Jordan Shaffer
MANHEIM – Combinations from Abington Heights were part of the late-season success for the oldest and youngest boys teams in the NEPA Elite program.
Mason Fedor and Ryan Nealon helped the NEPA Elite 17U Coyle boys team put together a five-game winning streak while Jordan Shaffer and Andrew Kettel helped put the 15U Dempsey boys team in the semifinals at the season-ending event.
The boys teams from the AAU basketball club out of Riverfront Sports in Scranton concluded their fourth season with a five-day road trip. After playing in The Hoop Group Atlantic City Jam Fest July 5-7, NEPA Elite teams moved on to Spooky Nook Sports for the Summer Jam Fest, which included the Hoop Group Showcase League Championships, July 8-9.
The 17U Coyle team started the trip with a five-game winning streak.
The 15U Dempsey team pulled off consecutive big comebacks to win the final game in Atlantic City and the first in Lancaster County, starting a three-game winning streak that carried it into the semifinals of the 15U Platinum 1 Division, the second-highest of six divisions in the age group.
NEPA Elite was 4-0 in 17U Showcase Division games in Atlantic City, but did not get enough of the help it needed to qualify for the season championship field. It won again at Spooky Nook before losing the last two games of the season by five and three points.
Will Marion, an Abington Heights teammate of Fedor and Nealon, ran the offense for the club’s top team until the final month of the season, when he missed the busy closing stretch with a hand injury.
Nealon, usually a shooting guard, took over at the point.
After struggling offensively and going 1-2 in the Summer Warm Up at East Stroudsburg University July 1-2, the team clicked for the last two events.
“Ryan had to get used to being a point guard,” coach Brian Coyle said.
Fedor was the leader of two wins on the first day of the trip. He was 7-for-10 from the floor on the way to 17 points, nine rebounds and two steals in a 59-51 victory over Ray Allen Select. He then had 13 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots in a 70-50 victory over SHA Elite.
Nealon had 11 points in the first win and eight assists in the second.
Fedor’s strong all-around play continued the next day when he was 5-for-6 from the floor for 15 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in a 49-39 victory over Global Squad. Nealon had 11 points and two steals in the victory.
The Atlantic City trip concluded with a 65-60, overtime victory over Epic Elite.
Using the Elam Ending where the first team to score five points wins, Nealon hit a 3-pointer, then made a steal that led to the clinching basket.
Fedor had 15 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in the win while Nealon had 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
NEPA Elite carried that momentum to Spooky Nook where it defeated Team Slow Mo, 60-35, with the help of a 34-4 run over the last 3:55 of the first half and first 13:50 of the second half.
Fedor had 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals in the win while Nealon had seven assists.
Nealon then had 10 points and eight assists while Fedor had eight rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots when the winning streak ended with a 62-57 loss to Long Island Lightning.
Fedor had 10 rebounds in the finale, a 63-60, overtime loss to Global Squad.
Scranton Prep’s Daniel Santaniello began the busy week with a 29-point effort, with the help of six 3-pointers in a 60-56 victory by NEPA Elite 17U Frank over PA Coalition Kolumber.
That high-scoring game followed up a 17-point second half in the last game at East Stroudsburg and led to Santaniello finishing up with the club’s HGSL team, the Coyle team.
Santaniello kept scoring, putting up 11 for the Coyle team against Ray Allen Select, and team-highs of 21 against Team Slow Mo and 18 against Global Squad. He was 7-for-12 from the floor, including 4-for-8 on 3-pointers, in the finale against Global Squad.
Brycen Martin from Scranton Prep had a big day July 5 for the NEPA Elite 16U Tillery team in Atlantic City. He had 18 points in a 56-45 win over Epic Elite and 15 in a 59-54 loss to Team Push.
Robby Lucas from Abington Heights had seven points and two steals in each game, along with nine rebounds and four assists in the win over Epic Elite. Lucas also had 18 points in a 63-58 loss to the New York Jayhawks.
Shaffer continued to pour in points for the 15U Dempsey team.
The Dempsey team held on for a 55-54 win over New Jersey Predators in Atlantic City. Shaffer had two 3-pointers in a 13-0 run and Kettel scored all the points in a 9-0 run to build a 48-34 lead before holding off a late comeback.
The Abington Heights combination was part of a successful NEPA Elite comeback in the team’s last game in Atlantic City. Shaffer had 13 points in the last 5:12 and Kettel added five during a 20-0 run as NEPA Elite came from 20 points down to beat Mass Rivals, 55-54.
Shaffer had 13 points and three blocks vs. the Predators; 28 points, seven rebounds and three steals against Mass Rivals; six 3-pointers and 26 points in a 58-56 win over Crown HGSL at Spooky Nook and 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting from 3-point range in the season-ending, semifinal loss, 57-54, against Team Final Red.
Kettel had 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting against Mass Rivals. He had seven points and three assists against Crown HGSL.
The Dempsey team rallied from 16 down with less than 10 minutes to go for a 62-57, overtime victory over Triple Threat at Spooky Nook.
Scranton Prep’s Brody Martin led that comeback, hitting a game-ending, 3-pointer in overtime after his drive to beat the buzzer forced the extra session. Martin went 6-for-7 from the floor, including 4-for-5 on 3-pointers, to score 17 points.
