Holiday hoopla: Bishop England girls’ basketball delivers OT thrills

The holiday season is a time to get caught up on a little rest and relaxation, unless you happen to be Paul Runey. He’s the coach of the Bishop England High School girls’ basketball team.

 

Runey watched his team compete in the Carolina Invitational Tournament over the Christmas break as the Bishops went 2-1 in the tourney. However, there were stressful moments including a double-overtime victory and a second win that was the product of a last-second shot.

 

“Games like that can age you,” said Runey, who will turn 69 years old on Jan. 26. “I’m happy with the effort. We could have lost all three, or we could have won all three. It was that type of tournament.”

 

The Bishops opened with the double-OT win over Lawrence County, Kentucky, rallying from a 31-26 halftime deficit to post a 64-62 win.

 

The Bishops dropped a 64-60 close encounter against Karns High School, located in Knoxville, Tennessee. They closed out play with a 56-53 buzzer-beating triumph over Keenan.

 

Olivia Allen provided the dramatic game-winner.

 

She grabbed a rebound with five seconds left and brought the ball down court. Her basket, from about 30 feet, gave the Bishops their 11th victory over the season against three losses.

 

“She is a sophomore and has potential,” Runey said of Allen, one of four BE players who are averaging double figures. “She has the skill set.”

 

Last season, the Bishops posted a 28-3 record and reached the Lower State championship. However, the Bishops didn’t have a player who averaged double figures in scoring.

 

This season, they have three players. Senior guard Hannah Rosato leads the team with 14.4 points per game, while Allen scores 12.9 points a contest. Hadley Irvine is scoring 10.4 ppg. Another contributor is Lisse Van de Erve, who should be in double figures by the end of the season.

 

The Bishops, who have won 24 titles during Runey’s tenure, should be among the favorites to contend for the Region 6-AAAA crown.

 

They were scheduled to begin region play Jan. 7 against Hilton Head High School, which began the week with a 2-8 record. May River, Bluffton and Beaufort should be the biggest challengers in the hunt for the title.

 

BEHS boys looking to turn the tide

The Bishop England boys’ hoopsters might not believe in the theory of “There’s no place like home.”

 

First year coach Daniel Eykyn’s squad finished the non-region part of their schedule with a 7-9 record, which includes five holiday tourney losses.

 

According to MaxPeps.com, BE is 3-0 on the road, 2-2 at a neutral site, but just 2-7 at Father O’Brien Gymnasium on the BE campus.

 

The Bishops have had some tough lumps and heartbreakers along the way, but Eykyn is proving to be the right choice in following Bryan Grevey as coach of the Battling Bishops.

 

The Bishops have relied on the 1-2 punch of Lang Tarrant and Drew Gallagher. Tarrant collected 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while Gallagher is averaging 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds.