Conner showing up matters to HoopsFest
mansion park summer basketball league finals
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski HoopsFest's Clay Connor is pressured by MikeÕs Court's Justin Charlton.
Photos for the Mirror by Clark Adelman HoopsFest won the Mansion Park Summer League Division 1 basketball title. Team members include (from left): Front row — Timmy Conner, Jalen Triplin, Colin Lear, Clay Conner. Second row — T.J. Lewis, Tyler Smith, Colby Way, Zach Smith, Jabreel Dickers. They are joined by league director Skip Dry.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski HoopsFest's Clay Connor is pressured by MikeÕs Court's Justin Charlton.
Photos for the Mirror by Clark Adelman HoopsFest won the Mansion Park Summer League Division 1 basketball title. Team members include (from left): Front row — Timmy Conner, Jalen Triplin, Colin Lear, Clay Conner. Second row — T.J. Lewis, Tyler Smith, Colby Way, Zach Smith, Jabreel Dickers. They are joined by league director Skip Dry.
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HoopsFest successfully defended its Central Blair Recreation Commission Division 1 Men's Summer Basketball championship Wednesday night, and used an ace up its sleeve to do it.
Clay Conner, a member of the Penn State University men's basketball coaching staff whose work schedule prompted him to miss several of the HoopsFest games this summer, showed up Wednesday and played like gangbusters, scoring a game-high 22 points as third-seeded HoopsFest carved out a 56-44 championship victory over top-seeded and previously unbeaten Mike's Court in rematch of last season's title game.
"It's the highlight of the summer,'' Conner, who played NCAA Division II college basketball at Shippensburg University, said of the opportunity to play in the Lakemont Park summer league. "Everybody's got a busy schedule, but when you get a chance to play here, it's a real treat.''
The treat of Conner's presence in its lineup served the HoopsFest team superbly Wednesday, as he lit up the scoreboard for 16 points in the second half, including 11 in the final 10 minutes, to put a game that had been in the balance on ice for HoopsFest.
After a layup by K.J. Futrell pulled Mike's Court (11-1) to within four points, 38-34, HoopsFest took control of the game with an 11-2 run that staked the winners to a 49-36 lead.
Conner -- who was named the league's Dick Hankinson championship game Most Valuable Player -- fittingly started the uprising with a layup, before
T.J. Lewis followed with a putback and then added a steal and layup to boost the HoopsFest lead to 44-34.
Lewis, a graduate assistant at Penn State, is also a member of the Nittany Lions' men's basketball coaching staff.
He complemented Conner's 22 points by scoring 17, creating a formidable 1-2 offensive punch for HoopsFest.
"It was a great game, and a great team win,'' Lewis said. "We moved the ball well, and we played really good defense, especially in the second half.''
Conner continued taking over the second half by muscling down the baseline, scoring a bucket, drawing a foul, and hitting a free throw to complete a 3-point play and put HoopsFest up, 47-36.
Conner then scored the final basket of the HoopsFest surge off a drive, giving the winners the 49-36 cushion.
"I've played here a lot of years, and haven't won it,'' said HoopsFest's Tyler Smith, a post-up standout who was one of the stars of the 2001 Penn State men's basketball team that punched its ticket into the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA tournament.
"It's fun to win it again with this group of guys,'' added Smith, who was the recipient of the league's new Tony Labriola Sportsmanship Award.
HoopsFest broke out to an early 11-3 lead before Mike's Court -- which had defeated HoopsFest twice during the regular season -- responded with a 16-8 surge to tie the score, 19-19 on a layup by Justin Charlton with 3:52 left in the first half.
HoopsFest closed the half strong, scoring seven of the next nine points to take a 26-21 lead at intermission. Charlton, who was named the league's Stu Nolan League MVP for the season, led Mike's Court with 11 points.
"We came out slow tonight and we weren't hitting our shots -- that's what what it came down to,'' Charlton said. "We played good defense tonight, but we just couldn't get enough of our shots to fall.''
Led by Conner, HoopsFest got more than enough of its shots to fall when needed down the stretch.
"Two in a row now,'' Conner said of HoopsFest second consecutive championship . "We're looking forward to a 3-peat next year.''
Game notes: All-league team selections included Colin Lear (HoopsFest), Taurean Consiglio (Imperial Ventures/Summit Country Club), Luke Scarton (CED Mosebach), Jaden Myers (Philly Pretzel Factory), and Kyle Ruggery (Spherion).
MIKE'S COURT (44): Charles 1 2-2 4, Whitfield 3 2-2 8, Charlton 5 0-1 11, Barnes 2 0-0 4, Harman 1 2-2 4, Neely 3 0-0 6, Futrell 1 0-0 2, Wansley 1 0-0 3, Colbert 1 0-0 2. Totals--18 6-7 44.
HOOPSFEST (56): T. Smith 1 2-2 4, Lewis 8 0-3 17, Way 1 0-0 3, C. Conner 7 7-7 22, Lear 0 5-6 5, Triplin 1 2-2 5, Z. Smith 0 0-0 0, Walters 0 0-0 0, T. Connor 0 0-0 0. Totals - 18 16-22 56.
Halftime: HoopsFest, 26-21. 3-point goals: Mike's Court 2 (Charlton, Wansley); HoopsFest 4 (Lewis, Way, C. Conner, Triplin).
Officials: Skip Dry, Clark Adelman, Luke Rhoades.