Cherry Hill East's 1-2 punch proves too much for rivals to handle
Chris Abreu had a huge game for Cherry Hill East on Saturday, collecting 20 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, six steals and a block against rival Cherry Hill West.And when you’re talking about South Jersey basketball rivalries, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Battle of Cherry Hill.
When East meets West, you can always count on a bit of trash talking mixed in with an entertaining 32 minutes of action.Jamieson Young and Chris Abreu got their first taste of this rivalry last season. On Saturday, the dynamic 1-2 punch proved too much to handle. The talented guards combined for 46 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and eight steals as Cherry Hill East posted an 85-69 victory. The Olympic Conference inter-division matchup is part of the three-day Virginia B. Whitaker Classic. Jamieson Young of Cherry Hill East splits the defense of Cherry Hill West's Korey Morton and Rasheed Braxton during the second half of Saturday's game.“It’s an all-time rivalry. Trash talk is high, but you’ve got to keep your emotions together and stay together as a team,” Young said. “It’s always back and forth.”A junior guard who transferred to East after his freshman year at Paul VI, Abreu turned in a terrific all-around effort. He finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, six steals and a block. Abreu had 11 points, two boards, three assists and two steals in the third quarter to help East take a 62-48 lead into the final stanza. Young led the way with a game-high 26 points. The sophomore guard also collected five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Chris Abreu of Cherry Hill East drops in a layup during Saturday's game against rival Cherry Hill West.“They’re great kids, great basketball players and they’re a joy to coach,” East coach Dave Allen said of the tandem. “They’re very competitive. “They do everything. It always helps when you’re playing with two point guards. They’re both playmakers and both can score, both are good defenders and rebounders.” Winners of five straight to open the season, expectations are extremely high for Cherry Hill East. A team that reached the South Jersey Group 4 final last year, it returned four starters and its sixth man. The Cougars never trailed Saturday, holding a 21-16 lead after the opening quarter and taking a 42-31 advantage into the locker room at halftime. Cherry Hill West cut its deficit to seven points early in the third only to see East stretch things out quickly. Matt Laskowski had 14 points and six rebounds for Cherry Hill West in Saturday's loss to cross-town rival Cherry Hill East.Matt Laskowski and Korey Morton had 14 points apiece for West and combined for 14 rebounds. Andre Blalock had 13 points and four steals, while Jordan Wise-Jones and Rasheed Braxton scored 12 points each. Noahm Marciano added 13 points and four rebounds for East, while Justin Farber had 11 points and seven boards. Chris Delgado chipped in seven points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. “It’s a good team and we’re playing very different than the way we’ve played in the past,” Allen said. “They’re having fun playing it and I’ve just got to get adjusted to the style. It’s a game where we’re converting from offense to defense and defense to offense quickly. It’s a style they want to play and have bought into. We’re pressing a little bit more, pushing the ball a little bit more than in the past.”A 1988 graduate of the University of Maryland, this is my 38th year covering New Jersey high school sports - with a focus on the seven-county South Jersey region. I've been recognized by the NJSIAA and NJPA for...
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