JB Hoops Callahan falls in finale

By Tom Robinson

MANHEIM – JB Hoops Callahan came up short in an early Sunday morning game, falling to PTT Elite Blue, 58-44, to finish 3-4 in a stretch on the road in which it played seven games over five days at two locations.

JB Hoops Callahan finished 1-2 in the 17U Elite Division Saturday and Sunday in the Hoop Group Summer Jam Fest at Spooky Nook Sports in Lancaster County.

The stretch started with another Hoop Group event – the Atlantic City Jam Fest – Wednesday through Friday.

JB Hoops started in a Hoop Group Showcase League game Wednesday when it lost to the DC Blue Devils, 59-55.

During the 17U Elite Turnpike Division action that followed, JB Hoops went 2-1, winning twice on Thursday.

The Thursday victories came 56-53 over NJ Panthers Select and 69-62 over Garner Road NC.

The Middlesex Magic defeated JB Hoops, 54-40, Friday.

JB Hoops then dropped its opener at Spooky Nook, 66-61, Saturday before coming back Friday afternoon to defeat Middlesex Magic White, 59-57.

“I thought there was a lot more energy at 4:30 than there was at 8 o’clock,” JB Hoops coach Bill Callahan said when Saturday’s action was over.

The 8 a.m. start on Sunday brought out some sluggish stretches for JB Hoops.

JB Hoops led often in the first 10 minutes before PTT outscored it 28-8 over a span of nearly 12 minutes to take a 43-24 lead with 10:24 remaining.

A 13-point JB Hoops streak – the last nine of which came on consecutive 3-pointers by Robert VanBrunt, Corey Perkins and Brennan Higgins – briefly cut the deficit to six, but PTT pulled away again to lock up the win.

MORE TO COME: Return to JB Hoops for more coverage wrapping up this week’s tournament action for the JB Hoops boys and girls national teams.