when he misses a couple. He's just going to get better as time goes on. A game like this really helps him with that."
Craft's career night gives the Indians some reassurance offensively from the outside after graduating good shooters in Foster Renn, Scott Marcinek and Steve Carsto.
"They went through the wars as freshman and sophomores too. They ended up developing into good players their junior and senior years," Klebon said.
When the Indians weren't burying one of their eight 3-pointers, 6-foot-3 big man Brent Forbes was dominant in the paint.
Forbes not only provided the Indians second-chance opportunities with his rebounding, but also joined Craft in double figures with 11 points.
"Brent Forbes is an outstanding inside presence," Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said. "When you look at their team, it's obviously the first thing you have to defend,"
Blue Mountain, which only trailed 24-21 at halftime, never recovered from Shamokin's big third quarter, but finally made some plays in the fourth.
The Eagles cut a lead that was as large as 17 down in the final two minutes.
Matt Maloney scored nine of his game-high 23 points in the fourth, while Tyler Hartranft added five of his 11 points in the final quarter.
"All year we have had flashes offensively where we look good. As a team we have to do a better job with our shot selection," Werdt said.
BY DUSTIN HALUSKA (STAFF WRITER dhaluska@republicanherald.com)
Published: December 24, 2009
ORWIGSBURG - As most of Shamokin's varsity players patiently awaited their non-league game with Blue Mountain, little did they know that what was happening in the junior varsity game would impact their outcome.
Sophomore guard Devon Craft made a few 3-pointers in the JV game and later used it as confidence that led him to bury five second-half 3-pointers that helped Shamokin pull away for a 59-50 victory over the Eagles on Wednesday night.
"He's a great shooter. If anyone wants to be a good shooter, I tell our guys to watch how he shoots the ball," said Shamokin coach Joe Klebon, who watched Craft explode for a team-high 21 points off the bench.
It was Klebon who decided to get Craft some shots in what he called an ugly JV game.
"Tonight the best move we did was in the junior varsity game. The game was kind of ugly. I said, 'You want to go in and shoot a few?' Other than that he wasn't going to play," Klebon said. "He made a couple of shots, got used to the rim a little bit and it helped him with his confidence."
According to Klebon, confidence is the only thing that Craft has lacked at times when it comes to his deadly outside jumper.
He was oozing with confidence for an entire third quarter in which he single handedly extended a one-point lead to double digits with three unanswered shots from the outside.
Craft poured in 16 of his 21 points in the third as Shamokin outscored Blue Mountain 21-6 and led by 18 points after the quarter.
"With that stroke it has to go in most of the time," Klebon said. "He just needs more confidence because right now he gets down a little bit when he misses a couple. He's just going to get better as time goes on. A game like this really helps him with that."
Craft's career night gives the Indians some reassurance offensively from the outside after graduating good shooters in Foster Renn, Scott Marcinek and Steve Carsto.
"They went through the wars as freshman and sophomores too. They ended up developing into good players their junior and senior years," Klebon said.
When the Indians weren't burying one of their eight 3-pointers, 6-foot-3 big man Brent Forbes was dominant in the paint.
Forbes not only provided the Indians second-chance opportunities with his rebounding, but also joined Craft in double figures with 11 points.
"Brent Forbes is an outstanding inside presence," Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said. "When you look at their team, it's obviously the first thing you have to defend,"
Blue Mountain, which only trailed 24-21 at halftime, never recovered from Shamokin's big third quarter, but finally made some plays in the fourth.
The Eagles cut a lead that was as large as 17 down in the final two minutes.
Matt Maloney scored nine of his game-high 23 points in the fourth, while Tyler Hartranft added five of his 11 points in the final quarter.
"All year we have had flashes offensively where we look good. As a team we have to do a better job with our shot selection," Werdt said.