By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
OLD FORGE – Joey Macciocco is District 2’s only returning all-state boys basketball player.
And, as the Valley View Cougars found out Sunday afternoon in the district’s only game of the day, he keeps getting better.
Macciocco scored a career-high 31 points to lead Old Forge past the visiting Cougars, 60-51, in a meeting of unbeaten teams ranked among the best in the district in the Riverfront Sports Super Six Basketball Power Rankings.
With Macciocco leading them through most of the game’s key stretches, the Blue Devils moved in front by the midway point in the first quarter and remained there the rest of the way.
“We just mesh real well and are just having fun out there,” Macciocco said after the Blue Devils improved to 4-0.
The Cougars were 4-0 before the game started.
“Valley View is probably the best team we’ve played so far,” said Macciocco, who was also the game’s leading rebounder with eight, all on the defensive end. “We knew it was going to be a challenge for us and we just accepted it. We wanted it.
“We wanted to prove that we’re one of the best teams in the area.”
The Blue Devils made a good case.
Second-year Old Forge coach J.J. Thomas praised his team’s defensive commitment and, of course the play of Macciocco, who was 11-for-20 from the floor, 2-for-6 on 3-pointers and 7-for-8 from the line.
“He’s a helluva player,” second-year Blue Devils coach J.J. Thomas said. “ … He’s definitely matured since last year and he’s also bought in to playing more defense and turning that defense into offense.
“It’s really great to see and he’s really taken that leadership role for us with (Anthony) Mucciolo and (Tyler) Pepsin.”
The Blue Devils built a lead by holding the Cougars to 28 points through 3 quarters, then shot 16-for-19 from the line in the fourth quarter to finish 23-for-28 for the game.
Matt Kuckla was 7-for-8 at the line while adding nine points.
Dominick Palma came of the bench to add eight points without miss a shot, taking two from the floor and four from the line.
Pepsin had seven points and two steals.
Valley View got 15 points from Eli Yusavage. Kyle Rupp came off the bench to add 10 points and 6 rebounds. Taheed Jewell contributed a strong all-around game despite being in foul trouble and eventually fouling out.
Jewell had nine points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Valley View scored the first four points, but then managed just two more in the next five minutes.
Old Forge went on an 11-0 run that started with a Macciocco basket and included an elbow jumper from him.
The Blue Devils led 23-15 at halftime after holding the Cougars without a field goal in the second quarter.
Macciocco scored six straight points midway through the third quarter to open a 32-22 lead.
After Macciocco hit both ends of a one-and-one 15 seconds into the fourth quarter for a 38-28 lead, the Old Forge advantage remained between 9 and 13 the rest of the way.
