The 3/4 Boys rec teams, the Badgers and Buckeyes, help introduce the varsity Saucon Valley boys basketball squad before their Dec. 22 game against Notre Dame-Green Pond.
The Saucon Valley Youth Basketball game of the week almost certainly was played between the Spartans and the Giants of the 5/6 boys division. Both teams entered their game with a 1-1 record. The Giants built a 7-point lead behind high-scorer Will Nagy with just 2:30 left in the game. But the Spartans roared back behind Josh Orlemann, who put in a crucial layup, and two clutch free-throws by Karter Bellar would help tie the game. With just 11 seconds left, the ball was inbounded to Cydae Joseph-Davis, who nailed his shot to put the Spartans up. Aiden Villegas led the defense that weathered the final push by the Spartans in the last 11 seconds to hold on to the win. While it is a shame that one of these teams had to lose, it was an incredible display of what Saucon Valley Youth Basketball is all about.
Not to be outdone, the two undefeated 3/4 Boys teams battled it out in an epic game on Sunday. After the opening minutes of the game between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions became a game of defenses, a late flurry by the Lions put them up by a score of 9-4, including a last-minute jumper by Tanner Riefenstahl. Geno Deren was the leading scorer in the first half with 3 points. The second half of the game featured more defensive dominance on both sides. Phillip Taylor’s clutch jump shot from at least 10 feet out was the only scoring by the Lions in the second half. The Buckeyes stormed back in the last two minutes of the game, with Caleb Grim and Eli Torres leading the charge and getting the score to 11-10. The Buckeyes made a last second push, putting up a couple of shots that just missed, but it was the clutch final second defense of the Nittany Lions that led them to victory.
The 5/6 Trojan boys suffered their first loss of the season, falling to a Bethlehem team, 17-12. Ray Matey and Brandon Thompson each had six points. Matey also had 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
The 3/4 boys Travel team lost their game on Saturday despite a very strong game by Geno Deren, who scored 8 points. The 5/6 Boys Travel team, the Thundering Herd, split their weekend games, winning 51-18 against Allen on Saturday and losing to South Parkland, 59-39 on Sunday.
The upcoming holiday weekend will give the Minors, 3/4 Boys rec and 3/4 Girls rec a break from the action. The 5/6 Girls rec teams will see action on Sunday, with the Leopards hosting Southern Lehigh on Saturday and playing Salisbury on Sunday. The Jaguars will play Southern Lehigh on Sunday. The 5/6 Girls Travel team, the Tigers, will play Bethlehem on Sunday.
The 5/6 Boys rec teams will play a full schedule in Bethlehem on Saturday. The 3/4 Boys travel team will have the weekend off while both 5/6 Boys travel team, the Thundering Herd and the Huskies, will both play Pates on Sunday.