Dayton Boy's Run Away With Pepe Memorial

The Dayton boy’s team held up its end, winning its own invitation, in an easy 84-61 win over Port Richmond, in the final round of the 8th Annual Joseph Pepe Memorial Holiday Tournament.  

The Bulldogs (2-2) used a crushing opening quarter to run away with the contest. Leading the way for Dayton was senior guard Andrew Homlish, who netted 22 points, while junior guard Isaiah Rogers also chipped in with 20 points. Homlish was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while senior forward Matt Lyna also received all-tournament honors.       

Lyna only had two points but it was his intensity and ability to free up open shots for his teammates that was most valued. Also a former varsity football star last season, the usually unheralded Lyna said he took great satisfaction in the acknowledgment.  

“It was very rewarding because I’m not the type of person who’s going to score 20 points per game. So just to be acknowledged is something special and nice,” said Lyna, who added he knows his role on the team. “The way I look at it is I do the little things on the court, the kind of things that nobody else wants to do. I’ll do it just to help out the team. It all ties into knowing the game and just knowing what to do out there on the field or on the court and putting myself in the best position…Even though there’s juniors out there they’re still young.”  

One of the young leaders, despite being a senior, is Homlish. The quiet yet manic Homlish was one of the key catalysts as he detonated the Bulldogs’ attack with a handful of steals that lead to easy fastbreak points. Homlish contributed 12 first-quarter points that helped Dayton lead by as many as 21 points. Afterwards, the quiet leader said it was like an outer-body experience in the way he started the game.  

“Usually I don’t start off with 12 points in the first quarter but I just knew after that it was going to be a good night,” Homlish said, adding it was part of the gameplan for him to be so active defensively. “Usually I’m aggressive but when the game is really going my way it makes me play even more aggressive. I felt like I can do what I wanted.”   

Such was the Bulldogs’ dominance that they didn’t allow the Raiders to score its first points until the 1:45 mark – at that time a 19-2 score -- and harassed them into 11 turnovers in their first 17 possessions. Dayton head coach Bob Martin said he was pleased with how well his team played and how much better the initial execution was in this game.  

“It was good to get some points on the board and get many guys a chance to play,” Martin said. “We broke their press and it gave us a chance to get a lot of three-on-twos and two-and-ones [fastbreaks] and we cashed in on a lot of layups…Andrew [Homlish] was at the top of the press and we were trapping and getting some turnovers that were leading for some easy baskets for us. And eventually, around the four-minute mark, we were able to get those other guys [end of the bench] involved. They deserved it [because] they work hard in practice and put the time in, too.”          

Dayton’s bench temporarily emptied prior to the fourth quarter, as Martin subbed in many reserves when the second quarter commenced – thanks in large part to a swelling 25-4 first-quarter advantage. But the reserves allowed the deficit to shrink some once the starters took a breather, so the regulars were soon checked back in. Seeing how quickly things went awry made Martin realize that his youthful squad still has lots of work to do.  

“We got off to a great start and other guys were able to get in,” said Martin. “But regardless who’s in there we tell them no bad habits and don’t get sloppy [and] continue to play unselfishly and play our style.”       

The bench was led by Anthony Cioffi and Josh Weber, who added nine and six points, respectively, and they also used smothering defense to force turnovers and ignite fastbreak points. Other than that duo, however, there was a lull in intensity from the bench, particularly in the early second quarter. But Dayton managed to pull it together again once most of the starters reconvened on the court. Rogers ended Port Richmond’s mini 10-6 run, with a corner three at the 4:17 mark. Elijah Brown (10 points) followed that with a straightaway three on the next possession after Cioffi made great out-of-bounds save of his own missed shot to find a waiting Brown. By that time, the game was no longer in doubt.   

The effort was there for most of the evening and with a young team that’s still trying to find its way, Martin said it was important to get to .500 as his team can now enjoy a mini-break before conference play begins.  

“We told them to enjoy this but when we get back to school we’ll have three games [in a week] and then three more in the week after that, too,” Martin said. “But that’s what we wanted – to be ready to come in and play lots of games and hopefully head into that stretch at 2-2. And that’s what we did and where we are now.”     

Up next for the conquering team is a January 3rd home date with rival Roselle. But between now and then, the Bulldogs will most certainly be honing their game and treating each practice session as a teachable moment. Homlish, for one, said he’s ready to use this performance as a springboard and expand his role as a teacher to the younger guys.      

“It feels great, especially in a tournament that represents such an amazing figure like Joe Pepe,” said Homlish of his MVP honor, adding he’s looking forward to doing even more. “You have to nurture the leaders of the future but still lead by example. I think I can be the athlete and leader that the team needs me to be.”