Travel Team Update: P-G Now 3-1

January 24:  P-G 33, Bound Brook 31.  P-G jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first quarter then fought off a feisty Bound Brook squad for the rest of the game.  Will Howes hit a runner in the final seconds to seal the win.  Bryan Gardiner led a well-balanced attack with eight points.

January 31:  P-G 25, Somerville 20.  It seemed like there was a lid on the basket for most of the day.  P-G dominated the boards and moved the ball well.  They took a lot of good shots.  They just didn't happen to go in.  Fortunately, the P-G defense stifled Somerville.  Andrew Martin led the P-G attack with 10 points.

Next game:  February 7 at home versus Manville.

LSU Defense Stifles Visiting Villanova

LSU's defense clamped down on visiting Villanova today at the Peapack Gym as LSU won 25-22.  LSU allowed 4 points in the first quarter and 4 in the second to build an eight point half time lead.  The boys were even more stingy in the third, allowing only 3.

Villanova came alive in the fourth, but the LSU lead was too much for them.

LSU held Villanova's star player, Jarret Mogavero to six points.

The win extended LSU's win streak to four.  Walter "the Bandit" Rivas led the way with 10 points, marking the fifth consecutive game in which he has reached double figures.  Will "the Thrill" Howes added 9, Ryan Lane 4 and "Fast Break Jake" Wagner 2.

LSU's Dynamic Duo

Walter Rivas and Will Howes continue the Peapack-Gladstone tradition of good basketball and good sportsmanship. Walter and Will were key members of the Peapack-Gladstone Bulls, who won a trophy as the regular season champions of the Chester Basketball League, 5th and 6th grade boys division in 2008. The Bulls finished with a 10-2 record.

Walter and Will are LSU's dymamic duo. They have each scored in double figures in each of LSU's four games to date. The dynamic duo's winning ways have rubbed off on the teams 5th graders, and on 6th Grader Jesse Milesnick, who plays forward.

LSU boasts seven excellent fifth graders this year: Center Ryan Lane, Forward Miles Kenny and Guards Noah Kleitsch, Nick Liccardi, Liam McGonegal, Jake Wagner and Murphy LaFerle. All of our seven 5th graders have contributed.

LSU looks forward to an 11:45 am game at the Peapack-Gladstone Gym. Please arrive at 11:30 ready to play.

LSU Stops Texas' Streak at Three

A well-coached Texas team came into the friendly confines of the Peapack Gym with an undefeated record and dreams of a perfect season.  But like many teams before them, the Peapack Gym dashed those dreams.

LSU was playing shorthanded.  Center Ryan Lane was out with flu-like symptoms.  Guard Nick Liccardi was on the disabled list with a concussion suffered while skiing.  The rest of the LSU team came together and played like a team.

LSU moved out to a 7-0 lead in a first quarter that was marred by fouls and injuries.  LSU was playing outstanding defense, but there seemed to be a lid on the basket.  The lid didn't come off of the basket in the second quarter, but LSU held on to a 11-6 lead at the half.

The offense came alive in the second half.  Walter "the Bandit" Rivas exploded for seven of his 11 points and Will "the Thrill" dropped in fourteen of his seventeen points.  The game marked the fourth consecutive game where LSU's dynamic duo have both scored in double figures.

Anthony D. scored 11 to pace Texas.  His twin brother, Mark, added 6.

LSU will defend their three game winning streak against Villanova on Saturday in Peapack.

LSU Boys to Host Texas This Thursday

Right now, they are the team to beat.  Texas sits atop the 5th and 6th grade boys division with a perfect 3-0 record.  They bring that perfect record into the friendly confines of the Peapack-Gladstone Gym, a location that has dashed the championship hopes of many a Chester team over the years.  LSU boasts a 2-1 record after winning two games by margins of 27 and 11 in the past week.  LSU will be without the services of guard Nick Liccardi, who is on the disabled list after a skiing accident.  Tip-off is at 7:15.

This Week in LSU Basketball

Practice:  Wednesday 4:30 to 5:30 at the Peapack-Gladstone Gym.  We are preparing to play an undefeated team, so attendance is very important.

Game #4:  Thursday 7:15 PM versus Texas.  Texas is undefeated, so we need to show up at 7:00 pm ready to run.  

Game#5:  Saturday 11:45 AM versus Villanova.  Please arrive by 11:30 AM ready to play hard.

LSU Basketball: "The Posse"

Since we have ten players on the LSU basketball team, Coach Pat and I have divided the team into two squads.  Even though one squad (The "tip-off squad") always starts the game, these are not "starters" in the traditional sense of the word.  The two squads are designed to be equal.

The Tip-off Squad plays the first four minutes of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters.  Then comes "The Posse".  The Posse plays the second four minutes of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Why are they called "The Posse"?  

