TOWAMENCIN- Fast paced, high scoring, and a rivalry battle in the second game of a Thursday night doubleheader gave quite an exciting matchup for those in attendance.

The North Penn Knights (3-1) beat the Souderton Indians (1-2) 80-67 due to a high tempo Knights offense led by senior guards A.J. Mitchell and Tali McIver.

“We didn’t do a very good job at limiting them.  We did a good job at doing what we wanted to do on offense but it’s gotta come on the defensive end first,” Souderton Head Coach Charles Kornegay said.

The Knights didn’t waste time settling into the game as they came out on a 9-2 run to begin the game thanks to five points and an assist from McIver.  Souderton pushed back however and after a three from Souderton’s Thatcher, the score was 13-10.  Both teams continued to put points on the board and at the end of the 1^st quarter, the score was 23-20.  In the first quarter alone, McIver had 5 points and senior center, Solomon Robinson, had 10 points.

“Basically, we put a lot of pressure on em.  We got up and down the court… like I said last game we know our teammates, we know how they play, we know where we wanna put them at, we know where we want them to shoot at,” McIver said.

Then Mitchell took over in the 2^nd quarter.  Mitchell only scored one point in his last game and showed that performance is far in the past for him.

“Last game I didn’t do so well and I had to pick myself up.  I had to tell myself that I had to work harder [in] practice and I think that transitioned into the game,” Mitchell said.

He had 13 second quarter points (17 in the half) which included three 3-pointers.  His efforts along with 5 points in the quarter from junior center Matt Swanson gave the Knights a 43-39 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Indians finally were able to complete a full comeback and when Chouiraf went right through the Knights defense and converted on a layup, Souderton took a 48-47 lead.  However back-to-back threes from McIver and Caputo gave the lead back to North Penn as they had a 58-51 lead into the 4^th quarter.

And to begin the 4^th quarter was a battle from deep between junior Kolby Barrow and Chouiraf.  Barrow hit a three which was answered on the other end of the court by Chouiraf.  Barrow then hit another three right after that but Chouiraf would have none of it as he drained another three and North Penn had a 64-57 lead.  Later in the quarter, McIver made a wide open three-pointer in the corner off a Mitchell assist.  The Knight made 7 out of 8 free throws in the final two minutes to close out the game and get the win.

“We got out rebounded the other night against [Council Rock] South so that was a point of emphasis and [it was] just a fun game.  We’re really up tempo and it was just a fun game to be a part of,” Head Coach John Conrad said.

The team will back in their home gymnasium for their next game against the Boyertown Bears on Saturday the 15^th.

North Penn: Mitchell 23 pts, McIver 21 pts, Robinson 10 pts, Caputo 9 pts, Swanson 9 pts, Barrow 8 pts

Souderton: Chouiraf 21 pts, Thatcher 16 pts, Walker 15 pts, Towsen 7 points, Vince 6 pts, Williams 2 pts