Freshman center Tim Delaney has powered Pitman to a 7-2 record and first place in the Tri-County Classic.
"Timmy is at a small school, and he fits in well," Pitman coach Kevin Crawford said of the Group 1 program. "But I believe he would be starting for any team in South Jersey."
Shawnee guard Alec Warren and Gloucester Catholic guard Fran Kinsey are other freshmen who have made an impact. Warren scored nine the other night against No. 1 Paul VI and eight against Camden. Kinsey scored a career-best 18 against GCIT.
The 6-foot-8 Delaney, whose mother is the former Washington Township and St. Joseph's University standout who played as Jeanine Reynolds, is among South Jersey's leading scorers with a 20.1 average. He has scored in double figures in every game, and he went for a career-high 32 in a victory over Audubon on Friday night.
Crawford said Delaney wears size 18 sneakers.
"If he grows a couple more inches . . ." Crawford said.
Delaney already has attracted interest from colleges such as Villanova, La Salle, and Rutgers, according to Crawford.
Delaney lives in Mullica Hill and played at St. Margaret's School in Woodbury Heights (as did Kinsey). Delaney is a tuition student at Pitman.
The DePersias, who live in Cherry Hill, are tuition students at Haddonfield. They are speedy, skilled, 5-8 athletes whose presence has persuaded Haddonfield coach Paul Wiedeman to play a more aggressive, trapping defensive scheme.
"We've changed our defense this year," Wiedeman said. "They [the DePersias] are so disruptive at the defensive end. They put so much pressure on the other team."
Wiedeman said the DePersias' defensive play is "very contagious" to the rest of the team.
Through Friday, Nick DePersia was averaging 7.3 points and Rob DePersia was averaging 6.1. The twins combined for 16 points Tuesday in a victory over previously undefeated Haddon Heights.