The dictionary defines posse as "a group of people summoned by a sheriff to aid in law enforcement."  Most of us are familiar with the term from Cowboy movies and old Westerns.  The posse is a bunch of men on horseback summoned in an emergency to find and stop the bad guys or to rescue someone in need.

When our posse comes into the game off of the bench, they bring high energy into the game.  They are the good guys who are brought into the game in a time of need to beat the opponent.  And so far they have done a great job.

The leader of The Posse is Walter Rivas, who is known for his ability to steal the ball from the opponent and start a fast break.  His deputies are Forward Miles Kenny and Guards Liam McGonegal, Noah Kleitsch and Jake Wagner, who have shown that they have the speed and the determination to keep the opponent from scoring.

Rivas Helps LSU to Vicotry

Walter Rivas scored in double figures for the third time in three games.  Walter scored 11 points.  His most important points came in the first quarter when Will was taken out of the game due to a bloody nose.  Walter took control of both ends of the court, scoring 5 points in the quarter to lead LSU to a a 6-3 first quarter lead.

After Will Howes returned to the game, LSU never surrendered its lead.  All nine LSU players played intense defense.

Ryan Lane dominated under the boards and scored five points.  He drove a much larger defender crazy.  That defender fouled out of the game.  Noah Kleitsch added four points for LSU.  Will Howes led the way with 19, including three buckets from beyond the arc.

Final score:  LSU 39, Marquette 28.  LSU improves to 2-1 on the young season.

Town Team Update: P-G Beats Readington 42-21

When the Peapack-Gladstone Town Team squared off against the Readington Runnin' Rebels on Wednesday, we proved that teamwork wins games.  All nine P-G players who played scored at least one point.

But it didn't come easy at first.  The boys fell behind 11-3 in the first quarter.  They turned the tide in the second quarter with some white-hot defensive intensity.  Devon Levine made two big defensive stops that got the P-G fast break going.  From there it was all down hill.  P-G outscored Readington 39-10 over the last three periods.

Will Howes led the balanced P-G scoring attack with 10 points

LSU Beats Louisville Behind Balanced Attack

LSU spread the ball around today.  Seven players scored.  Three of them scored in double digits as LSU beat a hsutling Louisville 41-14.

LSU fast-breaked their way to a 10-2 lead four minutes into the game, and never looked back.  A tough LSU defense led to a fast break offense as Ryan Lane dominated the boards and Walter Rivas forced turnover after turnover.  LSU built its lead to 25-10 at the half.

In the second half, LSU went to their "Bermuda Triangle" defense, and stopped Louisville cold in the third quarter.  Louisville was shut out 10-0 in the third quarter.  With the game in hand, LSU slowed the game down in the fourth quarter.

Walter Rivas led the team with 13 points.  Will Howes and Ryan Lane each scored 10.  Also chipping in important buckets:  Noah Kleitsch, Murphy LaFerle, Nick Liccardi and Miles Kenny.

LSU Loses Opener by a Bucket

LSU met their cross-town rivals Notre Dame yesterday at the Peapack-Gladstone Gymnasium.  The game could not have been closer.  Notre Dame led most of the game.  LSU came out strong in the fourth quarter, and surged to a five point lead.  Notre Dame was down, but not out.  They came back to take a 36-32 lead with less than a minute left.  LSU hit a late bucket to pull to 36-34.  Will "the Thrill" Howes fired up a long three-pointer at the buzzer to go for the win, but it bounced off of the rim.

Andrew Martin paced Notre Dame with 17 points.  Devon Levine added 10.

Will Howes led LSU with 20 points.  Walter Rivas chipped in 10 points.

But most impressive was the LSU defense.  All ten LSU players contributed to the effort.  Most impressive was Nick Liccardi.  In the second half, Nick Liccardi guarded the Notre Dame Center, Andrew Martin, who is nearly twice Nick's size.  Nick used his speed and his strength to keep Andrew from getting to the basket.  Great job Nick.

Welcome to LSU Basketball!

Welcome to the LSU Boys 5th and 6th Grade Basketball Team.  We play in the Chester Basketball League.  There are six teams in our division.  There will be ten regular season games.  Whoever has the best record at the end of the regular season will win a championship trophy.  There will be a post season tournament.  Whichever team wins the post season tournament will also win a championship trophy.

Our coaches are Coach Pat Colicchio and Coach Tim Howes.  This is Coach Pat's first year as a coach in the Chester League.  This is Coach Tim's sixth season.

LSU is short for Louisiana State University.  The mascot for LSU is the Tiger.  The real life LSU is located in Baton Rouge Louisiana.  LSU has a great sports program.  Two of the greatest players who ever played college and professional basketball played for the LSU basketball team.  Have you heard of them?  Their names are Shaquille O'Neal ("Shaq") and Pete Maravich ("Pistol Pete").