Green scores career-high 19 in Bucktail loss at South Williamsport
By Bees O’Brien
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA – There have been many individual success stories that continue to come to light with the Bucktail boys’ basketball team. The emergence of Gary Whipp as a legitimate varsity guard and watching Brody Pentz become one of the Mid Penn Conference’s top stars, but there’s another developing story within the Bucks’ program.
Johnny Green has arrived. Green was a seldom used reserve up until a month ago when he began to make huge improvements to his game for Mike Charcalla’s Bucktail squad. Charcalla noticed these improvements and he would insert the rough and tumble All Conference defensive tackle into his basketball starting lineup. The move has paid off for Charcalla and a Bucktail team that is chasing an improbable playoff bid.
They wouldn’t reach that milestone against a much taller and faster 2A South Williamsport team on Friday night, but they’d give it their all.
South entered the game sitting at the 5 spot in a very loaded District IV 2A field and a win over Bucktail would hopefully help them catch East Juniata for the final home spot in that classification.
A 27-9 first quarter from the Mounties, thanks in part to Bucktail turnovers and the obvious size advantage. South kept the pressure on the smaller Bucks in the second quarter and used an 18-7 advantage to build a 45-16 halftime lead.
Green would rally his troops with a trio of three-point baskets. Bucktail played much better in the third quarter and would outscore South Williamsport 20-17, but the first half deficit would prove to be too much.
“We started off slow in the first half. Too many turnovers.” Charcalla said of his Bucks “I was proud of the way we came out in the second half and never gave up.”
An 11-7 South advantage in the final frame would set the 73-43 final.
Green had the hot hand on Friday night by netting a new career-high and game-high 19 points, including 5 from beyond the arc. Bucktail drilled a season-high 9 three pointers in the contest.
“Johnny is more of a complete basketball player now. He’s driving and cutting more.” Charcalla said of Green. “He’s team player that keeps his team under control.”
Brody Pentz had another solid game for the Bucks by scoring 8 points and grabbing 11 rebounds despite being guarded by South’s 6’5” Marquan Harris.
Brett Mason added 7 points. Will Steele scored 6 points and Gary Whipp scored 3 for a Bucktail team that is now 5-12 and will be hosting 16-4 St. John Neumann on Monday night.
South Williamsport was led by Lee Habalar’s 13 points. Harris finished with 12 points. Aaron Akers would also add 12 points for the 14-8 Mounties who have concluded their regular season and will sit idle until the 2A playoffs open up in a couple of weeks.
