Wheeling Park Boys Secure First Triumph
Phillips leads the way with 30 points
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WHEELING -- Wheeling Park boys' basketball coach Michael Jebbia did not panic after an 0-3 start to the season.
In fact, he is reminded of the 1989 team that went on to a stellar campaign led by OVAC Hall of Famer Anthony Reed, after also beginning the year 0-3.
The Patriots secured that first win of the season on Tuesday on Senior Night in a convincing 79-57 win over Weir at The Palace on the Hill.
"We played good basketball last week but sometimes you just get beat," Jebbia said. "They were all close games. I went back into the archives and the 1989 team started 0-3. That team had Anthony Reed who is quite possibly the best player to ever play here. They had three single-digit losses and then got it going and started playing better. Of course, Anthony Reed did quite well. I just told the kids that after the game."
Junior Brett Phillips led the way with 30 points on 13 of 18 shooting, which also included the first 10 Park points of the game.
"It's incredible really," Jebbia said of Phillips' performance. "I asked one of our assistant coaches, 'Does he have all 10 points?' He is highly efficient and sometimes I'm not even sure how he gets the ball up there. He is so long and rangy but he just has a knack for it."
Even Weir coach Anthony Santangelo was impressed.
"That dude is a leader," Santangelo said. "He knows how to be a leader. He does it well on the football field. He is the definition of what we say is gritty. He dribble drives hard and gets to the basket. What he does, they feed off of and that is what we are looking for, as well."
Weir led 13-12 after one quarter but early in the second, Jebbia brought sophomores Keohn Stephens and Mykel Davis off the bench for their stingy defense and it worked to perfection.
The Patriots quieted the Red Riders during a 10-0 spurt that led to a 31-point quarter and a 43-23 halftime advantage.
"Those two guys also played three JV quarters before the game," Jebbia said. "We put them in and they give us defense and energy. They've been good at practice and we're trying to work them in but there is no question they provided a spark and an energy to us. We haven't had a 31-point quarter in nine of 10 years."
Weir didn't quit in the third as it trimmed the deficit to 55-43 but Park left no doubt in the final frame en route to its first victory.
"Weir is scrappy and they have quality shooters," Jebbia said. "The last four minutes of the second quarter kind of gave us a little separation."
Along with Phillips' 30-point night, Caleb Francis bucketed 16 and Aiden Davis added 14 for Park.
Grant Wilhard paced the Riders with 11 points and Charlie Zagula added 10.
"We won the first quarter 13-12 but we got out of moving the ball and spacing the ball and started playing a bunch of me-ball," Santangelo said. "That's where our downfall was and we lost the second quarter 31-10. We started arguing in the huddle and we don't teach that. It's not going to be accepted."